Children’s Worship 08.02.20 – Gold Avenue Church

Dear Parents,

Welcome back and thanks for joining us again as we do Children’s Worship from home! It’s August already, so we’re back with this resource that we hope blesses you and your family. We hope that you will use it and that it will spark discussions throughout the week with you and your children, as you raise them up as disciples of Jesus Christ!

Note: Please let us know about how your family is enjoying Children’s Worship! Take some pictures of your family participating in Children’s Worship or share a story. You can post to the Gold Avenue Church Facebook page or send by email at goldavechurch@gmail.com

OVERVIEW:

Activity One: Do the introduction with your child(ren). Watch the video

Activity Two: Discuss the story using provided questions as prompts

Worship: Singing

Activity Three: Respond to the story by doing the activity.

Activity Four: Bless your children

EQUIP:

(It’s not an activity, but just a little background on the story for you, the parent, to read.)

In Acts 9, after Christ met Paul on the road to Damascus, Paul found himself blinded for three days. He spent these days fasting and in prayer, meditating on what he had seen and heard. This sort of consequence would have had major significance to a man like Paul. However, in a strange way, this was actually God’s way of blessing Paul.

As we know, Paul was a Pharisee. Pharisees were the strictest, most-devout religious leaders. They rigidly followed several hundred laws. In fact, they even created “hedge” laws that protected them from ever stumbling into sin. Their legalism distanced them from the poor, the sick, and the lower classes. Ironically, blindness had huge social repercussions in the first century, especially to the Israelites. The Jews believed that most illnesses and deformities were the result of a sinful life. A Pharisee could not be blind; it would register him as unclean. Clearly, after this incident, Paul couldn’t simply go back to his old life. His physical impediment would not allow him to. But it was his conversion to Christ, far more than his blindness, that kept him from returning to his former life. Therefore he was forced to wait, pray, and think about what had happened.

Ironically, rabbis called themselves “a guide to the blind.” There is no doubt that physical blindness would have drawn this to Paul’s mind. God knew that Paul’s heart had been hardened to His voice. Creating blindness in Paul created an opportunity for Paul to draw near to God once again.

Paul’s entire identity was transformed. In everything that Paul did, he was an obedient servant of God. He went on to spread the good news to thousands of Gentiles. He encouraged them and helped their churches flourish. He was so transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit that it affected every facet of his life. God’s love changed (and still changes) everything.

Activity 1: STORY

Intro: People change in some ways as they get older, don’t they? Most people get taller, and they look older. They also learn more and more and get smarter! No one is exactly the same as they were when they were younger. Today we’re going to hear about a man who was changed by God’s love.

Watch video.

DISCUSSION

In this part of The Big God Story, we heard about a man named Paul who wanted to stop the disciples from talking about Jesus. But God is love, and His love changed Paul’s life.

I wonder … How did Paul feel when Jesus was speaking to him on the road?

I wonder … What does God want to say to me today?

I wonder … How does God want to change me with His love?

After discussing the Wonder Questions, you’ll have the opportunity to pray with and for each of the children in your group. God is love, and His love changed Paul’s life. After Jesus appeared to Paul, he went out and served God by telling others about God’s love. Let’s take some time to talk to God. Let’s praise Him for His love, and let’s ask Him to help us show His love to others. “God, I thank You for Your love. Please help me show Your love to others so they can be changed too.” Allow children time to participate. Encourage them to speak their own words or repeat the words you offered. Close as the Holy Spirit directs you.

These questions can easily extend into the rest of the week. Look for opportunities to bring conversations about how God Saves into your everyday life as a family.

Worship Songs:

RESPONSE ACTIVITY

Activity 4: CLOSING BLESSING

(Child’s name): may you remember that God is love.

End this time together with a blessing over your whole family:

God is love, and He loves you very much. May you remember to love others as God has loved you.

Have a blessed week and we’ll see you back here next Sunday!