Paul tells Lydia about Jesus
key words
bible reference
Acts 16:14-15
lesson objective
To learn that it is important to talk to others about Jesus.
memory verse
“And walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us” (Ephesians 5:2, NIV*).
prepare yourself to teach
Compassionate outreach is one of our Nazarene Discipleship International (NDI) core principles. We draw attention to God's compassion and redemptive love as foundational to discipleship. It is the appropriate motivation for Christian outreach. Whatever we do, wherever we are, we aim to intentionally influence non-Christians to know Jesus. This is evangelism-discipleship. We are a Christian, holiness and missional people. We believe that the Holy Spirit convicts, cleanses, fills and empowers us, as the grace of God transforms us day by day into a people of love, spiritual discipline, ethical and moral purity, compassion and justice. Therefore we minister to the world in compassionate outreach.
Philippi was a Roman colony and an important point of commerce in the Roman Empire. There was no synagogue there since the number of Jews was small. The city was mainly populated by officers and people withdrawn from the Roman army. But, in spite of not having a synagogue, there was a meeting point outside the city, next to the river. When a synagogue could not be established anywhere, the followers of Jesus used to gather near a river, so Paul surely knew that custom.
Paul found a group of women worshiping God near a river. In that group was a woman named Lydia, who was a dealer of thin, expensive purple cloth. This business woman was the first person who converted to Christianity in Europe and recognized Jesus as her personal Savior. Lydia offered the hospitality of her home to Paul and those who traveled with him, and continued to learn more about Jesus by receiving the apostle in her home.
Everywhere Paul went, he found a way to preach Jesus’ message to those of that region: Jews, Gentiles, men, women, slaves and free people. Paul preached to them about Jesus and his salvation.
As you prepare this lesson, ponder whether you are going beyond your circle of friends to announce Jesus to others. Ask God to help you and give you courage to speak to everyone who needs to hear his message of salvation.
adaptation
Preschoolers are honest, sincere and trustworthy. Teaching them to talk about Christ to others is a great opportunity, because at this age, they do not have worries and prejudices that adults often have.
With Paul’s example, children will learn that it is important that they speak of Jesus to every person, at any time or opportunity that God gives them. Help them understand that talking to others about Jesus is a natural response to the great love that he has given us.
introduce the lesson
What letter does it start with?
For this activity you will need purple (violet) pencils or crayons, sheets of paper and a black marker.
Write on each sheet a large letter P and give them to the children. Ask them what letter Paul’s name begins with. Then ask them to draw the letter and decorate the sheet to their liking. These exercises will help preschoolers to learn some letters.
teach the lesson
Use these activities to help children have a better understanding of the biblical truth.
Purple
During the week, get fabric or purple objects. Show them to the children and ask them what other objects they know that are purple.
Ask them: “Do you know someone whose favorite color is purple?” (allow their responses) Then say: “Today’s Bible story is about a trip that Paul made to a land called Philippi where he met a lady who sold purple cloth.”
Near the river
If possible put some blue paper or blanket on the floor of the meeting area and say to the children: “Imagine that this (paper/ blanket) is a river and we will sit around it to hear the Bible story.
Ask the children to sit around the blue paper/ blanket and have a piece of purple cloth on hand to illustrate the lesson.
Remind the children very briefly of the previous lesson so they can relate it to the characters of this one.
Lydia learns about Jesus
After Saul left Jerusalem, he used his other name: Paul. He is especially remembered by this name.
One day he and his friends decided to take a trip to a place called Philippi. They wanted to tell the people there the Good News about Jesus.
After a few days of traveling, they finally arrived in Philippi and stayed there for many days. Saturday was special for people who loved God, because they met to worship Him.
“We are going to find a place to pray near the river,” Paul told his friends.
They all left Philippi and reached a river nearby. There they saw some women who were praying. Then Paul began to tell them about Jesus. He told them that the Son of God loved them and wanted to be their Savior. A woman named Lydia, who was a purple cloth seller, was listening attentively to Paul’s words. She sensed that God was speaking to her. She experienced something very special in her heart and decided to follow Jesus as well.
Lydia was happy! Now Jesus was her friend and she was part of the church. Then she invited Paul and his friends to stay at her house. There she prepared food for them and treated them with a lot of love.
Paul and his friends stayed a few days at Lydia’s house, talking to people about Jesus.
connect the lesson
Paul tells Lydia about Jesus
Hand out Student Activity Sheet #85-A and #85-B. Have the children trace the word of faith and write their name on Student Activity Sheet #85-A. Hand out colored pencils to color the figures of Paul and Lydia (they can color Lydia’s tunic purple). Meanwhile, review the Bible story.
Have the children turn to Student Activity Sheet #85-B and help them follow the instructions to find Paul and Lydia.
Encourage the children to use their activity sheets to tell the lesson to their families and friends.
practice the memory verse
You will need 12 paper hearts and tape.
Write the words that make up the memory verse on each heart and hide them in the room. Ask your children to find them. When they find them, they must stick them on the board and repeat the memory verse a couple of times.
wrap-up
Pray
Form a circle and let each child say a short prayer for the people they will talk to about Jesus. Conclude by thanking God for the class and interceding for your children.
Encourage
Encourage the children to make a list of their family and friends that they can talk to about Jesus’ love.
Invite
Invite the children to the next session to continue the lessons about Paul.
* 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.™