Peter and John Gave the Gift of Jesus
Acts 3:1-11, 16
Our story comes from a book of the Bible called Acts. That name is short for “the Acts of the Apostles.” The word "Apostle" is another word for the helpers of Jesus.
Peter and John were friends of Jesus. One day, they walked to the temple. It was the time in the afternoon to go to pray. They wanted to worship God, just like we do at church.
When they were near the temple, they saw a man lying on a mat on the ground. The man was lame. He couldn’t stand, walk, or hop like we can. He had been that way since he was born. Every day someone carried the man to the temple gate. The man lay on his mat and begged for money from the people going to the temple. He couldn’t work for money because his legs wouldn’t work. People who went to the temple to worship God gave him money to buy food.
When the lame man saw Peter and John, he asked them for money. Peter and John stopped and looked straight at the man. They wanted to help him.
Peter said, “I don’t have any money to give you. But I can give you something better.” The lame man didn’t understand. What could Peter give him?
Peter knew he couldn’t help the man by himself. But Peter could ask Jesus to help him. So, Peter said, “In the name of Jesus Christ, get up and walk.” Taking him by the hand, Peter helped the lame man stand up.
All of a sudden, the lame man’s feet and ankles became strong! The man began to walk! Jesus healed the man’s legs because Peter asked. Peter helped by asking Jesus.
The man wanted to thank God for making him able to walk. He went into the temple yard with Peter and John. The man walked and jumped and praised God!
All the people who saw the man walking and jumping were amazed at what had happened.
Peter told the people that Jesus helped the man.
Peter and John gave the man the greatest gift! They shared the gift of Jesus. We can share the gift of Jesus, too.
Read Acts 3:1-10. Peter and John showed God’s generous and loving characters to the lame man. Peter and John’s helping the lame man resulted in much leaping and praising of God.
Now look back at how you were helped. How did that action help you better understand God’s character?
This week, open your heart to Jesus who can help you help others. People may see your deeds as landmarks in their recognition of who God is.
When you are away from home, call attention to others who need help. Suggest that your child can help you open the door for a mother with a baby or whoever is coming behind you. If you know a shut-in or someone who is ill, talk together about some ways to help or encourage this person. When your child helps, remind him of the Bible story by saying “You can help others, just as Peter and John did.”
Read stories about how Jesus helped others and how His friends did the same. Talk about ways we can help others.
Let your child help others in the family get ready for bed. He can lay out pajamas, lay toothbrushes on the counter, help pick up toys, pick a book for a bedtime story, and more.
Build a temple with blocks. Place dolls and action figures by the temple to retell the Bible story. Let your child or children say the lines for each character in the story. Show how the man lay by the temple and then praised God when he was healed.
Make a collage of pictures showing ways that Jesus helps us help others. Thank Him for all the different ways we can help others.
Our story comes from a book of the Bible called Acts. That name is short for “the Acts of the Apostles.” The word "Apostle" is another word for the helpers of Jesus.
Peter and John were friends of Jesus. One day, they walked to the temple. It was the time in the afternoon to go to pray. They wanted to worship God, just like we do at church.
When they were near the temple, they saw a man lying on a mat on the ground. The man was lame. He couldn’t stand, walk, or hop like we can. He had been that way since he was born. Every day someone carried the man to the temple gate. The man lay on his mat and begged for money from the people going to the temple. He couldn’t work for money because his legs wouldn’t work. People who went to the temple to worship God gave him money to buy food.
When the lame man saw Peter and John, he asked them for money. Peter and John stopped and looked straight at the man. They wanted to help him.
Peter said, “I don’t have any money to give you. But I can give you something better.” The lame man didn’t understand. What could Peter give him?
Peter knew he couldn’t help the man by himself. But Peter could ask Jesus to help him. So, Peter said, “In the name of Jesus Christ, get up and walk.” Taking him by the hand, Peter helped the lame man stand up.
All of a sudden, the lame man’s feet and ankles became strong! The man began to walk! Jesus healed the man’s legs because Peter asked. Peter helped by asking Jesus.
The man wanted to thank God for making him able to walk. He went into the temple yard with Peter and John. The man walked and jumped and praised God!
All the people who saw the man walking and jumping were amazed at what had happened.
Peter told the people that Jesus helped the man.
Peter and John gave the man the greatest gift! They shared the gift of Jesus. We can share the gift of Jesus, too.
Bible Paraphrase: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” (“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19 NIV)
Text Truth: Telling others about Jesus is the best gift I can give.
Family Devotional
Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” –Acts 3:6
Read Acts 3:1-10. Peter and John showed God’s generous and loving characters to the lame man. Peter and John’s helping the lame man resulted in much leaping and praising of God.
Now look back at how you were helped. How did that action help you better understand God’s character?
This week, open your heart to Jesus who can help you help others. People may see your deeds as landmarks in their recognition of who God is.
Activities You Can Do at Home
Help Others Along Your Way
When you are away from home, call attention to others who need help. Suggest that your child can help you open the door for a mother with a baby or whoever is coming behind you. If you know a shut-in or someone who is ill, talk together about some ways to help or encourage this person. When your child helps, remind him of the Bible story by saying “You can help others, just as Peter and John did.”
Stories of Helping
Read stories about how Jesus helped others and how His friends did the same. Talk about ways we can help others.
Bedtime Helper
Let your child help others in the family get ready for bed. He can lay out pajamas, lay toothbrushes on the counter, help pick up toys, pick a book for a bedtime story, and more.
Recreate the Bible Story
Build a temple with blocks. Place dolls and action figures by the temple to retell the Bible story. Let your child or children say the lines for each character in the story. Show how the man lay by the temple and then praised God when he was healed.
Make a Collage and Thank Jesus
Make a collage of pictures showing ways that Jesus helps us help others. Thank Him for all the different ways we can help others.
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Story illustrations are the copyright of Sweet Publishing and licensed by FreeBibleimages (http://freebibleimages.org) for free download under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Share-alike 3.0 unported licence.
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