Leader Guide

Video Leader Guide

Welcome(1 minute)

Welcome back to the second lesson of “Paul and the Unknown God, Part 2.” The Apostle Paul declared that God made everything and our very existence depends entirely on Him! Now, let’s stand together and sing “Free!” to praise God who not only gives us breath and purpose but sets us free to enjoy this life to the fullest! 

Play Video: (Song) The Salvation Poem (2 minutes)

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

The Salvation Poem

SuperTruth and Discussion(1 minute)

Raise your hand if you ever wonder where everything came from. Children respond.  

Our SuperTruth today gives us the answer: “All things exist because of God.” Let’s say that together: “All things exist because of God.”       

Now, it’s time to watch a short version of our Bible story. If you have seen the video before, the Apostle Paul was skilled in a certain trade and shared the same occupation as Aquilla and Priscilla when he journeyed to the city of Corinth. Listen carefully for what that occupation or trade was. Be ready to share your answer in Small Group.        

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 takes Chris, Joy, Gizmo, and QBIT to meet Paul in Corinth. They see how Paul speaks about God with people who don’t believe. When Superbook returns them to Space Camp, Chris and Joy defend their faith in Christ through their end-of-camp presentation to Commander Conrad. 

Professor Quantum said that he saw many changes in Chris since he became a Christian. Can you name some of them? Chris was respectful, he helped people, he did his chores without grumbling, he gave of his time and money.

When the Jewish leaders in Corinth rejected what Paul taught, who did he say he would then preach to? The Gentiles, or people who are not Jewish.   

Let’s see if you can fill in the blanks. In Chris and Joy’s presentation at the end of space camp, Chris quoted a scripture in the Bible book of Hebrews. He said that the worlds were framed by the _____ of _____. The Word of God. (Hebrews 11:3)

Paul never backed down or was timid about defending his faith. He boldly presented the truth about God and salvation through Jesus, even when many scoffed and laughed at him. Chris observed how Paul used wisdom to connect with people in ways they could relate to. Let us always be ready and willing to share our faith with others!         

Introduce Bible Background Video (1 minute)

In today’s Bible Background video, we’ll learn more about Paul’s time in the Greek city of Corinth. 

Play Video 5: Bible Background (8 minutes)

Bible Background

Play Video 10B: SuperVerse Graphic 2

SuperVerse Graphic 2

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

SuperVerse Discussion(1 minute)

The SuperVerse today is Acts 17:28: 

Have you ever wondered why you were created, and what your purpose in life is?       

Let’s say the SuperVerse together, Acts 17:28: 

Our reason for living is completely in God. God created each one of us, and He has a wonderful plan for our lives! As we choose to live for Him, we will discover our purpose!   

Children will have more time to learn the SuperVerse in Small Group. If they 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, thank You for creating us and watching over us! Help us to honor and respect You each day as we discover more about who You created us to be and how we can serve You. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.     

Okay, everyone. Stand up and step away from your seats. Now, take a step forward if you have ever been told to watch your step. Children respond. 

That is what you will need to do in Small Group; and don’t worry, you’ll have fun doing it! Let’s go learn the steps 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

In Large Group, you were asked to listen carefully for what occupation or trade Paul, Aquila and Priscilla all had. Raise your hand if you know the answer. They all were tentmakers.       

Today’s game is based on the SuperVerse, so let’s say it together. Acts 17:28: 

We are alive because of God, and we live in God. 

Point to the poster boards on the floor. These poster boards represent living in God. God orders our steps and sets our bounds as we choose to live within His will for our lives. Our game is about how we live and move and have our being in Him—and it’s called “Watch Your Step.” 

Hold up a ball or balloon. The ball represents whatever happens in our lives—good or bad! It can be success or failure, joy or sadness. It represents our daily activities, our conversations and thoughts. Paul walked in step with God; however, he still faced challenges and opposition to his faith. Paul knew that not everyone would believe the Good News; yet many people in Athens and Corinth became followers of Jesus—even the leader of a Jewish synagogue and his household! (See Acts 17:34, 18:7–8.)    

Once I divide you into teams, choose someone you don't know very well to be your partner. When it’s your turn, you and your partner will hit the ball back and forth as many times as you can while always keeping at least one foot on the poster board. If both feet are off at the same time, or if the ball hits the ground, your turn ends. Then, the next set of players immediately takes your place and starts hitting the ball. You get one point for every time you hit the ball, so count aloud as you play—then give your leader the total to keep score.

Divide the children into teams of 4–6 children. Teams should have an even number of children, or one player may need to play twice. Choose a leader for each team. Have children choose someone they don’t know very well to be their partner.

Set the timer for about 3–5 minutes and say Go.

One pair from each team plays at the same time.

After a pair completes their turn, they become spotters to watch the next players’ feet.

When time is up, count the points for each team and declare a winner.

Play another round if time permits. 

Conclusion: You did a great job watching your step! Let’s learn more about living in God in our teaching time. 

Teaching

Let’s all shout it together with our eyes closed on the count of three; 1, 2, 3! All things exist because of God!

Good job! In today’s teaching, I want to take a deeper look at today’s SuperTruth. At first, you may just think that it simply says that God created us. However, there is much more to this truth; and that is very, very good news for us!  

Have you ever made something with building blocks and then set it aside when you were done? Maybe you became bored with it and moved on to something else that seemed more interesting at the time. Stand up if you have ever done that. Children respond. 

Children may sit down. Maybe you came back to that creation a little while later or possibly you forgot about it! 

Wind-up toy illustration.

Wind up the toy and set it down on the table. Let it run until it runs out of energy. Lay it on its side and push it to the side of the table showing you are finished with it.    

This isn’t what God did when He created the world. He actively participates and is continually engaged in it. The SuperTruth says that all things exist because of God. They not only come to being because of Him, they continue to exist IN Him. God never grows tired of His creation. His active participation in it is continuous and never ends. 

Hold up the uninflated balloon. Imagine that this represents us. We are lifeless and helpless on our own. Breathe into the balloon slowly until the stick figure can be seen and then hold it closed to maintain the air inside.  

God breathes life into us. Every breath we take is a gift from our amazing Creator. Paul said in Acts 17:25: 

Our SuperVerse says that in Him we live move and have our being. 

Release the air in the balloon as you hold it. Try to not let it fly away. Allow it to then drop to the ground. 

In Job 34:14–15, Job said: 

Pick up the balloon and blow air back into it. God created Adam from the dust of the earth and breathed life into him. He has continued to breathe life into generations of people and still does today. We are totally dependent on Him; we continue to exist only by God’s grace, love and mercy.   

I am going to hold up four objects one at a time. I would then like you to tell me what purpose they have in common. Hold up the stapler, paper clip, glue, and the roll of tape in any order.    

Raise your hand if you think you know what these items have in common. They hold things together.  

Yes, the four items hold things together. If you removed them, whatever they held together would separate or fall apart. 

Out of view, pick up the two halves of the Earth ball and hold them in one hand. As much as possible, try to make the ball look like it is one piece and not cut in half.  

In Colossians 1:17, Paul said about Jesus: 

Jesus was present with God in heaven from the beginning before He came to Earth. God created all things through Him, by Him, and for Him. Paul said that Jesus holds all of creation together.

Let go of the ball and let it drop to the table in two sections. 

Earth doesn’t exist and thrive on its own. It is held together by our invisible, wonderful God. Without Him, there would be chaos and the universe would fall apart and cease to exist.    

The Bible tells us in Hebrews 11:3 (NKJV): 

Although we can’t see God with our physical eyes, we can see evidence of Him in all that He has made. God will continue to watch over His creation because He loves what He has made.  

Psalm 104:31 says: 

It’s now time for the Discipleship Challenge where we are learning about what it means to fear the Lord. 

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application 

Give each child who missed the previous lesson a Planetarium Challenge Card. Display the sample craft and encourage them to assemble their crafts at home and begin the challenge!  

In the previous challenge, you were asked to read and, if possible, memorize Proverbs 1:7. Would anyone like to try to say this verse from memory? 

Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.   

We learned in the previous challenge that to fear God means to hate evil as He does. Would anyone like to share their prayer challenge experience? Children respond.  

The next challenge is found on the moon! Hold up the moon from the craft for children to see. 

The moon, sun, stars, and all of the universe exist because of God. He alone holds all creation together! This is just one reason we fear God as we stand in awe of His amazing works! 

Hold up the moon. What is the verse on the moon? Deuteronomy 13:4. 

Read Deuteronomy 13:4:

If we fear God, does it mean we are afraid of Him? No.

What does the fear of the Lord mean? We respect and honor Him. 

This verse tells us three things we should do as we fear God. What are they? Obey, listen to, and cling to Him. 

The first part of this challenge is to read this verse each day, and if possible, memorize it. 

The second part of the challenge is to show that you honor and respect God by listening to His voice as He speaks to your heart, and to put your energy into serving Him as you hold tight to Him no matter what you encounter or where you are. As people see your faithfulness to the Lord in good times and in bad times, they will be inspired to seek God also. 

As you accept this challenge, remove the moon from Gizmo’s compartment and glue or tape it onto the Planetarium Challenge Card. When we meet next time, you will have a chance to share your challenge experience.  

SuperVerse

To invite Jesus to be Lord of our lives means that we make Him the ruler and master of every part of our lives. We want to listen as the Holy Spirit guides us in all we do. This is a commitment we must make to follow His will over our own, even when it is difficult, or we don’t understand. By doing this, we honor Him. 

As people see us making choices that please the Lord, they may ask us why. So we must always be ready to share about the hope we have in Christ that is far greater than anything this world can offer.      

Point to the verse near the bottom of the board. Let’s say today’s SuperVerse together one more time. 1 Peter 3:15:  

Ask the children to lower their heads and close their eyes. Erase the following words in the verse: 

Lord, Answer, Honor, Hope, Life, Someone, Always, Ready 

Point to one blank at a time and ask the children to raise their hands to pick the proper word from the word bank on the board above the verse. Write each word in the proper blanks as it is selected and erase the word from the word bank. Repeat until the verse is completed. There should be just four unused words left in the word bank. Once all the words are in the proper places, say the SuperVerse together again.    

Conclusion: In this activity, you had to make the proper choices of which words fit in the verse. Some of the words were correct and some were not. When we choose to follow Christ as our Lord and Savior, He will guide us and strengthen us so we can make the proper choices and show us what fits and what doesn’t fit in our lives.        

If children cannot memorize the SuperVerse, be sure they understand its meaning. Remind them to keep working on the verse at home.

Prayer

In our prayer time, we are going to thank God for what we discussed in the SuperVerse activity. All of creation—what we can see with our eyes, and even what we cannot see—exists because of God. 

As God’s children, we should always have a heart of thanksgiving for the many things He gives us! As Paul said in Acts 17:25, God Himself gives life and breath to everything, and He satisfies every need. All our needs are taken care of by our generous and loving heavenly Father. 

I would like you to close your eyes and bow your heads. As you breathe, silently thank God for the breath He fills your lungs with every second of the day. Children silently pray.

As you continue to bow your heads, think of all the activities you do each day, how you can think and move and play and interact with your family and friends. Think about your hands, your feet, and your voice that He has given you to praise and serve Him and to serve others. Children silently pray.    

Finally, think of all the things that God provides each day. Thank Him for supplying your needs.   Children silently pray.

Close in prayer: Thank You Almighty Creator and sustainer of all life. Thank You for giving us eyes that can see, ears that can hear, hands that can touch, feet that can walk, lungs that can breathe, a heart that can beat, a mind that can think, and a spirit that can know You! Thank You for giving us the ability and privilege to serve You and other people. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

Additional Activities

 In this activity, you are going to learn a new trade—tent making! 

What does that have to do with today’s lesson? Paul was a tentmaker. 

What were the names of the husband and wife Paul met in Corinth? Aquila and Priscilla.   

What did they share in common with Paul? They were all tentmakers by trade or occupation. 

Aquila and Priscilla invited Paul to live with them while He was in Corinth. While there, the three believers made tents to earn money, and Paul preached about Christ and defended his faith each Sabbath Day in the Synagogue. When it was time for Paul to leave Corinth, he took Aquila and Priscilla with him and they sailed to Syria.  

Have children write their names on their completed tents and allow them to share their creations with the class.  

Drawing Game

In Acts 17:24–25, Paul said:

God created and sustains things on Earth and around the earth, to keep us alive and satisfy our needs.   

You are going to play a game about things that God created and continue to exist because of Him. As a player draws, the rest of you may guess aloud. Each player will have 30 seconds to sketch. If the drawing is not guessed before time expires, another player may take a turn to draw the same card. We will continue with a new player to sketch until the word is guessed.  

Give a volunteer a card to draw on the board. Two cards are more difficult, “breath” and “seasons.” These should be saved for a 5^th or 6^th grader.  

Give hints or help as necessary, especially for younger children. 

Give the players a moment to think about the word and then start the time.

Children guess aloud as the player draws.

Conclusion: Let’s say the SuperTruth together: All things exist because of God.  

Coloring Activity

In Chris and Joy’s presentation to defend their faith, holographic images appeared in the auditorium. One image was of whales swimming in the ocean. That is what your coloring page shows.   

1. How were the images projected? Gizmo and QBIT had projector attachments.   

2. What things were projected right before the whales? Balloons and butterflies.    

3. Why were Chris and Joy showing these things? All things exist because of God. 

Conclusion: The Bible says in Hebrews 11:3: 

That is what today’s SuperTruth is about. Let’s say it together: “All things exist because of God.”   

Bible Activity

God does not just create and move on; He continues to engage with His creation. The verses you will look up are based on our ongoing connection and interaction with God.           

Give each child a Bible. If there are children who are unfamiliar with using the Bible, try to pair them with an experienced Bible user.  

I will write O.T. for Old Testament and N.T. for the New Testament and then write a Bible reference on the board. You will then look up the verse. Once everyone has located the verse, I will ask for a volunteer to read it aloud. Then we will briefly discuss the significance of the verse and how it proves God’s ongoing participation in our lives.     

Do as many questions as time allows. Be prepared to help any children with special needs.

1. O.T.—Psalm 37:23:

What interaction do you see from God in our lives? He directs our steps, He guides us. 

In the second part of the verse, what does God delight in? Every detail. 

Does this sound like a God who is far away or near? Please explain your answer. He is near to be able to see everything we do; you can’t see detail from far away. You need to be close.     

God directs us and then delights in seeing our success and growth as we follow His path. 

2. N.T.—1 Corinthians 1:8:  

How do you see God’s engagement with us in this verse? He gives us strength to live for Him.

What do you think blame represents? Guilt from unforgiven sin, condemnation.

What do you see in this verse to show that God will never leave us? He will keep us strong until the end of our lives or Jesus comes back.         

3. N.T.—Philippians 1:6:

What does God do after He begins a new work in us? He continues it until it is finished. 

What kind of work is this verse talking about? Our new spiritual life in Christ, any “job” or task He gives us to do in service to Him as part of His will and plan for our lives. Our life or salvation in Him, the journey to be more like Christ.

How long can we trust Him to help us? Until the work is finished and Christ returns.  

God never shows us a work to do and then walks away. He is with us every step of our new life and helping us to complete the plan He has for us. 

4. N.T—Hebrews 7:25: 

How does God continue to participate with people today? He continues to save people and give eternal life to those who come to Him. He lives to intercede and pray for us.   

5. N.T.—1 Corinthians 6:19: 

Who does God give us when we accept Jesus as our Savior? The Holy Spirit. 

Where does He live? Inside us. 

God does not interact with us from a distance; He actually has chosen to live IN us. 

How does the Holy Spirit participate or interact in our lives? He guides and directs us to make wise choices, He produces the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives. He helps us to pray. He empowers us.  

If we don’t belong to ourselves, who do you think we belong to? God.  

6. N.T.—John 14:23:

Jesus gives us a promise in this verse; what is it? He and God will come and make Their home with us; They will abide with us.  

What condition does Jesus put on this promise; or what must we do to receive this promise? We must love Jesus and obey Him.

Conclusion: How exciting to know that by choosing to live for Jesus, He and our Father will abide and make their home with us!