Leader Guide

Video Leader Guide

Welcome (1 minute)

Welcome to the last lesson of our Superbook adventure, “Philip.” If you’ve been here for one of the previous lessons, name something that you remember about Philip. He was obedient to God; he was filled with God’s Spirit; he spread the Gospel; he walked alongside the Ethiopian man’s carriage; he baptized him; he performed miracles; the Spirit took him from one place to another.

Philip preached the Good News of Jesus Christ. He also performed many signs and wonders by God’s power. The Gospel message that Philip shared is the same today—Jesus saves all who believe in Him. So let’s stand and praise Him as we sing "The Salvation Poem!"

Play Video Song: Salvation Poem (3 minutes)

Be sure to preview the song so you can sing along with the children.

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SuperTruth and Discussion (2 minutes)

Let’s say today’s SuperTruth together: We serve a God of miracles.

A miracle is something that only God can do. It is not a magic trick: it is a supernatural event that cannot be explained. Raise your hand if you have witnessed a miracle of God. Children respond.

Would someone like to briefly share about the miracle you witnessed? Allow a child to share.

Some people believe that miracles happened only in the Bible and not today. But Hebrews 13:8 says:

Jesus has not changed and will never change; He still works miracles today!

Introduce Condensed Bible Story(1 minute)

If most or all children watched the Bible story video in a previous lesson, omit it here and go straight to the SuperVerse.

Let’s watch a short version of the video about Philip. If you’ve already seen it, watch and listen carefully to see what happened after Peter and John laid hands on the believers in Samaria.

Play Video 4: Condensed Bible Story (12 minutes)

Superbook takes Chris, Joy, and Gizmo to Samaria, where Peter and John join Philip to teach about the power of the Holy Spirit. When Simon the magician offers money to buy this power, Peter sternly rebukes him. Later, Philip witnesses to an Ethiopian official and baptizes him. Returning home, Chris thinks about baptism and attends a Bible study.

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Play Video 10C: SuperVerse Graphic

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

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SuperVerse Discussion (2 minutes)

Our SuperVerse today is Mark 16:20.

According to the SuperVerse, what was the purpose of the miraculous signs? The miracles that the disciples performed confirmed that their message was from God.

How was Simon’s desire to work miracles different? Simon wanted to work miracles for his own glory and profit—not for God’s kingdom.

Today, God still desires to work through us with power as we share the Gospel with others. Let us always seek to give Him the glory in all that we do.

Let’s say the SuperVerse together—Mark 16:20:

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.

Introduce Signposts Video(1 minute)

Let’s watch the Signposts video to learn more about Philip and see how he used God’s power to serve others.

Play Video 6: Signposts Video(3 minutes)

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Prayer and Send-Off (2 minutes)

Let’s pray before we move to Small Group. Dear Heavenly Father, what a mighty God we serve! Your love and power are unlimited in heaven and on earth. There is no one like You! Thank You for sending Jesus to be our Savior, giving us the miracle of salvation by dying on the cross and rising from the dead. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray, amen.

In Small Group today, you will play a game about sharing the Gospel and the miracles that follow. Let’s go find out how to 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

Signs Follow: Play a game about sharing the Gospel and God’s confirmation.

In Large Group, you were asked to watch for what happened when Peter and John laid hands on the believers in Samaria. What is the answer? The believers were filled with the Holy Spirit.

This was one way that God worked through the disciples to prove that their message was true. By God’s Spirit and authority, people were saved and healed.

Before Philip arrived in Samaria, people spoke of Simon as “the Great One—the Power of God.” After seeing the true power of God through Philip, the people began to follow him instead. Let’s say our SuperVerse today—Mark 16:20:

God does not perform signs and wonders to entertain; they are done to confirm His Word and to further His kingdom on earth.

Divide the children into two equal teams. One child may need to play twice. Divide each team in half. The team halves stand at opposite ends behind the marks or lines directly across from each other. Hold up the balloons. One balloon says “Preaching” and the second balloon says “Miracles.” Our game represents what happened in our Bible story and still happens today. The Word goes out, and God’s power and miracles follow to confirm that His Word is true.

Give a “Preaching” balloon to the first player on each team at one end of the room, and a “Miracles” balloon to the second player in that same line. (The children in the lines on the opposite side of the room do not get balloons initially.)

Say “Go.” Each player with a “Preaching” balloon bats it in the air while walking forward to deliver the balloon to the first teammate in line on the other side of the room. The balloons cannot be caught or held in the hand.

After the “Preaching” player has taken three steps, the next player in line begins walking forward, batting the “Miracle” balloon to deliver it to the second teammate on the other side. The players with the balloons now begin walking to the other side, batting their balloons. Continue this progression until the last child on a team reaches the other side with the “Miracle” balloon. This team is the winner. Play additional rounds if time permits.

Conclusion: Every time God’s message went out, His power followed to confirm it. We serve a God of miracles and can trust that God will confirm our words and actions with His power!

Teaching

Power to Serve: Philip points to Jesus.

Have a child select the first Signpost card and read it aloud. Tape the card to the wall or prop it up so children can see it. Lead a discussion with the information below. Repeat for the other two Signpost cards. Additional material is included for Grades 4–6 to look up and discuss.

Signpost 1: Seek God First

There is a big difference between Philip and Simon. Philip desired a deeper relationship with God and shows us how we can seek God in a way that pleases Him. Jeremiah 29:13 (NKJV) says:

Do you think that Simon was searching for God with all his heart; why or why not? No; Simon wanted God’s power to bring him fame and wealth.

James 4:3 (NLT) warns about this: 

Simon loved the attention he received from the crowds. Philip also got attention from the crowds—but he always gave the credit or glory to God. His purpose was to spread the Good News to all who would listen. But he didn’t just preach to crowds—he was also obedient when the Holy Spirit sent him away from the crowds, into the desert, to minister to just one person.

God wants us to use His power for His purposes, not our own selfish desires. Jesus tells us to desire God and what pleases Him, rather than the things of the world like fame or possessions—these things will not last. God and His kingdom will never end!

OPTIONAL VERSES FOR GRADES 4–6

Acts 8:20–21 (NLT): 

Matthew 6:19–21 (NLT): 

Philippians 4:19 (NLT): 

Ephesians 1:3 (NLT): 

Signpost 2: Power to Serve

Philip’s heart was right; his motive was to serve others. He began as a deacon in the church. His job was to take care of the widows and poor people of the church. By doing this, he took the burden from the apostles and freed them to study God’s Word and to preach the Gospel. When this happened, the believers greatly increased in Jerusalem—even many Jewish priests became believers! Philip’s heart for service was a direct reflection of the life of Jesus. (See Acts 6:1–7.) 

Because he was faithful in “little things,” God empowered him for even greater things like performing wonderful miracles to heal people and set them free! When the Ethiopian man was reading in his carriage, what animal was mentioned in the scripture? A sheep, a lamb.

This passage was a prediction or prophecy in the Old Testament book of Isaiah about Jesus. It talked about how Jesus would sacrifice His life to die for our sins. His blood washed away all of our sins. This is the ultimate act of obedience, love, and servanthood. Philip was willing to go wherever the Spirit took him to tell others the Good News about what Jesus did for them.

OPTIONAL VERSES FOR GRADES 4–6

Acts 8:5–8 (NLT):

Isaiah 53:6–7 (NLT):

Signpost 3: Power From The Holy Spirit

Do you remember what Jesus promised to send us after He rose from the dead and ascended to heaven? The (gift of the) Holy Spirit.

Jesus told His followers to wait for God’s gift of His Spirit in Jerusalem. On the day of Pentecost, God poured out His Spirit on everyone who waited for His promise. The Holy Spirit is a free gift to all who believe—it cannot be obtained any other way, as Simon the magician discovered. God gives this gift to spread the Gospel, to live according to His Word, and to serve others. If you believe in Jesus, and accept Him as Lord, you can also have the gift and power of the Holy Spirit. God is waiting to pour out His Spirit so that we may live victorious lives in this world and point others to Him!

OPTIONAL VERSES FOR GRADES 4–6

Romans 10:9–10 (NLT):

Acts 1:8 (NLT):

God is ready and willing to fill us with His power to live for Him and fulfill His purpose for our lives! It’s time for our Discipleship Challenge where we will continue to seek God and His kingdom.

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Give any child who missed the previous lessons a Seeker Scroll Pattern. Show children the sample craft made in Lesson 1 and have them complete the craft at home. Hold up the sample craft.

In the past two lessons, our challenge has been to seek God in a specific way. In your last challenge, you were to seek after what God desires instead of your own desires. Would anyone like to share your experience? How did your experience change how you prayed? Children respond.

Would anyone like to try to say Psalm 37:4 from memory? 

Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart’s desires.

Let’s discuss the two questions we had for this challenge. What do you think it means to delight in the Lord? To be happy and content with what pleases God. Our desires match up with His will. 

When we delight in the Lord and in His ways, what kinds of things should we desire? Love, joy, peace, patience, etc.

Can we ask for anything and receive it, even if it isn’t pleasing to God? No, this verse is saying that when we delight in Him, our desires are His desires, too, and we ask for what is pleasing to Him.

Our final challenge for this course is to seek to expand God’s kingdom. We learned in a previous lesson that God’s kingdom isn’t a physical place on earth. Where is His kingdom located? In the hearts of those who love, obey, and serve Him and let Him rule over their hearts.

God’s kingdom is a spiritual kingdom. Your challenge is to seek to expand His kingdom on the earth. To do this, you will pray each day for those who do not obey and serve Him, that they would come to know Him and do His will on the earth. In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray that God’s will would be done on earth as it is in heaven. This is what we will pray. Once people know God and repent, they will seek to do His will rather than their own.

In the second part of the challenge, you will read Isaiah 55:6–7 each day and ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand what you are reading. Then, answer the two questions associated with the verses. We will discuss your challenge experience when we meet next.

Optional: Read Isaiah 55:6–7 and discuss the Scripture now:

SuperVerse

Superbook Substitution: Memorize the SuperVerse with a group activity. 

After Jesus’ death and resurrection, a Pharisee named Saul began to persecute the early church in Jerusalem. The believers scattered outside of Jerusalem. So instead of stopping the Gospel, the persecution spread the message even faster to more people! Jesus’ disciples went everywhere, boldly preaching the Good News and performing miracles.

Soon, even Saul became a believer and powerful preacher of the Gospel. Saul was also known by another name. Can you guess what it is? Paul.

Have the children sit facing the board.

Let’s read Mark 16:20 on the board together:

Have the children lower and/or cover their eyes so they cannot see the board. Using the list below, change one word of the SuperVerse on the board at a time to alter the meaning of the verse, then have the children look at the board and raise their hands to tell you what words need to be changed (you may vary the order of the list). Write in the correct word, then repeat the process. 

• Change "disciples" to "Samaritans."
• Change "everywhere" to "nowhere."
• Change "preached" to "whispered."
• Change "Lord" to "Pharisees."
• Change "through" to "against."
• Change "confirming" to "denying."
• Change "many" to "few."
• Change "miraculous" to "ordinary."
• Change "signs" to "billboards."

Conclusion: God calls us to go out and spread the Good News.

If any children are not able to memorize the entire verse, be sure they understand its meaning.

Prayer

Miracle Prayers: Communicate with God.

Have children sit in a large circle.

We have learned about many miracles that the apostles performed by God’s power, and He still does miracles today. Let’s close our eyes, focus our thoughts on God, and say our SuperTruth together: We serve a God of miracles.

Today, in our prayer time, I would like you to close your eyes and think of something that you need that only God can do. It might be for a miracle to soften someone’s heart to receive the Gospel. It could be for a physical or emotional healing, a relationship that needs to be healed and restored, or a financial miracle. Whatever it is, God is more than able to do it. In your heart, ask God by faith, believing that He will perform it.

Allow children time to pray silently and then close in prayer. Let’s pray. Dear God, the Bible tells us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We believe that You perform signs and wonders today—just as You did in the Bible. Please answer our prayers today for those who need a miracle that only You can do. We can’t wait to hear the testimonies of how You answered our prayers! In Jesus’ powerful name, we pray, amen.

Review Game

“Acts-ion” Review: Play a game to recall important facts in the Bible story.

This is the last lesson about Philip. We are going to play a fun review game to recall some important things that happened in the story. This is a True and False question review. Hold up the TRUE/FALSE Sign.

To answer a question, you will hold up the sign, choosing either true or false. The side that you show will be your answer. Five points are scored for a correct answer. You will also have two more chances to score points for your team. Each player will be given two balls to try to bounce into the trash can. You receive one point for each ball that lands in the can.

Divide the children into two teams—they do not need to be even. Have each team line up a few feet behind the mark. A player from each team steps up to the mark. Give each of these players a True/False Sign. They will answer the same question by choosing which side of the sign to show you. Next, the players will have a chance to bounce two balls into the trash can. The players will retrieve the balls for the next players after the score is tallied. The team with the most points wins.

Optional: when the answer is “false,” ask teams for the true answer and award a bonus point if it’s correct. You may also ask additional bonus questions related to the original one.

True or False Review Questions

1. The Apostle Paul is the same man as Saul, who persecuted the church. (True.)

2. The persecution of the church kept all the believers in Jerusalem. (False—they scattered from Jerusalem.)

Craft

Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere: Make a carriage similar to what the Ethiopian man rode in.

Display the model craft.
Give a Carriage Pattern, scissors, and a pencil to each child.
Provide tape or glue and crayons, colored pencils, or washable markers to share.
Have the children write their names on the bottom of the carriage pattern.
Have children color the individual craft pieces and then carefully cut them out.
Children will then follow the instructions and assemble their crafts.
Be prepared to assist children as necessary.

Let’s say our SuperVerse together—Mark 16:20: 

The disciples were scattered everywhere, taking the Gospel to the nations. Philip was an excellent example of humility and obedience to immediately go where God sent him. He was willing to preach the Good News to large crowds in Samaria or to just one man in the desert. This craft can remind you that the Lord is a God of miracles and wants all to be saved—anyone, anytime and anywhere!

Activity Page

Can You See It? Compare the two pictures to identify what is different.

Give an activity page and a pencil to each child. Tell the children to compare the two pictures and circle the differences in one or both of the pictures. Lead a discussion with the questions below as the children complete the activity.

1. Imagine that you are Philip. What do you think your reaction would be if the Spirit told you to walk or run alongside the carriage? Children respond.

2. What miracle happened after Philip baptized the Ethiopian? The Spirit took Philip to another location; he vanished.

3. Was the Ethiopian man sad that Philip disappeared? No, he went on his way rejoicing.

4. Name a miracle that Philip performed by God’s power in Samaria. He cast out evil spirits; he healed lame and paralyzed people.

5. Imagine that you have been unable to walk your entire life and you were just healed by God’s power. What do you think would be the first thing you would do after taking your first steps? Jump up and down; cry or shout for joy; praise and thank God; run to tell your family, friends, and everyone about the miracle.

Have children share the differences they spotted when they complete their activity pages. Option: provide crayons, colored pencils, or washable markers to share and have children color their pictures. Or, suggest that children color their pictures at home.

Bible Activity

Our God of Miracles: Look up verses about miracles performed in the book of Acts. 

Divide the children into pairs. Try to place experienced Bible users with inexperienced ones. Give each team a Bible if needed.

Let’s say the SuperVerse together—Mark 16:20:

In the activity, you will work in pairs to look up four of the many miracles recorded about some of the disciples in the Bible book of Acts. This is not a race, so you do not need to be the fastest to find the verses. I will read the Bible Passage and write it on the board. When you find the Passage, raise your hands. When everyone is ready, we will take turns reading the Passage aloud. I will then ask you a few questions about what took place.

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

1. Acts 19:11–12:

Where did Paul’s power come from? God.

What miracles took place? The sick were healed; evil spirits were expelled or cast out.

What was unusual about these miracles? Handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched Paul’s skin were placed on the people who were then healed and delivered.

2. Acts 3:1–10:

What did the man expect to receive? Money.

What did the man receive? Healing; he was lame and now could walk.

What did the man do when he received his healing? He jumped up and was walking, leaping, and praising God as he went into the Temple with them.

How did people react? They were shocked, amazed, astounded.

3. Acts 20:9–12:

What happened to the young man named Eutychus as Paul preached? He fell asleep while sitting on a windowsill and fell to his death.

What did Paul do? He picked the man up and said he was alive—the man went home and was alive and well.

4. We learned in the Bible story that the believers scattered from Jerusalem because of Saul, who was actively persecuting the church and putting believers into prison. Jesus appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus and blinded him. Saul sat for three days alone in a room—he could not see and did not eat or drink anything. The following verses in Acts 9:10–18 tell us what happened next:

Who did God call to go to Saul? A believer named Ananias.

Why did he hesitate to go? Because he knew Saul was arresting all believers, and he was one of them!

What was the miracle God sent Ananias to do? Lay hands on Saul so he could see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

What happened because Ananias obeyed? Saul regained his sight instantly and was baptized.

Can you identify some easily overlooked miracles in verses 11–12 that only our God could know? He knew where Saul was and what he was doing. He showed him a vision of Ananias.

Conclusion: What an exciting time to witness God’s power through signs and wonders in the early church. We serve this same God of miracles today!