Elementary Level, Block 10—Apostles / Paul
Week 96
Paul and Silas—Singing and Praying While in Prison
Point to Emphasize: We can talk to God and sing, even when things are not going our way.
Reference Reading: Acts 16:19-40
Memory Verse: I will sing to Jehovah while I live… (Psalm 104:33a)
Story Sample
Last week we talked about how Saul learned different things as he was growing up. When Saul was a young man, his name was changed to Paul. He loved to talk to people about how wonderful Jesus was.
One time, he and Silas were in a city talking about Jesus. As they were sharing, some of the crowd got very angry with them. They called the city officials and had Paul and Silas thrown into prison. We can say that things were not going Paul’s way that day. He and Silas were not only in prison but had their feet tightly bound. This was not a nice place to be, was it? NO! None of us would like to imagine people in such an awful place.
But late that night all the prisoners heard something that you would never expect to hear in a prison. Instead of moaning and groaning, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God! All the other prisoners listened as they heard Paul and Silas. This was a sweet sound to their ears.
The end of this story is really wonderful! Because Paul and Silas sang and prayed in that prison, the jailer and his family heard the good news about Jesus and became followers of Jesus! But do you think the story would have ended this way if Paul and Silas were to complain and shout, “This is not fair!” No, complaining and saying it is not fair when things don’t go your way is what almost everyone would expect, so it would not impress or change anyone. But since Paul and Silas opened their mouth to pray and sing hymns, the story turned out so well for the jailer and his family!
It is surprising how many times people complain about the littlest things. Whenever I have to stand in line at the grocery store, I am reminded of how easy it is to complain. It seems that standing in line ruins the day. People always start to complain when they have to stand in line for a bit. I have learned to hum a short hymn or a children’s meeting song when I am stuck in a grocery store line. I often hum it or sing quietly as I wait. I have learned that complaining about it makes me feel mad BUT when I sing or hum a children’s meeting song, I am happy. Waiting in line is not bad then. [Storyteller, share your own example of singing or talking to God out loud.]
We all can be like Paul and Silas to sing to God. When you are waiting for your mom to get finished with her phone call, or when you are waiting until your dad is finished reading, you can sing your favorite children’s meeting song. It is so good to know lots of songs from the children’s meeting. I’m sure that sometime soon, when you are not so happy about how things are going or where you are at, you will remember one of these songs. Instead of frowning and complaining, you can be one who sings to God just like Paul and Silas.