The Magic Man

(Chuck runs in wearing a cape and carrying a large stick)

Leader: Hey everybody! It’s Chuck Foo!

Chuck: THAT IS NO LONGER MY NAME!

Leader: What are you talking about?

Chuck: My name is no longer Chuck Foo! You must call me by my new name!

Leader: You have a new name? What is it?

Chuck: I am now Chuck-A-DINI! The most powerful magician known to man!

Leader: Chuck-a-WHO?

Chuck: Read my lips, foolish mortal! (gets right into the Leader’s face) CHUUCK-AAA-DIIIII-NIIIIIIIIII!

Leader: Dude, when’s the last time you brushed your teeth?

Chuck: Chuck-A-DINI has no need of oral healthcare! Now, stand back and be amazed by my magic!

Leader: Magic??

Chuck: Yes! Stand back and be amazed as I use my magic wand to transform you into…A TURTLE! (waves his stick around) Cheeny-Chiney-Choopa-Churtle! I hope you like green, ‘cause now you’re A TURTLE!!! (long dramatic pause, nothing happens. Chuck begins to wave the stick around desperately) TURTLE! TURTLE! C’mon man! TUUURRRTLE!

Leader: Are you done?

Chuck: (looks at the stick) I think the batteries are dead.

Leader: Chuck, why on EARTH do you suddenly think you have magic powers?

Chuck: I heard you guys talking about God’s SUPERnatural power! And I figured, hey, I love God, God’s got magic power that must mean I’VE GOT MAGIC POWERS! I tried x-ray vision, but all I got was a headache. I tried breathing fire, but I don’t like eating peppers. I tried flying, but I don’t like heights! I tried talking to animals, but they don’t have a lot to say! Chuck-A-DINI IS GETTING VERY FRUSTRATED!

Leader: Chuck, you’ve got this all wrong!

Chuck: What do you mean?

Leader: You’re right. Today we ARE talking about God’s supernatural power, but it isn’t any kind of MAGIC!

Chuck: What do you mean?

Leader: MAGIC is fake! It’s all nothing but a trick! But GOD’S power is REAL and it comes straight from Him! He’s more powerful than anything in existence, and it can’t be bought or faked!

Chuck: So, I can’t do supernatural stuff?

Leader: Well, the thing is, God can do supernatural things THROUGH people that follow Him and know that the power comes from HIM and HIM alone! Kind of like Peter in our Bible story today!

Chuck: Oooooh! Tell me, tell me, tell me, I wanna know!

Leader: I don’t want to give away too much right now, so how about you head backstage and listen to today’s lesson, ok?

Chuck: Okay…(waves the stick around one more time) TURRTLLLLEEEEEE!!! (nothing happens) I really do think the batteries are dead on this thing. I’ll see you later boys and girls! I’M Chuck-A-DINI! KICK IT!!

Choose three boys and three girls to compete in this game.

Choose two leaders from the audience to sit down in a chair. Give each team a roll of toilet paper.

When you say, “Go,” each team begins to try to wrap the leader up in toilet paper. The first team to cover their entire leader (or run out of toilet paper) wins.

When we last saw Peter, he had been used by God to heal the lame man at the temple gate. Well, the news spread very quickly about this healing. People began coming to God in a big way. God used many other people in SUPERnatural ways as well. One of those people was named Phillip.

Phillip was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, just like Peter. Phillip went to the area known as Samaria and began to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. There was a man in that city named Simon.

Simon was a sorcerer. A sorcerer is a person who practices the devil’s magic. Their power does not come from God. It is from the devil. Simon had scared the people of Samaria for a long time with his magic. Everyone feared him and respected his power.

When Phillip arrived and began preaching the good news of Jesus, many people believed and became Christians. This was not good news for Simon. The people were discovering REAL power—SUPERnatural power from God, not the fake, evil stuff that Simon had been showing them. But, then something incredible happened. The Bible says in Acts 8:13, “Then Simon himself believed and was baptized.”

WOW! You mean the most evil guy in town, the one who was leading the whole place away from God—now HE gets saved? That’s right. And, that teaches us a very important lesson...

The very last guy or girl you would expect to follow Jesus is still someone God can reach. The person who is most against you can still be reached by His love. Sometimes we put people in an “unreachable” category. We say, “God can NEVER reach them. They are too mean. They are too sinful.” Listen, God can reach anyone!! We must continue to love and pray for even the worst sinners in our schools and neighborhoods. God’s grace and love can reach anyone!

Simon becomes a Christian, along with many others. Peter and John hear about all the great things going on and decide to travel all the way from Jerusalem to come visit the new Christians. When they arrive, they lay hands on the new Christians and pray for them to receive the power of the Holy Spirit.

Guess what? The people receive the Holy Spirit. We don’t know exactly what that looked like, but we know it must have been impressive because of Simon’s reaction.

Simon walks up to Peter and offers him money.

He says, “Let me have this power so that I can lay hands on people and they can receive the Holy Spirit.” Simon used to make money off of his magic powers, so now he wants to make money off of God’s power. Bad decision. Peter looks at Simon and says, "May your money perish with you for thinking God's gift can be bought! You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right before God.” WOW! Peter teaches Simon an important lesson...

Simon thought he could buy the SUPERnatural power of God with money. Does that work, kids? Of course not. (hold up the money) Simon was foolish to think that he could use money to buy God’s SUPER power from Peter. (place the money inside the “other” hidden compartment—the one that does NOT have the silk in it—then use the special “trigger” to cause the money to be hidden from view) Simon found out that money is worthless when it comes to receiving God’s power. (turn the change bag inside out to reveal that the money appears to no longer exist—it has “disappeared.” Then, turn the bag back right-side-out)

Peter explains to Simon that there is only one way to receive God’s SUPER power. It isn’t from money. It can’t be bought. We must understand...

We can’t buy God’s SUPER power. We can’t do enough good deeds to earn it. We aren’t cute and special enough to deserve it. The only way you can have God’s SUPER power at work in your life is the same way that Peter received it. (switch the “trigger” in the change bag to make the hidden compartment accessible that contains the white silk, then pull it out and show the kids the silk with the word “GOD” written on it) You receive GOD’S power from GOD. That’s it. You ask God, and He gives it. Peter had spent days waiting on God and praying in the Upper Room in Acts 2. He wasn’t sure what he was waiting on, but he knew Jesus had promised something amazing! Peter was filled with God’s SUPERnatural power that day. It was incredible!

Each of us can do the same. God wants to use kids to do SUPER things for Him. You can’t buy His power, but you can receive it—FREE. It’s God’s gift to every believer! God wants to give you His SUPER power today!

1. What was today’s Big Idea?

   • Answer: “God has power that the devil ain’t got! God has power and it can’t be bought!”

2. What was the name Chuck Foo chose for his “magic” name?

   • Answer: Chuck-A-Dini

3. What was the name of the sorcerer who became a Christian in today’s Bible story?

   • Answer: Simon

4. What happened when Peter and John laid their hands on the people?

   • Answer: they received the Holy Spirit

5. What did Simon offer Peter in order for Peter to give him God’s power?

   • Answer: Money

6. According to our lesson today, “God Can Reach Even The Worst _________.”

   • Answer: Sinner

7. According to our lesson today, “God’s Power Can’t Be __________.”

   • Answer: Bought

8. According to our lesson today, “God’s Supernatural Power Comes From _________.”

   • Answer: Him

9. Can you and I receive God’s SUPERnatural power?

   • Answer: Yes

10. Where was our Power Verse found?

    • Answer: 1 Corinthians 4:20