Leader Guide

Video Leader Guide

Welcome (1 minute)

Hello, and welcome to a new Superbook adventure, titled “Peter’s Escape.” Where do you think that Peter escaped from? Did he break out of a prison cell, sneak past the guards, and then climb over the prison wall? That would definitely be a good guess! First let’s watch and see what Peter was doing before he was arrested, and then we will find out what’s happening today with Chris, Joy and Gizmo.           

Play Video 2: Chris and Joy's Dilemma (4.5 minutes)

Chris and Joy's Dilemma

Chris and Gizmo “help” Joy research a school geography project by sending her on a round-the-world Holo-9 virtual tour. As she sees scenes of deprivation and hardship, Joy is overwhelmed by the state of the human condition and wonders how she, or anyone, can make a difference. 

SuperTruth and Discussion (2 minutes)

Raise your hand if you have ever prayed for someone or something. Now, raise your hand if you know of a time when someone prayed for you. 

Why do you think people take the time to pray? God answers prayer, they need God’s help, etc.     

The SuperTruth today is: “Prayer produces results.” Let’s say that together. “Prayer produces results.   

We pray because we believe God hears and answers prayer! 

Why was Joy so upset when she took a virtual tour of a city in the future wearing Chris’s Holo-9 helmet? She saw poverty, hunger, cruelty, disasters, and dangerous situations.  

Let’s watch the rest of the video and find out what Joy learns she can do to help. Then we will finally see how Peter actually escapes from jail!     

Video 3: Bible Story and Resolution (19 minutes)

Bible Story and Resolution

Superbook transports Joy, Chris, and Gizmo back in time to meet Peter, Rhoda, Mary, and other followers of Jesus. The children learn how the power of prayer can lead to miraculous changes. 

Play Video 10A: SuperVerse Graphic 1

Graphic loops 2.5 minutes without audio; turn off or freeze video after children repeat the verse. 

SuperVerse Graphic 1

SuperVerse Discussion (1 minute)

Our SuperVerse today is Acts 12:5:

But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.

King Herod Agrippa ordered four squads of four soldiers each to guard Peter in prison. (See Acts 12:4.) Who is good at math? How many soldiers is that all together? Sixteen.

If that wasn’t enough security, he placed Peter in the inner prison, which was the most secure part of the jail. Yes, things looked hopeless for Peter except for one very important thing—let’s say our SuperVerse together. Acts 12:5:

But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.   

Peter had hope because of prayer! 

Children will have more time to learn the SuperVerse in Small Group. If any children are not able to memorize the entire verse, be sure they understand its meaning.

Prayer and Send-Off (1 minute)

Dear God, as we saw in the video, people around the world are facing troubles and hardships. Remind us to pray for those who are suffering, and to ask that Your will be done. We praise You that prayer produces results, and we know that our prayers are heard and answered through Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ! Amen.    

In Small Group today we are going to play a game called, “What Goes Up Will Come Down.” It is a game about prayer and results. Let’s go play!   

Teachers take children to Small Group classes for Grades 1–3 and 4–6. If the combined group is small, all children may stay together for Small Group time.

Game

Joy wanted to help Peter—and fast! She was shocked that Mary and Rhoda were only going to pray; do you remember why? She asked Rhoda if God really answered her prayers. She thought they needed to do something “real” to bring results.

When our prayers rise to God, His answers will come down. Prayer produces results! In this game, you will play in pairs. You will bat the balloon in the air to your partner, who will bat it back to you. Take a step backward each time you bat the balloon. When it goes up in the air, this represents a prayer to God. When the balloon comes down, it represents God’s answer or response to the prayer.   

• Divide the class into teams of two. Try to pair up children who don’t know each other well.
• Give each team a balloon; have each player stand to face their partner at the center line—leaving several feet between teams.
• If there isn’t enough room for all teams to play at one time, play another round with the remaining teams.
• Start the game. Each player will bat the balloon to the partner and then take a step backward.
• If a balloon hits the floor, the team must begin again at the middle line.
• Continue until a player from a team reaches the taped line near the wall. That team wins.
• Play more rounds as time permits.    

Conclusion: Did anyone hit a balloon and it didn’t come back down? No.

It is the same with prayer; when our prayers rise to God, an answer will come down to us—without fail. Sometimes the answer we receive isn’t what we expected, or it doesn’t come in the manner we expected, yet God always answers and does what is best according to His wisdom and will. Let’s say the SuperTruth together. “Prayer produces results!”

Now, let’s learn more about the results of prayer in the teaching time. 

Teaching

In the video we watched, what were some ways that Gizmo suggested rescuing Peter from jail? Here's a hint: they were displayed on his faceplate. Tank, blimp, catapult, trampoline, pogo stick.   

Gizmo certainly was thinking “out of the box”—meaning that he was thinking in unusual ways. Even so, God had a completely different plan to save Peter. Let’s say the SuperVerse together. Acts 12:5:

But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.

Sixteen soldiers were ordered to guard Peter; four soldiers at a time in four shifts. This was of no concern to Peter. He had been in jail before and the angel of the Lord miraculously freed him. That time, when the officers came to get Peter out of his cell to stand trial, they found the prison doors shut and the guards standing outside, but Peter’s cell was empty. The officers finally found Peter and the others in the temple preaching about Jesus! (See Acts 5:17–25.) God had supernaturally freed the men without being seen. 

Peter knew that God could rescue him no matter where he was or how many soldiers guarded him. As Peter slept, chained between two guards, God’s angel struck him on the side to wake him up. They walked out of the cell and past the guard posts. The iron gate at the entrance to the prison miraculously swung open by itself, and Peter and the angel walked into the street! Peter didn’t need a tank, blimp, trampoline, or any other human device or strategy; all he needed were the prayers of the church and the power of God! 

Let’s say our SuperTruth. “Prayer produces results.”

Have you ever read a label of a product that guaranteed results? 

You have probably seen an advertisement on TV or the internet for a product or service that promised certain results. There may even be a money-back guarantee if you don’t experience the same results. Show the two products or advertisements to the class and discuss what is promised and the guarantee.    

Have you ever been disappointed by the promised results of a product or service? 

It is easy to be disappointed in this world. Promises are sometimes broken. Hold up the Bible. However, we will never experience this with God! The Bible is filled with His promises to us. He will never fail to keep those promises—guaranteed! One of His promises is found in 1 John 5:14–15:

And we are confident that He hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases Him. And since we know He hears us when we make our requests, we also know that He will give us what we ask for.    

What are the two promised results in this passage? 1. He hears our prayers. 2. He will give us what we ask for when it is what pleases Him.

Hold up the closed lock. There is a key that unlocks this promise to us from God.

Place the key in the lock and turn it to unlock it. He will hear and give us what we ask for when we ask for anything that pleases Him.

The church prayed for God to rescue Peter, and that pleased God. He had much more work for Peter to do for Him. So, their prayer produced results—God rescued Peter with a miracle. In fact, it was such an amazing miracle that when the church’s prayer was answered, they had a hard time believing it! They told Rhoda she was out of her mind! When we pray, we must believe we will experience results. Jesus said in Mark 11:24:   

“I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.”

It’s time now for our Discipleship Challenge where we will put this into practice!   

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Prayer produces results. Along with your prayer, you will be challenged to put your faith into action.       

Give each child a pair of scissors, a pencil, glue or tape, and a House of Prayer. If using black and white patterns, hand out crayons, colored pencils, or washable markers to color the pattern pieces. Make sure that there are several yellow crayons, pencils or markers to color the prayer beam cards for a glow effect. Caution: using a different, darker color on the beams can block the challenge text. Have children cut out the beams and the house and write their names on the back of the house. Display the sample craft and have them assemble the house according to the instructions and insert the card beams. Be prepared to assist any children with special needs. 

Have children pull out Card #1 and read it.   

Your challenge at home is to read and discuss the Bible verses, Philippians 2:3–4. Talk about how we can’t be so focused on ourselves that we lose sight of other people’s interests and needs. Then, pray for someone who needs God’s help. Why did the church pray for Peter? He was arrested and in prison.

In the same way, take an interest in someone else’s situation and pray daily for them. The last part of this lesson’s challenge is to ask the person if you can pray together for that need. 

Next time, I’ll ask who remembered to do the challenge and what happened when you prayed!  

SuperVerse

King Herod Agrippa was a wicked man. He had the apostle James killed and saw how much it pleased the Jewish people. Herod then ordered Peter to be arrested and put in prison. (See Acts 12:1–4.)     

Peter had no chance of escaping on his own. However, the church prayed for Peter. How does our SuperVerse say they prayed? Very earnestly.

What does that mean? Children answer.     

To pray earnestly means to pray seriously, sincerely, and with determination. The church loved Peter and the work he did to spread the Gospel. Thousands had been saved through his preaching. Many believers were praying earnestly for him.     

God heard the church’s prayers and miraculously freed Peter from prison! What was he doing when the angel appeared? He was sleeping.

Who was on either side of him? Roman soldiers.

Yes, Peter and two soldiers were chained together. That’s why we’ll divide into groups of three to learn our SuperVerse. 

Divide the class into groups of three children. If necessary, a leader or leaders can join a group to make it three people. Have each group decide who should say each of the three parts of the verse, then practice saying it in order several times, looking at the board if necessary. All members of the group should say the reference at the end of the verse. 

Next, explain that the first and third people in each group are Roman soldiers, and the second person in each group is Peter. The “soldiers” should stand on either side and lightly hold “Peter’s” arms as if they’re all chained together in a row.  

Explain that you will count to three, then all of the groups will say the SuperVerse together, with each member saying the part they practiced. When everyone is saying the reference at the end of the verse, the “soldiers” should let go of “Peter” and all group members should raise their hands in the air because God answers prayer. Erase the board and repeat.     

Great job! You have all learned the SuperVerse. Now, who remembers our SuperTruth? Let’s pretend we’re sleeping like Peter and say the SuperTruth with our eyes closed. “Prayer produces results."

Remember that whenever you pray!   

Prayer

Have the children sit down. In the video, the believers prayed a well-known prayer. What is this prayer often called? The Lord’s Prayer.  

When the disciples asked the Lord Jesus to teach them how to pray, He gave them this prayer as a model. (See Matthew 6:9–13; Luke 11:1–4.) 

Jesus taught His disciples to pray that God’s will would be done on earth as it is in heaven. Is there any sickness and suffering in heaven? No.

We read this description of heaven in Revelation 21:4:   

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Think of some situations where people are hurting right now, and let’s pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. I’ll start, and if anyone would like to pray out loud, please join in. 

Pray: Heavenly Father, there is so much we need to pray for in the world. We see things every day that we know are not pleasing to You and that grieve Your Spirit. Allow time for children to pray silently after you name each situation. We pray for people who are hungry … sick … lonely … on drugs … fighting in wars … . Add other situations that may pertain to your community. Right now, we pray earnestly that Your will would be done in each of these situations, just as Your will is done in heaven. Help us to keep praying for these things because we know that You hear our prayers and will answer! In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.  

Hearing Game

In our teaching today, we discussed how prayer brings results. Think about this for a moment; what must God do before He can answer our prayers? He must hear our prayers.

Hold up your hand if you have asked someone to do something, but they didn’t do it because they said they didn’t hear you? 

Have your parents ever asked you to do a chore, but you later said you didn’t hear them? Children answer.

Maybe you were focused on a game, texting a friend, or watching TV, and you didn’t listen carefully. I’m sure this has happened to all of us. Now, think about all the prayers that people pray every second of the day all around the world. God hears them all and answers.

Read Psalm 34:15:

The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; His ears are open to their cries for help.

He not only hears us—He sees us, too! To help us understand how amazing this is, we are going to play a fun game to see how well we can hear people’s requests!

Choose two children—a boy and girl, or a younger and older child—to be listeners.

• Have them stand out in the hallway with an adult volunteer so they cannot hear what is said in the classroom. 
• Select a Request Card and give it to the class.
• The first child will say item 1 aloud and remember that word, then pass the card to the second child, who will say item 2 aloud and remember that word, etc. Repeat until all ten items on the card have been named. If there are fewer than 10 children, start again with the first child and repeat. If there are more children, continue to circulate the card until all children have a word. It still works well if more than one child has the same word.  
• Have one listener return to the classroom and stand with their back to the class. Explain that they should try to remember as many items as they can when they hear the class shout.  
• Count to three, and have all the children SHOUT the names of the items on their cards at the same time.
• Have the listening child say all the items heard. Write the item names on the board.
• Next, count to three and have all the children WHISPER the names of the items.
• Have the listening child name any additional items they heard.
• Count to three and have all the children SAY the item names.
• Have the listening child name any additional items they heard.
• After the third time, count all the items and write that number on the board. Erase the item names but leave the number on the board.
• Call the second child into the classroom and repeat the activity.
• Discuss the differences and how it was difficult to hear everyone at one time.
• If you made other cards, repeat the activity with two different children as listeners.

Conclusion: How many children are in the room today? Let’s count off aloud. 

We have {number} children. On the count of three, I want each of you to shout your name as loud as you can. Oh, I’d better ask; do you all know your names? 

Then you should be able to shout very loudly! Here we go: 1, 2, 3! Children shout their names. 

Do you know how many names God heard? {Total number named earlier.}

Write the number on the board. Yes, God heard all of you. Now, imagine real prayers, from people around the world, at the same time, in different languages! God hears every prayer and He answers each one. What is our SuperTruth today? “Prayer produces results.”      

Object Lesson

Pour about a teaspoon of thyme in the spoon. Don’t mention this herb until the end. Gather the children around a table. Pour about 1 teaspoon of salt on the plate.

This salt represents each of us, or the people in God’s church. The Bible calls us the salt of the earth. (See Matthew 5:13.) 

What did the church do when Peter was arrested and put in prison? They prayed very earnestly. 

Let’s say the SuperVerse together. Acts 12:5: 

But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.

Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of pepper on the plate. 

This pepper represents our thoughts and words that we tell God through prayer—our hopes, dreams, worries, and concerns. 

Rub the plastic spoon over the wool several times. This spoon represents God. Watch what happens when I wave the spoon over the salt and pepper. 

As you slowly wave the plastic spoon about 1 inch above the plate, the pepper goes up to the spoon. Our prayers go straight to God. 

You are probably wondering what is in the spoon. It is a type of herb called thyme (pronounced “time”). The thyme represents the results of prayers, or God’s answers.    

Tilt the spoon so that the thyme drops onto the salt and plate. In God’s perfect “thyme,” He answers prayers. Like Peter, we must be confident and patient knowing that prayer brings results!     

Empty the plate in the trash and remove the pepper from the bottom of the spoon. Give each child an opportunity to try this experiment. 

Conclusion: God heard the prayers of the church and freed Peter. Today, He still hears every prayer and answers at the right time according to His plan. 

Maze Activity

Give each child a copy of Peter’s Escape Maze and a pencil. Have children write their names at the bottom. Lead a discussion using the questions and answers below as the children complete the activity. 

• Was Peter worrying and pacing around in his cell when the angel appeared? No, he was sleeping.    
• When the angel told Peter to get up, what happened to his chains? They fell from his wrists. 
• How did the gate to the prison open? It opened by itself. God opened it.  
• What did the angel tell him to do? To get dressed and follow him.
• When Peter first began to follow the angel, what did he think? He thought he was having a vision. 
• Did the angel lead him all the way to Mary’s house? No, the angel left him when they started walking down the street. 
• Did Peter stay long at Mary’s house? No, he told them how God’s angel rescued him and then went to another place.

Conclusion: God heard the prayers of His people. An angel rescued Peter when there was no other way to escape. Save your maze to remind you of our SuperTruth. Who can say it from memory? “Prayer produces results!”  

Bible Study

Give each child a Bible. Let’s say our SuperTruth together. “Prayer produces results.”

In this Bible activity, we are going to scripture passages where people prayed and God answered in a miraculous way. We’ll dig out the answers to these questions together. Point to the board and read the questions. 

If scripture doesn’t describe a reaction, share what you may have done if you were there.

1.   John 11:41–45: 

⁴¹ So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank You for hearing Me. ⁴² You always hear Me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe You sent Me.” ⁴³ Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” ⁴⁴ And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!” ⁴⁵ Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen. 

• Who prayed? Jesus.
• What was the request? Lazarus would be raised from the dead and come out of the tomb.
• What was the result? He came out wrapped in grave clothes and they let him go.   
• What was the reaction? Many people believed in Jesus.
• For extra credit, why did Jesus pray aloud? So the people would believe Jesus was sent by God.  

2.   2 Kings 6:15–17: 

¹⁵ When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha. ¹⁶ “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” ¹⁷ Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. 

• Who prayed? Elisha.
• What was the request in verse 17? For God to open his servant’s eyes to see. (Supernaturally.)
• What was the result? He could see God’s invisible angels with horses and chariots of fire.      
• What do you think Elisha's servant’s reaction would have been? Surprise, amazement, faith and trust in God; he wasn’t afraid anymore. 

3.   Luke 1:6–7,11–14: 

⁶ Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. ⁷ They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old. ¹¹ While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. ¹² Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. ¹³ But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. ¹⁴ You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.” 

• In verse 6, who prayed? Zechariah and Elizabeth.
• Based on verse 13, what was his request? To have a son.
• What was the result? Zechariah and his wife would have a son. 
• In verse 14, what did the angel say the reaction would be? The parents would have great joy and gladness; many people would rejoice.   
• For extra credit, why was it an amazing miracle? They were both very old and had prayed a long time, as Elizabeth had been unable to have children.   

 4.   1 Kings 18:36–39:   

³⁶ At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant. Prove that I have done all this at Your command. ³⁷ O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that You, O Lord, are God and that You have brought them back to Yourself.” ³⁸ Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! ³⁹ And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—He is God! Yes, the Lord is God!” 

• Who prayed? Elijah.
• What was the request? For God to prove that He was God, that Elijah was His servant, that God was bringing the people back to Himself.
• Based on verse 38, what was the result? Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench.
• In verse 39, what was the reaction? When all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—He is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”

 5.   James 5:16b–17:  

^16b The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. ¹⁷ Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! 

• Who prayed in verse 17? Elijah.
• What was the request? That no rain would fall.  
• What was the result? It didn’t rain for 3 1/2 years!     
• What do you think the reaction of the people would be? Blame Elijah, be in awe of him, or also be angry with him.   
• Do you remember what praying earnestly means? To pray seriously, sincerely, and with determination.
• What does verse 16 say is the result of a righteous person’s earnest prayer? Has great power and produces wonderful results. 
• Was Elijah special and different to experience this result in prayer? No, he was human like us.

Conclusion: God answers prayer. The church prayed for Peter in prison and God delivered Peter from his cell. In the Superbook adventure, Joy wanted Rhoda to do something to help Peter. She found out that prayer is effective and powerful!