Curriculum

Pentecost

Pentecost Go to Curriculum multi-week pack

Bible Background

What Kids Will Learn

God perfectly planned Pentecost to be one grand event. The disciples received power and the Holy Spirit, and God’s New Testament church began.

Scripture Summary

After Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected, He appeared to Mary Magdalene, the women, believers on the road leading to Emmaus, and multiple times to the disciples. Jesus foretold of when the disciples would receive power and the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).

Thousands of people from various countries were gathered to celebrate Passover (when God delivered the Israelites from Egypt) and the Feast of Shavuot (when God gave the Torah on Mount Sinai). Both the Feast of Shavuot and Pentecost occur 50 days after Passover.

The apostles (formerly disciples, meaning “learner,” and apostle means “messenger”) were gathered together. And the earth shook with violent wind and “tongues of fire.” This fulfilled John the Baptist’s message of the Holy Spirit baptizing with fire (Luke 3:16). The thousands of visitors in Jerusalem were miraculously able to speak a common language and understand each other.

Peter, who had been an inconsistent disciple of Jesus, boldly addressed the crowd of thousands. He quoted a number of prophecies from Joel and David. Each prophecy was fulfilled, which validated the work of the Holy Spirit. Peter shared the gospel message as an invitation for all to be saved and to share the same message back home.

Why Is This Important

God’s plan for Pentecost included Old Testament prophecy fulfilment, a gathering of people from many nations, and a miracle spanning a great language barrier. Each one heard the gospel in his or her own language, received Jesus, and went home to share the Good News.

Teacher Devotion

Scripture

Common Ground

“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:25)

I had the joy of leading a short-term missions team from my church to train children’s leaders in Mexico. On three trips over the course of three years, we taught learning principles, classroom management, and creating space for children to encounter God.

The funny thing… I didn’t speak Spanish. (And I still don’t.)

All of our training was done through a translator, and the attendees were absolutely wonderful. We learned from each other through the use of a translator.

Over meals, the translator would do her best to communicate back and forth, but one day I ended up sitting at a table with attendees and no translator. What appeared to be a challenging and awkward situation turned into something beautiful. We spent the meal sharing common words in English and Spanish. We found items that we all enjoyed and could identify, and then we learned from each other. 

The Holy Spirit bridged the language barrier. While we didn’t have deep, philosophical conversations, our interactions were no less profound. I cherish the friendships I made in Mexico built on common ground.

These interactions aren’t limited to Mexico. I find language barriers between myself and the children in my life, the neighbors on my street, and the friends at work. As God works in me (and slows me down long enough), I find a desire to first find a common ground. It’s here that the Holy Spirit bridges language barriers.

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for miraculously bridging language barriers. Please help me slow down long enough today to find common ground with those around me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Get the full Sunday school lesson plan

  • Bible Memory Verse
  • Interactive Bible Experience
  • Animated video with companion questions

Bible Memory Verse

You’ll Need: A strong fan, Tape, Strips of paper (one color for every 20 kids), Scissors, Bibles - one per child

Get Ready: Before class, cut strips of paper. Write one word of the memory verse on each strip of paper. Make more than one set on a different color of paper if you have more than 20 kids. Place them on the floor in the middle of the room along with the tape. Plug in your fan and face it near the strips of paper. Don’t turn the fan on until the signal is given.

“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” Acts 2:4

Lead kids in these steps:

  • Invite kids to turn in their Bibles to Acts 2:4.
  • Read the verse aloud several times with the kids so they be- come familiar with it.
  • Point kids to the strips of paper on the floor.
  • Explain that you’re going to turn on the fan, and the words will be caught up in a wind.
  • On your signal, kids will try to gather words and tape them down in order on a table or wall.
  • They can use the Bible as their guide to put the words in order.
  • Turn on the fan.
  • Once the verse is in order, have kids check it against the verse in their Bible.

SAY: Today, we are going to hear about an extraordinary day in the Bible. A violent wind came where the people were sitting, and some pretty remarkable things happened. Keep your Bibles open to the book of Acts as we learn more.

Interactive Bible Experience

You’ll Need: Bibles - one per child, White, yellow, and blue streamers -one of each color per child

  • Explain that after some onlookers saw God’s people speaking in other languages, they thought something was wrong with them, but Peter set them straight. Explain that you’ll read through what Peter said to the people gathered there that day. Give each child one piece of all three streamer colors.
  • Tell kids to follow these prompts:
  • When they hear “God” or “Lord” mentioned, they are to wave their yellow streamer.
  • When they hear the “Spirit” mentioned, they are to wave their white streamer.
  • When they hear something else that captures their interest, they are to wave their blue streamer.

Read Acts 2:16-21 aloud, and have kids follow the directions.

ASK:

  • What happened on the day of Pentecost was prophesied, meaning it was predicted in advance. What is special about that to you?
  • What stood out to you about Peter’s response?
  • What do you think it means to call on the name of the Lord?

Snack

Flaming Tongues Snack

You’ll Need: Cheetos puffs, A large bowl, White paper cups - one per child, Markers, Napkins - one per child

Follow these steps to make the “Flaming Tongues” snack:

  • Give each child a paper cup and a few markers. Explain that their cups will hold fire, so they will decorate their cups to say things like: “HOT - DO NOT TOUCH.”
  • After their cups are decorated, dramatically bring the bowl of Cheeto Puffs around and act like they are sizzling hot as you scoop them into each kid’s cup.
  • Enjoy.

SAY: Today we learned about the day of Pentecost, when the wind blew in flaming tongues that landed on the people. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Holy Spirit enabled them. That must have been pretty amazing.

Game

Windy Balloons Games

You’ll Need: Balloons, A few small electric or battery- powered fans, Paper fans - one per child

Get Ready: Inflate the balloons, and tie them off.

Follow these steps to play the game:

  • Give each child a balloon and paper fan.
  • Have kids spread out.
  • Explain that kids have to keep their balloons up by using only the wind they make with their fans.
  • Add a couple of fans on the floor blowing up at the balloons to keep them in the air.

ASK:

  • What helped you the most to keep your balloon in the air?
  • What’s one way God’s Holy Spirit has been helpful in lifting you up?
  • How do you think the Holy Spirit could make a difference in your life?

SAY: God sent His Holy Spirit to live in the people in the Bible who believed in Him, and all of us who believe in Him, too. God’s Holy Spirit is a helper who is with us all the time.

Craft

Windmill Craft

You’ll Need: “Pentecost How-to Video”, White paper, Unsharpened pencils with an eraser - one per child, Straight pin with ball top - one per child, Scissors, Rulers, Pencils, Markers

Get Ready: Precut 6-inch squares out of the paper for each child.

To make the “Windmill,” have kids follow these steps:

  • Give each child a square of paper and some markers.
  • Invite kids to decorate each side of their paper.
  • Use the pencil and ruler to draw two diagonal lines, corner-to-corner, that cross at the square’s center.
  • Mark the center point and mark a point 2¾” (7 cm) from each corner on the diagonal line.
  • Cut on the diagonal line from each corner up to the marked point. Erase the pencil marks, except for the center point.
  • Using the pin, punch a hole in the center, and at every other point.
  • Next, poke the pin through one of the point holes and then curl the paper towards the center. Do not fold it.
  • Curl each pierced point, in turn, toward the center and poke the pin through the holes.
  • Push the pin through the center hole of the pinwheel.
  • Push the pin into the side of the eraser.
  • Invite kids to blow on their windmills.

SAY: We need the power of the wind to make the windmills turn. In our lives we need the power of the Holy Spirit to help us tell others about Jesus. Those present at the day of Pentecost sure got to experience that, didn’t they?

Prayer

Dove Prayers

You’ll Need: “Dove” handout - one per child, Pencils or pens - one per child, A hole punch, Yarn

  • Give each child a “Dove” handout.
  • Explain that the dove is often a symbol for the Holy Spirit.
  • Invite kids to write prayers on their doves.
  • After they have written a prayer, punch a hole in each dove and use yarn to hang it from the ceiling.

PRAY: Dear God, thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit. We come to You in prayer today and confess we need You. Help us to trust You more and to tell others about You. In Jesus’ name, amen.