LESSON OVERVIEW FOR ADULTS
In Acts 1:1-11, we find Jesus in the final moments of His earthly presence with His disciples following His resurrection. After rising from the dead, Jesus spent forty days appearing to His followers, offering convincing proof that He was truly alive. During this time, He gathered His apostles and gave them a specific charge: to wait in Jerusalem for the coming of the Holy Spirit, who would empower them to carry His message outward, from their own city to the farthest corners of the earth. This charge, known as the Great Commission, was not just a task for the apostles but a defining mission for all who would follow Jesus. The command to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching them, is found in each of the four Gospels, underscoring just how central this call is to the Christian life.
What followed this commission was one of the most extraordinary moments in Scripture. As the apostles watched, Jesus was lifted up and carried into the clouds until He was completely out of sight. While they stood there staring into the sky, two angels appeared and gently redirected their gaze. They assured the apostles that this was not the end. The same Jesus who had gone up into heaven would one day return in the same manner. This promise reframed everything. The disciples were not left abandoned. They were commissioned, empowered, and anchored by the certain hope of Christ’s return. Their job, and ours, is to keep sharing the good news until that day comes.
PLAY ROOM 8:45-9:00
Children will be dropped off in the playroom between 8:45-9:00 a.m. Allow them to play freely as they arrive. Transition them to the classroom at 9:00 a.m.
OPENING ACTIVITY 9:00-9:15 | 3 Circles
Items Needed
- Blank Paper
- Sharpened Pencils (or crayons)
- 3 Circles Traceable handout
Start with each kid being given a piece of blank paper. Help them learn how to draw circles. Then help them learn how to draw a heart. Next help them learn how to draw a stick figure. Then tell them we are going to draw a story that will help us with our big lesson today. Walk them through drawing the 3 Circles. You can either give them the traceable handout or let them try it on their own.
BIBLE STORY 9:15-9:25
Question 1: Where is this found in the Bible? Acts
Question 2: Is Acts in the Old Testament or the New Testament? New Testament
We all know that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, but 3 days later he rose from the grave. That’s why we celebrate Easter.
After that, Jesus spent forty days visiting with His friends, the disciples. Jesus wanted His friends to know for sure that He was really, truly alive. So He ate with them. He talked with them. He walked with them!
Can you walk in place with me? [Walk in place together]
Then one special day, Jesus gathered all of His friends together on a hill called the Mount of Olives. Can you say “Mount of Olives”? [Wait for response: “Mount of Olives”]
Jesus had something very important to tell them. Let’s cup our hands around our ears and listen really carefully! [Cup hands around ears]
Jesus said, wait in Jerusalem because I am sending you a helper! The Holy Spirit is coming! Can you say “Holy Spirit”? [Wait for response: “Holy Spirit”]
And then Jesus told His friends the most important job in the whole wide world. He said, go and tell EVERYONE about Me! Tell people in your town. Tell people far away. Tell people EVERYWHERE!
That is called the Great Commission! It means Jesus gave His friends a very big, very important job! Can you say “Great Commission”? [Wait for response: “Great Commission”]
It means, go and tell everyone the good news about Jesus! What is the good news? Jesus loves us! Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Jesus came back to life, and those who follow him can have eternal life.
Can you say “Good News”? [Wait for response: “Good News”]
Now, something happened next that nobody had ever seen before. Are you ready? [Wait for response]
Jesus started to go UP!
He went up, and up, and UP into the sky! Can you look up with your eyes really wide? [Look up with wide eyes]
Then the clouds came, and they could not see Jesus anymore. The disciples just stood there looking up at the sky. Let’s look up together. [All look up]
While they were looking up, guess what happened? Two angels appeared right beside them!
The angels said, why are you standing here looking up at the sky? Jesus has gone to heaven, but He is coming back someday! Just the same way you watched Him go up, He will come back down!
Can you say “Jesus is coming back!”? [Wait for response: “Jesus is coming back!”]
And do you know what the disciples did? They were so happy, they went to Jerusalem just like Jesus said, and they waited for the Holy Spirit. Because when Jesus says something, we can trust Him completely. Then they spent the rest of their lives telling everyone about Jesus.
Jesus always keeps His promises, and Jesus gave every single one of us that same important job. We get to tell people the good news about Jesus too! Even you! You can use the 3 Circles Story we did earlier to tell people about Jesus.
Theological Questions:
- Why did Jesus go up to heaven instead of staying on earth with His disciples?
- Who did Jesus say was coming to help the disciples after He left?
Life Application Questions:
- Who is one person you could tell the good news about Jesus to this week?
- How does it make you feel to know that Jesus is coming back someday?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You that You are alive and that You are coming back someday. Help us to be brave and tell everyone we know the good news that You love them. Amen! [Have kids say “Amen!” together]
WORSHIP IN SONG 9:25-9:35
Give each child a white balloon to bounce around as The Commission song by Cain plays. They won’t know the words, the message is in hearing the words.
PRAYER 9:35-9:45
Transition kids to the floor for prayer time. Ask them to pray out loud as they feel led. Encourage them to pray to have courage to tell others about Jesus or to pray for the missionaries around the world who are telling people about Jesus.
BIBLE STORY GAME 9:45-9:55 | Good News Telephone Game
Spread the kids out around the room. Whisper a simple phrase into the first child’s ear such as “Jesus loves you!” or “Jesus is alive!” or “Jesus saves!”. Each child whispers it to the next child. When it gets to the last child, they say it out loud. Talk about how the good news travels from one person to the next, just like Jesus told His disciples to spread the good news from person to person around the whole world.
BIBLE CRAFT 9:55-10:10 | ABCs of Salvation Flipbook
Items Needed
- ABCs of Salvation Flipbook
- Scissors (or pre-cut)
- Glue
- Crayons
Remind children that Jesus told us to go and make disciples. That means we have to teach other people about Jesus. This is another tool you can use to tell other people about who Jesus is and what he did. Have them color each item and glue it together. Then talk through the ABCs.
If there is extra time, split them into groups. Let them practice doing either the ABCs of Salvation or 3 Circles by telling the stories to one another.
SNACK TIME & BIBLE STORY VIDEO 10:10-10:25
Pass out snacks and allow kids time to eat while they watch the Bible story video.
BONUS ACTIVITY: Paper Airplanes
Items Needed:
- One piece of paper per child
- Optional: Airplane Template
Help each child write or draw a cross on their paper airplane before folding. Leaders help children fold their airplanes. Then line everyone up and launch the airplanes at the same time calling out “GO!” as they fly. Talk about how Jesus sent His disciples out into the world with the good news just like these airplanes going in every direction. Collect and relaunch as many times as time allows.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE
Acts 1:1-11 (ESV)
In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
PARENT TAKE HOME SHEET
Today’s Key Takeaway: Go Tell Everyone About Jesus
What I Learned Today: Today I learned that after Jesus rose from the dead, He spent forty days with His disciples before going back to heaven. Before He left, He gave them the most important job in the world, to go and tell everyone the good news about Him. I also learned that two angels told the disciples not to be sad because Jesus is coming back someday, and until He does, we get to be part of His mission too.
Questions to Ask Me:
Theological Questions:
- What is the Great Commission? (It is the important job Jesus gave His disciples to go and tell everyone in the whole world the good news about Him.)
- What did Jesus promise would come after He went to heaven? (The Holy Spirit, who would give the disciples power to tell everyone about Jesus.)
- What did the two angels tell the disciples after Jesus went up into the clouds? (They said Jesus went to heaven but He is coming back someday the same way He left.)
- Why did Jesus have to go back to heaven? (To return to God the Father and to prepare a place for everyone who follows Him.)
- What does it mean that Jesus is King over all the earth? (It means He has all authority and power over everything, and that is why we can trust His commands and His promises.)
Life Application Questions:
- Who is one person you can tell the good news about Jesus to this week? (Answers will vary. Help your child think of a specific friend, neighbor, or family member.)
- How does it make you feel to know that Jesus is coming back someday? (Answers will vary. Encourage feelings of hope, excitement, and comfort.)
- What is one thing you could say to tell someone about Jesus? (Answers will vary. Help your child practice saying something simple like “Jesus loves you” or “Jesus is alive!”)
- If Jesus gave you a very important job, do you think you could do it even if you felt a little scared? (Answers will vary. Remind your child that Jesus promised to always be with us.)
- How can our family be part of the Great Commission together? (Answers will vary. Ideas might include praying for missionaries, telling friends about Jesus, or inviting someone to church.)