NOTE TO PARENTS: Each of the main points can be taught/discussed over different days throughout the week.
MORE FROM THIS LESSON:
POINT #2 – 3 EXPRESSIONS OF GOD’S PRESENCE
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POINT #3 – PENTECOST
(Ask your child:) Have you heard the word Pentecost, do you know what it is? (Allow your child to answer) Pentecost is when the disciples received the gift of and was baptized by the Holy Spirit. It happened 50 days after Jesus rose from the dead, and 10 days after He left the earth and went to heaven. There were about 120 of Jesus’s disciples gathered together in an upper room. They were waiting for this promise of the Holy Spirit that Jesus told them about before He left the earth and went to Heaven.
Jesus gave His disciples a mission before He left the earth, and we have this same mission today. He told His disciples to go out into all the world and witness about Him. He told them to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and cast out demons. He told them to make disciples all over the world. To baptize them and teach them. But, before they went out into the world to do all of that, Jesus told them to first WAIT for the promise of the Holy Spirit to come to them. Acts 1:4 (NLT) says, “Once when He was eating with them, He commanded them, ‘Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift He promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ He then tells them, (v.8) “… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere – in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” This POWER they were going to get was miraculous power, ability, might and force to perform an activity or purpose. It was the power they needed to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons, raise the dead, and boldly witness to others across the whole world. We can’t do those things by ourselves, but when the Holy Spirit lives inside of us, He will work through us.
Acts 2:1-4 (NLT) tells us what happened on the day of Pentecost: “On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.” When this happened, people from every nation began to hear the gospel being preached in their own language. Peter went and gave a sermon and 3,000 people gave their life to Jesus and joined the Church on that same day. The disciples then went out and boldly preached the gospel and MANIFESTED God’s glory throughout the earth. Signs, wonders and miracles followed them as they told others about Jesus.
This is for us today as well. The Bible says that the promise of the Holy Spirit is for us and our children. It is for you and your children. It is for everyone. All we have to do is receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior and then ask the Holy Spirit to baptize us and come live inside of us. We NEED the power and boldness of the Holy Spirit to tell others about Jesus and help lead them to Him.
Prayer
Father God, we thank you for the gift and the promise of the Holy Spirit. We ask You, Holy Spirit, to fill us up. Fill us up with your presence. Fill us up with your power and boldness to tell others about the gospel, to help bring healing to others, to raise the dead, to lead others to You. Fill us up from head to toe. We are thankful that we have the gift and the promise of the Holy Spirit living inside of us to do what You have called us to do. We pray all of this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Application/Activity
- If your child has not asked Jesus into their heart and they want to, we encourage you to lead them in prayer. Please see the New Life prayer.
- If your child has received Jesus as Lord, ask them if they want to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Lead them in prayer: “Jesus, I want to be baptized by the Holy Spirit. I want You, Holy Spirit, to come and live inside of me. I want your presence to fill me up. I receive you now, in the name of Jesus. Amen.” Let your child know that they may hear their Spirit language in the head and encourage them to speak out of their mouth what they hear in their head. Even if it’s just one word or sound. We pray in expectation to receive this language, just as the disciples did in the book Acts at Pentecost.
- Coloring page/puzzles: Holy Spirit : https://craftingthewordofgod.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/holy-spirit-puzzle.pdf
*Worship Song
“Tell the World”