Teaching resources for understanding identity

The Bible’s answers to our big questions

Lesson 6

WE ARE NOT ALONE

Acts 9:1-28 • John 14:16-17
 CONTENTS

LEADER’S NOTES 3

ALL TOGETHER TIME 5

Under 7’s Lesson Plan 8

Over 8’s Lesson Plan 11

APPENDIX
Case Study Pictures 14
Craft Sheet 15
Chat Time Sheet 16
Visual Summary 18

Who Am I?

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We recommend the International Children’s Bible for use with children during the lesson. Our leader’s notes and Take Home Sheets
use the New International Version.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture taken from the International Children’s Bible®. Copyright © 1986, 1988, 1999 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All
rights reserved.

Cover design by Alex Webb-Peploe | Illustrators: Magriet Brink & Alex Webb-Peploe | Writing team: Amy Smith, Ed Drew, Cathy
Dalton, Rachel Allord & Paula Standal

Living Out (www.livingout.org) commissioned Faith in Kids (www.faithinkids.org) to produce these resources to help children build
a permanent identity based on God’s word. Visit www.faithinkids.org to download these resources and look out for accompanying
podcasts for both children and parents.

‘All for the glory of God alone’ (1 Corinthians 10:31)

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Truth that changes me: Faith in Kids looks like:

God’s Spirit is changing God’s family to Children who are confident that God’s
become more like God’s son. Spirit is making us more like Jesus.

WHERE ARE WE GOING? NOTES

Pray and read the Bible

Becoming a Christian is a change in identity and a change in direction. Following passage. Read Where are
Jesus involves ongoing change, to become more like him. Change can seem we going, The world our
discouragingly slow. God gives us his Holy Spirit to be with us and help us change. children live in and Look at
the passage to give you a
He gives us a church family so that we can encourage one another to keep going, better understanding of how
particularly when we don’t see change happening. to apply the truth.

THE WORLD OUR CHILDREN LIVE IN

Our children are told, ‘Be the change you want to see in the world’, as if the answer
to all their problems is within them. But what if they don’t know what to change or
how to change it? What if they really want to change but keep on making the same
mistakes? What if they need help? Where’s the encouragement to keep going
when change is hard?
Like us, our children wonder if God is really with them. They hear the call to live
out their identity as followers of Jesus but doubt that it is really possible. It is God’s
power, not our own, that enables us to become more and more like Jesus. It is
together, not individually, that we live the Christian life.

LOOK AT THE PASSAGE

This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the

Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show
him how much he must suffer for my name.
ACTS 9:15

New identity
Saul was an outrageous choice. Jesus didn’t pick the good guy; he picked a
terrorist. Saul had a very clear idea of who he was, and it absolutely wasn’t being a
Jesus-follower. But God had other plans. He chose Saul to be not only a Christian
but an apostle to the Gentiles. Saul’s new identity as a child of God wasn’t
something he came up with for himself. It was the ultimate unexpected gift.

3 Who Am I? · Lesson 6
 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews
living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.
ACTS 9:22

New direction
Saul’s identity change was baffling to those who knew him. The chapter begins
with him threatening Christians with death. 20 verses later he’s preaching that
Jesus is the Son of God. His new identity led to a complete transformation in his
thoughts, motivations and behaviour. He became God’s instrument (v15) and
Ananias’s brother (v17). Instead of persecuting disciples, he joined the family of
believers (v28). All his passion, determination and ability was for Jesus instead
of against him. When our hearts are won by Jesus, our lives will head in a new
direction; change is inevitable.

Brother Saul, the Lord - Jesus… has sent me so that

you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
ACTS 9:17
I will ask the Father and he will give you another
advocate to help you and be with you forever.
JOHN 14:16

Constant help
Saul’s character and behaviour didn’t change by his own effort alone; he was
transformed from within, by the Holy Spirit, and encouraged by his new family
of faith. We share this experience. We have the gift of the Spirit changing us. Our
brothers and sisters in Christ are one of the key tools the Spirit uses. We can live out
our identity as Christians, even when it’s hard, because we know we are never alone.

WIN MY HEART This truth is for

your heart too.

What is your story? How has God worked to change you? When you’ve felt like giving up
or despaired at your lack of spiritual progress, who did God put in your life to help you?
The Spirit often uses gloriously ordinary, yet extraordinary, ways of working: a
friend, your home group, a moment, a song, a flower, a verse, your church. Growth
is often hard to see in ourselves. Just like it takes a trip to Granny’s for the kids to
hear, ‘Haven’t you grown!’, sometimes we need others to tell us about the Spirit’s
transforming work in our lives. Why not ring someone who has known you for a while
and ask them how they’ve seen God at work in you?
• In what ways is the Holy Spirit changing you to become more like Jesus? Maybe
you’re more aware of a particular sin or you can see progress in your thought life.
• Think of one way God has used other Christians to help you grow as a
follower of Jesus.

5 MINUTES TO FOCUS ON YOUR GROUP

What do the children in your
Think about your own story. How can you share some ways that God has helped group need?
and changed your heart and life? It’s good for your children to see that a ‘grown up’
Pray for them:
they know can also have doubts and struggles and need help to live as a Christian. · to grasp the truth
· to live it out
Think about how God is at work in them. Can you encourage them with ways that · to rely on
you have seen God help and change them in the time you’ve known them? the Spirit

4 Who Am I? · Lesson 6
 ALL TOGETHER TIME

Flexible resource: This has been written as an all-age slot to introduce the whole church family
to what the children are learning today, but it could be adapted for the children’s classes.

PROPS HELPERS NEEDED

a long roll of wallpaper to be a path (practice kicking/pushing it so it Some children and adults to act as
unrolls a long way, e.g. down an aisle), PowerPoint of John 14:16-17 (ICB), people on the path, including one
PowerPoint images of the story from Acts, 2 hearts with a flame drawn on. to be Saul and one to be Ananias.

What to Say What to Do

Being a Christian is like being on a path. Put your wallpaper roll down on the
Imagine this wallpaper roll is that path, the Christian life. Walking along ground and push it out to unroll it.
this path is us living our lives for Jesus from today to glory with him
forever.
Step by step. Day by day.
Jesus helped get us onto this path. We didn’t get here on our own. Have a child volunteer come
forward. Lift them onto the path.
We go where Jesus leads. Every day, we’re making decisions to follow him.
Step by step. Day by day. The child takes a few steps forwards.
But we are not alone on this path.

Jesus gave his closest friends this amazing promise:

‘I will ask the Father and he will give you another Helper. He will give Read from the Bible.
you this Helper to be with you forever. The Helper is the Spirit of truth.’ Slide of John 14:16-17.
This is a promise for everyone who follows Jesus. God will give us a
Helper - the Spirit.

The day the Spirit came to the disciples, he came with the noise of Give the child a heart with a flame
wind and flames on their heads. From that day, every Christian is given drawn on.
the same Spirit.
Everyone repeats the words and
So firstly; we are not alone. actions:
The Spirit is with us. We are not alone.
Point up and then down.
The Spirit came to help Jesus’ friends and to change them to be more
and more like him. Stand next to the child on the
The Spirit is ‘God with us.’ path and hold their hand.
Everyone repeats the words and
actions:

continued

5 Who Am I? · Lesson 6
 What to Say What to Do

Firstly; we are not alone. Point up and then down.

And secondly; we expect Jesus to change us. Point to your heart.

That’s not all. God has put other people with us on the path to help us, Get 1 or 2 more children to join the
love us and teach us. child on the path.

What do you think these people are going to do on this path?

Just stay still in a big squash? No!
They are going to head in the right direction. Point down the wallpaper path.
The further they go along the path, the more God changes them to be
more like Jesus.
As we keep going together, we expect to see each other change.

It’s great having other people on the path. Encourage the group to walk along
When he falls over, she picks him up. the wallpaper path.
And when she’s fed up, someone makes her a lasagne. Point at them as you talk.
When he doesn’t know what to do, one of them shares a Bible verse. Mime looking into the distance
They pray together. along the path
When he’s having a meltdown because it all feels too hard, and there’s Point back the way they came.
too far to go, she points out how far they’ve come.

God is working in and through his people. Everyone repeats the words and
1) We are not alone actions:
2) We expect Jesus to change us Point up and then down.
3) We keep going together Point to your heart.
Point at the people either side of you.
Send the children back to their seats.

If you’re trusting Jesus, you’re on the same path and you have the
same help.
Jesus promised that everyone who trusts him will be given the Spirit
to be their helper.
And this room is packed full of wonderful stories of the Spirit at work
in the hearts and lives of his people - we have help. And the Spirit is at
work in us together. Everyone repeats the words and
Final time… actions:
1) We are not alone Point up and then down.
2) We expect Jesus to change us Point to your heart.
3) We keep going together Point at the people either side of you.

continued

6 Who Am I? · Lesson 6
 What to Say What to Do

Today, with each other, in your families or with your friends, take the
time to share your story of how God has worked to change you.
Take the time to tell someone else, ‘Look how far you’ve come!’

This is another example of who we are.

This is not just what we believe, what we do or what we talk about.
This is not what we are trying to do. This is who we are. This is who
God says we are.
We are changing. We are not alone.
Let’s enjoy that journey together.
Because we are never alone - we’ve got God’s Spirit working in God’s
people together.

Our children are in week 6 of a series called, ‘Who am I?’

They will be learning about how God gives us his Spirit to change us to
be more like Jesus. The Take Home Sheet will help you see what’s been
taught and help you to talk about it at home.

Pray.

Sing. Song suggestions:

• Create in me a clean, clean
heart - Rend Collective.
• We are the church - Awesome
cutlery.

7 Who Am I? · Lesson 6
 Get Teaching Brain Heart &
Going Time Break Hands

UNDER 7’s LESSON PLAN NOTES

Flexible resource: look at
both lesson plans, pick
what works for your group.
GET GOING

Change Direction Use this activity to introduce

today’s theme.

You’ll need a large enough space for the children to travel from one side of the You will need: 2 signs
room to the other and change direction. Place the signs on opposite walls. - ‘Jesus’ way’ and ‘My
Call out the direction you want the children to travel e.g. ‘My way’. When you shout way’, Blu Tack/tape.
a different destination they need to change direction. Develop the game by asking
the children to walk, crawl, hop, skip, slide on their belly, run etc.

Link: Today we’re thinking about how Christians change when they live
Jesus’ way not their own way. God helps us to keep going in the right direction.

TEACHING TIME

Place the strips of paper on the floor. Write ‘My way’ on one of the strips with an Use a suitable
Bible translation -
arrow pointing along its length. Write ‘Jesus’ way’ on the other strip with an arrow we use the International
pointing in the opposite direction. Children’s Bible
(found online at
www.biblegateway.com).
Old Path
You will need: a roll of
Explain that people who don’t follow Jesus are living their own way, not Jesus’ way. brown paper, cut into 2
Saul, the man in today’s story, was living his way. strips and a marker pen.

Ask a child to act as Saul - have them stand on the ‘My Way’ path. Read Acts 9:1-2. For pictures of this
As you read, ask ‘Saul’ and some children to act out: story look at www.
freebibleimages.com.
• Saul finding Christians (standing on the ‘Jesus’ way’ strip), arresting them and Or search YouTube for
taking them away to Jerusalem. ‘Saddleback Kids Paul
• Saul telling them to stop being a Christian or he would hurt them. Acts’ for a video.
Talking pairs: What did Saul do that showed he was living his way? What sort of
things do people do to show they’re living their way?

New Path
Read Acts 9:3-6, 15, 28. As you read, ask ‘Saul’ to act out:
• Hearing Jesus speak to him (v3-6).
• Being put on a new path to live ‘Jesus’ way’ (v15).
• Telling people about Jesus and starting new churches (v28).

continued

8 Who Am I? · Lesson 6
Explain that when a person becomes a Christian, Jesus puts them on a new path -
they move from living their way to his way. Jesus gives them his Spirit to help them
become more like him. Normally, we can’t see or hear the Spirit, but he changes the
way we think, feel and make decisions, usually slowly over time. For Saul, the Spirit
changed his thinking and decisions very quickly!

Optional: You could play a quick game where the children walk in the ‘My way’
direction. When you give them a cut out of a flame, they change direction and
walk ‘Jesus’ way’.

Talking pairs: How did the Spirit change Saul? What did he do differently? What
things do people do when the Spirit is changing them to live Jesus’ way?

Never Alone
Often, Jesus helps his people by giving them other Christians.
Read Acts 9:17. As you read, ask ‘Saul’ and some children to act out:
• Ananias and Saul praying and talking about Jesus on the ‘Jesus’ way’ path.
• Helping Saul to keep going when people tried to kill him for speaking about
Jesus.

Talking pairs: Who are the Christians who help you to live for Jesus? What do they
do to help you?
Finish by explaining that everyone, even us, starts out like Saul, living our own way.
Get the children to stand on the ‘My way’ path. When we started to follow Jesus, he
put us on a new path. Get the children to move to the ‘Jesus’ way’ path.
Jesus gives us his Spirit to change us and to help us live his way, together. Get the
children to cheer each other on/link arms and walk along the ‘Jesus’ way’ path.
God promises to help us as we follow him. He will never leave us on our own.

BRAIN BREAK

Which Way? A chance to rest the

children’s minds before Heart
and Hands. Get moving and
Put the sweets in a big pile on one side of the room, children stand on the opposite have fun with this game.
side. They must collect as many sweets as they can in a minute (or any time you
choose). They can only collect one sweet at a time. You will need: a big bag
of sweets.
Before they start, explain that there are 2 ways to play the game - ‘my way’ or
‘Jesus’ way’. Talk about how they’d play it ‘my way’ e.g. they’d only collect sweets for
themselves. Then talk about how they’d play it ‘Jesus’ way’ e.g. they’d work together
to collect sweets and then share them as a group.
Agree on which way you will all play the game. Set a timer. Go!

Link: We can trust God to help us change and to become more like Jesus.
We’re not on our own as Christians, we have the Spirit and each other to help
us live Jesus’ way.

9 Who Am I? · Lesson 6
 HEART & HANDS

Craft time - Make a cuff bracelet Make a craft and have a chat.
Give the children time to
reflect on today’s big truth, so
Prepare in advance: cut out the rectangles from the craft sheet. Cut the toilet it can impact their hearts.
paper tubes open (diagram - cut 1) and then cut them in half (diagram - cut 2) to
make 2 cuffs that can be worn on the wrist. You will need: printouts
of the craft sheet page
Give each child a ‘We are not alone’ rectangle and a toilet paper cuff. They decorate (1 per 6 children), glue,
the rectangle and then glue it to the cuff. Make the Truth that changes me personal scissors, crayons/
to the children. Encourage them to wear their cuff bracelet to remind them that coloured pens, stickers
they are never alone when they have the Holy Spirit. God also gives us other and toilet paper tubes (1
Christians to help us to keep living Jesus’ way. Help them to write the names of a per 2 children).
few people who help them on their cuff.

Think time
Big Question: Who is always with you to help you to become more like Jesus? The
Holy Spirit.
A follow up question: Which people help you to keep following Jesus?

Prayer
Say together: Dear God, thank you for giving us the Holy Spirit to be with us forever.
Thank you for giving us one another to help us keep trusting you. Amen.

10 Who Am I? · Lesson 6
 Get Teaching Brain Heart &
Going Time Break Hands

OVER 8’s LESSON PLAN NOTES

Flexible resource: look at
both lesson plans, pick
what works for your group.
GET GOING

I Have A Helper Use this activity to introduce

today’s theme.

Pair up the children. One is blindfolded and the other is the guide. The blindfolded You will need:
child must draw a simple object e.g. a house. The guide helps them by giving blindfolds, sheets of
instructions and repositioning the pencil. paper and pencils.
Options for a different challenge - make paper aeroplanes or do a short obstacle
course.

Link: It made a big difference to have a helper as you did the challenge. You
were not on your own. As Christians, we have help and we’re not alone. We
have the Holy Spirit and his people to help us.

TEACHING TIME

We Have Help Use a suitable

Bible translation -
we use the International
Explain that before Jesus was taken to the cross, he gave his worried disciples this Children’s Bible
promise… (found online at
www.biblegateway.com).
Read John 14:16: ‘I will ask the Father and he will give you another Helper. He will give
you this Helper to be with you forever. The Helper is the Spirit of truth.’ You will need: John
14:16 written or printed
Let the children underline, circle or write answers on/around the verse as you ask out on a large sheet of
these questions: paper, 2 long strips of
paper as paths - write
• What repeated word stands out?
‘My way’ on one and
• Who is the helper?
‘Jesus’ way’ on the other,
• What does the helper do?
Bibles and pens.
This promise is for everyone who follows Jesus.

Help to Change Direction

Every person who starts to follow Jesus is changed by him. Christians keep on
changing because they have the Holy Spirit who helps them.
Use the paper paths as you read the verses and answer the questions:
• Acts 9:1-2: How did Saul live? (Write answers on ‘My way’ path.)
• Acts 9:3-6: Who speaks to Saul? What happens? How does his life change?
(Write answers on ‘Jesus’ way’ path.)

Saul (also known as Paul - Acts 13:9) couldn’t change direction on his own. He needed
to meet Jesus and have his eyes opened. Jesus put him on a new path.

11 Who Am I? · Lesson 6
Help That Never Leaves
God helped Saul a lot as he started following Jesus. Read Acts 9:10-19 and write the
different kinds of help on the ‘Jesus’ way’ path.
• v11 - A home for him to stay in.
• v17 - A friend to pray for him.
• v17 - The Holy Spirit.
• v19 - Food to eat.

We all need help to keep following Jesus. God helps us in many different ways.
Often the way God helps is by giving us other Christians to show us how to live for
Jesus.

Share Your Story

It’s hard to understand how the Spirit changes us. Root this session in real life by
sharing an age appropriate story of a time you experienced the Spirit’s work. Help
the children to recognise that the Spirit’s work continues today in tangible ways.
Can you encourage the children with changes you’ve seen in them? Can they
encourage one another with stories of God at work in their lives?
God promises to be with us, by his Spirit, to help us as we follow him together. He
will never leave us on our own.

BRAIN BREAK

Gradual Change A chance to rest the

children’s minds before Heart
and Hands. Get moving and
Ask the children to line up. Ask the first child in the line to adopt a position and have fun with this game.
freeze. Ask the last child in line to adopt a totally different position and freeze. The
children in between have to freeze in positions that show the gradual change from
one end to the other. Take a photo to capture the moment. If you have time, swap
the children at the ends and play again.
Link: There was a big difference between the first and last positions. It took lots of
small changes to get from one to the other. That’s how the Spirit changes us - small
but real changes day by day. The difference between when we start trusting Jesus
and when we meet him in heaven will be massive!

HEART & HANDS

Did you spot it?

• What did Jesus promise us?
• What changed in Saul’s life after meeting Jesus?
• How is God helping us? (E.g. his Spirit, his people.)

continued

12 Who Am I? · Lesson 6
Work it out
• How would you explain how the Spirit helps us to a friend who doesn’t know
Jesus?
A chance to reflect and chat
• If you’re a Christian, what’s an example in your life of how the Spirit is helping about how the truth, through
you to be more like Jesus? Did you ask him to help you with this? the Spirit’s work, changes
our thoughts (head), feelings
(heart) and actions (hands).
Live it out
Use the Chat Time sheet
Look at case study picture A: Imagine this is a boy in your class at school. He feels – you could enlarge it and
work on it together. Hand out
like a failure because he keeps getting it wrong and messing up. sticky notes so children can
still respond personally.
• Describe his feelings - what does his body feel like (tummy, shoulders, hands,
chest)?
• Do you think he believes he can change? How could you encourage him?
• Jesus didn’t give us the Spirit to make us better at maths, art, football or
gaming. The Spirit helps to make us more like Jesus. What might that look like
in this situation?
• What could he tell himself in this moment when he feels like he can’t carry
on?

Or look at case study picture B: Imagine this is a girl you know. She feels like a hero
because she’s a winner.
• How do you think she is feeling? How would you be feeling? (Don’t stop at
‘happy’! Some feelings are very godly, and some are very selfish; can you help
the children to think about those?)
• Do you think she feels like she’s going in the right direction today? Why?
• What might she need the Spirit’s help with? What could the Spirit help her to
remember?

Extra Stretch
These questions are designed
• What do you know about how the Spirit helps Christians? Have you seen
to stretch the resource up to
that in your life and/or other people’s? Are you convinced that he is helping teenage years. Depending
Christians today? on the level of discussion in
your group, you may want to
• What would you say to a Christian who is struggling to keep going and thinks consider using them.
they might as well give up?
• Do you think Saul struggled with guilt and shame about his past? Look at 1
Timothy 1:15-16 to see what he says about himself. How did he have the guts
to be so different to how he was before? What can we say when we don’t see
change happening in ways we would like?

Prayer
Ask these questions to prompt personal responses:
• How has God helped you recently? What changes do you see that you can
thank God for?
• What help do you need? What do you want to ask God to help you with?

Consider starting a group prayer diary so you can reflect on how God helps, makes
changes in individuals and answers prayers.

13 Who Am I? · Lesson 6
 A
B

Case Study Pictures Who Am I? · Lesson 6

Craft Sheet
Jesus’ Jesus’
way way

Acts 9:1-28, John 14:16-17 Acts 9:1-28, John 14:16-17

Jesus’ Jesus’
way way

Who Am I? · Lesson 6
Acts 9:1-28, John 14:16-17 Acts 9:1-28, John 14:16-17

Jesus’ Jesus’
way way

Acts 9:1-28, John 14:16-17 Acts 9:1-28, John 14:16-17

 HEART & HANDS CHAT TIME

WHO AM I? Look at these verses together and find the answers

We are not alone
ACTS 9:1-2 8 , JO H N 1 4 : 1 6- 1 7

DID YOU SPOT IT? ‘I will ask the Father, and he will give
you another . He will give you
this to be with you forever.’
What did Jesus promise us?
JOHN 14:16

What changed in
Saul’s life after How is God helping us?
My way
meeting Jesus?

Jesus’ way
His Spirit His People

WORK IT OUT
Give everyone a chance to answer...

How would you explain the Spirit’s help

to a friend who doesn’t know Jesus? If you’re a Christian, what’s an example
in your life of how the Spirit is helping
you to be more like Jesus?

Holy Spirit Me Jesus

Did you ask him to

help you with this?

Chat Time Sheet 1 / 2 Who Am I? · Lesson 6

 HEART & HANDS CHAT TIME

LIVE IT OUT Give everyone a chance to speak...

Describe how this boy feels...

How does this feel in his body?

Do you think
he believes he
shoulders chest can change?

tummy hands

How could you

J
The Spirit helps to make encourage him?
us more like Jesus. What
might that look like in
the boy’s situation?

What could he tell himself in

this moment when he feels
like he can’t carry on?

How do you
think this girl
is feeling?
How would you be feeling?

Do you think she feels like she’s

going in the right direction today?

Why?

What might she need the

Spirit’s help with?
Remember!
J What could the
Spirit help her to
remember?

Chat Time Sheet 2 / 2 Who Am I? · Lesson 6

 I am made I am made to I am I am given I am loved We are We will be
by God love others hurting a body and forgiven not alone like Jesus

Visual Summary Picture Who Am I? · Lesson 6

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