Lesson:
What is the Holy Spirit?
Goal:
To review the basic concepts related to the Holy Spirit.
Objectives:
1. Children will be able to understand that the Holy Spirit is the power of God.
2. Children will be able to name at least two gifts of the Holy Spirit.
3. Children will be able to name at least two fruits of the Holy Spirit.
4. Children will have a general understanding of what baptism means.
Resources:
What is the Holy
Spirit? (No. CB3)
Being Filled with
the Holy Spirit (No. CB85)
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngkids/trythis/trythis_air/flutters.html
Relevant Scriptures:
Acts 2:4; 2Peter 1:4; John
14:16,17
Format:
Open with prayer.
Ask the children what they think the Holy Spirit is.
Read the paper What
is the Holy Spirit? (No. CB3).
Activity associated with Lesson: What is the Holy Spirit? (No. CB3_2).
Close with prayer.
Lesson Introduction:
1. Read through the paper, What is the Holy Spirit? (No. CB3), unless it was read as a sermonette.
2. Ask the children what they think the Holy Spirit is.
3. Review the basic concepts of the paper with the children. Children’s questions are in bold.
Q1. Is Eloah one, two or
three beings?
A. One (Deut. 6:4; Eph 4:6).
Q2. The Holy Spirit is the
Spirit of ____?
A. God (Rom 8:14).
Q3. Why does God give us His Spirit?
A. So that we can know Him and grow to be more like Him (2Pet. 1:3-4).
Q4. What is the Holy Spirit? Who is the Holy Spirit given to?
A. The Holy Spirit is the power of God, which Christ promised to send to us (Jn. 16:7).
Q5. Can the Holy Spirit help us?
A. Yes (Jn. 15:26).
Q6. Can the Holy Spirit teach us the truth?
A. Yes (Jn. 14:16-17,26; 16:13; 1Jn. 4:6; 5:6).
Q7. Does the Holy Spirit know all things?
A. Yes (1Cor.
2:10-11).
Q8. What is the means or
way we become sons of God?
A. Through the Holy Spirit (Gal. 4:6-7; Rom. 8:14; 2Pet. 1:4).
Q9. Does God give the Holy Spirit to people who ask?
A. Yes (Lk. 11:9-13).
Q10. What must we do to
receive the Holy Spirit?
A. Repent and be baptized (Mat. 28:19; Acts 2:38).
Q11. Must we be baptized and
try to obey God’s Law for the Holy Spirit to stay within us?
A. Yes (1Jn. 3:24; Acts 5:32).
Q12. What are the fruits of the Holy Spirit?
A. From Galatians 5:22-23: Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness or Gentleness, Goodness, Faithfulness or Faith, Gentleness or Meekness, and Self-control or Temperance; Love (1Cor. 13:13), and truth (Jn. 17:17).
Q13. What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit?
A. Wisdom, Knowledge,
Faith, Healing, Miracles, Prophecy, Discernment of Spirits, Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues (1Cor. 12:8-10, 28-30; 13:1-3).
Q14. If we are too young to be
baptized, will the Holy Spirit still look after us until we are adults?
A. Yes, if we have believing parents (1Cor 7:14). But we must obey our
parents in the Lord (Eph. 6:1-2).
Q15. How does God intend to
be all in all?
A. Christ said that he was in God and God was in him (Jn. 17:21-23).
This can only happen with God’s Holy Spirit. So when we have the Holy Spirit,
God is in us and Christ is in us (1Jn. 4:13). That’s how God intends to be all
in all one day (Eph. 4:6; 1Cor. 15:28). But by then we will all be
spirit beings and no longer flesh and blood humans.
Q16. How do we know that we have the Holy Spirit –
God is in us and Christ is in us?
A. Read 1John 4:13.
Q17. To whom should we pray? Who
do we ask things in the name of?
A. We pray to the Father but ask in the name of His son, Jesus Christ (Mat. 6:6, 9-13; Lk. 11:12).
Q18. Do the Father and the son exist
as separate beings? If so why are they said to be one?
A. The Father and the son are two distinct Beings. They are said to be one because they share the same nature through the Holy Spirit. Christ said: if you have seen me you have seen the Father (Jn. 14:9).
Q19. How is the Temple of
God joined or put together?
A. The Holy Spirit joins us all together to form the Temple of God (1Cor. 3:16; 6:19).
Q20. After we are baptized should we go on sinning or doing the same bad things we did before our baptism?
A. After baptism we are not to go back to our old way of life (Eph. 4:17-24).
Q21. Can the Holy Spirit be quenched, grieved or made to leave a person?
A. Yes, the Spirit can be quenched or grieved (1Thes. 5:19; Eph. 4:30). If a person returns to their former lifestyle and lives that way continually, the Holy Spirit will go somewhere else or into someone who is receptive and trying to use the Holy Spirit through their obedience to God’s Laws.
Q22. How should we worship God, Eloah?
A. We worship God in Spirit (Phil. 3:3) and truth (Jn. 4:23; 4:24; 14:17).
Q23. Did Jesus do whatever he wanted to do?
A. No, Jesus did what the Father wanted him to do (Lk. 2:49). He
said that he could do nothing without the Father (Jn. 5:30).
Q24. Who or what is referred to as the “Helper”? Who gives us the Holy Spirit?
A. Jesus Christ prayed to the Father to
give them (the believers) another Helper (Jn. 14:16-17). He was telling
them that they would receive the Holy Spirit from the Father (Jn. 15:26).
Q25. What happened on the first
Pentecost in 30 CE?
A. When they were gathered together for the Feast of Pentecost, there was the sound of a mighty wind and a tongue of fire sat upon each of them. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in many different languages (Acts 2:1-4).
Q26. What are the two sacraments of the Church?
A. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
Activity Options:
1. Activity and discussion: the differences in balloons and people too.
2. Activity and discussion: our old and new self.
3. Activity and discussion: Can you get to me?
4. Activity and discussion: Balloon animals.
5. Colouring Sheet: the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
6. Colouring sheet: the Fruits of the Holy Spirit.
Air experiments
found at: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngkids/trythis/trythis_air/flutters.html
Balloon animals found at:
http://www.coolest-kid-birthday-parties.com/balloon-animal-instructions.html
http://www.balloonhq.com/faq/twists_101.html
A. The differences in balloons and people too:
Supplies needed: two same size balloons per child (the seven or nine inch helium balloons work best), permanent markers.
Procedure: have the children pick out two balloons each.
Question: How are we like the deflated balloon prior to our calling?
Answer: Some possible answers: we are difficult to work; cannot be easily moved.
· Have the children put their name on one of the non-inflated balloons.
· Review the concepts associated with the Holy Spirit: it is an unseen force of God, it is a helper, assists us to do things we could not do before, we show traits of God if we have the Holy Spirit.
· Ask one of the children to blow air out of their mouth. Discuss if we cannot see the air and why we know it is there.
· Allow all the children to blow up their other balloon and draw a face on the balloon and put their name on the balloon.
· Again review the concept of although we could not see the air we now know it is there because we see the result in the balloon.
· Discuss how much easier the inflated balloon is to move, control or have fun with.
· Discuss with the children how they would get the deflated balloon to go anywhere except for it being carried by someone, whereas the inflated balloon / person with the Holy Spirit is able to be moved, directed and helped by a multiple of people to get to its/his final destination.
· Ask the children to name some people they think may have the Holy Spirit and what traits these people demonstrate.
B. Our old and new self
Supplies: one deflated balloon and a one-litre bottle per child. (Or this can be done in teams or small groups.)
Procedure: ask each child to put a deflated balloon into the bottle, stretching the open end of the balloon over the mouth of the bottle. Ask the children to inflate the balloon.
Question: is it possible to get into the balloon?
Physical answer: no matter how hard you blow, you won't be able to blow up the balloon while it is inside the bottle. This is because the bottle is already completely full of air. Even though it's invisible, air takes up space.
Spiritual answer: the hard plastic bottle represents our “old self” prior to baptism filled with ways of the world. The Holy Spirit cannot come to us unless we repent and change our “old ways” and obey the Laws of God
Ask the children to take the balloon out of the bottle and inflate the balloon
Again review the concepts
associated with the Holy Spirit and how we respond once we repent and are
baptized.
C. Can you get to me?
Supplies: Per child: slip of paper one inch (2.5 centimeters) wide and three inches (7.6 centimeters) long, tape, one-litre bottle (or have the children work in teams or small groups).
Procedure: Cut a slip of paper about one inch wide (2.5 centimeters) and three inches (7.6 centimeters) long. Tape one end of the paper to a flat surface. Place a clear, empty one-litre bottle about four inches (10 centimeters) in front of the paper.
Question: Ask the children if they think the paper behind the bottle will move when they blow on the bottle.
Then blow on the bottle, toward the paper.
Answer: Yes, the paper will move.
Physical: “law of nature” moving air separates and travels around a curved
surface. The air comes back together on the other side of the bottle and causes
the paper to flutter.
Spiritual answer: the Holy Spirit is spirit. It can go through physical things (Jn. 20:19, 26).
It is God the Father that calls us (Rom. 8:28-30; 11:28,29; 1Pet. 1:15; 5:10).
Balloon
Creations:
Resources on the web:
http://www.coolest-kid-birthday-parties.com/balloon-animal-instructions.html
http://www.balloonhq.com/faq/twists_101.html
Books or kits with small balloon pump, and balloons are typically available in craft stores.
Supplies: hand held pump, “new balloons”, and diagrams to create the animal of your choice or a very creative imagination. Younger children will need an older child or adult to work with them to create their balloon animal.
Discussion: Review the concept of the Holy Spirit. It cannot be seen yet it produces fruits or effects within people that can be seen in how we live our lives. Again use the analogy of the empty balloon is lifeless and really cannot do anything. Review the concept that we all endure trials to be fashioned into a “fit vessel” of God. Sometimes those trials hurt, just as the twists and bends that happen to the balloon sculpture. God is the Master Potter (Isa. 64:8) and Creator (Isa. 40:28). He knows what the finished project will look like; though it will go through many changes on the way, the same applies to our balloon animals. Have the children select one of the simple balloon shapes and begin creating.
Instructions for Making a Dog
1.
Inflate a 260 balloon and leave about four inches un-inflated in the tail end.
Dog #1
2. Fold the balloon about six inches from the nozzle end. Now part of the balloon will be sitting along side itself.
Dog #2
3. Squeeze both parts of the folded balloon about 2 inches from the fold (where the arrows are in the diagram below).
Dog #3
4. Now twist the balloon where you squeezed it. Twist it twice or three times until the twist holds in place. Notice that you've just made the ears of the dog (the short end with the knot and nozzle is the nose).
Dog #4
5. The front and back legs are made the same way as the ears. Fold the balloon an inch below the twist that formed the ears. Now twist the balloon to form the front legs.
Dog #5
6. Finally, fold the balloon 2 inches away from the twist that formed the front legs and twist.
Dog #6
Voila! There's your little balloon puppy.
Let's try another one...
Balloon Animal Instruction for Making a Swan
1. Begin with a white 260 balloon inflated leaving a 4-inch tail. Bend the whole balloon into a large circle, bringing the knot to a point about 6-8 inches from the un-inflated tail.
Flatten the circle by bringing the point opposite the knot across to the knot (see diagram below). Twist everything together at this point and make sure you hold on to the knot.
Balloon animal instructions: Swan #1
2. Your balloon should now look like the diagram below (two large loops with a long bubble sticking out from the joining point). Squeeze one of the loops and tuck it through the centre of the other loop. This is the swan's body.
Balloon animal instructions: Swan #2
3. To make the head, fold the un-inflated end of the balloon back along the balloon body. While holding the end in that position, squeeze the air from the main chamber around the bend in the balloon. This will make the balloon stay in a bent position creating a curve for the swan's head.
Balloon animal instructions: Swan #3
4. Pull the neck back so that the friction of the twisted ends of the body loop hold it in place. And there's your swan!
Colouring sheet the Fruits of the Holy Spirit
Colouring sheet of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Close with prayer
