FAITH QUEST

 

Paul on the Road to Damascus

 

Holywood

 

Scripture: Acts 9:1-20   

 

Memory Verse: “Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person.   The past is forgotten, and everything is new.”  II Corinthians 5:17 (CEV)

 

Concepts:      

 

  1. We meet God through Jesus.
  2. Jesus changes people who accept him.
  3. When Jesus changes us, he calls us to do God’s work.
  4. Once Jesus changes us, the church teaches us how to be disciples.
  5. God can change enemies into friends.

 

Objectives:    

1.      Learn about Saul of Tarsus by watching a video of the story.

2.      Learn that people can change with Jesus’ help

3.      Discuss how we can use our talents for bad or good.

4.      Create a heart to show that we have Jesus in our hearts

 

 

Procedure:                        

Welcome and Introductions:

1.      Greet the children and introduce yourself.  Wear your name-tag.

2.      Explain the purpose of this workshop.

 

Scripture/Bible Story:

1.      Paper Mache Saul should be dressed in Biblical clothes and sitting on the floor. A picture of Jesus is taped to the wall near the ceiling. Do not draw attention to the picture on the wall at this time.

2.      Introduce Saul to the class. Saul was a very smart and educated man. He was also a religious leader He was strong and determined and a take charge kind of guy. Only he wasn’t using all this talent for Jesus. He was against Jesus. He was upset about people who believed that Jesus was Lord. Saul didn’t believe any of that nonsense about Christians. (Walk around Saul looking at him as you tell the kids about Saul). Saul wanted to stop the people from believing in Jesus. He was cruel to people he caught worshipping Jesus. Saul watched as Stephen was stoned for believing in Jesus. Saul wanted to go to Damascus and search out Christians there to put in prison. Saul did not have Jesus in his heart. (Pull aside Saul’s robe and show the heart pinned to Saul’s shirt. As you replace Saul’s robe, discretely flip over the heart to the other side.) But that all changed when Saul met Jesus, one day, on the road to Damascus…..

 

3.      Watch the video. Start it AFTER the credits. Distribute popcorn with help from shepherds.

 

 

Discussion:

 

1.      After the video has stopped, do not turn on the lights. Point a flashlight at Saul and say: “Saul! Saul why are you so cruel to me? Saul asked: Who are you?”

 

2.      Then point the flashlight at a picture of Jesus on the wall, high above Saul’s head and say, “I am Jesus,” the Lord answered, “I am the one you are so cruel to. Now get up and go into the city where you will be told what to do.” Click the flashlight off. Turn the room lights on.

 

3.      Explain. Jesus needed to get Saul’s attention and show him he meant business. Saul was blinded until a man named Ananias came to visit Saul in Damascus just as Jesus said would happen.

 

Saul changed. He believed in Jesus and he wanted to tell everybody about Jesus. He then used all his talent and skill to HELP Christians rather than persecute them. Jesus took all the skill that Saul had and turned them to good use for God. Talk for a few minutes about how we can use skill and talent for good or bad.

 

4.      (Now pull aside Saul’s shirt and show the big heart with Jesus’ picture). Saul changed. He looked the same on the outside, but inside he now had Jesus in his heart. Saul changed his name to Paul so that others might know he was different.

 

5.      How can you tell if someone has Jesus in his or her heart? By the person’s actions and words.

 

 

 

Reflection Time:

 

Hand out a red heart, scissors, glue sticks, a picture of Jesus and colored pencils and/or markers. Tell the kids to color the picture of Jesus, glue it to the heart.

Older children: fold the construction paper and cut out a heart.

 

With the help of the shepherds, use a safety pin to pin the heart on each child.

 

Give an activity sheet page to kids who finish early.

 

 

Closing:

Prayer: Lead prayer. Thank you God for living in our hearts. Remind us to use our talents to be good and help others. We are grateful for the opportunity to help the homeless people of WIHN. When we help them, we show others that you live in our hearts.  Amen

 

Tidy and Dismissal: Ask children to help tidy up. Put clothes and props in the bin on the stage.

 

Teacher preparation in advance:

1.      Read the scripture passages and attend the Faith Quest Leaders Bible Study.

2.      Check out the room before your first Sunday workshop so that you know where everything is located.

3.      Preview the video and have it cued to the correct starting place.   

4.      Prepare the hearts from red construction paper. Make the hearts large enough to fill ¼ page of standard 8 ½ X 11 construction paper. Precut the heart shapes for younger children. Older children can cut the heart shape out. Walk the kids through the steps of folding a square and cutting into a heart shape.

5.      Dress the Paper Mache person in costume. Use cardboard (3D) for the body form. Pin a heart on his chest just inside the robe. We made some paper mache children for another project. (See http://www.kirkofkildaire.org/ed/FClessons/contents.html Jesus’ Ministry – Helping Hands lesson set.) You may decide to use something else: a life-size doll or mannequin or create a stuffed person using a Halloween mask and crumpled paper and cardboard.

6.      Make a heart for Saul. On one side, paste a small red heart on a white background. The other side should be a large red heart with a picture of Jesus in the middle. Pin the heart on Saul so you can easily flip it over without the kids seeing you do it.

7.      Tape a large picture of Jesus, on the wall, near the ceiling, above the paper mache Saul.

8.      Photocopy age appropriate activity sheets from the Nest Entertainment resource book. This is an optional activity for kids who finish early or would like to take one home.

9.      PRACTICE OPERATING THE POPCORN MACHINE. If this is your first time in Holywood, visit the current workshop leader for instructions before your rotation begins. Be sure you have plenty of popcorn popped BEFORE the children arrive. You will need to have your attention on the children at that point. Ask the shepherds or child volunteers to help distribute it to children who are sitting quietly.

 

Supply List

·        Video

·        Activity sheets from the Nest Activity and Resource book.

·        Glue, pencils, scissors

·        Red construction paper for hearts.

·        small pictures of Jesus ( – from Bible story books, clip art books (see church office) ), one for each child and for Saul’s heart.

·        Safety pins for each child

·        Paper Mache person dressed in Biblical garb.

·        Flashlight

·        Large picture of Jesus taped to the wall

 

References

Video: Nest Entertainment “ Saul of Tarsus”, Irving Texas.

 

Nest Entertainment, Saul of Tarsus, Activity and Resource Book, Irving Texas.