Acts 1-5
"Ye Shall Be Witnesses Unto Me"
Materials: Simple costumes, coins, coloring page, The Death of Ananias by Raphael,
Opening Song: "I Believe In Being Honest" (Children's Songbook, 149)
Opening Prayer:
Scripture: Article of Faith 13 We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.
Attention Activity:
Tell a story from your own life about how you learned the value of honesty and telling the truth. If you cannot think of one, recount the story of the boy who cried wolf or use a story from The Friend found here.
Lesson:
After Jesus was resurrected, he went back to heaven to be with Heavenly Father. The church was then presided over by Peter. He was the new President of the Church much like President Nelson is today and all the members of the church were living in harmony. Read Acts 4: 32 "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common." Explain in that the saints were living the law of consecration which meant that everything you had was shared with the other members of the church.
There was a couple named Ananias and Sapphira who had sold some of their land. Instead of taking the money to the apostles, they lied and kept some of the money for themselves. Peter asked Ananias, "Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost." (Acts 5:3) He knew Ananias had lied to the church, which is like lying to God. When Ananias heard what Peter said, he fell down and died.
Show the following picture:
The Death of Ananias by Raphael
Peter then went and asked Ananias's wife, Sapphira, about the money and she also lied to Peter. Peter told her he knew she was lying and that her husband had died after he lied to him. Sapphira then also fell down to the earth and died and was buried next to her husband. What did Ananias and Sapphira do that was dishonest? What happened to them when they found out that Peter knew they were lying?
Activity: Ananias and Sapphira role play.
Using some coins and simple costumes like bathrobes, pillowcase headdresses, etc. have the children reenact the story of Ananias and Sapphira.
When Ananias and Sapphira lied about their money, they were being dishonest. They were also breaking a commandment by not living the law of consecration like they had been asked. This would be like lying about paying our tithing . Today we aren't living the full law of consecration--we are living the law of tithing. What does it mean to pay our tithing? How can we be honest when we pay our tithing?
It is important to be honest. We might not die as a consequence for lying like Ananias and Sapphira did, but there are always consequences when we lie. What are some consequences when we fail to tell the whole truth? We might not always be caught like in this story, but there is always someone who knows the truth. Peter said, "thou has not lied unto men, but unto God." (Acts 5: 4) When we are dishonest, God always knows the truth. So, it is important that we are always honest, tell the entire truth, and keep the laws of God like the law of tithing.
Activity: Honesty Coloring Page
Closing Song: "I Will Be Valiant" (Children's Songbook, 162)
Closing Prayer:
Refreshment: No Bake Eclair Cake recipe here
