Lesson #3-31 Acts 8:26-39 - Poulsbo First Lutheran Church
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Sunday, April 25, 2021
Lesson #3-31
Acts 8:26-39
Key Verse:
Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the
good news about Jesus.
Acts 8:35
The Point:
We can learn about God through the most surprising people.
Philip is told by an angel to travel south, where he The Point
encounters an Ethiopian eunuch. The Ethiopian was a We can learn about God through the most
high official in the queen’s court and intelligent, as surprising people. From Philip’s encounter with the
demonstrated through his reading of the Scripture. Ethiopian, we are reminded that we never know when
However, he would have also been considered an or where we can grow in our relationship with God.
“other” because of both his ethnicity and his sexual Whether we see it as simply life’s events or as the Spirit
identity. He was a eunuch, a man who has been moving in our lives, we are led to encounters where
castrated and is therefore considered “safe” for God is present. Who is the teacher in this story? Both
important duties such as serving a queen. The Philip and the Ethiopian have wisdom and faith to
Ethiopian is a person marginalized by society. The share with one another, and the Spirit works through
Ethiopian also demonstrates humility by inviting Philip them both to further the spread of the gospel. God’s
to join and teach him, leading to the Ethiopian’s word is shared through unexpected encounters.
request to be baptized.
© 2015-2020 Spirit and Truth Publishing—All Rights Reserved 1
God’s Story @ Home (NL) Lesson #3-31 April 25, 2021
Optional: baptismal items (candles,
napkin, photos, etc.)
Share mementos, stories, and photos from family
baptisms.
Bibles
Brown grocery bags
Create a scroll story.
Scissors
Markers or crayons
Bibles
Activity Sheet #3-31.A
Decipher mysterious Bible passages.
Internet-connected devices
Activity Sheet #3-31.B
Copper or silver sheeting
Create Ethiopian crosses.
Pens or small wooden dowels
Craft sticks or wooden frames
Glue
Construction paper
© 2015-2020 Spirit and Truth Publishing—All Rights Reserved
2
God’s Story @ Home (NL) Lesson #3-31 ⚫ April 25, 2021
Share mementos, stories, and photos from family baptisms.
Supplies:
Optional: baptismal items (candles, napkin, photos, etc.)
Preparation:
1. Prior to the lesson, gather any mementos you have from each person’s baptism: photos,
gowns, candles, or stories that have been handed down.
Instructions:
1. Baptism is a very meaningful and central part of the Christian faith. In today’s
story, you will hear that after the Ethiopian man and Philip spent time together in
study, it was the Ethiopian’s first desire to be baptized. Baptisms are meant to be
special and meaningful times for families, although many of us do not remember
our own. Instead, we have gathered a mental image of the experience through
family stories.
2. Tell stories about each person’s baptism.
3. When finished, discuss the following:
• Why is baptism such a memorable occasion for most families?
• Baptism makes us members of the church family. We have been adopted
as God’s children. What does this mean? How are baptism and adoption
alike?
• Why do you think the Ethiopian asked to be baptized? What did his
baptism mean to him?
© 2015-2020 Spirit and Truth Publishing—All Rights Reserved 3
God’s Story @ Home (NL) Lesson #3-31 April 25, 2021
Create a scroll story.
Supplies:
Bibles
Brown grocery bags
Scissors
Markers or crayons
Instructions:
1. Hand out paper grocery bags to each person.
2. Instruct each person to cut their bags into a long rectangular strip, and then crumple it
to make it look old.
3. Read Acts 8:26-39 out loud.
4. Invite each person to creatively tell the story on their scroll, using drawings, words,
symbols, etc. When they are finished, roll the story up like a scroll.
5. Share the finished projects with everyone else.
© 2015-2020 Spirit and Truth Publishing—All Rights Reserved 4
God’s Story @ Home (NL) Lesson #3-31 April 25, 2021
Decipher mysterious Bible passages.
Supplies:
Bibles
Activity Sheet #3-31.A
Internet-connected devices
Preparation:
1. Note: You may wish to divide into pairs for this activity.
2. Make enough copies of Activity Sheet #3-31.A for each pair to have one. Only print
one copy of the answer key on the second page.
3. Cut the slips apart and keep them together in sets.
4. Activity Sheet #3-31.A contains a Spanish translation of several Bible verses. Feel free
to add or replace them with other languages that may be more challenging for your
family.
Instructions:
1. Give one complete list of translated verses to each pair.
2. Provide Internet access.
3. Challenge pairs to translate the statements and put them in the correct order.
4. For a little competition, make this into a race.
5. Read the passages out loud in Spanish.
6. Then read the passage again in English from Acts 8:26-39.
© 2015-2020 Spirit and Truth Publishing—All Rights Reserved 5God’s Story @ Home (NL) Lesson #3-31 April 25, 2021
Create Ethiopian crosses.
Supplies:
Activity Sheet #3-31.B
Thin copper or silver sheeting
Pens or small wooden dowels
Craft sticks or wooden frames
Glue
Preparation:
1. Make copies of cross patterns from Activity Sheet #3-31.B, one for each person.
2. Obtain thin copper or silver sheeting or foil (available in craft stores) and cut into pieces
at least large enough to fit one of the cross shapes on Activity Sheet #3-31.B and fit
with a craft stick or other wooden frame.
Instructions:
1. The cross symbol varies according to cultural traditions around the world. The
one you may be most familiar with is the Latin cross—the simple four-bar style.
The Celtic cross is common in some jewelry. Ethiopian Christian crosses, on the
other hand, have a very distinctive, elaborate style that differentiates them from
European crosses.
2. Provide pictures of Ethiopian crosses to use for patterns from Activity Sheet #3-31.B.
3. Choose a sheet of copper or silver and lay it on the table in front of them. Pick
one of the cross patterns from Activity Sheet #3.31.B and lay it over the metallic
sheet.
4. Carefully trace the cross on the paper, pressing hard enough to indent the cross
design onto the metallic sheet.
5. When you are satisfied with your detail on the metallic cross, make a frame from
the craft sticks.
6. Finish by gluing the metallic sheet to the back of the frame.
© 2015-2020 Spirit and Truth Publishing—All Rights Reserved 6God’s Story @ Home (NL) Lesson #3-31 April 25, 2021
Supplies:
Construction paper
Instructions:
1. Our story highlights the importance of sharing the story of Jesus with everyone
that we encounter during our day.
2. Give everyone a piece of construction paper and have them trace the outline of one or
both of their feet.
3. Instruct participants to write one way that they can tell others about Jesus on each
footprint.
4. Place them on the floor to create a road that leads outside.
5. Close with prayer by walking down this road and reading all the different ideas on the
footprints.
Before ending, make a point to come together to pray. Use the following or say your own
prayer.
Lord, as we end this time together, help us to… (read ideas from footprints). Amen.
If you have the “Living the Word: Sharing God’s Story @ Home” sheet, remember to use it
throughout the week as a part of your family devotions!
© 2015-2020 Spirit and Truth Publishing—All Rights Reserved 7Activity Sheet #3-31.A God’s Story @ Home (NL) Lesson #3-31 ⚫ April 25, 2021
Decipher mysterious Bible passages.
Entonces el ángel del Señor le dijo a Felipe: “Levántate y ve hacia el sur al camino que desciende de
Jerusalén a Gaza.” (Este es un camino desierto.)
Entonces él se levantó y se fue. Ahora había un eunuco etíope, un oficial de la corte de la Candace, reina
de los etíopes, a cargo de toda su tesorería. Él había venido a Jerusalén para adorer
y fue volver a casa; sentado en su carro, que estaba leyendo el profeta Isaías.
Y el Espíritu dijo a Felipe: "Ve a ese carro y unirse a ella."
Entonces Felipe corrió hasta él y le oyó leer al profeta Isaías. Él preguntó: “¿Entiendes lo que estás
leyendo?”
Él respondió: “¿Cómo puedo yo, a menos que alguien me guíe?” Y rogó a Felipe que entrar y sentarse a
su lado.
El pasaje de la Escritura que estaba leyendo era éste:
“Como oveja fue llevado a la masacre,
y como cordero en silencio ante su esquilador,
por lo que no abre la boca.
En su humillación justicia le fue negado.
¿Quién puede describir su generación?
Porque su vida es quitada de la tierra.”
El eunuco preguntó a Felipe: “¿De quién, ¿puedo preguntarle, dice el profeta esto, acerca de sí mismo o
de alguien más?”
Entonces Felipe, abriendo la boca, y comenzando con esta escritura, proclamó a él las buenas noticias
sobre Jesús.
Mientras iban por el camino, llegaron a cierta agua; y el eunuco dijo: “Mira, aquí está el agua! ¿Qué es para
evitar que me sea bautizado?”
Él mandó parar el carro, y ambos, Felipe y el eunuco, cayó al agua, y Felipe lo bautizó.
Cuando subieron del agua, el Espíritu del Señor arrebató a Felipe; el eunuco no le vio más, y siguió
gozoso su camino.
9
© 2015-2020 Spirit and Truth Publishing—All Rights ReservedActivity Sheet #3-31.A God’s Story @ Home (NL) Lesson #3-31 ⚫ April 25, 2021
Decipher mysterious Bible passages.
26 Entonces el ángel del Señor le dijo a Felipe: “Levántate y ve hacia el sur al camino que
desciende de Jerusalén a Gaza.” (Este es un camino desierto.)
27 Entonces él se levantó y se fue. Ahora había un eunuco etíope, un oficial de la corte de la
Candace, reina de los etíopes, a cargo de toda su tesorería. Él había venido a Jerusalén para
adorar
28 y fue volver a casa; sentado en su carro, que estaba leyendo el profeta Isaías.
29 Y el Espíritu dijo a Felipe: “Ve a ese carro y unirse a ella.”
30 Entonces Felipe corrió hasta él y le oyó leer al profeta Isaías. Él preguntó: “¿Entiendes lo
que estás leyendo?”
31 Él respondió: “¿Cómo puedo yo, a menos que alguien me guíe?” Y rogó a Felipe que entrar
y sentarse a su lado.
32 El pasaje de la Escritura que estaba leyendo era éste:
“Como oveja fue llevado a la masacre,
y como cordero en silencio ante su esquilador,
por lo que no abre la boca.
33 En su humillación justicia le fue negado.
¿Quién puede describir su generación?
Porque su vida es quitada de la tierra.”
34 El eunuco preguntó a Felipe: “¿De quién, ¿puedo preguntarle, dice el profeta esto, acerca de
sí mismo o de alguien más?”
35 Entonces Felipe, abriendo la boca, y comenzando con esta escritura, proclamó a él las
buenas noticias sobre Jesús.
36 Mientras iban por el camino, llegaron a cierta agua; y el eunuco dijo: “Mira, aquí está el agua!
¿Qué es para evitar que me sea bautizado?”
38 Él mandó parar el carro, y ambos, Felipe y el eunuco, cayó al agua, y Felipe lo bautizó.
39 Cuando subieron del agua, el Espíritu del Señor arrebató a Felipe; el eunuco no le vio más, y
siguió gozoso su camino.
11
© 2015-2020 Spirit and Truth Publishing—All Rights ReservedActivity Sheet #3-31.B God’s Story @ Home (NL) Lesson #3-31 ⚫ April 25, 2021
Create Ethiopian crosses.
13
© 2015-2020 Spirit and Truth Publishing—All Rights ReservedYou can also read
