Ascension and Pentecost

OBJECTIVE

In this lesson, students are learning about The Ascension and Pentecost. Students will be taken through the main events that lead up to the Ascension and Pentecost. In this lesson, we will go over the Ascension of Christ and teach the children the importance of both the Ascension and Pentecost and why Jesus Christ had to ascend up to heaven.

INTRODUCTION & HOOK - 5 Minutes

  • Have you ever seen a space shuttle or a rocket launching up into the sky, with astronauts going on a mission? Amazing (listen to responses)
  • Did you keep gazing at it until it disappeared? Yes and our eyes are all focused on them.
  • You know where they went even though you don't see it? Yes, mission or going to a space station in outer space
  • How about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, remember the day He went up to heaven while the disciples and apostles watched? Jesus didn't have any machinery or technology to go up to heaven, so how He did it, and why?
  • This is what we will learn today

Review the events of Christ's Crucifixion and Resurrection.

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 5 Minutes

Acts 1:1-14, Acts 2:1-4; John 14:1-3

Memory Verse:

"You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come." Acts 1:8

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 20 Minutes

  • The Ascension of our Lord happened 40 days after His Resurrection. During these 40 days He spent with His disciples, and then He told them He would need to leave in order to send them the Helper (the Holy Spirit). He also told them He will come again at the end of times. He spent these 40 days teaching His disciples many things and told them to tell His story to the people of Jerusalem and to people all over the earth. He made a promise to them that He will send them the Holy Spirit so they receive the power of God while preaching His word. He asked them not to leave Jerusalem until they receive the Holy Spirit. Jesus blessed His disciples as He ascended into the heavens.
  • The disciples saw a very bright light as He was being taken up, then He disappeared and they could not see Him anymore. Jesus did not need any special equipment to lift Him up to heaven, because He has a glorified body with heavenly features and this happened after His Resurrection. You know He was able to enter and leave rooms as He wished without knocking on doors or going through windows. He went to heaven to prepare a place for us (all who believe in Him). You know there are 3 heavens. The first heaven is the sky or the envelope around earth, the second heaven is the outer atmosphere and the third heaven is the heaven beyond the outer atmosphere.
  • Jesus became the first fruit of the Resurrected and we will all follow Him after we die. We no longer fear death as we will be in heaven through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. As St. John Chrysostom wrote "O death where is your sting? O hell where is your victory? Christ is risen and you are overthrown".
  • The disciples stayed together in Jerusalem in the Upper Room that belongs to St. Mark after Christ's Ascension. They were all praying together until they received the Holy Spirit. Ten days after the ascension, they felt a very strong wind that entered the Upper Room and tongues of fire came upon them. Every disciple had a tongue of fire settling on top of him without hurting them. This was the Holy Spirit. After this happened, they were all able to speak different languages. This made everyone that gathered in Jerusalem on this day understand what the disciples were saying.
  • The disciples began to preach to everyone that was there and many people believed in Christ and became a Christian on that day. This happened so the disciples could help everyone learn about Christ, our Lord needs to reach every person in the world and this was the way He made that happen.
  • When St. Peter received the Holy Spirit, he talked about Jesus Christ and immediately 3,000 people became Christians. We receive the Holy Spirit when we are baptized and get anointed with the Holy Myron oil. The Holy Spirit works like a guardian angel, it reminds when we might make a mistake, and what the right thing to do is. It is like a friend watching over us and protecting us from any danger. The Lord sent the Holy Spirit to teach, remind, and guide us in our daily life.

DISCUSSION (Challenge) - 5 Minutes

  • Why did Jesus ascend into heaven and not stay with us on Earth? Jesus came for a specific mission; to complete our salvation so He can bring us back with Him to heaven. He successfully completed His mission and therefore no need for Him to stay on Earth. But sent us the Holy Spirit to guide us through our lives until we meet with Him again.
  • Ask the children review questions about the lesson. For example: After how many days do we celebrate the Ascension? After how many days do we celebrate Pentecost? What promise did Jesus make to the disciples before He Ascended into heaven? In what shape did the Holy Spirit come to the disciples?
  • How do each one of us receive the Holy Spirit? Through the Holy Myron sacrament (right after being baptized)
  • How do you know you have the Holy Spirit and it is working inside you? The Holy Spirit is this little voice inside each one of us reminding us to keep away from the bad things and helping us to wake in the morning to pray or go to church and help us to stand up in prayers and do all the other spiritual things.

LIFE APPLICATION (Action) - 5 Minutes

We need to be always joyful and happy for our Lord's resurrection and ascension. Give thanks to Him daily in our prayers for saving us, sending us the Holy Spirit to help and guide us and giving us the chance to be with Him in heaven.

ACTIVITY - 5 Minutes

  • Chant along with the Coptunes+ video below
  • Craft: Have the students create a tongue of fire "hat."
    • Materials: Construction paper, glue, stapler
    • Instructions: Pre-cut flames using various colors and sizes. Cut strips out of paper to use as bands around the students' heads. Have them assemble the flames onto the strip and write the memory verse on the strip.

COPTUNES+ VIDEO LINK

PARENTS CORNER/HOMEWORK

Teach and explain to your children what happens at baptisms so they are able to visualize and understand receiving the Holy Myron better. When we celebrate these feasts explain to them the story on the way to the service so they understand what the church is celebrating on that day.