Backyard Bible Clubs: Jerusalem

This week, Paul is finishing his third missionary journey. Instead of returning to Antioch, Paul is headed to Jerusalem. As he is traveling toward Jerusalem, he is stopped by a man named Agabus. He took Paul's belt and tied up his hands and feet with it. Agabus announced, "God, the Holy Spirit, says that Paul will be tied up like this. The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will send Paul to the non-Jews/Gentiles in chains. All of Paul's friends beg him not to go to Jerusalem, but Paul is convinced that God wants him in Jerusalem in spite of the knowledge that he will be captured.

Once Paul reaches Jerusalem, he goes to the church leaders. He shared all that he has done on this three missionary journeys. The church leaders praise God over the gospel being taken to the entire world. Yet they also warn Paul about the lies that some of the Jews have spread about him in Jerusalem. The church leaders suggest that Paul take four men, who have made a special promise to God, and pay for whatever they need to complete their special promise. They are hoping when the Jewish leaders wee Paul obeying the law the God gave Moses, they will realize that what they had heard about Paul was a lie. Paul agrees.

Seven days later, when Paul entered the temple, some Jews from Asia accused him of breaking the law by brining a non-Jew/Gentile into the temple. The angry mob grabs Paul and takes him outside the temple. They began to beat Paul. They were trying to kill him.

Suddenly a Roman captain is there. He has his soldiers arrest Paul. He asks the people what Paul had done. Some people shout one thing. Others say something different. So the Roman captain decided to take Paul to the barracks so that he can investing better this incident. The crowd follows yelling, "Get rid of Him!"

Right before they enter the barracks, Paul asks if he can talk to the angry mob. The Roman captain agrees. As Paul talks to the crowd in Hebrew, they become quiet. Paul tells them about himself. - where he was born, where he grew up, who he studied under, how he had persecuted the people who followed Jesus, etc. Then Paul tells they about what happened to him on the road to Damascus. He told them that Jesus, God the Son, had told him that He was sending Paul to the non-Jews/Gentiles.

The crowd listened until that point. Then they yelled, "Get rid of him! Kill him!" When the Roman captain saw the crowd's anger, he quickly took Paul into the barracks. He commanded his soldiers to flog Paul. When the soldier was ready to flog Paul, Paul asked, "Is it lawful to flog a Roman citizen without being found guilty?" The answer to this question was NO. Quickly the soldier got the Roman captain. When the captain discovered that he had put a Roman citizen in chains he was worried. He had a problem. Why were the Jews trying to kill a Jewish Roman citizen?

So the next morning, he brought Paul to the Jewish leaders. He had to know what the Jews were blaming Paul for doing. Paul declared that he was on trial become he believe the dead will come back to life again. This quickly divided the Jewish leader. Some believed in a resurrection, but others did not. The fussing was quickly getting out of control. So the Roman captain had Paul taken back to the barracks.

That night Jesus came to Paul. He said, "Paul be brave. You have told people in Jerusalem about Me. Now you are going to Rome to tell the people there about Me."

Now the next day, more than 40 Jews made a promise not to eat or drink until Paul is dead. They planned to ambush him while he was brought back to the Jewish leaders for more questioning. Their plot was overheard by Paul's nephew. This nephew told Paul and the Roman captain. Quickly the Roman captain called soldiers to take Paul to Caesarea to Governor Felix.

Through all the time the mob threatened Paul, Paul had peace. Why? Because He trusted that God was in control of the situation. Peace in not depended on what is happening around us. Peace is trusting the God of the universe who made us is in control. Jesus in John 14:27 says, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I don't give to you as the world gives. Don't let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." Do you have true peace? If not, place your trust in the One who controls the universe.

Here are some pictures of Week 5 of BBC:

The kids are signing in for the morning. So many said their Bible verses, that I ran out of 1 Bible Bucks! So I had to ask if anyone had five 1 Bible Bucks they could exchange for a 5 Bible Buck!

I just love that smile!

Because of the Lebanon Area Fair some of my kids attended a different club than they normally do. This tells me they love Backyard Bible Club!

These kids are quickly reviewing their Bible Verses before they have to say them.

We made beaded cross necklaces for the craft. I loved how colorful the table look.

I had so many beads, some of the kids found it difficult to choose which ones to use on their necklaces. My vast quantity of beads were donated from the ladies at Hebron United Methodist Sewing Group. Thank you ladies!