Dear Parents, Guardians, Teachers:
Our lesson this week is about how Paul was telling people to believe in Jesus, and that God is the one true God and any other god or idol is simply fake. Paul’s teaching was having an impact on people who sold idols and one such person is a silversmith named Demetrius. He wants to get Paul and other Christians thrown away because it is affecting his business. It created a “stir” and a crowd caused a riot which placed the lives of Paul and his companions in danger.
Jesus is comfortable until he starts to change how we live our lives. Our relationship with Jesus will always cause a “stir” to us or those around us. Let us not give up and give in to those who are saying that we should keep our relationship with Jesus private, even if they seem to have gathered a crowd to shout it.
Scripture Reference: Acts 19:11-41
Memory Verse:
“So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.”
Acts 19:20
Bible Story:
Have students look up and read Acts 19:11. We are told that Paul was doing unusual miracles through God.
Paul was doing miracles that God wanted. People brought handkerchiefs and aprons of their sick family and friends and their diseases were healed! (Acts 19:12)
Books burned: There were people that practiced magic at Ephesus. They believed in Jesus and gathered their books together and burned them in front of everyone! When they added up the cost of them, it was worth 50,000 pieces of silver! (Acts 19:19)
With Paul and the Disciples teaching about Jesus, people were hearing the word of God and become Christians. (Acts 19:20) There was a silversmith called Demetrius. He made silver shrines of Diana and made a lot of money doing it.
Demetrius called the other men together that had a similar occupation and told them that “You know we make a lot of money in our trade.”
But there is a man called Paul who is traveling through Asia and he is telling people to quit worshipping idols. He is telling people that idols are not gods because they are made by hands. So not only is our work at stake but the temple of “the great goddess Diana” will be despised.
When they heard this, they were angry and shouted “Great is Diana!” The whole city was confused and upset. The crowd grabbed 2 of Paul’s traveling companions and went into the theater.
When Paul wanted to go in, the disciples wouldn’t let him. It was too dangerous. The people were angry and hostile.
Most of the people that were there, didn’t even know why they were there. There was so much confusion. They just kept shouting “Great is Diana” for 2 hours.
The city clerk finally got the crowd quiet and told the people that they know that Ephesus is the city that has the temple guarding the goddess Diana and since this fact cannot be denied, think about it and don’t act foolishly. Paul and these other men are not robbers, so if Demetrius has a case against Paul, let him go to court. He told them that we’re in danger of causing an uproar that couldn’t be accounted for.
When that uproar settled down, Paul left to go to Macedonia.
Learning Activities After the Lesson
1. Have your kids watch the animated story: Riot of Silversmiths
2. Have your kids answer this activity:
Sources: Bible Fun for Kids, Mission Bible Class, Holy Tales Bible Stories
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