Leader Guide

Video Leader Guide

Welcome(1 minute)

Hello, everyone and welcome back! Today is the second lesson of our Superbook adventure, “Peter and Cornelius.” I would like someone who saw the video last time to tell me one thing about Cornelius. He was a Gentile; he sent for Peter; he had a vision; he was a centurion—a Roman officer.

Cornelius became a Christian in an amazing way. Let’s spend some time now worshipping Jesus, who wants everyone in the world to know Him as their Savior!  

Play Video: (Song) You Are the One (2.5 minutes)

Preview the song so you can help the children sing along with the music.

You Are the One

SuperTruth and Discussion(2 minutes)

Last time, we learned that God has favorites, right? No!

Very good, I wanted to see if you remembered. God does not have favorites and His salvation is for all! 

Our SuperTruth today is: “Jesus cleanses us from all sin.” Does this mean that Jesus cleans us on the outside? No.

Jesus makes us clean on the inside—in our hearts. We can clean ourselves on the outside, yet still be unclean inside. No one can cleanse us from sin except Jesus.

Who was the surprise traveler who went with Chris, Joy and Gizmo on the Superbook adventure last time? The hall monitor at school, Jia Wei.

He strictly followed all the rules! Do you think it is possible to follow all of God’s rules or laws and never sin? No.

The Bible says that everyone has sinned.(See Romans 3:23.) No one is able to live a sin-free life on their own. Because God loves us, He sent Jesus to forgive and cleanse us from all sin. Let’s say the SuperTruth together again. “Jesus cleanses us from all sin.”

For those who weren’t here last time, we’ll watch a short version of the video. If you have already seen it, watch closely to see what Cornelius does when Peter enters his house.

Introduce Condensed Bible Story (1 minute)

If all children watched the Bible story video in the previous lesson, you may skip it here and go straight to the Bible Background Video.

Play Video 4: Condensed Bible Story (11 minutes)

Condensed Bible Story

Superbook brings Chris, Joy, Gizmo, and the hall monitor to meet Cornelius, a Roman officer, and Peter, who needed to learn that God doesn’t have favorites and salvation is for everyone.  

Discussion(2 minutes)

Why was it surprising that Peter invited Cornelius’s servants to stay the night with him? They were Gentiles and considered unclean according to Jewish law.

What happened to Cornelius and his household as they listened to Peter’s message? They believed in Jesus and received the Holy Spirit.

What did this prove to Peter? That God’s plan of salvation is for all; that He accepts the Gentiles, too.

What did Peter instruct them to do next? Be baptized in water.

Introduce Bible Background Video (1 minute)

In today’s Bible Background video, we’ll learn more about Peter and Cornelius. In addition, we’ll also find out more about the cities of Caesarea and Joppa, where the Bible story took place. When Gizmo asks a question, wait for him to give some possible answers, then call out the one you think is right!

Play Video 5: Bible Background (8 minutes)

Bible Background

Play Video 10B: SuperVerse Graphic 2

SuperVerse Graphic 2

Graphic loops 3 minutes without audio; turn off or freeze video after children repeat the verse.

SuperVerse Discussion(1 minute)

The SuperVerse today is 1 John 1:9:

But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Does the SuperVerse tell us to confess our sins to God so He can punish us? No.

What does God do when we admit our sins to Him? He forgives us and cleanses us.

How can we be sure He will always do this? Because He loves us and is faithful. God is true to His Word. He never changes. His promises are true.

Yes, we can trust God because He is faithful even when we aren’t! 2 Timothy 2:13 says:

If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny who He is.

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

Prayer and Send-Off(1 minute)

Let’s pray. Heavenly Father, we all have sinned and have broken Your rules. Because You love us, You sent Jesus to die on the cross and to cleanse us of our sins. Thank You for Your faithfulness and mercy that will never go away! In Jesus’ name, Amen.   

In Small Group today, you will play a game about how God responds to us when we come to Him—every time! Let’s go find out more about it!      

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

In Large Group, you were asked to watch closely for what Cornelius did as Peter entered his home. What did he do?He fell at Peter’s feet and worshiped him.<

What did Peter say? He told Cornelius to stand up because he was a human being just like him.  

Peter knew He was a servant and messenger of God and would not accept worship or praise that belonged to God. Before we play our game, I would like you to answer this multiple choice question. Can Jesus cleanse:

• A. Some sins.
• B. Most sins.
• C. All sins.
• D. No sins.

C—all sins.  

Correct! Let’s say the SuperTruth together: “Jesus cleanses us from all sin.” 

Now, let’s play a game about this.  

Divide the children into two equal teams. Have the teams make two single-file lines, with players standing about an arm’s length behind each other, and leaving several feet of space between the teams—see illustration. Give a “Sin” balloon to the player at the front of each line. Give a blank “clean” balloon to the player at the back of each line. Start the game. Without turning around, the first player must toss the “sin” balloon backward over his or her head to the player directly behind. If a balloon falls to the ground, the player who was to receive the toss must pick it up and continue play from that point.The balloon continues to move backward in this way until it is caught by the player at the back of the line.

That player keeps the “Sin” balloon in one hand while using the other hand to toss the “clean” balloon to the player directly ahead. This balloon moves forward until it reaches the player at the front of the line. At the end of the round, the entire team immediately turns around to face the opposite end of the room, and the second round begins. The player who was at the back of the line is now at the front of the line. He/she tosses the “sin” balloon overhead and backward to the player directly behind. Continue with the game as it was played in the first round. The first team to complete both rounds wins. Play again if time permits. 

That looked like a lot of fun! In our game, when we let go of our sin, representing confession, what did we receive back on the second balloon? Did it say rejection or punishment? No—it didn’t say anything!  

Hold up the blank balloon and spin it around slowly to inspect it. You are right, there is nothing on this balloon; that’s because it is clean—it has been cleansed! 

God is not eagerly waiting to punish us for our sins; He is ready to forgive us and cleanse us of all our sin. No matter what sin we have committed, Jesus forgives us and cleanses our hearts! 

Conclusion: We should never try to hide our sins from God, because He can see everything we’ve ever done! He sent Jesus to die on the cross to take our punishment, so that when we confess our sins to Jesus, we are forgiven and cleansed.

Teaching

Place the two containers of water on top of a towel on the table. Place a few drops of dish soap in one container and mix it with a spoon to create suds. Place the cleaners (laundry detergent, etc.) on the table and cover with a towel.  Take the two cups out of their plastic bags and place them on the table.  Inspect the cup that is dirty on the inside to be sure that the outside surface is still clean. Put a paper towel or dish cloth over each cup so children can’t see inside.

What is sin? Missing the mark, doing what we want to do instead of what God wants us to do; disobeying God’s Word.

Let’s say our SuperTruth together: “Jesus cleanses us from all sin.”

Not some sin, not most sin—ALL sin. God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to die for every single sin that everyone has ever committed.  

Uncover the different cleaners. Adjust the presentation for the cleaners you selected. Use caution as you present. Keep all products closed and don’t allow children to handle them. 

Hold up the laundry detergent so children can read the label. What is this cleaner used for? Washing dirty clothes, cleaning laundry.

Right; this product is made to clean clothes. Would you use this to wash your hair? No!

Correct; it was not made for that!

Hold up the contact lens or eyeglass cleaner. What is this product used to clean? Contacts or eyeglasses.

Would you use it to wash the car or clean the carpet? No!

It was not made to clean those other things—only cleaning contacts or eyeglasses.

Uncover and hold up the cup that is dirty on the outside. Would you choose this cup to drink from? No.

Why not? It’s dirty.

Uncover and hold up the cup that is dirty on the inside only. It is important to hold the cup so children cannot see the inside until the proper time to reveal it.

Now, is this cup better? Yes.

Why?It is clean.

It looks clean, doesn’t it!

Cover the cup again and place it back on the table.

In the Bible, there was a group of religious leaders called Pharisees who thought they could please God with their own good works. They didn’t think they needed to be forgiven for any sins. They pretended that they were perfect. But Jesus called them hypocrites! Have you heard that word before? 

Hypocrites act one way to make people believe something, but they really live in a different way. For example, I would be a hypocrite if I told everyone that I never ate any candy, but I ate a whole bag of candy when no one was looking! I would be faking and lying. That’s called hypocrisy.

Let’s read what Jesus told those Pharisees about being truly clean in Matthew 23:25–26: 

²⁵ “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! ²⁶ You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.”

Those are some strong words! Jesus said that those people appeared clean on the outside, yet on the inside they were filthy and full of all kinds of sins. We may fool some people sometimes, but we can never fool God!

Hold the second cup lower and tilt it so the inside can be seen. Is this cup really clean? No!

It appeared clean when you couldn’t see inside. God sees what we can’t see; He looks inside at our hearts. Everyone has sinned—even people who appear clean on the outside.

Optional: Romans 3:10 says:

As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one.”

And that’s why we all need a Savior! Let’s say our SuperTruth: “Jesus cleanses us from all sin!”

Place both cups in the container with the soapy water and wash them with the dish cloth. Rinse them in the other container, wipe them dry, then hold them up.

When Jesus died on the cross, He shed His precious blood to wash our hearts clean. He wants us to be honest about our failings instead of being hypocrites, proudly pretending that we’re perfect. When we humbly confess our sins to Him, He immediately forgives us and makes us clean. As we follow Jesus, people will see a change in our lives over time. That is what Jesus was saying to the Pharisees—clean the inside and the outside will be clean, too.

Optional: When Peter told Cornelius about Jesus, he said in Acts 10:43:   

“He is the One all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in Him will have their sins forgiven through His name.”

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application 

Give an Ambassador for Christ Certificate and a pencil to any children who missed Lesson 1.   

What is our Discipleship Challenge? Being ambassadors for Christ.

An ambassador is a person who represents a nation or a kingdom to other people. We are Christ’s ambassadors who represent the interests and values of God’s Kingdom to the world! How does it make you feel to know God has entrusted you with the important task of representing Him to everyone around you? It is an important responsibility because so many people need to hear about Jesus.

Our first challenge was to read and discuss 1 Thessalonians 2:4 with our families, then to think about how we represent Christ to the world. Did any of you have an opportunity to share the Gospel with someone since the last time we met? Children answer.

The next challenge on our certificates is to read and discuss Colossians 3:17 with your family. We represent Christ in more ways than simply sharing the Gospel. Our actions speak louder than words! We want people to see that we are loving and truthful—not like hypocrites who say one thing and then do something different. Keep that in mind in the days ahead, and look for ways to represent Christ with your words and your actions. You will have a chance to share your thoughts and experiences next time.

Optional: read Colossians 3:17:

And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Optional: commission any new children as ambassadors, as in Lesson 1, and have them write their names on the certificates.

SuperVerse

Let’s read the SuperVerse together. 1 John 1:9:

But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Name some reasons why this verse should be exciting to all of us? We don’t have to hide our sins from Him. We can come to Him and not be afraid of being punished or rejected. We can trust Him to always respond with love, mercy and forgiveness. No trace of our sin or guilt remains; we are cleansed!

God is faithful to forgive our sins if we do what? Confess our sins.

Does God want us to confess because He doesn’t know what we have done? No, God knows and sees everything. He wants us to be sincerely sorry and realize that we have disobeyed His Word and offended Him.

Even though God knows when we have sinned, He wants us to come to Him and ask for forgiveness. By doing this, we admit that we are helpless without Jesus’ forgiveness and cleansing. As the SuperVerse says, we can trust God because He is faithful and just; always doing what is right. 

Have children turn their backs to the board. Leave all the random words at the top of the board, but quickly erase those words in the verse: confess, sins, faithful, just, forgive, sins, cleanse, wickedness. Have the children turn around and face the board. Read the verse and stop at each space where a word was erased. Have the children raise their hands to fill in the blanks using the words from the top of the board. If someone answers incorrectly, call on another child until the correct word is given. Now, erase the same words in the verse, and also erase the words on the top of the board. Repeat the activity, stopping at each space and having children supply the missing words from memory.   

You did a great job! Let’s say the SuperVerse together. 1 John 1:9:

But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 

Optional: read 1 Corinthians 1:8–9:

He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. God will do this, for He is faithful to do what He says, and He has invited you into partnership with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Younger children may not be able to memorize the entire SuperVerse. Be sure all children understand its meaning.

Prayer

Jesus told a story about two people who prayed very differently. (See Luke 18:9–14.) One was a proud Pharisee who pretended to be a very good person. The other man was a tax collector who was hated by everyone because he had probably cheated and stolen money from them. 

The Pharisee prayed like this (speak in a proud and pretentious voice): I thank You, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and … I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 

But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, (speak in a humble, sorrowful voice) O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner. 

Which prayer do you think God listened to and answered? The tax collector.

Jesus said the tax collector was justified by God—meaning that his sins were forgiven and wiped away. Why? The tax collector was being humble and honest.

So let’s take time right now to be totally honest with God. There’s no use in pretending we are perfect, because He knows the truth! Yet even though He knows we are sinners, He loves us dearly and sent His Son Jesus to die for us. God is ready to forgive us if we will only admit our sins and ask His forgiveness. 

Close your eyes, sit quietly in God’s presence, and allow Him to speak to your heart. Ask Him to show you anything you may need to confess. Allow time for children to sit in God’s presence. 

Now, let’s silently ask God for forgiveness. Allow children time to pray. 

Close in prayer: Heavenly Father, we receive your forgiveness and cleansing today. We praise You for setting us free from all guilt and shame, and for filling us with the joy of Your salvation. In Jesus’ wonderful name we pray, Amen.      

Let’s close by saying our SuperVerse. 1 John 1:9:

But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 

Relay Game

When we sin, we are bound to sin like slaves. The Good News is that Jesus—God’s Son—sets us free from our sin so we can have hope and peace and joy.

Jesus said in John 8:34–36:

“Everyone who sins is a slave of sin. … So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”

Divide the class into two equal teams. Have each team form a line behind the mark or taped line. Put the “Forgiven and Set Free” cards in the “Forgiven” box and place it at the foot of the cross. Place the “Sin” box next to that box, and give each child a “Bound by Sin” card. The game is a relay race. Each player must keep his or her ankles tightly together—as if bound or tied—and hop to the cross while holding the “Bound by Sin” card. Optional: each player hops to the “Sin” box with both feet in a paper grocery bag. The child then places the sin card in the “Sin” box and takes a “Forgiven and Set Free” card from the other box. The players then are set free and run back to the line so the next player can begin. Play until everyone is completely set free from sin! Optional: play two rounds and time each round for the fastest time.

Conclusion: Good job everybody! You are all set free! How did it feel to exchange your sin for forgiveness and be set free to run again? Great, relieving.

Remember, “if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.” All we need to do is come to Him and confess our sin. Jesus forgives our sin and cleanses us from all wickedness so we can be guilt free and righteous before God.

Craft

Can someone say today’s SuperTruth from memory? “Jesus cleanses us from all sin.”

Very good! Let’s all say it together. “Jesus cleanses us from all sin.”

Give Peter's Vision Drawing Activity to each child, along with crayons, colored pencils, or washable markers to share. As the children draw the animals, lead a discussion using these questions.

• What was a Peter doing on the roof when he had a vision? Praying, waiting.
• Did Peter fully understand the vision while he was on the roof? No, he didn’t understand it until he arrived at Cornelius’s house.
• What did the Holy Spirit tell Peter after the vision was over and he was still on the roof? Three men were looking for him and to not be afraid to go with them because the Holy Spirit had sent them.
• How would you feel if the Holy Spirit spoke to you about sharing your faith with someone you didn’t know very well, maybe even didn’t like very well, or who didn’t treat you kindly? Afraid, nervous, cautious, maybe even angry. You might question why you were the one to talk with them, or if you even heard correctly.
• Why do you think Peter obeyed even though he didn’t fully understand? He trusted God. He placed a higher value on God’s instructions over religious customs and laws. He wanted to be obedient to God’s call and the Holy Spirit’s leading.

Give children an opportunity to share their coloring pages with the class and close in prayer.

Heavenly Father, help us to set aside time to pray each day and to hear Your voice. Help us to always trust the leading of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, even when we may not fully understand. In Jesus’ saving name we pray, Amen.  

Object Lesson

What kind of people need to be forgiven and cleansed from sin? Everyone!

Read Romans 3:23: 

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 

With the permanent marker, write “SIN” in large letters on the board. 

As hard as we may try, there is nothing that we can do on our own to remove sin. Try to erase “SIN” with the eraser.      

This looks hopeless doesn’t it? The good news is that God loves us and has a plan to rescue us. Let’s read that verse again, and the verses that follow in Romans 3:23–25:    

²³ For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. ²⁴ Yet God, in His grace, freely makes us right in His sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins. ²⁵ For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood.  

Isn’t that amazing news? Trace over “SIN” with the red dry-erase marker. Then use the eraser or cloth to wipe away the “SIN.” 

Through Jesus’ blood that was shed on the cross, we are cleansed of our sins. What is impossible for us to do, Jesus does with His blood. 

Let’s say our SuperVerse together again. 1 John 1:9:

But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Bible Activity

Let’s say the SuperTruth together: “Jesus cleanses us from all sin.”

The Bible verses you will look up are about the cleansing power of Jesus.   

Have the children sit down in pairs. Try to place an experienced Bible user with a child who isn’t as familiar with the Bible. Give each pair a Bible. The experienced Bible user can quickly look up the verse. The other child can be the “messenger.” They will write the answer on a sticky note and stick the note to the board. If both players are experienced Bible users, the players can alternate looking up a verse and being the messenger. Have children close their Bibles before you announce the next verse. 

Note that the suggested answers are from the New Living Translation. If children are using different translations, their answers will vary. 

I will say a verse reference and write it on the board. You may start to look it up and I will then read a fill-in-the-blank question for that verse. Do you remember how Cornelius contacted Peter in Joppa? He sent messengers. (See Acts 10:9.)

One person in each group will be a messenger. That person will write the answer on the sticky note, quickly bring it up here, and stick it to the board. You have 30 seconds to do that. The first team scores 10 points for the correct answer; all other teams score 5 points for the correct answer stuck to the board in time. The pair with the most points at the end of the game wins.      

Allow spelling errors because of the fast pace of the game. Do as many verses as time allows. Be prepared to help any children with special needs. 

1. 1 John 1:9 in the New Testament. Jesus cleanses us from all _____. (Wickedness)  

But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

2. Psalm 51:7 in the Old Testament. When washed, we are whiter than _____. (Snow) 

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 

3. 1 John 1:7 in the New Testament. The _____ of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. (Blood)  

But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. 

4. Titus 2:14 in the New Testament. Jesus gave His _____ to free us from sin and cleanse us. (Life)  

He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

5. Hebrews 1:3 in the New Testament. When Jesus cleansed us from our sin, He sat down in the place of _____ at God’s right hand. (Honor)   

The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and He sustains everything by the mighty power of His command. When He had cleansed us from our sins, He sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.

6. John 15:3 in the New Testament. We are _____ and _____ by Jesus’ message. (Pruned, purified) 

You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 

7. 1 Corinthians 6:11 in the New Testament. We are cleansed, made _____; and made right with God when we call on the name of Jesus. (Holy)  

Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 

8. Hebrews 10:22 in the New Testament. Our guilty consciences have been _____ with Christ’s blood to make us clean. (Sprinkled) 

Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting Him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. 

9. Revelation 1:5 in the New Testament. Jesus loves us and has freed us from our sins by _____ His blood for us. (Shedding)  

And from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world. All glory to Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding His blood for us. 

10. Ephesians 1:7 in the New Testament. God purchased our _____ with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins. (Freedom)

He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins. 

Conclusion: Thank God for the blood of Jesus that He shed for us on the cross. Because of His sacrifice, we are cleansed and freed from all sin and made righteous before God.