We show his love when we help others
key words
bible reference
Acts 9:36-42
lesson objective
To help the children learn to show the love of God by helping their neighbor.
memory verse
“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God” (1 John 4:7, NIV*).
prepare yourself to teach
After Saul was converted to Christianity, the early church enjoyed a period of peace and growth.
During that time, Peter was free to travel through Judea, preaching to Christians who had fled Jerusalem because of persecution. In Acts 9:32, Peter was preaching and healing in Lydda, a town 19 kilometers from Joppa. Joppa was a maritime village located 61 kilometers northeast of Jerusalem.
Tabitha (in Hebrew) or Dorcas (in Greek) was a Christian disciple who lived in Joppa. She had the gift of service and was a great helper in her community. Her life was evidence of faith in Christ and love of God. Tabitha is a beautiful example of how we can use our gifts to serve those in need. Many of the poor people in Joppa were widows, and Tabitha showed them the love of God by providing them with clothes. When Tabitha became sick and died, the people who had received help from her prepared her body for the funeral.
The body was placed in a room in her house. When her friends learned that Peter was in Lydda, they sent messengers to look for him.
Arriving in Joppa, Peter went to the place where Tabitha’s body was. There he prayed in the name of Jesus, and she was resurrected. Through the life of Tabitha we learn what Christian service means, and with her death and resurrection, we see the powerful hand of God acting through the apostle Peter.
adaptation
Consider all the options you have in your area to provide your children with ways to help those in need. For example: gather food, give a special offering to the church, or donate clothing or toys to the needy.
The world in these times is increasingly insensitive. That is why it is important that through this lesson, they see an example of love and service. They should know that God wants to bless other people through those who make up the church.
Strengthen preschoolers’ desire to share and help those in need. Jesus gave us the supreme example of service by giving his life on the cross.
introduce the lesson
Dress the baby
You will need dolls and clothes to dress them. Place the dolls and clothes on a table. Allow the children to play with the dolls in different clothes. While they are doing so, tell them: One of the ways in which families take care of babies is by dressing them. The clothes serve to cover people up and keep them warm. In today’s Bible story we will learn about a woman called Tabitha. She helped other people by making clothes for them.
teach the lesson
Hidden buttons
Hide some buttons in the classroom before class. Also, on a card write the word “Help” in large letters. Ask the children to find the hidden buttons. As they find them, they must paste them on the letters written on the cardboard. Watch out in case they need help in this activity. When they are finished, gather them to hear the Bible story.
Teach preschoolers to make the symbol of love by placing their crossed hands on their chest. Ask them to make the symbol when they hear a word that relates to love during the Bible story.
Tabitha helps others
Tabitha was a very good woman who loved Jesus and lived in a town called Joppa. She demonstrated the love of God by helping others. She made very nice clothes to give to people who did not have money to buy them.
One day Tabitha became seriously ill and died. All her friends loved her very much and were sad to receive the bad news. Some of them went to Tabitha’s house and prepared her for her funeral. Then they put her in a room and remembered the good things she had done for everyone. She had really been a good friend.
While they were in Tabitha’s house, one of them said, “Do you know that Peter is not far from here?” Peter was a disciple of Jesus and preached the Good News in many places. Tabitha’s friends decided to send two people to go find Peter and bring him to Joppa.
The messengers walked a lot until they found the apostle and said, “Peter, please come with us. Tabitha is dead!” Immediately, Peter went to Joppa with them.
When they arrived, they took him to the room where Tabitha’s body was. Tabitha’s friends approached Peter in tears and showed him the clothes she had made for them. Peter told all the people to leave the place. Then he knelt down and prayed to the Lord. Then, going to where Tabitha was, he ordered her, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes and saw Peter and sat up. He gave her his hand to help her stand up, and called Tabitha’s friends to see her.
Everyone was happy! God had done a great miracle. All the people who lived in Joppa heard about this, and many believed in Jesus.
connect the lesson
The story of Tabitha
Prepare Student Activity Sheet #96-A, #96-B and #96-C in advance. Cut out the pictures of Tabitha from the Student Activity Sheet #96-C and give a set to each child. Hand out Student Activity Sheet #96-A and #96-B. After the children have written their name and traced the word of faith, ask them to glue the pictures in the corresponding places according to the Bible story.
Allow time for the children to color the figures on the activity sheets while briefly reviewing the lesson. Encourage the children to take their activities home so they can share today’s lesson with their families and friends.
practice the memory verse
Ask that some volunteers come forward and say the Bible verse by memory. Prepare small prizes to recognize your children’s efforts.
If you wish, invite parents and prepare a demonstration of what they have studied during this unit.
wrap-up
Pray
Form a circle and pray asking the Lord to help all of you show love to your families and neighbors.
Encourage
Briefly review the stories in this unit. Then, encourage the children to look for ways to show love to others.
Invite
Make sure everyone takes home the crafts they made. Tell the children that the next session will begin a new unit of lessons.
* 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.™