OT 38 Crossing the Jordan River

Reference: Joshua 3-4


Big Idea: Remember that God has saved you.


Verse: 1 Corinthians 11:27 - For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.


Motions for the big idea:Remember - tap your templeGod - point upSaved - make the baseball “safe” signYou - point to another person

Motions for the verse:
You - point to another person
Eat this bread - pretend to eat bread
Drink the cup - pretend to drink a cup
Proclaim - cup your hands around your mouth
Death - cross your forearms over your chest
Comes - do a “come here” gesture with your hands

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week

1. Where did the Israelites camp? (By the Jordan River.)
2. What special thing were the priests carrying? (The ark of the covenant.)
3. What did God tell the priests to do? (Go and stand in the river.)
4. What happened when the priests stood in the river? (The water stopped flowing.)
5. What was the ground like when the people walked over? (It was dry.)
6. What was it supposed to mean to the Israelites when the water stopped? (God would be with them in the promised land.)
7. What did God want the people to get from the river? (Twelve stones from right where the priests stood with the ark.)
8. What did Joshua do with the twelve stones? (Piled them up.)
9. What were the twelve stones supposed to remind the Israelites of? (How God stopped the Jordan river.)
10. What did God do to save us from sin? (Sent Jesus to die and pay our punishment.)
11. When we celebrate the Lord's supper, what does the bread remind us of? (Jesus' body, hurt for us.)
12. What does the cup of wine remind us of? (Jesus blood, bled for us.)
13. What is today's big idea? (Remember that God has saved you.)
14. What is today's Bible verse? (1 Corinthians 11:27 - For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.)

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OT 37 Rahab and the Spies

Reference: Joshua 2


Big Idea: Trust God to save you, not yourself.


Verse: Ephesians 2:8 - For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God... (ESV)


Motions for the Big Idea:Trust - make the letter “T” with your handsGod - point upSave - make the baseball “safe!” signNot - wag your finger “No!”Yourself - point to yourself with your thumb


Motions for the Verse:
For - hold up four fingers
Grace - place one hand on your heart and reach out to help with the other
You - point to someone else
Saved - make the baseball “safe” sign
Faith - Hold your left fist in front of you; touch your forehead with your right index finger; then rest your right fist on top of your left fist (this is the ASL Sign for “Faith”; watch a video here)
This is not - wag your index finger “no”
Gift - pretend to hold a present and give it to someone else
God - point up

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week

1. Who did Joshua send out at the beginning of the story? // Two spies
2. What city did they go to? // Jericho
3. Who’s house did they stay at in Jericho? // Rahab
4. Who sent a letter to Rahab, asking her where the spies were? // The king of Jericho
5. What did Rahab do with the spies when the king’s men came to find them? // She hid them.
6. Where did the spies hide? // On Rahab’s roof, under a pile of flax
7. What did Rahab ask the spies to do? // Save her and her family when the Israelites attacked
8. What did the spies tell Rahab to do to be saved when the Israelites attacked? // Tie a red rope in her window
9. How did the spies escape the city of Jericho? // Rahab lowered them on a rope out of her window.
10. What did God do to save us from sin? // Sent his Son, Jesus, to die in our place.
11. What is today’s big idea? // Trust God to save you, not yourself.
12. What is today’s Bible verse? // Ephesians 2:8 - For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God... (ESV)

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NT 47 Paul and Silas in Prison

Reference: Acts 16:16-40


Big Idea: Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.


Verse: Acts 16:31 - And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (ESV)

Motions For the Big Idea:Believe - fold your hands togetherLord Jesus - make a cross with your forearmsYou - point to another personSaved - make the baseball “safe!” sign

Motion For the Verse:
Believe - fold your hands together
Lord Jesus - make a cross with your forearms
You - point to another person
Saved - make the baseball “safe!” sign
Household - make a “roof” over your head using your arms


Questions to Ask Throughout the Week

1. Who were the two apostles in today's story? // Paul and Silas
2. What problem did the female slave have? // An evil spirit who told her the future, she was a slave
3. What happened when Paul talked to the evil spirit? // It left the girl
4. When the slave girl's owners became angry, what happened to Paul and Silas? // They were whipped, sent to prison
5. What were Paul and Silas doing in prison? // Singing to God, praying
6. What caused the prison doors to open and the chains to fall off? // An earthquake
7. Why was the jailer afraid? // If the prisoners escaped, he'd be in trouble
8. What did Paul and Silas say the jailer had to do to be saved? // Believe in Jesus
9. What did the jailer and his family do after they believed? // They were baptized
10. What is today's big idea? // Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved
11. What is today's Bible verse? // Acts 16:31 - And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (ESV)

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NT 46 Saul and Barnabas’ Missionary Journey

Reference: Acts 13-14


Big Idea: Go tell everybody that Jesus saves!


Verse: Matthew 28:18-19 - “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations...” (ESV)


Motions for the Big Idea:Go - point away from yourselfTell - cup your hands around your mouthEverybody - gesture widely with your armsJesus - make a cross with your forearmsSaves - make the baseball “safe!” sign


Motions for the Verse:
Authority - wag your index finger like you’re in charge
Heaven - point up
Earth - point down
Given - cup your hands and gesture away
Me - point to yourself
Go - point away
Make - pretend to hammer a nail
Disciples - point up with both index fingers and have your hands “walk” away from you*
All - gesture your hands up and to the side.

*This is the ASL motion for “Disciple.” Go here for a video demonstration

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week

1. Name the two important people from today’s story. // Saul (Paul) and Barnabas
2. What did God the Holy Spirit want them to do? // Travel and tell others about Jesus, make new disciples
3. How did Saul and Barnabas get to the island of Cyprus? // They sailed there.
4. What did Saul and Barnabas tell the people about? // How Jesus died and rose again to save us from our sins.
5. What other name did people call Saul? // Paul
6. What happened to the evil magician when Paul spoke to him? // He became blind
7. What happened to the man whose legs didn’t work when Paul spoke to him? // He could walk
8. Some people were angry with Saul and Barnabas. What did they try to do? // Throw stones at them.
9. After people threw rocks and him and dragged him out of the city, what did Paul do? // Got up and went back to the city.
10. What is today’s big idea? // Go tell everybody that Jesus saves.
11. What is today’s Bible verse? // Matthew 28:18-19 - “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations...” (ESV)

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NT 45 Peter Escapes From Prison

Reference: Acts 12:1-19



Big Idea: Pray and believe that God can save.


Verse: James 5:13 - Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. (ESV)


Motions for the Big Idea:Pray - place your palms flat against each otherBelieve - fold your hands togetherGod - point upSave - make the baseball “Safe!” sign


Motions for the Verse:
Anyone - point away from you with both index fingers
Suffering - hold out two fists
Pray - place your hands palms together
Anyone - point away from you with both index fingers
Cheerful - point to your cheeks and smile
Sing praise - place one hand over your heart and the other in the sky and sing these words

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week

1. Who was Herod? // A really mean king
2. What was Herod doing in the beginning of the story? // Arresting Christians and throwing them in prison
3. What was the name of the Christian Herod threw in prison? // Peter
4. What did the people of the church do for Peter? // They prayed to God
5. Who did God send to rescue Peter? // An angel
6. What was Peter doing when the angel came? // Sleeping between two guards
7. What happened to Peter’s chains when the angel came? // They fell off
8. Did the guards try to stop Peter and the angel from escaping? // No
9. After Peter escaped from prison, who did he go to see? // The people of the church
10. Who answered the door when Peter knocked? // Rhoda
11. Did the people of the church believe Rhoda when she said Peter was outside? // No
12. What is today’s big idea? // Pray and believe that God can save.
13. What is today’s Bible verse? // James 5:13 - Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. (ESV)

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NT 44 Saul Meets Jesus

Reference: Acts 9:1-22


Big Idea: God can save even the worst sinners.

Verse: 1 Timothy 1:15b - Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. (ESV)


Motions for the Big Idea:God - point upSave - make the baseball “Safe!” signWorst - two thumbs downSinners - make a mean face and hold up your fists


Motions for the Verse:
Christ Jesus - make a cross with your forearms
World - trace a big circle in the air with your arms
Save - make the baseball “safe” sign
Sinners - two thumbs down
I am - point to yourself
foremost - hold up your index finger, as if saying “I’m #1!”

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week

1. Who was today’s story about? // Saul
2. What was Saul doing? // Capturing Christians and throwing them in prison
3. Who did Saul meet on the road? // Jesus
4. What did Saul see when Jesus appeared to him? // A bright light from heaven
5. What did Jesus say to Saul? // Why are you hurting me and the people who believe in me?
6. What happened to Saul’s eyes after he met Jesus? // He was blind for three days
7. What was the name of the believer God appeared to in a vision in Damascus? // Ananias
8. How did Ananias feel about Saul and why? // He was afraid because Saul was putting Christians in jail
9. What happened to Saul’s eyes after Ananias visited him? // He could see
10. After Saul could see again, what did he do? // Believed in Jesus and was baptized
11. What is today’s big idea? // God can save even the worst sinners.
12. What is today’s Bible verse? // 1 Timothy 1:15b - Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. (ESV)

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NT 43 Philip and the Ethiopian

Reference: Acts 8:26-40

Big Idea: Believe in Jesus and be baptized.

Verse: Ephesians 2:8- For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God...

Motions for the Big Idea:
Believe - fold your hands together as if pleading
Jesus - make a cross with your forearms
Baptized - lean back as far as you can and stand back up

Motions for the Verse:
For - hold up four fingers
Grace - place one hand on your heart and reach out to help with the other
You - point to someone else
Saved - make the baseball “safe” sign
Faith - Hold your left fist in front of you; touch your forehead with your right index finger; then rest your right fist on top of your left fist (this is the ASL Sign for “Faith”; watch a video here)
This is not - wag your index finger “no”
Gift - pretend to hold a present and give it to someone else
God - point up

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week

1. Who told Philip to go down the desert road? // An angel from the Lord
2. Philip saw a man. Where was the man from? // Ethiopia
3. What was the Ethiopian riding in? // A chariot
4. What was he reading? // The book of Isaiah from the Bible
5. Who did the Ethiopian work for? // The queen
6. What did the Holy Spirit tell Philip to do? // Go over to the chariot
7. Did the Ethiopian understand the part of the Bible he was reading? // No
8. Who did Philip tell the Ethiopian about? // Jesus
9. What did the Ethiopian do when we saw water? // Ask to be baptized
10. What does being baptized mean? // Dunked underwater in God’s name
11. What does baptism remind us of? // Jesus cleans away our sins, Jesus died and rose again to save us
12. What happened after Philip baptized the Ethiopian? // The Holy Spirit took him away.
13. What is today’s big idea? // Believe in Jesus and be baptized.
14. What is today’s Bible veres? // Ephesians 2:8- For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God...

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