Lesson Continued...

Warm Up

Has there ever been an earthquake where you live? What did it feel like? If not, what do you think it would be like?

Today, we're going to learn about a time when Paul and Silas were in prison and an earthquake happened!

Teach the Story 

Scripture for Kids to Read Aloud Acts 16:16-40 

This story happens during Paul's Second Missionary Journey. (See Paul's Mission for a summary of all three journeys).

Paul ran into opposition during his missionary journeys from two main sources. First, the Jews in these towns that did not come to believe in Jesus as the Messiah promised in the Old Testament opposed him regularly. Second, Paul's preaching sometimes had a negative effect on businesses in the area, and those business leaders opposed him. This story falls in that second category.

While Paul and Silas were in the city of Philippi (where the church was that Paul wrote the letter that became the book of Philippians in the Bible), they came upon a female slave. She had some sort of evil spirit that allowed her to tell the future, and her owners were exploiting her by making money off this "gift" of hers. She kept following Paul and Silas around and shouting. Now, what she was shouting was in fact true: "These men serve the Most High God. They are telling you how to be saved." This seems similar to the way people with evil spirits treated Jesus when he walked the earth - they couldn't help but to speak the truth, even though they didn't like it.

Paul eventually became irritated at this woman who was constantly shouting at them. It probably made it very difficult for them to preach! So Paul, most likely guided by the Holy Spirit telling him that his woman had an evil spirit, commanded the spirit to come out of her and it immediately left.

Once her owners found out about this, they were furious that their source of income was gone! They had Paul and Silas arrested based on lies (that they were encouraging people to break Roman laws). The crowd joined in the riot and had Paul and Silas beaten, whipped and thrown into prison. The jailer was told to watch them closely, so he put them deep into the prison and shackled their feet so they couldn't get away.

About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns together for the other prisoners. Suddenly, an earthquake shook the prison and the doors came loose and their chains fell off. They were free, but they didn't leave! The jailer woke up, saw all the cell doors open, and thought all the prisoners had escaped. He thought he was going to be in big trouble!

When they turned the lights on, he saw Paul and Silas still in their prison cell and fell down at their feet asking how he could be saved. You see, he must have been listening to those prayers and hymns too. He believed in Jesus and took them to his house for them to hear the word of the Lord as well. His whole family believed and were baptized and they shared a meal together. Then apparently they went back to jail together!

Overnight, the judges must have come to their senses and realized that they had whipped and jailed these two men for no reason. So they ordered them to be freed first thing in the morning. But Paul wasn't happy about being treated so unfairly for no reason. He demanded that he and Silas be brought back before the judges so they could explain themselves to Paul and Silas. You see, Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, and in those days they were protected with certain rights as citizens. When the judges found out about this, they were doubly afraid. Not only did they treat them poorly, they could get in big trouble because they were Roman citizens. The judges apologized and let them out of the prison.

Paul and Silas went to meet with the believers in Philippi (at Lydia's home) and then went along their way.

Comprehension Questions 

• Where did this story happen?

In Philippi, on Paul's second missionary journey

• They met a slave woman who had an evil spirit. What did this evil spirit allow her to do?

Tell the future for people

• What was this woman doing to Paul and Silas?

Following them around and shouting at them

• After Paul commanded the evil spirit to leave her, why were her owners upset?

Because they were making money off her telling people the future

• What did they do to Paul and Silas?

They had them arrested - based on lies - beaten, whipped and thrown into prison

• What were Paul and Silas doing in the jail at midnight?

Praying and singing hymns

• What happened next?

An earthquake rattled the prison, opened the doors of all the cells, and broke the chains off their feet

• Why was the jailer worried?

He thought all the prisoners escaped

• What did the jailer ask Paul and Silas?

How to be saved

• Where did the jailer take Paul and Silas next?

To his house, where his whole family believed and were baptized

• When the judges sent the word to free Paul and Silas the next morning, why did Paul demand to be seen by the judges again?

Because they had been treated unfairly, especially as Roman citizens

• Why were Paul and Silas imprisoned (or thrown in prison)?

They healed a woman who was making money for some people who had enslaved her by telling the future.

• In this story, even though Paul and Silas were in prison, they were praying and singing hymns well into the night. Do you think you would react like Paul and Silas if you were in their situation?

• How can we learn to praise God no matter what our situation is?

Memory Verse 

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 (ESV)

Directions

1. Give the kids a piece of construction paper and have them cut 5 long strips.

2. One each strip of paper write one word of the following phrase "I am with you always"

3. Circle the strips of paper and intertwine them to make a paper chain as seen in the picture above

Connect this by asking the kids how they know God is always with them even if things look bad. 

Directions

1. If using the popsicle sticks as puppets, decorate and add “human” features.

2. Cut “jail cell doors” out of paper.

3. Place verses, captions, and decorations on paper. Add popsicle sticks, if using.

4. Attach jail cell “doors” over the featured puppets. Hang and enjoy!

Directions

1. Students will play tag. One person will be chosen to be "it."

2. All players must crawl or do the crab walk, including "it."

3. It you are tagged, you must go to the area marked off as the jail.

4. You must sing until a friend comes and rescues you from the jail.

Directions

1. This is a great lesson to act out.

2. Choose students to be Paul, Silas and the Guard.

3. Other students can be other prisoners, the guard's family and the judges.

4. Place the paper chains around the prisoner's feet.

5. Break the chains during the earthquake.