“THE DISCIPLES GET HELP”
Season: Book of Acts
Episode 1: “The Disciples Get Help”
Today’s Bible Bite: Acts 1-2:46
Video Story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQhkWmFJKnA (The Bible Project – Acts 1-7 – for parents and older children)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKa9jqvJ378 (God’s Story – Peter Preaches)
“In the last days, God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all people.’” (Acts 2:17a, NLT)
The Bible is split into second main sections—the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament covers events before Jesus came from heaven and the New Testament tells us about Jesus and the events that happened after he returned to heaven. The Book of Acts, found in the New Testament, gives us the story of what happened immediately after Jesus left and gave his disciples the task of continuing his mission—to tell people about him! But in order to continue to do the work, Jesus knew his followers were going to need some help…which is our story today.
One morning, all the believers (about 120 people) were meeting together. Suddenly there was a loud sound like a blast of wind and little flames of fire hovered over each person’s head. Just as God had shown the people in the Old Testament that he was present with the Tabernacle by appearing as a pillar of fire (Numbers 9:15), the Holy Spirit showed that he was now going to live in each believer through the flames that appeared above their heads. Also, he gave all the believers the ability to speak in different languages, so that everyone in Jerusalem could hear about Jesus and what he had done for them.
Some people thought the believers were drunk—they thought they were just talking gibberish. But Peter told them, “No!” What they were seeing and hearing, had been prophesied about—God’s Holy Spirit had come and would be with anyone who believed that Jesus was the Messiah, our Rescuer from sin and death. Jesus had sent the Holy Spirit to teach his followers, to provide help, to give them courage and to show them the way they should live.
Think about it...
• Jesus had given a big job to the disciples. What did he want them to do?
• Jesus knew they were going to need help. What did he promise to do for them?
• When the Holy Spirit came everybody knew it. What happened?
• All the believers began speaking in different languages they hadn’t previously known. Why did Peter say this was happening?
Prayer: Thank you, God, for giving us the Holy Spirit. Thank you for his help to spread the news to everyone about Jesus. Help me to always do my best to obey Jesus.