* LESSON
* HANDOUT
* ASCENSION PLAY
Bible Memory Verse:
“…Jesus will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11
The good news that Jesus had risen from the dead spread quickly. People ran to tell others what they had heard–Jesus had risen from the dead! Jesus appeared to over five hundred people (1 Corinthians 15:6).
He appeared to His disciples many times over a period of forty days. Read John 21:1-14.
Jesus gave His disciples a very important work to do. He said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit , and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20 They were to tell all people everywhere about Jesus, to baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Then they were to teach them to obey all that Jesus had taught them.
Jesus commanded His disciples, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John (the Baptist) baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 1:5 He was going to send them the Holy Spirit after He had left. Now they would be baptized not only with water but also with the Holy Spirit.
They must not have known what that meant, but they obeyed Jesus and waited.
After He had spoken to them, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid them from their sight.
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Someday Jesus will come back in the clouds of heaven.
QUESTIONS:
1. What were the disciples doing when Jesus appeared to them by the Sea of Tiberias?
2. What work did Jesus give His disciples to do?
3. How did Jesus go into heaven?
4. How is Jesus coming back to earth?
5. Who explained to the disciples that Jesus would come back again in the same way He had gone into heaven?
6. Where is Jesus now?
ASCENSION
Bible Memory Verse:
“…Jesus… will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11
Words to choose from: HOLY, HEAVEN, LIVE, MEN, FISHING, PRAYING, ANGELS, CLOUDS, GOOD, JESUS
1. Jesus appeared while His disciples were __ __ __ __ __ __ __by the Sea of Tiberias.
2. Jesus told His disciples that He wanted them to be fishers of __ __ __.
3. The disciples were to tell people the __ __ __ __news.
4. The disciples were to tell people about __ __ __ __ __.
5. The disciples were to wait for the gift of the __ __ __ __ Spirit.
6. Jesus went up in the __ __ __ __ __ __.
7. __ __ __ __ __ __ explained to the disciples that Jesus would come back in the same way He went into heaven.
8. Right now Jesus is in __ __ __ __ __ __.
9. Jesus is __ __ __ __ __ __ __ for us.
10. Jesus is preparing beautiful places for us to __ __ __ __in heaven.
Bible Memory Verse:
“…Jesus… will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11
CHARACTERS: Jolly the Giraffe, Polly the Polar Bear, Leo the Lion
(Puppets enter)
JOLLY: Hi, Kids! We are going to have a contest today to see who gets the most answers right. After we ask a question, the first one to raise their hand gets the first chance to answer the question. If the answer isn’t right, raise your hands again and the first person to do that gets the second chance to answer. ________would you see who raises their hand first. ______would you keep track of who answers the question correctly?
O.K. Question #1: Where is Jesus now, Kids? (in heaven)
POLLY: Questions#2: How did He get to heaven? (He rose up in the sky)
LEO: Question #3: Who saw Him go into heaven? (His disciples or followers)
JOLLY: Question # 4: Who appeared to the disciples after He went up in the clouds? (angels)
POLLY: Question #5 This is a hard question. What did Jesus ask His disciples to do while He was gone? (tell others that Jesus loves them and died for them—if they believe in Him ask Him to forgive their sins, they can go to heaven)
LEO: Question #6: What are we supposed to be doing while we wait for Him to come back? (tell others about Jesus—we are His disciples, too)
JOLLY: Question #7: Jesus told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem till Someone came. This Someone was going to take care of them. This Someone takes care of us even today. Who is this Someone? (Holy Spirit)
POLLY: Question #8: What is Jesus doing in heaven now? (sitting at the right hand of God the Father, preparing a place for us, taking care of us and answering our prayers)
LEO: Question #9: How is He coming back? (just like He left—in the clouds of heaven)
JOLLY: Question #10: When is He coming back? (only Father the Father knew when Jesus was on earth—probably Jesus knows now, but we don’t know exactly when but we can tell about when)
POLLY: Question #11: This is a hard question: What will happen to all the Christians when He comes back? (we will be changed in the twinkling of an eye to have new bodies and we will meet Him in the air)
LEO: Question #12: What will happen if you are a Christian and you have already died before Jesus comes back? (the dead in Christ will rise first—those that have already died will rise and meet Jesus before those that are still alive)
JOLLY: Question #13: What will happen in the world when all the Christians leave? (God will pour out His anger on the earth—terrible things will happen)
POLLY: One last question–#14: Jesus will set up a kingdom when He will rule for how many years? (1,000)
LEO: Who is the winner?
JOLLY: You all did very well. You are all winners, just like everyone who is a Christian is a winner. Good-bye for now, Kids and God bless you!
POLLY & LEO: Bye for now, Kids!
(Puppets exit)