YEA Lesson Library
Let’s Celebrate!
About This Lesson
This lesson teaches to count 50 days from the Days of Unleavened Bread and celebrate Pentecost as a harvest festival.
Scriptures
Exodus 34:21-22
Leviticus 23:15-21
Deut.16:9-10, 16
Luke 4:14
Acts 1:5
Acts 2:1-47
Acts 2:17
Words to Know
GRAIN - seeds that are often ground to make flour for bread
PENTECOST - count fifty
The Lesson
We’ve had a lesson about God telling Moses to let His people go. After that God told His people to celebrate the Days of Unleavened Bread. For seven days everyone ate flat bread. They couldn’t have pizza or a hamburger. God told them that the bread they ate must be flat or unleavened.
God said to Moses, “Tell my people to count 50 days and keep another Feast.”
Can you count to 50? This Feast day is called Pentecost or the Feasts of First Fruits. This Feast is in the spring of the year when the weather is getting warmer. If you live on the other side of the world, it’s in the autumn. On this Feast day God said for His people to bring Him an offering. The Israelites were to bring an offering of new grain from their gardens. We should give God an offering on Pentecost as well. One of the offerings they brought was two loaves of bread. It was okay for these loaves of bread to be big and fluffy. They could have yeast in them. Yeast makes bread light and fluffy.
God said we are to have a special church service on Pentecost and He doesn’t want us to work on that day. We have a special meal on Pentecost with our plates piled high with our favorite foods. You can have some really yummy dessert – maybe a brownie, a piece of apple pie or even chocolate cake. God wants us to love His Feast days and celebrate in a big way!
Pentecost is a feast day to celebrate! It is a harvest festival. God gave his Holy Spirit on this day so that some day we will be apart of His harvest.
Daily Devotions
Sunday - Leviticus 23:15-16
Monday - Exodus 34:21-22
Tuesday - Leviticus 23:17-18
Wednesday - Deuteronomy 16:9-10
Thursday - Acts 2:1-4
Friday - Luke 4:14
Saturday - Acts 1:5
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, children will be able to:
1. State that we celebrate Pentecost 50 days after the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
2. Explain that Israelites brought an offering of bread to the feast of Pentecost.
3. Tell that God sent His Holy Spirit on Pentecost.
Topics & Themes
Counting
Gratitude
Harvest
Holy Days
Holy Spirit
Offering
Pentecost
Two Loaves
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA students’ and teacher’s books, music player and CD or tape, bib type apron, magazine pictures, construction paper, scissors, glue, Contact paper, Ziplock bags, Life Saver candies or other small objects, two small loaves of bread (hoagie sandwich type buns will do), party whistles and balloons - one for each student
Preparation
Children are often reminded to say “please” and “thank you.” We need to help children understand that gratitude comes from their hearts not just from their lips. Encourage the children to think of and name some things for which they can be thankful. Emphasize that they should be thankful for small and large things. Point out that the gift of God’s Spirit is a very big thing for which we should be thankful.
The Feast of Pentecost is a spring harvest festival. It pictures a time when those who have God’s Spirit, the firstfruits, will be harvested when Christ returns to this earth.
Make or purchase a bib style apron having multiple large pockets (This apron can be used for future lessons as well as this one). Place the following items in different pockets. In the first one place a Ziplock bag containing 50 small items, like Cheerios or Life Saver candies. In the second pocket place two small loaves of bread (hoagie type sandwich buns will work), in another pocket place a party whistle, and in the last pocket put a balloon.
Review Questions
1. Why did the Israelites celebrate Pentecost? (God said to because it is a harvest festival)
2. When did they celebrate Pentecost? (Fifty days from the Sabbath during the Feast of
Unleavened Bread.)
3. What did the Israelites bring as an offering? (Two loaves of fluffy bread.)
4. After Jesus went to be with His Father, what did God send on Pentecost to help His people? (His Holy Spirit.)
REACH Activity
Letter: P
Words: Pentecost, pour, promised, people
Sentence:
ON PENTECOST GOD PROMISED TO POUR HIS SPIRIT ON ALL PEOPLE.
Song
“This Is The Day” is in The Group Songbook that the Intermediates and Senior Teens use.
Closing Prayer
Have the children hold hands and stand in a circle with their heads bowed. Ask each one to name something for which they are thankful. Lead them in a prayer thanking God for Pentecost and for sending His Holy Spirit.
Printable Pages
