Children’s Bible Program – Level 1: NT Lesson 14 “The Lost Sheep”

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Featured Passage: Luke 15

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NT-L1L14 The Lost SheepDownload/Print

Wherever Jesus went, people of all kinds followed Him to hear Him speak and to see His miracles. Many of them were poor or sick, but there were others who were rich and important – they all wanted to hear what Jesus had to say. One day, a group of tax collectors and sinners came to hear Him. The Jewish leaders were upset. They didn’t want Jesus to spend time teaching those kinds of people. They thought it was a waste of time. Then Jesus told them a story – it was a parable. He was explaining why He chose to teach and help the people who mostly everyone else didn’t seem to like.

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Discuss:

  1. What is a parable? (If you have a dictionary, look up the word, or you can go to dictionary.com online to find the meaning)
  2. Who does the shepherd in Jesus’ story about the lost sheep represent?
  3. What happens to the sheep in the parable? 
  4. Why do you think Jesus told this parable to the Jewish leaders? 
  5. How does God feel about all the people in the world? How does God feel when someone repents?
  6. What are some ways we can show love to other people? What about people who don’t understand God’s way?
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Memory Challenge:

Mark 16:15-18

Luke 15:7 

“I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.”

Children’s Bible Program – Level 2: NT Lesson 14 “The Church Begins”

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Featured Passage: Acts 2-7

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NT-L2L14 The Church BeginsDownload/Print

Before Jesus ascended into heaven He had told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they received the power of the Holy Spirit. The Feast of Pentecost had come and many people were in Jerusalem to keep it. The disciples were gathered together in a house to keep this Holy Day. As they were meeting suddenly they heard sounds like a mighty wind and something extraordinary happened!

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Discuss:

  1. What happened when the disciples heard the mighty wind? 
  2. What does it mean to speak in tongues?
  3. At the end of his message, what did Peter tell the people to do? How many people were baptized that day?
  4. What miracle happened when Peter and John went up to the temple? 
  5. Why do you think the Jewish leaders didn’t want Peter and John to preach in Jesus’ name? What happened after they told them not to?
  6. Why do you think Ananias and Sapphira lied about the money they were giving? What happened to them?
  7. Why was the office of deacon created? Who were the first deacons?
  8. What was Stephen accused of when he was arrested? Why do you think the Jews were so angry with Stephen after he spoke?
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Memory Challenge:

Acts 2:38 

“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: NT Lesson 13 “The Great Commission”

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Featured Passage: Mark 16

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NT-L3L13 The Great CommissionDownload/Print

While Jesus Christ lived on earth as a human being, during His ministry He served and taught people everywhere He went. What was He teaching? The good news of the coming Kingdom of God (aka: the Gospel). As He taught the people about the wonderful truth of God, though they did not fully understand it at the time, Jesus was training His disciples for a very important, and urgent mission. After His resurrection, Christ told the disciples that He needed to return to His Father, but first He had to give them the instructions for the mission.

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Discuss:

  1. What mission did Jesus give to the disciples? How was this mission a continuation of Jesus’ ministry? 
  2. What are the signs that Jesus said would be with those who believe? What do you think is the purpose of the signs?
  3. Is the mission over? When does God say the mission will be over? Who is responsible to carry out the instructions of Jesus Christ today? What responsibilities do you have in the mission?
  4. What are the main topics of the Gospel? If you were to explain to someone what the gospel of the Kingdom is, what would you say?
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Memory Challenge:

Mark 16:15-18

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Children’s Bible Program – Level 2: NT Lesson 13 “A New Apostle”

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Featured Passage: Acts 1

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NT-L2L13 A New ApostleDownload/Print

Jesus had died, but now He was alive!  For forty days after He was resurrected Jesus Christ had been seen by different people – He talked, walked, and ate with them. Jesus showed the people that death had no power over Him and gave them hope in resurrection from the dead for all human beings who choose to follow God. Soon it was time for Jesus to return to His Father in heaven. The disciples gathered together to receive final instructions from the Lord.

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Discuss:

  1. What did Jesus tell the disciples they were to do once they received the Holy Spirit?
  2. How many apostles were there at this time? Why do you think it was important for there to be twelve apostles?
  3. What were some characteristics the apostles looked for in selecting a new apostle? Who were the two men between whom the choice would be made? 
  4. How did they choose between the two? 
  5. Who was selected to replace Judas? What will be his reward in the kingdom (Matthew 19:28)?
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Memory Challenge:

Acts 1:8

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Children’s Bible Program – Level 1: NT Lesson 13 “The Good Samaritan”

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Featured Passage: Luke 10

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NT-L1L13 The Good SamaritanDownload/Print

Jesus Christ taught many different kinds of people. They would sometimes ask Him questions and many times He would use stories, called parables, to answer them and to explain certain lessons. One day a lawyer asked Christ a question about how to receive eternal life. Jesus found that the man already knew the answer – to have eternal life, he must love God with all his being and love his neighbor as himself. The lawyer then asked Christ, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus could see that the lawyer didn’t really have the right attitude, so He had a very special story in mind to answer his question.

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Discuss:

  1. Why was the lawyer asking Jesus questions? 
  2. What happens to the man who is traveling in the story? 
  3. Who are the first two people who saw the man? What do priests and Levites do as their jobs? Why do you think they didn’t stop to help? 
  4. Who was the third person to see the man lying on the road? Why did he stop to help? What does it mean to have compassion?
  5. How did the Samaritan help the man who was hurt? 
  6. Who is our neighbor? When we see someone who needs help, what should we do? Can you think of some examples of things you could do to help others?
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Memory Challenge:

Luke 10:27

 “…You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

Children’s Bible Program – Level 1: NT Lesson 12 “Walking on Water”

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Featured Passage: Matthew 14

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NT-L1L12 Walking on WaterDownload/Print

After a long day, Jesus sent the disciples to the other side of the lake by boat. By a miracle He had fed the multitude with five loaves of bread and two small fish, then he told the people to go home. Jesus wanted to spend some time alone to pray as He often did. Late that night, He went to catch up with the disciples, but they were at sea and He had no boat. This was not a problem for Jesus; He knew exactly what He would do.

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Discuss:

  1. Why do you think Jesus wanted to spend some time alone to pray? 
  2. How did Jesus decide He would catch up with the disciples?
  3. Why was it taking the disciples so long to get to the other side of the lake?
  4. Why were the disciples scared when they saw Jesus coming toward them? 
  5. What did Peter do when He realized who was walking toward them? Why do you think Peter began to sink after he started walking toward Jesus on the water? What lesson can we learn from this?
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Memory Challenge:

Matthew 14:27

“But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

Children’s Bible Program – Level 2: NT Lesson 12 “Breakfast with Jesus”

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Featured Passage: John 21

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NT-L2L12 Breakfast with JesusDownload/Print

Jesus was dead, and now He was alive! He had been resurrected from the dead, which was a wonderful miracle. The disciples were so excited, but now what were they to do? The disciples had been taught by Jesus for three and a half years, but they hadn’t yet understood the full reason of why they had been called. They decided to go back to what they used to do – fishing! One morning, after spending all night trying to catch something, a man appeared on the shore. At first they didn’t recognize Him, but once they did they raced toward the beach to meet Him. They didn’t know yet, but Jesus, the Son of God, was about to give them a purpose and a mission that would change the world.

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Discuss:

  1. Why do you think Peter decided to go fishing? Who were some of the disciples that went fishing with Peter? 
  2. What did the man on the shore tell the disciples to do? What happened when they listened?
  3. Who was it that recognized the man speaking was actually Jesus? How do you think he knew it was Jesus?
  4. Who made breakfast? What do you think it would be like to eat breakfast with God? 
  5. What question did Jesus ask Peter after they had eaten? Who is represented by the lambs and the sheep that Jesus instructed Peter to feed? What was Jesus really telling Peter to do?
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Memory Challenge:

John 21:25 

“And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”

Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: NT Lesson 12 “The Resurrection”

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Featured Passage: Matthew 28

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NT-L3L12 The ResurrectionDownload/Print

Jesus had died. A man named Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and asked if he could take Jesus’ body and properly bury Him. Pilate agreed, so Joseph took Him and wrapped the body and put it in a tomb. Even though they had witnessed Jesus’ death, the Jews were not quite satisfied. They remembered that Jesus said “After three days I will rise.” So they asked that the tomb be guarded day and night just in case one of His disciples might try to take Him away. They did not understand that God is the one who has power over life and death and He had a special plan for His own Son.

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Discuss:

  1. What does the word resurrect mean? 
  2. When did Mary Magdalene and the other women arrive at the tomb? What did the women find when they came to the tomb? 
  3. Jesus said He would be in the grave 3 days and 3 nights (the same amount of time that Jonah was in the whale). Since Jesus was put in the tomb on Wednesday evening, counting three days and three nights, when did Christ rise from the dead?
  4. What did the women do when they discovered Christ was not in the grave?
  5. Where did Jesus instruct the disciples to meet Him? 
  6. How did the Jewish authorities plan to cover-up the truth about Jesus’ resurrection from the dead?
  7. What final instructions did Jesus give the disciples before He ascended to heaven?
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Memory Challenge:

Matthew 28:18-19

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”

Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: NT Lesson 11 “Taken to Pilate”

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Featured Passage: Matthew 26

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NT-L3L11 Taken to PilateDownload/Print

Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem did not sit well with the chief priests and elders. Besides, not many days before that, Jesus had resurrected Lazarus from the dead in front of a host of witnesses. Many of the people started to believe that Jesus was the prophesied Messiah, and the religious rulers were determined that He must be stopped. They looked for an opportunity to take Him without the people knowing it, and the opportunity presented itself.

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Discuss:

  1. What happened when Jesus and His disciples were at the house of Simon the leper? Why were the disciples upset by this? 
  2. What was Judas promised for his betrayal? Where in the Bible is there a prophecy that this would happen?
  3. Where did Jesus and the disciples eat the Passover meal? 
  4. How did Jesus tell the disciples to prepare for what was about to happen to Him? How did they respond? What did Jesus say Peter would do?
  5. What did Christ do to prepare for what was about to happen? 
  6. Who came to arrest Jesus? How did the Jews know who Jesus was to arrest Him? What did the disciples do? 
  7. What crime did the high priest and elders say Jesus had committed? Was Christ guilty of that crime? Why or why not?
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Memory Challenge:

Matthew 26:39

 “He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.’”

Children’s Bible Program – Level 2: NT Lesson 11 “The Empty Tomb”

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Featured Passage: John 20

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NT-L2L11 The Empty TombDownload/Print

After being betrayed, Jesus was taken away and was killed even though He had done nothing wrong. He died for the sins of every person in the world (John 1:29, 1 Corinthians 5:7). Jesus was laid in a tomb, and His disciples were very sad, but God’s plan was not over. Early one morning, after Jesus had been buried for three days, some women came to visit the tomb. They were surprised to see that the stone covering the entrance of the tomb was pushed open. They ran to tell the other disciples to come and see. One of the women named Mary Magdalene began to cry, thinking that someone had stolen Jesus’ body. That was when a man, who she thought was the gardener, began to speak to her.

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Discuss:

  1. When did the women come to the tomb? 
  2. Who did the women tell first that the tomb was open? What did they do when they heard the news? 
  3. Why was the tomb open? Where was Jesus? 
  4. Who did Mary see when she looked into the tomb again?
  5. To whom did Christ first appear? Why did Jesus tell Mary not to touch Him? 
  6. When did the disciples see Jesus Christ after He was resurrected? What do you think it would have been like to be with the disciples when Jesus appeared?
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Memory Challenge:

John 20:31

“But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”