Read Acts 12 from Your Bible Or Read the Paraphrase Below. King Herod

Read Acts 12 from your Bible or read the paraphrase below.

King Herod did not like the disciples. He attacked some of the people in the church. The Jewish religious leaders were happy about this, so Herod arrested Peter. Herod assigned four groups with four soldiers each to guard Peter. Peter was in prison, but the church prayed and prayed and prayed for him.

One night Peter was sleeping between two of the guards when suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared. The angel woke Peter up and said, “Quick, get up!” The chains fell off of Peter. The angel told Peter to get dressed and put on his sandals. “Follow me,” the angel told Peter. The angel led Peter past the guards. Then they came to the iron gate that led to the city. The gate opened by itself and they went outside to the street. Then the angel left Peter.

Peter knew that God had sent the angel to rescue him from Herod. So Peter went to the house of a lady named Mary. The church had gathered there to pray for Peter. Peter knocked at the door in the gateway of the house. A servant named Rhoda answered the knock. When she heard Peter’s voice, she was so excited that she ran in to tell everyone that Peter was outside.

“You’re crazy,” the people told Rhoda, but she insisted that it was true. Peter continued to knock on the door until they opened the door and saw him. Everyone was shocked. Peter told them about the angel who led him out of the prison. Peter asked the church to tell others about these things, then Peter left and went to a different place. PETER WAS RESCUED GOD HEARS AND ANSWERS OUR PRAYERS.

ANCIENT SANDALS These leather sandals were found near , HEROD’S PALACE IN MASADA ISRAEL. They were made in the 1st century—around the same time period today’s Bible story took place!

King Herod did not like Jesus’ followers. He attacked Christians and arrested them. Herod had PETER THROWN INTO, the PRISON. While Peter was in prison church prayed because they trusted that God answers our prayers.

An angel appeared to Peter and told AND him to PUT GET UP, GET DRESSED, Turn to ACTS 12 to ON HIS SANDALS. , and where discover where the angel led Peter Peter went next!

HEROD WHO’S WHO AGRIPPA I WAS HEROD HEROD THE GREAT’S ANTIPAS GRANDSON AND WAS KING RULED FOR A FEW HEROD DURING YEARS AFTER THE GREAT JESUS’ ANTIPAS. WAS KING EARTHLY OF JUDEA MINISTRY. WHEN JESUS WAS BORN. FRENCH STAINED GLASS MODERN BUST OF AGRIPPA I SHOWING HEROD ANTIPAS’ FEAST

Herod Agrippa I zealously ruled in favor of the Jews. His reign included persecuting believers who followed Jesus PLAQUE OF HEROD THE GREAT FROM 1150 Christ. This is what led to Peter’s imprisonment in Acts 12.

SUM2021_Explorer Guide_older Kids.indd 24 12/14/20 10:54 AM BIBLE PASSAGE: ACTS 12

MEMORY VERSE: PETER WAS RESCUED ROMANS 1:16 GOD HEARS AND ANSWERS OUR PRAYERS. TRUE OR FALSE REVIEW ,

Read each statement from today’s Bible story. Identify if the statement is true or false. If the statement is false cross out the word or words that make the statement false. Tell a friend what the statement should say instead. , SO HEROD THREW A PARTY FOR PETER. T OR F KING HEROD DID NOT LIKE THE DISCIPLES , BUT THE CHURCH PRAYED AND PRAYED AND PRAYED FOR HIM. T OR F PETER WAS IN PRISON T OR F PETER WAS SLEEPING BETWEEN FIVE GUARDS WHEN SUDDENLY AN ANGEL OF THE LORD APPEARED. T OR F THE ANGEL WOKE PETER UP AND LED HIM INTO THE CITY. T OR F PETER WENT TO THE HOUSE OF A LADY NAMED MARTHA. T OR F A SERVANT NAMED RHODA ANSWERED THE KNOCK. , SHE WAS SO EXCITED THAT SHE RAN IN TO TELL EVERYONE WHEN SHE HEARD PETER’S VOICE T OR F THAT PETER WAS OUTSIDE. , BUT SHE INSISTED THAT IT WAS TRUE. ,” THE PEOPLE TOLD RACHEL T OR F “YOU’RE CRAZY T OR F PETER CONTINUED TO KNOCK ON THE DOOR UNTIL THEY OPENED THE DOOR AND SAW HIM. MY PRAYER Look up 1 John 5:14 and read it quietly. God PETER AND PAUL IN PRISON heard and answered the prayers the church prayed for Peter. Make a list of your prayer The Mamertine Prison was built sometime requests, or write a prayer to God in the between the 7th and 4th centuries BC in space provided. God hears our prayers. central Rome. Before it was a prison , it was a cistern. Today, two churches meet there.

Inside is a plaque with names of well- known prisoners along with busts of the apostles Peter and Paul , who were both imprisoned there about 20 years apart from one another.

SUM2021_Explorer Guide_older Kids.indd 25 12/14/20 10:54 AM PETER WAS RESCUED SESSION 11 – August 15 Acts 12

The Book of Acts records the continuation of Jesus’ ministry and the history of the early church. After Jesus’ ascension, the Holy Spirit came and empowered Jesus’ followers to share the gospel of Jesus Christ all over the world. Jesus’ ministry continued through His faithful followers, and many people received Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

TEXT TRUTH: God hears and answers our prayers.

To help us remember the story, we have suggested the following activity: I. Rescue Rings (older children) Materials: white paper plate; red duct tape; hemp or yarn; scissors; marker; hole punch 1 First, cut the center out from your white paper plate. (leaving a circle in the middle) 2 Next, wrap red duct tape at the four corners of your paper plate (rescue ring). 3 Write the text truth around the rescue ring. 4 Next, wrap hemp or yarn around the red duct tape to decorate your Life-saving ring rescue ring. 5 Lastly, using your hole punch, make a hole a the top of the ring and then tie additional hemp or yarn to make the rescue rope. REMEMBER – God hears and answers our prayers.

II. Prayer Notes (younger children) Materials: print out of the Prayer Notes (provided online); markers/pens/pencils

1 First, print the Prayer Notes provided to you online. 2 Fill in prayers to God in each square. 3 Decorate your Prayer Note Sheet. 4 Lastly, display your Prayer Notes to remind you to talk to God.

REMEMBER: God answers our prayers! PRAYER NOTES GOD ANSWERS OUR PRAYERS.

I PRAISE YOU BECAUSE THANK YOU FOR

I AM SORRY THAT I PLEASE HELP