Locations & Times

In this four-part series, kids will watch a fun, French-style cooking show where each recipe calls for a special ingredient that makes the dish possible. Through stories of Jesus, kids will see that God’s love is our “special ingredient,” and because of it, we can do things that might seem impossible. Because God loves us so much, enough to send us Jesus, we can respond by loving others as he does, even when it might be hard.

WORSHiP

BIBLE VERSE

"We love because God first loved us," 1 John 4:19

GROUP Q&A

1. Why was there a man begging outside the temple? (The man couldn’t walk and the only way he could get money was to beg.)
2. How do you think people treated him? (People were probably annoyed by him and were mean.)
3. What did Peter and John say when they saw the man, and what happened? (They said, “In the name of Jesus Christ, get up and walk. The man was healed and danced around praising God.)
4. Did Peter and John perform the miracle all on their own? (No. God healed the man.)
5. What is our special ingredient, and what does it give us the power to do? (God’s love is our special ingredient; we have the ability to love just like Jesus.)

PARENT BIBLE STUDY

Read: Acts 3:1-16

All month long we’ve been looking at how Jesus showed God’s love, the special ingredient that can change our lives, and the lives of those around us. We have looked at stories in the Gospels where God has shown love and mercy to people who most people would try to avoid. This week the story is about how God empowers those who follow him to do far greater things than we can imagine.

When we end a prayer with the words, “in Jesus’ name,” we’re showing we recognize that true power comes from Jesus. In the same way, the disciples in this story didn’t heal the lame man to show their power. They healed the man by the name and authority of Jesus. Peter then took the opportunity of this miracle to tell everyone who had witnessed it about the power of Jesus.

The religious leaders thought they had gotten rid of Jesus for good the day he was crucified on the cross. But just weeks later they realized something had gone very wrong with their plan because people were still being healed both physically and spiritually by Jesus. God showed he has power over death. Nothing can stop him from making a way for his people to be reconnected back to him.

As followers of Jesus we have this power within us because of the gift of the Holy Spirit. The work of God in our lives and in answered prayers for those around us shows God and all his glory just like the miracle at the temple. Just like the first disciples, we have been invited to be a part of a great story to show the power of Jesus.

It could have been very easy for the disciples to take credit for healing the lame man. Why didn’t they and how does it make this story more powerful?

Do you see God moving in your life and in others’ lives and to give him the credit? How does remembering that the power of Jesus is inside you change the way you pray?