LESSON OVERVIEW FOR ADULTS
In Acts 16:16-34, Paul and Silas traveled to Philippi to share the gospel. During their journey, they encountered a slave girl possessed by an evil spirit that gave her the ability to tell fortunes. When Paul commanded the spirit to leave her, her owners became angry because they could no longer profit from her abilities. These men stirred up the crowd and brought Paul and Silas before the city officials, who ordered them to be beaten and thrown into prison. The jailer placed them in the innermost cell and secured their feet in stocks.
Despite their painful circumstances, Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns to God at midnight. Suddenly, a violent earthquake shook the prison, breaking open all the doors and loosening everyone’s chains. When the jailer woke and saw the open doors, he assumed the prisoners had escaped and prepared to take his own life rather than face execution for losing them. Paul called out to stop him, assuring him that all the prisoners remained. Trembling with fear, the jailer asked what he must do to be saved. Paul and Silas told him to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and he and his entire household would be saved. The jailer washed their wounds, listened to the message about Jesus, and was baptized along with his family that very night.
OPENING ACTIVITY 10:15-10:30 | Change Detective
Activity 1: Change Detective
Items Needed:
- Pictures showing stages of a tree (Christmas Tree Pictures)
- Optional: Parts of a pine/fir tree.
Show children pictures of a Christmas tree as it grows and changes over time. Let them point out differences they notice. Talk about how God can change things, including people’s hearts when they believe in Jesus.
Note: Consider bringing hands-on parts of a pine tree or fir tree for children to touch. Explain how a pine cone has a seed. The seed becomes a sapling. The sapling grows into a tree.
BIBLE VERSE GAME 10:30-10:40 | Earthquake Shake
Memory Verse: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household” -Acts 16:31.
Items Needed: Memory Verse Poster
Have children stand with feet apart. When you say “earthquake,” they shake their whole bodies. When you say “prison doors open,” they spread their arms wide. When you say “believe in Jesus,” they put their hands over their hearts. Call out commands in random order, getting faster as they learn the motions.
Then have them say the Memory Verse together three times in a row.
SONG 10:40-10:50
BIBLE STORY 10:50-11:00 a.m.
Question 1: Where is this found in the Bible?
The Book of Acts
Question 2: Is this in the Old Testament or New Testament?
New Testament
THE STORY:
Paul and Silas loved Jesus and wanted to tell everyone about Him. One day, they helped a girl by making an evil spirit leave her. This was good for the girl, but some mean men got angry. These men wanted to make money from the girl, and now they could not.
The mean men told lies about Paul and Silas. The leaders of the city believed the lies. They had Paul and Silas beaten and thrown into jail. The jail was dark and scary. Paul and Silas had chains on their hands and feet. It hurt very much.
But do you know what Paul and Silas did? They prayed to God! They sang songs about how much they loved Jesus! Even though they were hurting and in a dark jail, they praised God.
The man who took care of the jail was called the jailer. He made sure no one could escape. He locked Paul and Silas in the very deepest, darkest part of the jail.
At midnight, when it was very, very dark, something amazing happened! God sent an earthquake! The ground shook and shook! All the jail doors flew open! The chains fell off everyone’s hands and feet!
The jailer woke up. He saw all the doors open. He thought everyone had run away. He was so scared! But Paul called out, “Wait! Don’t be afraid! We are all still here!”
The jailer was amazed. He asked Paul and Silas, “What must I do to be saved?”
Paul and Silas said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved!”
The jailer believed in Jesus that very night! He was so happy! He took Paul and Silas to his house. He washed their sore places. Paul and Silas told the jailer’s whole family about Jesus. The jailer and everyone in his family believed in Jesus and were baptized!
Theological Questions:
- Who can change people’s hearts? (God can change people’s hearts)
- What did the jailer need to do to be saved? (Believe in the Lord Jesus)
Life Application Questions:
- Can you pray and sing to God even when you are sad or hurt? (Yes, we can talk to God anytime)
- Who can you tell about Jesus this week? (Family, friends, teachers, etc.)
Prayer:
“Dear God, thank You for loving us so much. Thank You for Paul and Silas who loved You even in jail. Help us believe in Jesus and tell others about Him. We love You. Amen.”
BIBLE CRAFT 11:00-11:15 a.m. | Paul & Silas in Prison
Items Needed
- Trueway Kids Printout
- Crayons
- Glue or Tape
Print the printout on cardstock and precut the prison walls. Have the kids color each page and then glue the pages together. Have them practice retelling the story.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (KJV)
Acts 16:16-34
“And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.”
PARENT TAKE HOME SHEET
Today’s Key Takeaway:
Believe in Jesus
What I learned today:
Paul and Silas were put in jail for telling people about Jesus. Even though they were hurt and in a dark place, they prayed and sang to God. God sent an earthquake that opened all the doors and broke their chains. The jailer asked how to be saved, and Paul told him to believe in Jesus. The jailer and his whole family believed in Jesus that night!
Questions to ask me:
Theological Questions:
- Who is Jesus? (Jesus is God’s Son who came to save us)
- What does it mean to believe in Jesus? (It means to trust Jesus and know He loves us and saves us)
- Who sent the earthquake to open the prison? (God sent the earthquake)
- Can God do powerful things? (Yes, God can do anything)
- What did Paul and Silas do in prison? (They prayed and sang songs to God)
Life Application Questions:
- Can you pray when you are sad or scared? (Yes, we can talk to God anytime)
- Can you sing songs about Jesus? (Yes, we can praise God with songs)
- Who can you tell about Jesus? (We can tell our family, friends, and others)
- Does Jesus love you? (Yes, Jesus loves me very much)
- What should we do when things are hard? (We should pray and trust God)