After the lame beggar was healed, he went into the temple, “walking and jumping, and praising God.” If you know Christ, He has forgiven you of your sins and set you free from the bondage to sin. There is no better reason to walk and jump and praise Him! Be an example of this to your kids as you complete these activities with them.
HIGHLIGHTS from the Weekend…
Read Acts 3:1-10 with your child and teach them that Jesus has the power to change lives because He is God. Peter and John went to the temple and saw a man who had been crippled from birth. He was being carried to the temple gate where he would spend his days begging. The man saw Peter and John and asked for money. Looking at the beggar, Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have, I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ, walk.” Peter helped the man up, and he immediately began to walk. This miracle was something wonderful only God could do. Peter and John entered the temple with the man, who was walking, leaping, and praising the Lord. Others recognized him and were amazed!
Teaching Truth:
- Jesus has the power to change lives because He is God.
- A miracle is something wonderful only God can do.
Memory Verse
"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever."
Psalm 107:1
3 Activities that Help Us Learn This Week's Teaching Truth:
1. Praise Journal
To create a praise journal you will need a blank journal or you can make one by stapling a few blank pages together like a book. You will also need crayons, markers, stickers, or other things your child can use to decorate the cover. Start by talking the word ‘praise’ and writing it on the cover of a blank journal. Allow your child to decorate the cover of the journal. Tell your child that you want to start writing down praises to God in their special journal. Teach your child that we praise God because of who He is and what He has done. Share an example of praise and then allow your child to share their praise. You can write it down for them and/or draw a picture to go with the praise. For example, write, “I praise you, God, for giving us sunshine” and then let your child draw a sun.
2. Leaping Legs
For this activity you will need index cards or pieces of paper, a writing utensil, and a scarf or strip of cloth. On the index cards, write activities your child can do with their legs. Examples include run in place, walk in a circle, march, hop, and stand on one foot. Put the index cards face down in a pile. Let your child choose one and complete the activity. After he has completed each activity, help your child discover that he used his legs for each one. Remind him of the story from the Bible about Peter and John healing the lame beggar. Tie your child’s knees and ankles together with the scarf of long cloth strips and let him try to do the activities again. Untie the cloths and let your child walk, leap, and praise God just the like the beggar did when he was healed. Afterwards, talk with your child using these questions:
- What is a miracle? (Something wonderful only God can do)
- Who gave Peter the power to heal the beggar?
- What did Peter say to the beggar?
- What did the man do?
- How can you praise God?
3. Praise Shaker
Help your child make a shaker to help celebrate just as the beggar celebrated after he was healed. Using an empty water bottle, fill the bottle with dry rice, dry beans, or beads. Screw the lid on tight and tape it shut. You can help your child add ribbons around the top or other decorations. Let your child shake the water bottle and sing songs to praise God.
Pray
Thank God for the Truth we learned this week and ask him to help you apply it to your life this week. Thank Him for His miracles and how He uses that and so many other things to show us His love. Ask Him to help you to write this Truth on your heart and to love others with the love that He first loved us.