Opening Activity

• Ask the child to tell you about a time when they went on a journey far away. Where did you go? How long did it take you? Who did you see there?
• Explain to the child that today’s story is about Paul and his friends going on a journey.

Bible Story

• Paul and his two friends Silas and Timothy travelled for many miles, going from country to country. The Holy Spirit showed them exactly where God wanted them to go. No matter where they went, there were lots of people who needed to hear about the Lord Jesus. (Acts 16: 6-8)
• Eventually they arrived at a seaside town. That night, Paul had a special kind of dream in which a man from Macedonia pleaded with Paul to come over and help the people there. Paul knew that God was showing them clearly where they should go next. (Acts 16: 9-10) Explain that God wanted the people there to hear about Jesus so He sent Paul and his friends there. It doesn’t matter to God where we live. He wants everyone to hear about Him.
• Quickly they found a ship going there. Soon they arrived in a large city called Philippi. On the Sabbath day, Paul and his friends went outside the city to the river bank. There they found some ladies who had come to pray. (Acts 16: 11-13) The ladies at the river were praying to God. Where can we talk to God? (Explain to the child that we can talk to God anywhere)
• One of the ladies was called Lydia. She sold purple cloth. She had believed in God for a long time but she had never heard about God’s Son, the Lord Jesus. Lydia listened carefully to all that Paul said. She knew in her heart that what she heard was true and she became a believer in the Lord Jesus. She was so glad that Paul had come to her city. (Acts 16: 14-15) Lydia’s family became Christians too. They were all baptised and Lydia invited Paul and his friends to stay at her house.
• Talk about the change which believing in Jesus brought to Lydia and her family. Explain that when a person becomes a believer in Jesus, it will make a difference.