VERSES: Acts 18:1-11
MEMORY VERSE: Acts 18:8 "...and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized."
BOOK TO REMEMBER: Review all the New Testament books from Matthew through Titus.
PRAYER: Thank God for giving us friends who love and worship God, so they can encourage and make us stronger, too.
SPECIAL SONG: No, Not One (see June 2014 - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #6 on this blog.) The Books Of The New Testament (see March 2014 - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #3 on this blog. Click on all orange circles to hear tunes.)
VISUAL AID: Bible map, Activity (see below)
LESSON POINTS:
- On Paul's second missionary journey of traveling around to many cities, teaching and preaching to people about Jesus, he left Athens and traveled to the city of Corinth. Corinth was known as being a very wicked city, but one of the first things Paul did was to make friends with Priscilla and Aquila who were married to each other. Priscilla and Aquila were Christians who were ordered to leave Rome with all of the other Jews at that time.
- When Priscilla and Aquila left Rome, they came to Corinth. Besides being Christians, Priscilla and Aquila had something else in common with Paul. Like Paul, they were tent makers. Many people used tents by living in them instead of houses. Tents were a portable and temporary type of housing and people who went from one place to another, simply took their house or their tent with them wherever they went. So, the three friends made tents and sold them, then used the money to buy food and other things that they needed. Because they did the same kind of work, Paul stayed with Aquila and Priscilla while he was in Corinth.
- Every sabbath day, Paul went to the synagogue, reasoned with the Jews there, and taught and preached to Jews and the Greeks about Jesus. Finally, Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia and Paul preached even more to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ, God's Anointed One. But the Jews rejected Paul's teaching and spoke terribly about Jesus, so Paul shook his clothes and told them that he had done all he could for them and would be going to preach to the Gentiles instead of them. So, Paul stopped preaching to the Jews only and began preaching to the Gentiles.
- While Paul was in Corinth, there was a man named Justus who lived in a house that shared a wall with the synagogue. Justus worshiped the Lord and Paul went and spoke to him and all those who were in his house. There were many who listened to Paul's message that Jesus was God's Son. Even the chief ruler of the synagogue whose name was Crispus believed that Jesus was the Son of God and was baptized. In fact, his whole household and family believed and were baptized, too.
- One night, God sent Paul a vision and told him not to be afraid. He told him to preach and teach and not worry about anything or anyone in Corinth. The Lord had many Christians there in Corinth and He would protect Paul. Paul continued to do the Lord's Will and stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching all who would listen to the Word of God.
- After Paul left Corinth, Paul wrote two letters to the Corinthians. We call them First and Second Corinthians. These two letters encouraged the church that was in Corinth, explained many things that Paul had taught them before he left Corinth, and scolded and rebuked them for giving in to certain sins and temptations. Paul wrote to tell the church how to live a better Christian life. These letters were passed around to other congregations in the area, so they, too, could live in a more godly way.
- The city of Corinth had made a name for themselves by being so wicked. To be called a Corinthian was not necessarily a good thing. Yet, even in a wicked and sinful city, there were people who wanted to please God, people like Justus and Crispus. We should always strive to have godly friends who will help us in this wicked world. Life is easier and happier with friends who serve the One True God like we serve. Read 1 Corinthians 15:33.
Materials: 8.5" x 11" white or light colored index or heavyweight paper, crayons, marker.
- Hand out paper.
- Fold paper in half
- Fold paper in half again.
- Unfold.
- Fold outside edges of paper up 1.5".
- Crease well. This is a tent.
- Color one side of tent.
- Write "Paul, Priscilla, and Aquila were tentmakers" and "Acts 18:1-11" on the inside of the tent.
- Make tent stand up on table. If 1.5" folds are laying flat on the table, tent should have little trouble standing (see top picture.) If tent is not cooperating, crease folds again.
- Practice names of Paul's friends before leaving the classroom.
