71ELEMENTARY | LESSON 8

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lesson

Theme for Unit 21: How Believers Live

8 Using God’sPower

LIFE NEED (5–10 MINUTES)Identify hard situations and tell how God can help.

Materials: “You + God” Teaching Aid—prepare before class, scissors

BIBLE LEARNING (15–20 MINUTES)Bible Words: Learn the definitions of lame, beggar, and temple gate.

Materials: My Bible Book p. 39, Bible Overview Chart Teaching Aid, Bibles

Bible Story: Hear the story of how God helped Peter heal a lame man.

Materials: Bibles

Bible Review: Perform a rap and draw speech balloons to tell how Peter and John were able to heal a lame man.

Materials: My Bible Book p. 40, pencils

Memory Work: Identify ways God has helped us be strong.

Materials: Bibles

BIBLE APPLICATION (5–10 MINUTES)Discuss how God can help students do great things for Him.

Materials: “My Church Family” Teaching Aid, My Bible Book pp. 41-42

LIFE RESPONSE (5–10 MINUTES)Students identify ways God has helped them in tough situations.

Materials: Elementary Kid Crafts Project for Lesson 8—make sample before class, paper clips, My Bible Book p. 42, pencils, Friends for Lesson 8

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BIBLE BASISPeter and John receive power from God to help a lame man (Acts 3:1-11).

BIBLE TRUTHGod gives His people power to do great things for Him.

MEMORY VERSE I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

LESSON AIMThat your students will trust God to help them do more than they could on their own.

This symbol means extra preparation or supplies are needed.

ELEMENTARY | LESSON 872

This Week’s Bible Story: Most of the early Christians were Jews, and for quite some time they continued some Jewish practices of worship and customs. For instance, Peter and John still observed the Jewish hours of prayer.

Once as Peter and John entered the temple for the prayer service, they encountered a beggar. They had surely seen this man before because he was at the temple gate every day. Since the man had been born lame, he was unable to work. He could only beg, relying on the unpredictable mercy of worshipers as he hoped to lessen the burden he was to his family.

This day, when Peter and John entered the temple, they saw the man in a new way. They had no money, but they knew they had something far better. Jesus had said to them, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12).

Eagerly Peter and John looked at the man and offered him healing in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Not lacking in faith, Peter took the man by his hand and raised him up. Immediately the man’s feet and ankles were healed. Overcome with joy, the man entered the temple courts on his own accord for the first time in his life, praising God. The other worshipers were astounded. They recognized him as the beggar they had so often passed. Now he had become one of them, worshiping God with great joy.

God does give His people power to do great things for Him. When Jesus ascended into heaven, the power of God did not leave with Him. Rather it continues on in His people through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Today we might not see such dramatic evidences of Jesus’ power working through His people, but that power is still there. As we commit ourselves to our Savior and Lord, He is able to work through us in wonderful ways.

Understanding the Bible

Classroom TipsThe following tips will help make giving directions easier and more effective.

When superheros are mentioned, it need not be in a critical way. It’s okay for children to admire superheros who are “on the side of right.” Fantasy is an important part of normal human development and experience.

Explain that whereas superheros are just drawn by an artist, Bible people were real, ordinary people just like us. God gave them the power to do special things.

A superhero’s power and God’s power can also be contrasted. A superhero has pretend power to do what he wants to do, but God has real power to help us do what He wants us to do.

Children usually think of power as physical strength or magical power. Help them see that though God can enable us to do miracles, He doesn’t always do this. He often gives us power to do things we normally do, only to do them a lot better. He can help us be braver, kinder, more careful, etc.

Understanding Your StudentsElementary-age children may have problems differentiating between Bible stories that show God’s power and the amazing feats of superheros. On cartoons and elsewhere in the media, your children see characters with “magical” powers overcome enemies and help others. These superhero adventures may make the supernatural events recorded in the Bible seem less special to elementary-age children who may not be completely sure of the line between truth and fiction.

73ELEMENTARY | LESSON 8

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This activity will prepare your students for the Bible story about how Peter and John received power to heal a lame man.

Before class, cut apart the four cards from the “You + God” Teaching

Aid. Divide the class into four groups. Give each group

a card from the teaching aid. Have them talk about the card using the following questions.

What’s happening in this picture? (Accept any reasonable interpretation of the problem.)

What do you think the child could do in this situation? (Let groups think of a solution.)

How hard or easy would this be to do? (As students discuss the problem and possible solutions, help them see that each child has something hard to do and may need help.)

If this child asked God for help, how do you think this story might end? (Give groups time to think of an ending.)

Gather the groups back together. Have each group display their card, tell what is happening, and their solution. You could share the following possible endings:

1—With God’s help, the boy who saw what happened is brave enough to help the younger boy.

2—With God’s help, the girl overcomes her fear and tries walking.

3—With God’s help, the boy keeps working hard, and he plays the song for his recital.

B—With God’s help, the girl learns all her memory verses and wins the ribbon.

The children in these pictures certainly had some hard things to do. In today’s Bible story, two of Jesus’ friends, Peter and John, have something hard to do too. With God’s help, they were able to do them.

Life Need 5–10 minutes

Objective: That your students will identify hard situations and tell how God can help.1

Presession ActivitiesChoose from the following activities for early arrivers.

Have students mark the Attendance Chart. Materials: Attendance Chart, stickers or maker

Students may work on the “Mother’s Day Card” project from Kid Crafts. You could also use this project in Lesson 9. Materials: Kid Crafts “Mother’s Day Card,” glue sticks, pencils

Record children’s answers to this question: How did you use your talents and abilities to help someone this week? Play

the recording before the lesson. Talk about how they felt as they helped. Encourage them to keep helping others. Materials: voice recorder

Have students draw a picture of something they would like to be able to do. It doesn’t have to be realistic. Let them tell why they would like to do it and how they would do it. Point out that God helps us do great things. Materials: drawing paper, pencils, markers

For Worship Time: Sing “Give Me Power” from the DisKit CD found in your Creative Teaching Aids packet. Materials: DisKit CD, CD player

“You + God” Teaching Aid

Kid Crafts “Mother’s Day Card”

ELEMENTARY | LESSON 874

Before we hear about Peter and John, let’s learn a little more about someone else in today’s story.

Distribute My Bible Book and have students turn to page 39. Ask volunteers to read the definitions of lame and beggar. Point to the picture of the lame beggar.

Have any of you ever seen a person who couldn’t walk? Have you seen a beggar? (Students respond.)

In Bible times, lame people usually did not have jobs. They had to beg for money in order to be able to buy the things they needed.

Read aloud the definition of temple gate. In a way, a temple gate was like the front door to a church building. It was the place everyone went through.

Ask two volunteers to each read a speech balloon.

Why would the temple gate be a good place for a beggar to sit? (Many people would see him and perhaps give him money.)

Our Bible story today tells us more about the early Christians.

What is the name of the book in the Bible that tells us about the early Christians? (Acts.)

Have a volunteer find Acts on the Bible Overview Chart. Take a moment to explain that Acts tells more about Peter and the job the risen Jesus gave him at the end of

the Book of John (Lesson 6). Also ask them to find the Book of Acts in their Bibles.

They should be familiar with the location of the Book of Acts by now. However, if they are still having difficulty finding it in their Bibles, remind them to refer to the table of contents in the front of their Bibles. Have them insert a bookmark in chapter 3 of Acts for later use.

Open your Bible to Acts 3 and show your students where to find this week’s story is in their Bibles. You may read directly from your Bible or read the following story. Listen carefully to the story so you can tell me what God helped Peter and John do for the lame beggar at the temple gate.

BIBLE STORYThere was a poor man who was lame—he couldn’t walk. Every day friends would carry this poor man to the temple gate. Because the man could not walk, he could not work. So he sat at the temple gate all day long, every day.

“Please give me some money,” he would ask. “I’ve been crippled all my life.” Some of the people who came to the temple felt sorry for the beggar and gave him money. Some people just walked by and did not stop.

One day Peter and John came to the temple to pray. “Please give me some money,” the lame man asked them, just as he asked everyone who came by. The lame man held out his hand, hoping that these men would be generous.

“Look at us!” Peter said.The man looked at them. He expected a large gift

from Peter and John. He certainly did not expect what happened next.

Let’s read together what Peter told him. (Have the children read Acts 3:6 aloud together.)

Peter didn’t have money for the man but he had something better to offer the man—healing in Jesus’ name.

Then Peter reached out and took the man by the hand. He helped the man stand up. At that moment, the man’s weak legs and ankles became strong—he could

Bible Learning 15–20 minutes

Objective: That your students will be able to tell how Peter and John received power to help a lame man.

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My Bible Book, page 39

Bible Overview Chart Teaching Aid

75ELEMENTARY | LESSON 8

stand on them! He began to walk. The man went into the temple with Peter and

John. He walked, jumped, and shouted, “Praise God!” The people at the temple were surprised to see the man walking and jumping. They knew who he was. He was the lame man who always sat by the temple gate, begging for money. “Now he is walking? How could this happen?” they wondered.

Peter and John explained to the people that they didn’t heal the man by themselves. God helped them. They were glad to use God’s power to do good. The lame man was healed! Praise God!

BIBLE REVIEWReview the story by teaching this rhyme, saying it in a rhythm or as a rap and doing the actions.• Peter and John went to the temple to pray. (Walk in place.)• A man who couldn’t walk asked for money that day. (Sit and spread arms out.)• Peter and John gave him something more. (Show empty pockets.)• They helped him walk right through the door! (Jump up and walk in place.)• People came running to see what was up. (Run in place.)• The man jumped for joy, praising God with a shout! (Jump up and down with arms in the air.)• Peter said, “Jesus healed this man. (Point up.)• He’s the Savior for all in every land.” (Draw a cross in the air.).

Have students turn to page 40 in My Bible Book. Read the directions with your student and have them complete the page.

Have students look at the picture of Peter and John at the bottom of the page. Peter and John might have thought one of these thoughts, but they definitely didn’t think

both of them. Have students cross out the incorrect thought. Point out that God helped Peter and John heal the man. He can help us do hard things we could never do by ourselves.

Sometimes things seem impossible for us. But with God, there is a lot we can do! Really, we can do anything He calls us to do!

MEMORY WORK Have students find Philippians 4:13 in their Bibles. We are all strong, even when we don’t feel very strong.

Do you know why? (Encourage students to respond, but do not comment on their suggestions.)

Who gives us strength? (God, through His Son, Jesus.)

God will give us the strength and help we need to do the things He wants us to do.

Practice the verse as a class by having one child begin by whispering the memory verse to another child. If the second child thinks it is correct, he or she whispers it to another. If the child thinks the verse was whispered wrong, he says, “I challenge!” and says aloud what he heard whispered. The first child gets to correct the mistake. Then the second child whispers to another child. Play until all the students can whisper the verse correctly.

If you have a large class, ask a helper to do this activity with half of the class while you do it with the other half. This will allow everyone to participate more quickly.

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My Bible Book, page 40

ELEMENTARY | LESSON 876

The early church family trusted God to help them do great things. Our church family trusts God too. He helps us do great things for Him. Tell the children two or three things your church family has done this year with God’s help.

Bring out the poster “My Church Family” Teaching Aid—used last week.

How are the people in each scene trusting God to help them? (Give children an opportunity to

answer.)

For examples of what God’s help can enable individual students to do, have students turn to page 41 in My Bible Book. Ask them to look at the two pictures and tell what is happening in each one.

Can the boy make the girl well? (No.)

Can the girl make her father believe in Jesus? (No.)

We can’t do these things, but God can.

Can these children do anything to help? (Yes, the boy can pray for the girl who is sick; the girl can tell her father about Jesus.)

What do you think could happen if these children trust God to help them?

Students can find two possible answers by folding page 42 on the broken lines so the folded flap touches the thin black line on page 41. Discuss what God did for the people in these two pictures.

Perceptive students may challenge you with situations they have been in where God did not help them do miraculous things, as Peter and John did. Explain that God knows the best way to use us. Most times the best ways are rather ordinary—like praying, obeying, talking to someone, or doing our everyday chores. These kinds of things can be hard sometimes too. We all need God’s help.

3 Bible Application 5–10 minutes

Objective: That your students will see how God can help them do great things for Him.

My Bible Book, page 41

“My Church Family” Teaching Aid

My Bible Book, page 42

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When we have to do something that is hard for us, we need to be strong. But sometimes we aren’t strong enough to do it ourselves, so we need help. Today’s memory verse told us that nothing is too hard for us when God helps us.

Today’s craft is a fish puzzle that gives secret messages. These secret messages can give help and hope when one is in tough situations. Together, work through the directions on page 20 in Elementary Kid Crafts to create the Secret Fish Signs. Challenge the children to find and share the secret messages with a friend. If time allows, let pairs of

students make up messages for numbers 5, 6, 7, and 8 on the word sheet.

Let’s look at some specific ways God has helped us be strong. Have students turn to page 42 in My Bible Book. Go to the top of the page. Read the

title and ask students who can give them strength. Let a volunteer read the memory verse on the circle. In the space provided, have students write down three responses to how they feel God gives them strength. Help students think through some situations. (They were able to sleep during a bad storm; they weren’t afraid when they went to the

hospital; they weren’t scared when they sang in front of a large audience; they trusted God to help them make new friends when they moved.) Then they can write “be brave,” “get along with others,” and “keep on trying.”

Let students draw their pictures inside the circle at the bottom of the page. Students who have trouble thinking of a time when God has helped them could choose one of the examples mentioned earlier.

CLOSING ACTIVITYLet’s praise God for helping us. Encourage students to praise God by finishing a short sentence prayer like “Thank You, God, for helping me . . .” Each child could fill in the blank.

Most children are willing to pray aloud, if they know what to say. Give children the option of saying their own words, just saying “Thank You, God,” or praying silently. You can gently encourage children to pray aloud, while indicating to the timid students that it is okay not to do so.

Students may take home pages 39-42 from My Bible Book, the Kid Crafts”Secret Fish Sign,” and the “Mother’s Day Gift” from Kid Crafts your students made in Presession Activities unless they want to save the Mother’s Day card until next week. Encourage students to let God use them to tell the Bible story to their families.

4 Life Response 5–10 minutes

Objective: That your students will identify ways God has helped them in tough situations.

Kid CraftsLesson 8

My Bible Book, page 42