Pentecost

Movie Workshop

(using the DVD - The Visual Bible: Acts)

Summary of Lesson Activities:

The children will view a portion of The Visual Bible: Acts, Volume I depicting the coming of the Holy Spirit and will discuss how the power of the Holy Spirit can helps us spread the Good News to others.

Scripture Reference:

Acts 2 (also Acts 1:1-11 and Luke 22:54-62)

Memory Verse:
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8) (NIV)

Objectives for Pentecost rotation

At the end of the Pentecost rotation, the students will

• know where Acts is in the New Testament and know that it is the story of the early church after Jesus' death and resurrection.
• be able to retell the story of the coming of the Holy Spirit.
• begin to understand the role of the Holy Spirit.
• understand that the Spirit is with us as we are called to share the Good News.
• find their own answer to Acts 2:37 in response to the coming of the Spirit: "Brothers, what shall we do?"
• repeat the memory verse.

Additional objectives for the movie workshop:

At the end of the workshop, the students will be able to

• describe the difference that the Holy Spirit made in the life of Peter.
• understand that he Holy Spirit will help them when they are reluctant or fearful about sharing what they know about Jesus.

Supply List:

• Popcorn,
• water or lemonade,
• cups,
• wet wipes,
• TV/DVD Player,
• Bibles,
• drawing paper for everyone,
• crayons or markers.
• Video: The Visual Bible: Acts

Teacher preparation:

• Read the scripture passages and attend the Bible Study ____. It will be very important for you to attend this Bible Study.
• Prepare a closing prayer.
• Learn the memory verse.
• To our teachers at RCC: The design of this workshop is very intentional. The activities and discussion questions for this workshop were designed to meet the goals of the entire rotation and the educational objectives of the Rotation Model (tm) at River Community Church. While we feel it is important to follow the serendipitous leading of the Holy Spirit, please do not change the lesson plan without consulting a Curriculum Planning and Writing Team member.
• Check out the room before your first Sunday workshop so that you know where everything is located.
• Make sure you have all the supplies you need. The video, video setup, popcorn, and handouts will be provided. If you would like any additional supplies, let ___ know by ___.
• Preview the video. Be familiar with the places where the video should be stopped for discussion. (Neil MacQueen's "Two Most Important Showing Tips: 1.) Use the PAUSE button. It's your most powerful "video" teaching tool. 2.) Don't be afraid to view an important scene a second time. Kids (and adults) watch movies over and over all the time.")
• Before class insert disk 1 of Acts and go to Event 5 and pause.
  
  • Event 5 - Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
  • Event 6 - Speaking with Other Tongues
  • Event 7 - Peter's First Sermon Explains Pentecost
  • Event 8 - Fellowship of Believers

Room set-up:
Students will sit in seats facing the TV/video projection screen.

Lesson Plan

Opening

Greet the children and introduce yourself. Wear your name-tag. Make sure the children are wearing name-tags. Remember, you are interacting with a different group of students each week who may not know you.
Explain the purpose of this workshop. Use kid friendly words to give a brief overview of what the children are going to learn and do.

Scripture/Bible Story:

• Read Acts 2:1-13. This is the main event in the video they will see today. (Have everyone find the verses and read along. As they are finding the passage in their Bibles, explain that Acts is in the New Testament and comes after John. Tell them that events of Acts occur after Jesus' resurrection from the dead. Also tell them Acts tells about the coming of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the Christian Church. Tell the children that the same Luke who wrote the book of Luke, also wrote Acts.)
• Explain that the Day of Pentecost, referred to in Acts 2:1, was a Jewish festival of thanksgiving for the harvested crops. Pentecost was held 50 days after Passover. Jews of many nations gathered in Jerusalem for this festival.
• Explain that the disciple Peter is an important person in the passage they will see on the video. Ask the children what they remember or know about Peter. If they do not mention the time Peter denied knowing Jesus three times, remind them and review this story from Luke 22:54-62. Ask the children, "I wonder why Peter would deny knowing Jesus, after Peter had been so close to Jesus for three years?"

Dig:

Application:
Before beginning the video, tell the children

• that the story they will see in the video comes from Acts 1-2 and that the words on the video are the exact words from the Bible.
• the man reading the scroll at the very beginning is Luke, the writer of Acts.
• to watch for what happens when the Holy Spirit comes upon the disciples.
• to watch for any changes in Peter's willingness to admit he knows Jesus.
• to listen for how someone can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Peter gives this information at the end of the clip.

Pass out popcorn and lemonade or water. Start the video at the point where "ACTS" appears on the screen after Luke cares for the injured girl on the ship. (Don't dim the lights too much as you will be stopping frequently for brief discussion. The clip is approximately 10 minutes long. Verse references are in the bottom right corner of the screen.)

STOP after Peter drinks out of the cup at the end of verse 5.
Q What instructions does Jesus give to the disciples?
Q I wonder what Jesus means when he says the disciples will be baptized with the Holy Spirit?

STOP and the end of verse 8 just before Jesus begins to rise to heaven.
Q I wonder what Jesus means when he says the disciples will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them?

STOP after Acts 1:11 and fast forward to Acts 2:1 and resume play.

STOP after Acts 2:4 when Luke says, "...and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit enables them."
Q I wonder what Luke means when he says the believers began to speak in other tongues?

STOP after Peter says, "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say."
Q To whom is Peter talking?

STOP after Peter says, "... and has poured out what you now see and hear" at the end of Acts 2:33.
Q About whom is Peter telling the people?

STOP at the end of Acts 2:41 when the ship appears on the screen.
Q Peter tells the people "to repent and be baptized . . . .in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." I wonder what it means to repent?

Reflection:

Pulling it all together (closing discussion):

• I wonder why Peter is willing to tell people he knows Jesus now, but he would not admit to knowing Jesus before Jesus was crucified?
• Have you ever been in a situation where it was hard to tell someone about Jesus or it was hard to do what Jesus would want you to do? I wonder what God wants you to do when this happens?

Review the memory verse.
Teach the sign language for the memory verse. See attached instructions.

Additional activity: Have the children design a movie poster for the video clip they viewed today using the form. Encourage them to name the "movie" and include information and drawings that would make someone want to see the movie.

Closing prayer:
Offer a prayer asking Jesus to give each child the power of the Holy Spirit when they are reluctant or fearful about sharing what they know about Jesus.

Tidy and Dismissal: Ask the children to help tidy up. Give any specific instructions for clearing the workshop room.
Give everyone the parent take-home flyer the first week of the rotation; give it only to children who were absent and have not yet received it the other weeks of the rotation.

Additional Suggestions:
Older children: They can be helpers (finding Bible passages, passing out popcorn, etc.)
Younger Children: Assist with writing/spelling on the movie poster.

Resources

• MacQueen, Neil. A MANUAL for the "VIDEO ~ A-V" WORKSHOP posted here at rotation.org.
• Life Application Study Bible notes. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1991.
  Deaf Missions Official Online Animated Dictionary web site:
• Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Pentecost
American Sign Language for Acts 1:8a

"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. . ."

YOU
The index finger points straight ahead. This is a natural gesture for indicating a person.

WILL
The open hand with the fingers together moves forward from the side of the head and in a downward movement. The forward movement indicates that something will occur in the future.

RECEIVE
The hands grab something and pull it in.

POWER
The fists move out in a firm movement from the chest to indicate strength.

HOLY SPIRIT
Hold your left hand flat in front of you, palm upward. Hold your right hand just above your left, palm down with fingers perpendicular to left.. Begin with your right hand over the base of your left palm and move it toward the fingertips of your left hand. Next hold your left hand in front of you in an "O" shape, palm facing toward you. Begin next motion with right hand in "F" shape just over left. Move right hand up and away from left, wiggling it as you do. (Search: "American Sign Language Holy Spirit")

COMES
The fingers move towards the body to indicate the concept come.

ON
One hand moves on top of the other hand.

YOU
The index finger points straight ahead. This is a natural gesture for indicating a person.

This lesson was written by Jamie Senyard for River Community Church
Prairieville, Louisiana.

Copyright 2003 Jamie Senyard. Permission granted to freely distribute and use, provided the copyright message is included.

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.