The Believers Share Everything 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: “Nobody among them was in need.”
Jesus had gone back to heaven. God had sent the Holy Spirit. Then Peter told the people in Jerusalem about Jesus. That day about three thousand people believed and were baptized. Three thousand!
They met together every day. They listened to the apostles teach about Jesus. The apostles were Jesus’ special helpers. God did many wonders through them. And they prayed together.
They ate meals together in their homes. They broke the bread and shared it, with glad and simple hearts. Can you pretend to break bread? Break it in half, and give a piece away!
They praised God, and the people of the city liked them. And day by day, the Lord added more people to his family.
They were like one big family of God. They were of one heart and soul. That means they loved each other and wanted the same good things. Many hands, but one heart!
Nobody said, “This is mine, all mine!” Nobody said that their things were only their own. They shared everything they had.
The apostles told everyone that Jesus was alive. They spoke with great power. And God’s great grace – his kindness – was on them all. Nobody among them was in need.
Some people had houses or fields. They sold them. They brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. That means they gave it to the apostles to take care of. Clink, clink!
Then the apostles gave it out. A little here, a little there. Each person got as much as they needed. Was anyone left out? Can you shake your head? No, no, no! Nobody among them was in need.
One man was named Joseph. He came from Cyprus, an island in the sea. To get there from Jerusalem, you had to sail across the water in a boat. He was a Levite – from the family that helped in God’s house.
The apostles gave Joseph a new name: Barnabas. That means Son of Encouragement! What a happy name!
To encourage means to cheer someone up and make them brave. Can you give someone a big cheer? You can do it!
Barnabas had a field. What do you think he did with it? He sold it. He did not keep the money for himself. He brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. Nobody among them was in need.
Later, Barnabas helped a new believer named Saul. Other people were afraid of Saul. But Barnabas brought him to the apostles. The Bible says that Barnabas was a good man. He was full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. He cheered on many people to stay close to the Lord.
God’s great grace was on them all. In God’s family, everyone was cared for. Nobody among them was in need.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- What is something you could share with a friend?
- How do you think it felt to belong to such a sharing family?
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 yourself sharing something with a friend.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“Those who believed were of one heart and soul” — Acts 4:32 (those who believed → hands folded; one heart → make a heart with your hands; and soul → hug yourself)
Dear God, thank you for your great kindness. Thank you for the good things I can share. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: Sharing makes joy grow
Memory verse: “The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul. Not one of them claimed that anything of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.” — Acts 4:32 · WEB
The Bible story
When the very first church friends had nothing left over and no one in need, they showed the world what happens when God's love fills every heart to the brim.
Talk about it
- Where did Jesus' friends stay together after He went up to heaven? — Jerusalem
- Who came to help the believers and give them courage? — God's Holy Spirit
- How does the Bible describe the believers? — One in heart and mind
- What did the believers want to do with the things they had? — Share everything
- Because they shared, how many people were left in need? — Nobody
- When people sold a field or house, where did they bring the money? — To the apostles' feet
Where is Jesus in this story?
On the night before he died, Jesus prayed that his followers would be one, so the world would believe the Father had sent him (John 17:21). In Acts that prayer came true before everyone's eyes: the believers were one in heart and mind and shared so that no one was in need (Acts 4:32–34). When Christians love and share, people catch a glimpse of Jesus.
What God wants to tell us
God shows us here that His love is meant to be shared, not kept to ourselves. When the first believers opened their hands to help each other, no one went hungry and everyone felt like family. God fills our hearts so full of His kindness that there is always enough to pass along. When you share your snack, your toys or a kind word, you are letting God's love flow through you, and that joy only grows bigger the more you give it away.
Prayer
Father God, thank You for loving me so much and giving me everything I need. Please fill my heart with Your joy so I love to share with others, just like the very first church friends did. Help me to be kind and generous every single day. Amen.
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