Bible Study “Baptism is a Reminder”
Share: Your highs (something that made you happy) and lows (something that made you sad) this week with others around you or write them down.
Easter is one big celebration! It is a time for us to remember the Resurrection and that Jesus Christ our Lord is not dead but he is alive! We do it up big on Easter Sunday, but sometimes it is easy for us to forget that the celebration keeps going right up to Pentecost. It is also a time of year when we hope for Spring, if it has not already taken root in our neighborhood. We long for new life of plants and animals. It is a time for us to remember how special the gift of life is.
Today we hear how Saint Paul followed God’s guidance. He traveled and preached where he was led. Lydia heard this preaching and was baptized with her whole household. When we believe in Jesus we do Christian things and follow where God invites us to go.
Today we are going to hear a story about how Paul followed where God lead him. He meets a woman named Lydia who hears about Jesus and decides to follow Jesus and be baptized. Do you remember the last time you saw someone baptized?
Opening Prayer: Jesus we thank you for the gift of faith and baptism. Help us to be open your love and guiding. Amen.
Please open your Bibles to Acts 16:9-15 and read or read the scriptures below.
Acts 16:9-15
9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi
11 From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. 12 From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district[a] of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.
13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
Reflection Questions:
- How did Saint Paul know where to go? (God showed him in a vision)
- How do we know where to go? (parents, teachers, friends, etc. help us)
- Why did Lydia get baptized? (the Lord opened her heart and she believed)
- Do you remember what happens at baptism? (we become full members of the Body of Christ, the Church - marked as God’s own forever)
- How do we remember this in our everyday life? (pray, read bible, go to church, wear a cross, etc.)
Additional questions:
- How do you hear this story?
- What do you think the person that wrote this would say to us today?
- What word or phrase stands out to you when you read this?
Click here for the young learner’s lesson
Videos (Click on the words or url)
“Lydia is Listening”, Acts 16:9-15 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqFn_09NGwg
Song
I Am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N Song Lyrics - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH_mhPX7C5k
Activities:
You will need string (1.5m elastic or cotton cord), construction paper, markers, crayons, colored pencils and other craft supplies (pipe cleaners, craft sticks, beads, glue sticks, cotton balls, glitter, shells, scissors, etc.).
We have lots of ways to remember that we are God’s children. Can you create something that you could hang on the way or wear that would remind us that in baptism we were marked as God’s own forever. Use the materials identified above to create something to help you remember that God loves you. You can make a cross to hang on the wall or as a necklace, etc. The videos below will tell you how to create a necklace.
How to make a Kids Necklace - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAEa58d3gjc or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep_W5EyM9xo
Word Search: https://thewordsearch.com/puzzle/3687791/baptism-is-a-reminder/
Do you think that you might be able to remind someone that Jesus loves them this week? Baptism reminds us to say yes to Jesus and to share his love with everyone!
Prayer: God, thank you for the gift of baptism and for all the ways that you invite us to remember you. Help us to remind others that you love them. Amen.
