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Every lesson has a teacher guide and versions for preschool through 6th grade. Search by Bible passage, or filter by series, book or topic.

189 lessons

The Church BeginsStephen ForgivesActs 6:8-8:4; Luke 23:34, 46Stephen loved Jesus and told others about Him. When angry men hurt him, Stephen saw Jesus in heaven and prayed, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them," forgiving them just as Jesus forgave.New TestamentForgivenessThe Church BeginsPhilip and the EthiopianActs 8:26-40; Isaiah 53:7-8God sent Philip to a desert road to meet an important man from Ethiopia who was reading the Bible. Philip told him the good news about Jesus, the man was baptized, and he went home full of joy.New TestamentJoyThe Church BeginsSaul Meets JesusActs 9:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:17Saul was trying to hurt Jesus' followers. But on the road to Damascus, the risen Jesus stopped him with a bright light and spoke to him. Saul turned around, followed Jesus, and became one of His greatest messengers.New TestamentRepentanceThe Church BeginsDorcas Helps PeopleActs 9:36-43; Mark 5:35-43Dorcas loved Jesus and was always doing kind things, like making clothes for widows. When she got sick and died, her friends sent for Peter. Peter prayed, and God brought Dorcas back to life, and many people believed in Jesus.New TestamentKindnessGod Shows No Favorites: Peter and CorneliusActs 10:1-48; Acts 11:18Cornelius was a Roman army officer who loved God, gave to the poor and prayed. An angel told him to send for Peter. At the same time, Peter had a vision of a sheet full of animals that Jewish law said not to eat. God said, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." Just then, Cornelius's men arrived. Peter went with them, even though Jews didn't usually visit Gentiles. He told Cornelius's household about Jesus, and while he was still speaking, the Holy Spirit came on them. Peter said, "God does not show favoritism." God loves people from every nation, and we should too.New TestamentLoveFruit of the SpiritFruit of the Spirit: GoodnessActs 11:19-26; Acts 9:26-28; Acts 13:2, 43; Galatians 6:9-10When the church in Antioch was growing, Barnabas was sent to help. He was glad to see God's grace there, and then he went looking for Saul and brought him to teach too. Later Saul, also called Paul, became the leader, and Barnabas was glad. Goodness is a fruit of the Spirit. God is good, and His Spirit makes us glad to do good to others and glad when God blesses them.New TestamentGoodnessThe Church BeginsPeter Escapes PrisonActs 12:1-19; Exodus 12:11King Herod put Peter in prison, chained between soldiers. The church prayed hard for him, and God sent an angel to lead Peter out. When Peter knocked at the door, the praying friends could hardly believe it!New TestamentPrayerGod Opened Her Heart: Lydia BelievesActs 16:6-15God gave Paul a vision of a man from Macedonia begging, "Come over and help us!" So Paul and his friends sailed across the sea to the city of Philippi. On the Sabbath, they went to the river outside the city to find a place of prayer. There they met some women, and one was Lydia, a businesswoman who sold expensive purple cloth. As Paul talked about Jesus, the Lord opened Lydia's heart, and she believed. She and her household were baptized, and she opened her home to Paul's team. Faith in Jesus is a gift from God.New TestamentFaithThe Church BeginsPaul and Silas Sing in JailActs 16:16-34; Philippians 4:4Paul and Silas were hurt and locked in jail for telling about Jesus. At midnight they prayed and sang to God. An earthquake opened the doors, and the jailer and his family believed in Jesus and were filled with joy.New TestamentJoySeeing God's WorldTest EverythingActs 17:10-12; Genesis 2:16-17; Genesis 3:1-6; 1 Thessalonians 5:21When Paul taught in Berea, the people listened eagerly, then checked everything he said against the Scriptures every day. In the garden, Eve didn't know God's word well and listened to the serpent instead. God gives wisdom to test everything we hear by His Word.New TestamentWisdomTo an Unknown God: Paul in AthensActs 17:16-34While Paul waited in Athens, he was upset to see the city full of idols. He talked about Jesus and the resurrection in the synagogue and the marketplace, and the city's thinkers brought him to a council called the Areopagus. Paul bravely stood up and said, "I found an altar that says, 'To an unknown god.' I will tell you who He is." He told them God made the world and gives everyone life and breath, and He raised Jesus from the dead. Some laughed, some wanted to hear more and some believed. God gives us courage to tell others about Him.New TestamentCouragePriscilla and Aquila: Friends Who HelpedActs 18:1-4, 18-28; Romans 16:3-5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; John 15:13-15When Paul came to Corinth, he met Priscilla and Aquila, a husband and wife who had been forced to leave Rome. They were tentmakers, just like Paul, so he stayed and worked with them, and they became close friends. Later they sailed with Paul to Ephesus. There they heard a gifted teacher named Apollos, who didn't yet know the whole story about Jesus. They took him aside and kindly explained the way of God more accurately, and Apollos became a great help to the believers. Friendship means loving others at all times and helping them grow, because Jesus calls us His friends.New TestamentFriendshipWith Building BricksEutychus Falls AsleepActs 20:7-12; John 11:25; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14; 1 Corinthians 15:20On the first day of the week, the believers in Troas gathered in an upstairs room to break bread. Paul was leaving the next day, so he kept talking until midnight. A young man named Eutychus sat in the window and fell sound asleep – and fell three stories to the ground. They picked him up dead. But Paul went down, hugged him and said, "Don't be alarmed! He is still alive!" Everyone went back upstairs, ate together and talked until morning, and they took Eutychus home alive. Jesus is the resurrection and the life, so we have a living hope.New TestamentHopeThe Church BeginsShipwrecked!Acts 27:1-44; Jonah 1:4-5Paul was on a ship to Rome when a terrible storm raged for 14 days. Everyone lost hope, but God sent an angel to promise Paul that every person would live. Paul kept trusting God and encouraged everyone, and all 276 people made it safely to shore.New TestamentPerseveranceThanks Before the Rescue: Paul in the StormActs 27:13-44; Luke 22:19Paul was a prisoner on a ship to Rome when a terrible storm hit. For two weeks the sailors saw no sun or stars, and everyone gave up hope of being saved. But God sent an angel to tell Paul that everyone on board would live. Paul told them, "Take courage, for I believe God that it will happen just as He told me." Before dawn on the fourteenth night, with no land in sight, Paul took bread, gave thanks to God in front of them all, broke it and ate. Everyone was encouraged, and in the end all 276 people reached land safely. We can trust God's promises and thank Him even before the rescue comes.New TestamentTrustFruit of the SpiritFruit of the Spirit: JoyPhilippians 1:12-14; Philippians 4:4-13; Philippians 4:22; Acts 28:16, 30-31Paul wrote a letter full of joy while he was chained to a Roman soldier. His chains even helped the good news spread through the palace guard and into Caesar's household. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. It doesn't come from how things are going. It comes from Jesus, who is with us and always at work.New TestamentJoySeeing God's WorldEvery Square InchColossians 1:15-20; Psalm 24:1; Colossians 3:17, 23From prison, Paul wrote to the church in Colossae that Jesus made all things, holds all things together and is first in everything. The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it. There's no part of life that doesn't belong to Jesus, so everything we do can be worship.New TestamentWorshipThe Church BeginsTimothy Learns God’s Word2 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 3:14-17; Acts 16:1-3Timothy's grandmother Lois and mother Eunice taught him God's Word when he was little. He grew up to help Paul tell people about Jesus. In his last letter, Paul told Timothy to keep holding on to the Scriptures, because they come from God and point to Jesus.New TestamentFaithfulnessBig Feelings: Taking Them to GodBig Feelings: Loneliness2 Timothy 4:9-22; Acts 15:36-40; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; Hebrews 13:5Near the end of his life, Paul was in a cold prison in Rome. Many friends had gone away. He wrote to Timothy, "Come quickly! Only Luke is with me. Bring my cloak. And bring Mark." Long before, Paul and Mark had split up. Now Paul wanted him back. Paul wrote, "Everyone deserted me. But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me." Loneliness is a big feeling we can take to God. He is always with us, and He made us for friendship, so we reach out to others too.New TestamentFriendshipWith MusicWorthy Is the Lamb: A New Song in HeavenRevelation 5:1-14; Revelation 7:9-10; Psalm 96:1God showed John a vision of heaven. No one was worthy to open God's scroll, until Jesus, the Lamb who died and rose, stepped forward. Then all of heaven sang a new song, and people from every nation praised Him. Because Jesus won, we can sing with joy too!New TestamentJoyThe Church BeginsJesus Makes All Things NewRevelation 21:1-7; Revelation 22:1-5, 20; Genesis 2:8-10God showed John a vision of the future. Jesus will make a new heaven and a new earth, with no more tears, sickness or death. God will live with His people forever, and they will see His face.New TestamentHope