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Warm Up

Is there a subject in school that is difficult for you to understand? Who helps you understand it?

In our story today, we are going to meet a man who was reading the Bible, but couldn't understand what he was reading.

Teach the Story

Scripture for Kids to Read Aloud Acts 8:26-40 

Story Summary

After Stephen was stoned, the believers scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. In this story, we learn more about one of the 7 original deacons that were set apart, named Philip. Philip went to a town in Samaria (where the Northern Kingdom was) and ministered there. An angel came to Philip and told him to go south, towards the desert road to Gaza. Look at a map of the area and you can see that Samaria is north of Jerusalem, and Gaza is southwest of Jerusalem. Philip didn't know why he was supposed to go to that road, who he was supposed to see, or what was supposed to happen. But he went anyway. Which Old Testament figure does that sound like? (How about Abram?)

As he traveled towards Gaza, he met an important man from Ethiopia (check that out on a map to see how far he traveled). This man was in charge of the treasury (all the money) in Ethiopia for Candace the Queen. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship for some reason. There are many theories about this man's status: whether he was a Gentile convert to Judaism, whether he was a descendant from the Queen of Sheba referenced in the Old Testament, whether he was part of the lost tribe of Dan, etc. For the purposes of this lesson, we know that he wanted to worship in Jerusalem for some reason, and since he was reading the book of Isaiah, we can infer that he had some knowledge and commitment to Judaism.

As Philip saw this Ethiopian man and his chariot, the Holy Spirit told him to approach it. This was the reason he was sent southward! Philip overheard the Ethiopian reading from the book of Isaiah. Philip asked him if he understood what he was reading. "'How can I?' he said. 'I need someone to explain it to me.' So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him." (Acts 8:31)

Then Philip proceeded to explain to the Ethiopian that the portion of Isaiah he was reading was actually about Jesus. And he explained the Gospel (Good News) to him. The Ethiopian apparently accepted his message, because as soon has he saw water, he asked Philip if there was any reason he shouldn't be baptized. So they went down to the water and Philip baptized him. Then something miraculous happened. As soon as they came up out of the water, Philip immediately disappeared and he found himself in Azotus! Philip spent some time there preaching and went up to Caesarea, which was up north off the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

Remember Acts 1:8? "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." (ESV)

In this story, we see the believers scattered from Jerusalem because of the stoning of Stephen and subsequent persecution of the believers, into Judea and Samaria, Philip ministering in Samaria and then converting a man outside of Israel ("the ends of the earth").

Comprehension Questions

• What was Philip doing in Samaria?

He was part of the Christians that were "scattered" because of persecution and Stephen's stoning

• Where did God tell Philip to go?

South, towards Gaza

• Who did Philip meet on the way?

An important man from Ethiopia

• What was this man's job in Ethiopia?

He was in charge of all the money for the queen

• What was the man riding in?

A chariot

• What did God tell Philip to do when he saw him?

To approach the chariot

• What did Philip hear the Ethiopian doing?

Reading from the book of Isaiah

• Did the Ethiopian understand what he was reading?

No, he asked Philip to help him understand

• What did Philip tell the Ethiopian about what he was reading in Isaiah?

That it was really about Jesus, and then he told him about the Gospel

• What did the Ethiopian want to do when he saw water?

Be baptized

• What happened to Philip as soon they came up out of the water?

He immediately found himself in another town - Azotus

• In this story, the Ethiopian official heard the Good News that Jesus came to earth, died for our sins, and raised from the dead and is alive today. Then he immediately accepted the message and was baptized. If someone asked you what the Good News about Jesus is, could you tell them?

• Have you accepted the Gospel and been baptized?

Memory Verse 

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 (ESV)

Directions

1. Have the children look up the scriptures below in their Bibles. You can either have all the students look up each one and choose one child to read it, or give each scripture to a different student to read (just keep in mind that not all students will be comfortable reading aloud).

2. After they read the scripture, lead a discussion about how these Old Testament scriptures pointed to Jesus.

3. Start with Isaiah 53:7-8, which is the passage the Ethiopian official was reading.

Isaiah 53: 7-8

Isaiah 53: 3-5

Zechariah 12:10

Micah 5:2

Psalm 78:2-4

Isaiah 50:6

Directions

1. Provide legos for the students to make chariots.

2. Encourage them to be creative.

3. When they are done, have them act out the story using lego characters.

Directions

1. Add two footprints to the page. This can be modified based on the age of the children. You can either precut footprints for the kids to decorate either with stickers, tissue paper/glue, or markers... or you can let them take their socks/shoes off and use their feet to paint a footprint on the page. 

2. Add a cross to the page. Precut a cross for the children if they are little and have them color or decorate it with markers or even water color paint. Glue it to the page with footprints as seen in the picture above. 

3. Lastly, help them write "Following Jesus's Path" and remind them that just like Philip we have to trust the Lord and do what He tells us to do with our lives. 

Directions

1. Divide into two groups.

2. Have students take turns pulling another student in the chariot wagon.

3. The first team to get all of their students to the finish line, wins.

Directions

1. Choose a student to give instructions to the rest of the class on how to draw a basic house.

2. Choose a student that is not very detailed oriented.

3. Tell the students to take what the instructor says very literally in their drawings.

4. The students cannot ask questions, simply follow the directions.

5. Following directions is very important.

6. Philip followed the angel's instructions, even through he didn't know exactly where he was going and why.