This lesson plan provides an activity and Bible lesson for teaching children about the story of Philip and the Ethiopian in Acts 8:26-40. The lesson encourages students to share their faith and teaches them that God uses us to teach others about Him.
Learning to Teach… Sunday School Lesson on Philip and the Ethiopian
The story of Philip and the Ethiopian is a fascinating encounter among many in the book of Acts. Through it we see how the Holy Spirit guides us and equips us to carry out His work. It is important for us to have the courage and willingness to share the Gospel with others, and God helps us do that! This lesson explores the story of Philip’s meeting with the foreign man and reminds children that God uses us to teach others about Him. Just as we learn when others show and teach us things, we can pass along what we know about Jesus.
God loves us and has done remarkable things in our lives. Knowing that good news should inspire us to pass it onto others. With Philip and the Ethiopian, we see how the contagious enthusiasm of good teachers helps us to understand and inspires us to continue to spread the Gospel message. The great news is that we are not alone in these efforts. The Holy Spirit promises to help and guide us, just as He did with Philip.
Bible Passage: Acts 8:26-40
Target Audience: Kindergarten-6th grade
Materials Needed: Construction paper; cardboard tubes; glue; markers or crayons; tape; scissors; decorative supplies; string; paper cups; instruction manual; dominoes; maps; Bibles.
Compare the children’s ministry lesson on Philip and the Ethiopian.
Lesson Opening: This passage describes a Spirit-led meeting between two strangers, resulting in new faith. It reminds us of the importance of telling and teaching others about God’s love. Get students thinking with some opening activities. Some possible ideas include:
- Chariot races: Have students team up in groups of three for a “chariot race.” Two kids will go in front of the third to be “horses. The student in the back will be the “chariot driver” and hold the back of a jump rope. The “horses” will each hold a handle of the rope, and keep the group together. Race around a field or large area with the groups kept together by the ropes.
- Pass it on: gather a group of students and provide one or two rolls of crepe paper streamers. Have students pass the roll from one to another, calling out names as they go. Watch how the color (streamer) makes its way around the circle. When we share God’s love, it can “travel” around the world!
- Chain reaction: Grab some dominoes (the game, not the pizza) and set up a long stack of them. Observe how knocking over one creates a reaction that topples the other ones. In the same way, when we tell people about Jesus, we can create a chain reaction that spreads the Gospel around to many others.
- How do you do it? Show children a series of instructions to put something together or use a new object. The more challenging, the better! After allowing them to try for a bit, come alongside the students to demonstrate how to do things. Emphasize how it’s often easier to understand things that are taught directly or modeled.
- All the children of the world…In the account from Acts, Philip shares the gospel with an Ethiopian man, reminding us that we are to share the good news with everyone. Discuss with students missions that your church supports, or simply look at maps and statistics of global ministries and congregations. God wants everyone to know about Him!
Explain to students that this lesson is about someone who was led by God to tell others about Him. That is called “evangelism,” and it’s a job we all have as Christians. The good news of Jesus is not a secret to be kept, but a treasure to share!
Bible Lesson: Acts 8:26-40
This passage is from the book of Acts, and features a memorable encounter between two people. It’s an account that can definitely be acted out through miming or role playing, but is great just to read through, as well. You might have students take turns reading these verses, or read them out loud and pause to explain what is being said.
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” -Acts 8:26-29
This is quite a remarkable passage, as we see Philip spoken to twice by God’s spirit. He is told directly what to do and how to approach a man who needed to hear God’s word.
Explain to students that Philip was an evangelist. He was dedicated to spreading the message of the gospel to others. In this case, an angel told him to go down to a desert place, to a road leading from Jerusalem to Gaza. (Indicate the placement on a map, for older students.) He met up with a man who was an Ethiopian. The Holy Spirit told Philip to go join the man on his chariot.
*Side note: how in-depth you venture with this detail will depend on your audience and maturity level. You can certainly mention that the Ethiopian was from another country, and that he worked in the queen’s court. The “eunuch” reference might raise some tricky questions from younger students. You might just say that this was someone who was not allowed to get married or have a girlfriend, and often not respected.
Ask: Have you ever had the opportunity to talk to someone about Jesus? Who do you share with?
So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. –Acts 8:30-31
The Ethiopian man was reading a scroll of Isaiah’s words. This scroll probably would have cost him a lot of money, which shows that he cared about God’s word and wanted to know more about it.
Philip had the boldness to go up and speak to this man. He’d never met the Ethiopian before, but was willing to ask him if he understood the words of Scripture that he had. Although this was someone in a powerful position, Philip knew he needed to hear the good news, too!
Ask: Would you be nervous about talking to someone new that you’d never met before? How do you start those conversations?
Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:
“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opens not his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”
34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” -Acts 8:32-34
God really opened the door for Philip to share the Gospel. The Ethiopian was reading a passage that prophesied directly about Jesus. The man wanted to know who the words were about. Philip knew this was the perfect chance to explain what He knew about Christ, and the man was ready to hear it. God had prepared his heart to understand when someone explained to him. Sometimes God’s word is difficult to comprehend, but He gives us people who can guide us.
Ask: Who helps you know more about the Bible?
Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. –Acts 8:35-38
The Ethiopian was ready to respond to the Gospel. Philip had facilitated this preparation, but it was God doing the work in his heart that helped him believe. After Philip helped him understand, he was so excited about the good news he’d heard that he decided to be baptized. Right then and there, they found water and Philip baptized him!
Ask: Have you been baptized? When and how?
And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea. –Acts 8:39-40
This is another interesting part of the story, because the Spirit carried Philip away to another place. He didn’t walk or ride a chariot or take a bus. He was just carried away! He continued to preach to other cities, spreading the gospel to the ends of the earth. The Ethiopian, though likely surprised by the sudden mysterious disappearance, was overjoyed. He knew that his faith was not in Philip, but in God.
This is a remarkable reminder that God has a plan for people to come to salvation. He allows us to be part of that plan! The Holy Spirit helps us to learn and come to faith, and we can study God’s word and grow to understand what it means. We, then, can help others understand the Bible and spread the Gospel to all who need to hear it!
Close with prayer, asking God to guide us to love and care for Him and other people.