The best book guides us
key words
biblical reference
Acts 17:1-12; James 1:22
lesson objective
To help the preadolescents know that it is their personal responsibility to learn the Word of God and obey it
memory verse
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16, NIV*).
prepare yourself to teach
The message of the Word of God is important for each preadolescent. Those who do not know Jesus should study his Word and learn what it means to develop a personal relationship with him. Those who already know the Lord should study it to make their faith grow. Only if you study the Bible can you learn from it.
Your responsibility as a teacher is to develop plans for reading the stories of the Bible. It can include reading projects with drama, costumes, puppets, games, puzzles, competitions, cookies, drinks, etc., to encourage and challenge the preadolescents to read and know God’s word. Maybe many of these activities can be developed outside of group time. As you involve students in reading and presenting the stories, they’ll become accustomed and confident in their own ability to read, as well as examining the Word of God.
biblical commentary
Paul’s second missionary journey included Macedonia, or what is now known as northern Greece. Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke traveled from Philippi to Thessalonica on the route called Via Egnatia. There are several places, including the old Neapolis, where the route is still visible. Thessalonica was 67 kilometers from Philippi. The men passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, then came to Thessalonica, the capital of Macedonia. It had an approximate population of 200,000 inhabitants. There was a large Jewish population and a synagogue there. Therefore, possibly these factors contributed to Thessalonica being a place that, logically, Paul wanted to visit.
When Paul began to preach and teach in the synagogue, some Jews and many Greeks, including some important women, accepted the truth that Jesus was the promised Messiah. But in Thessalonica there were also other Jews who were not happy because of the great acceptance of Paul’s preaching, and began to conspire (work together) against him and his people. These Jews planned a terrible accusation against Paul. Since they could not find him, they arrested Jason, the owner of the house where he was staying. In order to be released, Jason had to pay bail and guarantee that there would be no more problems. That meant that his property could be confiscated (removed), and that he would have to face jail and even death itself.
Paul and Silas escaped from Thessalonica with the help of other believers and they walked towards Berea. This is modern Veria, which is located about 33 kilometers from Thessalonica, at the foot of a mountain. In Berea there also lived a lot of Jewish families with a synagogue there. That was where Paul preached the Scriptures, possibly on the passage of Isaiah 53, explaining that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
The inhabitants of Berea show us the way God wants us to respond to his Word. It is interesting that although Paul had also spoken in the synagogue of Thessalonica for three Sabbath days, the Bible does not mention that the people of that place had made any kind of personal study. On the other hand, the inhabitants of Berea searched the scriptures daily “to see if what Paul said was true.”
Luke characterized the people of Berea as “more noble” people than the Thessalonians. They listened to the Word of God with an open mind. They had no religious prejudices, no pride. Their hearts and minds were hungry and ready to receive the Gospel. So must we respond in the same way to the Word of God.
Changes will occur in our lives, according to the extent (level) that we become personally involved with God’s Word.
The immediate results in Berea were greater than those in Thessalonica because the people there were more interested in knowing the Word of God.
introduce the lesson
What’s missing?
Before this session, find or buy a jigsaw puzzle and a plastic or wooden car or plane model to assemble. Take out and hide the instructions to assemble the car or plane and the picture that will be formed when the puzzle is assembled. It will probably be on the cover, so if that’s the case, look for one that’s simple and with few pieces.
In the group, place the pieces of the puzzle or model on a table. Allow the students to observe them. Ask: “Do any of you know what picture will be formed when putting together this puzzle?” Do the same with the parts of the car or airplane. Put them on the table, having removed the instructions on how to assemble it. Allow time for students to observe it well and try to discover what it is.
Guide them to look at the first activity for this session in Student Activity Sheet #370-A.
Say: “If you want to make a cake, you must use certain ingredients.” Then have them look at the drawing of the puzzle, that of the model car or airplane, and that of the ingredients for the cake. Ask them: “What is missing from these three things? (Instructions to assemble the model of the car or plane, the recipe, and the photo of the puzzle.) Why is the recipe to make a cake important? (It is impossible to make it without the instructions.) Why is it important to have the final photo to put together the puzzle and instructions to assemble the model of the car or plane? (We do not know what the figure or object is to be assembled without the instructions or the photos.)”
Ask: “How is the Bible like a book of recipes or instructions for life?” (The Bible helps us know how God wants us to live. It also helps us to know how to love God and accept him as our savior.)
Ask: “What would happen if you have the recipe to make the cake and you do not follow the instructions?” (It will not go well and probably will not taste good.) Do you think it is important to listen to the voice of God? (Let them answer and say why.) Let’s see what some people in the New Testament did when Paul read them the Word of God.”
teach the lesson
Ask three girls and three boys to read the Bible story of Paul and Silas from Student Activity Sheet #370-B. Also, have them look for the story in the Bible; they will see that the story was taken from the Bible. Ask if they have questions, or explain if there are difficult details.
connect the lesson
Learn the Word of God
Allow a volunteer to read the instructions for this activity in Student Activity Sheet #370-C. Say: “The Word of God tells us in James 1:22 that not only do we need to read the Bible, we must also do it, that is, do what it tells us. In what way can we do it?” (Allow students to answer.) Guide them to complete this activity, joining each phrase with the one that correctly completes the sentence. When they have finished, ask for volunteers to read the sentences. At the end they should mark with a star the one they’ll put into practice during the week.
Ask them: “Which sentence did you mark with a star?”
That means you should do it during this week.
The search for Berea
Have the students read the story of Berea from their Bibles. Ask them to answer question 1, and follow the instructions for this activity in Student Activity Sheet #370-D. They should move forward through the circles to the end. Let the students continue reading the story at their own pace. If they need help, you can guide them. Everyone should answer the questions until they get to circle 23.
Say: “We should be like those in Berea. When someone teaches us the Bible, we should listen to it and read the scriptures to learn more.”
Add: “If someone says something about the Bible that you do not understand, what can you do? (Ask, read the passage again.) Who can help you study the Bible? (Parents, teachers, pastor, friends and God) How can God help you study the Bible? (Praying, asking him to help you understand what you read) The Bible is a great tool that God has given us, but if we do not use it, it cannot help us.”
practice the memory verse
At this point the students will already know the verse of the unit. Have competitions between: girls and boys, mixed teams, small groups or individual races to see who knows the memory verse. Make this a fun and enjoyable time to remember and practice the verse of this unit.
wrap-up
Pray
Pray together. Ask for volunteers pray and thank the Lord for His Word. Conclude with your prayer – something like this: “Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for giving us the Bible so we can read it in our own language. Thank you for giving us instructions to teach us, rebuke us, correct us and train us in Your ways of righteousness. Help us to always continue to learn Your word and hide it in our hearts that we might not sin against You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Encourage
Say: “Next week we will have a new topic to learn about. Remember that God loves you and wants to help you live for Him. May we all be readers and scholars of the Word.” Finish by singing an appropriate hymn or chorus about the Word of God.
Invite
Say: “God bless you all and I hope to see you in the next session. Don’t forget to invite a friend to come with you next time.”
* Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™