ASSEMBLIES OF GOD CHURCH CHILDREN’S SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL, 1ST OCTOBER, 2023.

But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it (Matthew 13:23, NIV).

TARGET:

To help the child to know that today he/she has different kinds of Bible, many translations, and many versions to choose from which are different from what the Jews had in the beginning.

OBJECTIVES:

During and after the lesson, each child will show that he/she understands the lesson by:

1. Retelling the two stories in the lesson.

2. Dramatising the story of the lesson with the other members of the class.

OUTLINE:

1. Christ Gives the Meaning of the Parable – Matthew 13:18-23

2. The Eunuch Reads the Word of God – Acts 8:26-34

3. Philip Explains the Word to the Eunuch – Acts 8:35-40

INTRODUCTION:

Our Bible today is different from what the Jews had in the beginning. Today we have different kinds of Bible, many translations, and many versions to choose from. The first copies of the Bible were written in Hebrew and Greek. Today it has been translated into English and even other languages. And people are privileged to have Bibles they can read themselves.

Christ used a parable or story to talk to the crowd about the different kinds of people who hear the Word of God and how they respond to it. Later, as we see in this week’s lesson, He tried to explain the meaning of the parable to His own disciples. He said there are four groups of hearers of the Word of God.

The first group of hearers are those who hear the Word of God but do not understand it. Then the devil comes and snatches it away from them. These are the people in His story who received the seed that fell by the wayside.

The second group is made up of people who hear the Word and immediately receive it with joy. But when troubles and persecution come because of the Word they fell away. They have no root and so endure only for a short while. These people are those who receive the seed that fell on the stony ground in the parable.

The third group is those who receive seeds that fell among thorns. They hear the Word of God but the worries and cares of this life choke the Word like thorns choke plants and they bear no fruit. The last group hears the Word, understands it and bears plenty of fruits. These are the seeds that fell on good ground.

Philip was one of the disciples of Jesus. One day an angel of the Lord told him to go down the road that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza. It was a desert road. Philip obeyed the Lord immediately and went along the road toward Gaza. And as he was going he saw a man riding in a chariot. The man was from Ethiopia. He was an official of the government of Ethiopia under their queen. This man went to the temple in Jerusalem to worship God. He had finished and was travelling back to his country when Philip saw him. Right there in his chariot, the official was reading the book of lsaiah.

The Spirit of God immediately spoke to Philip’s heart. He told him to move closer to the man in the chariot. He did so and heard him reading Isaiah. Philip immediately asked him whether he understood what he was reading. He said no and then invited Philip to come into the chariot and sit with him. He asked Philip to tell him whom Isaiah was talking about.

Philip answered the official’s question by telling him all about Jesus. He started from where the man was reading in the book of Isaiah. As they went down the road they came to a pool of water. The Ethiopian official asked to be baptised. Philip baptised him when he confessed that he believes on Jesus as the Son of God with his whole heart.

It was the Word of God that Isaiah wrote which was fulfilled in Jesus, which the Ethiopian heard that led to his being converted. The Word of God is still as powerful today as it was in the day of Philip and the Ethiopian official.

It is important to read God’s Word. It is more important to understand what we are reading. If we don’t understand what God’s Word says then it won’t be able to help us to be more like Jesus. We need to understand the Word of God so it can give us direction and strength.

No matter the version or translation of the Bible we are using, the important thing is to do what it says. If we do what it says then the fruit of the Spirit will grow in our lives and others will see it and will also want to be like Jesus.

QUESTIONS:

1. How many groups of hearers of the Word of God did Jesus talk about in the parable of the seeds?

(A) Four

(B) Five

(C) Six

(D) Seven.

2. What is interesting about the second group of hearers?

(A) They hear the Word and immediately obey what the Word says.

(B) They hear the Word and immediately receive it with joy. But when troubles and persecutions come because of the Word, they fall away.

(C) They hear the Word and immediately reject it on the spot.

(D) They hear the Word and immediately receive it with joy. When troubles and persecutions come because of the Word, they will not fall away.

3. What was the official reading and, in what form was the book?

(A) The Book of Genesis, a letter.

(B) The Book of Proverbs, a scroll.

(C) The Book of Matthew, a letter.

(D) The Book of Isaiah, a scroll.

4. What did the official ask Philip to do?

(A) He invited Philip to a party in his house.

(B) He sent Philip to a missionary journey in Africa.

(C) He invited Philip to come into the chariot and sit with him and explain what he was reading to him.

(D) He told Philip to get away from him.