How to Introduce the Bible Story
If you’d like to make this an extra special time you can gather together with blankets, pillows, and even light or turn on a candle (making sure to blow it out when finished). Depending on how many children you have you could have one be responsible for getting the pillows, one responsible for helping you to light the candle, and one responsible to blow out the candle. You can change the jobs between the children each week.
You already started introducing the Bible story to your children. You have done so through the Memory Verse Coloring Sheet and the Song. You can say: “We will learn in this story about two men named Paul and Silas. They went all over and told others about Jesus. Some people did not like that they were doing this and put them in prison. God took care of Paul and Silas in prison and even helped the prison guard!”
Read the Bible Story
You can read from a Children’s Bible, your Bible or use the following story.
Earthquake in Prison
Acts 16:24-34
Paul and Silas traveled all over telling others about Jesus. Some people did not like Paul and his friend Silas preaching (telling others) about Jesus. They hit them with sticks until they were bleeding and had a bunch of wounds (boo-boos) all over their bodies. They were thrown into prison and the jailer was told to guard them carefully. He put chains on their bodies so Paul and Silas could not move around. But they were not worried. They knew God would take care of them, just like he take care of you.
Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that everything in the prison was shaking, the prison doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose!
The jailer woke up. When he saw the prison doors open he was terrified! He was afraid he would get into trouble because he thought the prisoners had escaped through the opened prison doors. Paul told the guard, "Do not worry. We are all still here!" The guard was amazed. The guard invited them to his house and asked, "What must I do to be saved?" The said, "Believe in Jesus, and you will be saved, you and all the people in your house."
The guard then cleaned their wounds (boo-boos) and he and all the people in his house were baptized. AT the guard's house they had a meal together and he was filled with joy because he and everyone in his house had come to believe in Jesus.
The next day, Paul and Silas left the guards house to tell more people about Jesus. God took care of Paul and Silas, even when they were in prison. God takes care of you, too.
Questions to ask if you like:
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• When Paul and Silas were traveling who were they telling others about? (Jesus)
• Did everyone like that they were telling others about Jesus? (No)
• What were Paul and Silas thrown into? (Prison)
• What was the guard told to do? (Watch them carefully)
• Were Paul and Silas worried when they were in prison? (No)
• Who took care of them just like He takes care of you? (God. Some children may say Jesus and that is a great answer too.)
• What shook the ground at midnight? (Earthquake)
• What happened when the earthquake shook? (Answers may vary. Everything shook, the doors opened and their chains came loose.)
• Where did the jailer invite Paul and Silas? (To his home.)
• What did Paul and Silas talk about with the jailer and everyone that lived in his home? (Jesus)
• Did the jailer and everyone in his house choose to believe in Jesus? (Yes)
• God took care of Paul and Silas, will He take care of you? (Yes)
Prayer
While sitting on the floor with criss cross legs, have the children repeat after you. You can have them fold their hands and close their eyes or just sit quietly and say after you. Following is a prayer written out that you can use, or you can make up your own.
Dear Jesus (children repeat)
Thank you for this day. (children repeat)
Thank you for (children repeat)
taking care of me (children repeat)
just like you took care of (children repeat)
Paul and Silas (children repeat)
I love you (children repeat)
Amen (children repeat)
