Helping children understand and respond to Jesus’ final words before his ascension.Jesus said, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." John 20:21(NLT)
“And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.”
Mark 16:20 (NLT)
Overview
After Jesus rose from the dead, he made some very powerful statements before ascending into heaven, and those words to his disciples still ring true for all Christians today. They have been summarized into four parts called the FINAL 4. He gave a call for 1) Disciple Making and 2) Obedience Training. He also promised his own never ending 3) Powerful Presence, and the disciples resulting 4) Far Reaching Witness. The FINAL 4 represent the commission the Lord gave his followers to reach the whole world his kingdom Good News. This four lesson unit focuses on each of these parts by helping children understand and respond to Jesus' final words. Each lesson is taken from events in the book of Acts where the early disciples lived out this call in thier own lives, and a parallel is drawn between them and the need for us to the same things in our lives now.
Unit at a Glance
Lesson #1 — “Disciple Making”-
"Jesus wants me to follow him and help others follow him too.". Matt 28:19, Acts 8:1, 13:1-14:1.
Jesus’ final words to his disciples included a call to go and make disciples themselves. Disciple Making was the first of Jesus’ FINAL 4 and it means to reproduce themselves, making more disciples who would then reproduce themselves too. Paul and Barnabas were two early disciples of Jesus who were sent out on a disciple making missionary journey. They were followers of Jesus and they also took serious his call to go and make more disciples.
Lesson #2 — “Obedience training”-
"Jesus wants me to teach others to obey him." - Matt 28:20, Acts 14:1-25.
Jesus’ final words to his disciples included a call to teach others to obey all his commandments. Obedience Training was the second of Jesus’ FINAL 4 and it means to faithfully instruct others in how to obey all the things the Lord commands. While Paul and Barnabas were out on their missionary journey they go from city to city preaching to people and teaching them to obey. Sometimes people accepted their teaching and sometimes they didn’t, but Paul and Barnabas always took serious Jesus’ call to teach people to obey.
Lesson #3 — “Powerful Presence”
"Jesus wants me to know that he is always with me." - Matthew 28:20, Acts 16:1-34.
Jesus’ final words to his disciples included the promise of his presence to always be with them. Powerful Presence was another of Jesus’ FINAL 4 and it means that we can always trust him to never leave us alone, but through his Holy Spirit in us, he is always with us. God led Paul and Silas through a dream to a certain area to teach people about Jesus. Once God even did a miracle to let them out of prison and a whole family got saved.
Lesson #4 — “Far Reaching Witness”
"Jesus wants me to know that I am a constant witness everywhere." - Acts 1:8, Acts 21:1-28:31
Jesus’ final words to his disciples included a statement from him about their witness for him everywhere. Far Reaching Witness was another of Jesus’ FINAL 4 and it means that no matter where we go we are a constant witness for him - even if we go to the end of the world. God led Paul from Jerusalem to many different cities, and even all the way to Rome. Paul was a witness for him all along the way and in Rome too.
This product was added to our catalog on Thursday 15 November, 2007.
