Curriculum

The Unseen Power

The Unseen Power Go to Curriculum multi-week pack

Bible Background

What Kids Will Learn

The Trinity includes God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. While each has specific purposes, the Holy Spirit is our constant guide.

Scripture Summary

We believe in the triune God, called the Trinity. God has three complementary entities: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. Even in the beginning of time, God referred to Himself in a plural sense. “Then God said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us.”’ (Genesis 1:26, NLT)

The concept of the Trinity is a tough one to fully grasp. One (still incomplete) way to explain how God can have three separate entities—each still fully God—is by using the comparison of water. Water can be present in three different forms: solid (ice), liquid (water), and gas (vapor). They’re separate, but they’re all still water.

Jesus taught of the Holy Spirit and His specific tasks. He convicts each person of sin and evil ways, propelling people to repent. The Holy Spirit also shows people how to live a righteous life according to God’s standards. He reveals God’s power over the devil.

The Holy Spirit focuses on truth—the truth about Jesus, the gospel, and discerning between right and wrong. Jesus further explained that the Holy Spirit would tell people about the future. The disciples didn’t fully understand this, but it was the Holy Sprit who prompted writers to capture Jesus’ life and ministry—and revealed truths—that now make up the New Testament.

As part of God, the Holy Spirit has always existed and will always exist. Believers can always depend on His presence, His wisdom, His love, and His guidance.

Why Is This Important

The disciples were shocked and devastated at Jesus’ death and, later, His ascension into heaven. Of course, they wanted Jesus with them. But Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be with them and us.

Teacher Devotion

Scripture

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come.” (John 16:13)

My mom joined me on a weekend business trip. We traveled together, and when I finished up my work, she and I took a couple of extra days to play. To this day, it’s one of my favorite memories. But the trip didn’t start off well.

We landed at our destination and picked up the rental car. As we got settled, I realized my phone battery was running low. In preparation for the trip, all of the pertinent information (business names, addresses, contact numbers, etc.) were in my phone. I quickly accessed the address I needed, began navigation, and handed the phone to my mom to help navigate. We were off into a large, unfamiliar city.

The trip was taking longer than expected. To make matters worse, my limping phone battery was out of charge. My mom and I were aimlessly driving to a location, and neither one of us had packed a portable charger. We ended up stopping at a bank to ask for directions. After too many hours, we arrived at our location. (And I now pack multiple charging devices for any trip.)

We’ve become dependent on navigation services, but they can be unreliable and require energy. Not so with the Holy Spirit. Thankfully, He is always present, always “charged,” and always faithful to help us navigate life’s journeys.

Ponder your answers to these questions:

  • In what ways have you seen the Holy Spirit guide you in the last month?
  • How do you need the Holy Spirit’s guidance today?

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for guiding me. I know I can trust You to always know the way—what’s best for 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: Bibles, Cookie sheets, Powerful magnets, Index cards, Pen or marker, Sticky-back magnets

Get Ready: Write words or phrases from the Bible memory verse on index cards. Stick a magnet to the back of each index card. Mix up the cards. Make a set for each small group.

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come.” (John 16:12-13)

Have kids learn the Bible memory verse using this activity:

  • Have kids open their Bibles to John 16:12-13.
  • Divide the class into small groups.
  • Give each group a set of Bible verse index cards, a powerful magnet, and a cookie sheet.
  • Read aloud the verse.
  • Have kids disperse the words or phrases on their cookie sheets, and then have them work together to use the powerful magnets from underneath the cookie sheets to rearrange the words or phrases into the correct order of the Bible memory verse.
  • Have them say the verses together, removing one index card at a time and trying to say the verse without the removed cards.
  • Repeat several times.

SAY: Jesus gives us His Holy Spirit to live in us when we believe in Him. His Holy Spirit guides us and comforts us in God’s love.

Interactive Bible Experience

You’ll Need: Bibles, “Kite” handouts, 1-foot lengths of yarn, Chenille wires, Markers or crayons, Tape

SAY: Today we found out that Jesus left the Holy Spirit on Earth to guide us. We might not be able to see the Holy Spirit with our eyes, but we can see the amazing things the Holy Spirit does. Let’s find out more about the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Follow these steps to further discuss the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives:

  • Give each child a “Kite” handout, a piece of yarn, and two chenille wires.
  • Explain that a kite can help us understand the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives.
  • Have kids use the chenille wires and some tape to make the cross shape that forms the frame of a kite. Explain that the cross on a kite reminds us that when we believe in Jesus, we become Christians, joining God’s special family.
  • Have kids use tape to attach the yarn for the kite tail. Explain that a kite’s tail keeps a kite stable in the wind. Tell kids the tail symbolizes God’s Word, the Bible, which helps keep them stable in their walk with God.
  • Have kids color in the kite to show that the kite needs the covering to catch the wind. Explain that the covering symbolizes how Jesus covers our sin.
  • Have kids open their Bibles to John 16:12-15. Read aloud the passage.
  • Remind kids that kites need the wind to fly. Have them draw a couple of lines to represent the wind. Explain that the Holy Spirit is like the wind. Keep the handouts for use later in the lesson.

ASK:

  • When you go outside, how do you know the wind is there?
  • How is the Holy Spirit like the wind?

SAY: Like the wind, we can’t see the Holy Spirit, but we know He’s there. We can feel Him in our hearts, and we can see the ways He moves people and things in our lives. Like a very strong wind, the Holy Spirit can do great big things. But the Holy Spirit is God in us, so the Holy Spirit is even more powerful than the wind. When we believe in Jesus, the Holy Spirit lives in us and guides us.

ASK:

  • Why do you want the good and loving Holy Spirit with you?

Snack

A Guide of Goodness

You’ll Need: Plates, Napkins, Plastic knives, Celery sticks, Cream cheese

Follow these steps for the “Guide of Goodness” snack:

  • Have kids clean their hands.
  • Give each child a plate, a napkin, a plastic knife, some celery sticks, and a dollop of cream cheese.
  • Have kids spread the cream cheese into the slot of the celery sticks.
  • Enjoy!

ASK:

  • How did you know where to put the cream cheese?
  • The sides of the celery stick were like a guide to keep the cream cheese in there. What other guides can you think of in your life?

SAY: Guides know the best way to go or to do something, and they often keep us safe. The Holy Spirit is like that. The Holy Spirit is God in us, and He guides us to a life that fills us up and brings us to the things God loves.

Game

Love & Lost

You’ll Need: Paper heart

SAY: Jesus left the Holy Spirit to be our guide. Let’s play a game to help us think about that.

Follow these steps to play this version of Hot & Cold:

  • Choose one child to step outside the room.
  • Invite kids to help you hide the paper heart.
  • Invite the child who is outside the room to come back in.
  • Instead of “hot” and “cold,” use the words “love” when the child is nearing the heart and “lost” when he or she is moving away from the hidden heart.
  • Continue until the child finds the heart.
  • Choose a different child to step outside the room and repeat.
  • If possible, give each child a turn to look for the heart.

ASK:

  • What was it like to be guided to the heart?
  • Why do you think having the Holy Spirit brings love to our lives while not having God with us is more like being lost?

SAY: The Holy Spirit is a good guide; we want Him with us. He guides us toward what’s best for us and what brings love and calm to our hearts.

Craft

Noodle Kites

You’ll Need: “Kite” handouts, Markers, Dry spaghetti, Dry bowtie pasta, Glue

To make the craft, have kids follow these steps:

  • Review what the “Kite” handouts represent, and invite kids to add decorations to their kites with the markers.
  • Lead kids in gluing dry spaghetti to the outline of the kite.
  • Have them color a few pieces of bowtie pasta and then glue the pasta to the tail of the kite.

SAY: Take home your kites as a reminder of how God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit work in your life.

Prayer

Prayers to My God

You’ll Need: “Kite” handouts from the craft

Lead kids to pray in this way:

  • Have kids form a circle.
  • Review the aspects of a Christian life represented in the handout.
  • Invite kids to thank Jesus for His sacrifice.
  • Invite kids to thank God for the Bible.
  • Invite kids to thank Jesus for leaving the Holy Spirit with them.
  • Allow time for kids to ask the Holy Spirit for what they need.
  • Close in prayer.

PRAY: Dear God, thank You for giving us Your Holy Spirit to guide us and fill us with Your love. In Jesus’ name, amen.