The Bereans Check the Scriptures Preschool Lesson
Preschool lesson (ages 3–6, 20 minutes)
1. Welcome (3 min)
Sit in a circle, greet every child by name and show one thing from the story to touch.
2. The little story (5 min)
Teach the refrain first: “They looked in the Scriptures every day.”
Paul and his friend Silas were traveling from town to town. They told everyone the good news about Jesus. First they came to a big city called Thessalonica.
There was a synagogue in Thessalonica. That was the meeting house where Jewish people read God’s word. Paul went in on the day of rest. He went three weeks in a row. Let’s count the weeks: one, two, three!
Paul opened the Scriptures with them. The Scriptures are God’s words, written down long ago. Paul showed them what God’s word said. The Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead. He said, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” The Christ is the one God had promised to send.
Some people believed. But other people were angry. They gathered a crowd. The whole city was in an uproar – a big, noisy mess! They went to the house of a man named Jason, where Paul stayed. They did not find Paul there. So they took Jason to the rulers of the city. They shouted. “These who have turned the world upside down have come here also!”
Upside down! Can you turn your hands upside down? The rulers of the city were worried. But at last they let Jason go.
So that same night, the friends of Jesus sent Paul and Silas away. They went in the dark to the town of Berea. Shh. Tiptoe, tiptoe through the night.
In Berea, Paul and Silas went to the synagogue. Paul told the people about Jesus. He said that Jesus is the Christ.
The people of Berea were different. They listened gladly. They were eager to hear. But they wanted to know: is this really so? So they opened the Scriptures. Those were long scrolls with God’s words. They looked in the Scriptures every day.
They read and they read. They checked every word. Can you pretend to unroll a long scroll? Roll, roll, roll! Now put your finger on the words, like the people of Berea.
They checked to see whether these things were so. And they found that it was true! They looked in the Scriptures every day.
So many of them believed in Jesus. Many important Greek women believed too. And many men. The Bible says the people of Berea were noble. That means they had good, open hearts.
Then some angry men from Thessalonica heard about it. They came to Berea too. They stirred up the crowds. Now Paul had to leave.
So the friends in Berea sent Paul away to the sea. Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea for a while. And the friends in Berea? They looked in the Scriptures every day.
Some friends went with Paul all the way to the city of Athens. Paul asked Silas and Timothy to come to him very quickly. Then the friends went back home.
Everything Paul said about Jesus was right there in God’s word. It was waiting to be found. God’s word is true, and we can trust it. They looked in the Scriptures every day.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- Why do you think the people of Berea wanted to check the scrolls?
- What is your favorite story to read in the Bible?
4. Move (3 min)
Refrain Freeze: move around the room; when you say the refrain, everyone freezes and says it together.
5. Make (4 min)
Draw the people of Berea reading a long scroll.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“Examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so” — Acts 17:11 (examining → hold your hands like an open book; the Scriptures → point to the words; daily → count days on your fingers; whether these things were so → tap your head, thinking)
Dear God, thank you for your word, the Bible. Thank you that we can read it every day. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: Check God's Word for yourself
Memory verse: “They received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.” — Acts 17:11 · WEB
The Bible story
When Paul brings amazing news to the town of Berea, the kind people don't just nod along - they open their scrolls to check every word for themselves!
Talk about it
- Who came to the town of Berea to share good news? — Paul and Silas
- What wonderful news did Paul want to share? — The good news about Jesus
- How did the people of Berea receive Paul's message? — With great eagerness
- Did the Bereans just believe everything without checking? — No, they checked the Scriptures
- What did the Bereans use to check what Paul said? — The Scriptures
- How often did the Bereans search the Scriptures? — Every day
Where is Jesus in this story?
The Bereans checked Paul's message against the Scriptures every day (Acts 17:11). That was exactly the right place to look, because Jesus said the Scriptures “testify about me” (John 5:39). After He rose, Jesus walked with two friends and explained how Moses and all the prophets spoke about Him (Luke 24:27). When you read your Bible, you can look for Jesus too.
What God wants to tell us
The Bereans teach us something lovely: it is good to be curious about God! God is never upset when we ask questions or want to understand. He gave us the Bible so we could read it, think about it, and discover how true and wonderful His love really is. Just like the Bereans opened their scrolls with eager hearts, you can open your Bible and find that God's promises are always, always true.
Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You for giving us the Bible so we can learn about You. Help me to have an eager heart like the Bereans, always excited to read Your Word and find out how much You love me. Thank You for Jesus, my Rescuer. Amen.
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