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Aim: To explain to the children the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Core Competency: Trinity

Objectives: The children will

• Understand that the Holy Spirit is a living Being and part of the Trinity
• Learn the ministries of the Holy Spirit
• Recognize their need for, and commit to, living a Spirit-filled life

Key Verse: [The Father] will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of Truth. ( John 14:16 )

Story: "Paul's Miraculous Metamorphasis " ( Acts 9:10-22 )

Materials Required:

• Flashlight
• Prism
• Laser pen
• Bottle, 2-liter
• Pan
• Shaggy flashlight (optional)

Eye on Science:

The Holy Spirit has at least 5 ministries.

Teaching Turn on flashlight and explain that although the light looks white, it's really not. Shine the light through the prism to show the rainbow. The white light represents the mix of people on earth, trying to be good (with varying success!). Turn on laser pen and explain that it is exactly one color; shine it through the prism to prove it.

The laser light represents the Spirit-filled Christian, and shows the results of the Holy Spirit’s teaching ministry. 1 Corinthians 2:13-15 tells us that the Holy Spirit teaches us spiritual truths, so that we can know God’s will for us.

Life-Giving Discuss how lasers are used in delicate surgery because of their precision. This represents the life-giving ministry of the Holy Spirit. John 6:63 tells us that the Holy Spirit conveys God’s truth to us, which brings us spiritual life.

Empowering Shine flashlight on back wall; it should be very dim, because the light spreads out into a very large circle. Laser light is "coherent", and can make a small bright spot even hundreds of meters away. This coherency represents the empowering ministry of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:8 tells us that the Spirit gives us power to share this truth both near and far away, "even to the end of the earth". This shared truth of God’s plan of salvation also gives the church itself coherency, which enables us to "go farther" in fulfilling the Great Commission of Acts 1:8 .

Proving Arthur L. Schawlow and Charles H. Townes first proposed the laser in 1958, but it was Theodore H. Maiman who proved their theory by building a laser in 1960. This represents the proving ministry of the Holy Spirit. The presence of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life proves his or her salvation. Romans 8:16 tells us, "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children." (See the example in Acts 15:8 ) This is similar to the ministry demonstrated in John 1:33 , where the Holy Spirit proved to John the Baptist that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

GuidingTurn the 2-liter bottle upright so that a stream of water flows into the pan. Quickly shine the laser through the back of the bottle, such that the laser light exits the bottle through the same hole as the water. The laser light will follow the curve of water down into pan, causing an impressive sparkling in the stream (turn off lights for better effect). This represents the guiding ministry of the Holy Spirit. John 16:13 tells us that the Holy Spirit guides our lives by speaking God’s message to us.

These ministries of the Holy Spirit – teaching us truth, giving life to us, empowering us as witnesses, proving our salvation, and guiding our daily life – are critical to successfully living the Christian life. Romans 8:5-6 promises the Spirit-led Christian both life and peace. Is your life filled with the Holy Spirit?

Used: KIDZ 07/99