Scripture Lady’s Bible Story Games: Name That Disciple

The Scripture Lady loves creating Bible story games! Here is one called “Name That Disciple” to teach the names of the disciples.

Have you wondered what it would have been like to be one of Jesus’ disciples?  The Bible shows that the disciples exhibited a gamut of emotions while with their Savior – everything from pure elation to fear.  How much do your children know about these great men of God?  Do they know that these chosen men were really just like them with thoughts, feelings, strengths and weaknesses?

Here’s a Bible story game that will be sure to capture your children’s attention as they learn more about Jesus’ twelve friends.  It’s called “Name That Disciple”…

Bible story games will help your children learn God’s wonderful stories in a fun way and for this one you will need to do the following:

You will need to make 12 cards.  Number the cards 1 through 12 on their fronts.  On their backsides, list the information points found below for each disciple.  You do not want the child to see the disciple’s name, so you may want to discreetly label each card so that only you know which disciple the card refers to.  I made my cards on my computer and added some nice color and images.  My finished size for each card was 4in x 6in.  Finally, laminate your cards for long-term use.

How to Play:

Divide your class or group into 2 teams.  This game will be best played if you study each disciple beforehand.  Have one child come up from the first team and have him pick a number.  You, the teacher, will take the card off the board and explain that you are going to give a clue about one of the 12 disciples.  The first clue that is read will be worth 500 points.  After hearing the clue, the child may try and guess which disciple is being talked about.  If they guess right, he will earn 500 points for his team.  If he guessed wrong, a player from the other team will get to hear the next clue, which will be worth 400 points.  Again, a guess may be offered.  Play goes back and forth like this between the teams until one team has given a correct answer.  The number of points earned will be the amount listed by the clue.  Obviously, the clues get easier and therefore each clue given is worth fewer points.  If no one succeeds in guessing the correct disciple, a new card is picked.  The team with the most points wins!

Peter:
500 Points:      This disciple prayed for the crippled man at the gate Beautiful to be healed.  (Acts 3:1-6)
400 Points:      He miraculously escaped from prison.  (Acts 12:1-19)
300 Points:      He was a fisherman by trade.  (Mat. 4:18)
200 Points:      Jesus changed his name to “The Rock”.  (Mat. 16:18)
100 Points:      He denied Jesus 3 times.  (Mark 14: 67-72)

James:
500 Points:      King Herod killed him with a sword.  (Acts 12:2)
400 Points:      He was the son of Zebedee.  (Mat. 4:21)
300 Points:      He was at the transfiguration of Jesus.  (Mat. 17:1)
200 Points:      He and his brother John were called the “Sons of Thunder”.  (Mark 3:17)
100 Points:      His brother was John.  (Acts 12:2)

John:
500 Points:      This disciple traveled around with Peter preaching the Gospel.  (Acts 8:14)
400 Points:      Jesus told this disciple to take care of his mother after He died.  (John 19:26)
300 Points:      He was a fisherman with his brother James.  (Mat. 4:21)
200 Points:      He wrote the book of Revelation.  (Rev. 1:12)
100 Points:      He was Jesus’ closest friend.  (John 13:23 loosely)

Andrew:
500 Points:      In the miracle of the “feeding of the 5,000”, this disciple pointed out the young boy who had a lunch of 5 loaves and 2 fish.  (John 6: 8-9)
400 Points:      Before he was a disciple of Jesus, he was a disciple of John the Baptist.  (John 1:35-40)
300 Points:      He spent the day at Jesus’ house.  (John 1:39)
200 Points:      He was Peter’s brother.  (Mat. 4:18)
100 Points:      After meeting Jesus, he first went to tell his brother peter they had found the Messiah.  (John 1:41)

Philip:
500 Points:      To test him, Jesus asked this disciple where they would find bread enough to feed the multitude of 5,000.  (John 6: 5-6)
400 Points:      He was from Bethsaida in Galilee.  (John 12:21)
300 Points:      This disciple asked Jesus to show them the Father.   (John 14:8)
200 Points:      He told Nathanael about Jesus.  (John 1:45)
100 Points:      An angel told this disciple to tell the Ethiopian about Jesus.  (Acts 8: 26-40)

Bartholomew:
500 Points:      Jesus told this disciple that he would see great things like heaven open up and angel descending and ascending on the Son of God.  (John 1: 50-51)
400 Points:      Jesus first saw him sitting under a fig tree.  (John 1:48)
300 Points:      Jesus told this disciple that there was nothing false in Him.  (John 1:47)
200 Points:      Philip told him about Jesus.  (John 1:45)
100 Points:      He was also named Nathanael.  (According to the book of John.)

Thomas:
500 Points:     “Jesus saith unto him, …because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20: 29 KJV)
400 Points:      Jesus said to this disciple, “I am the way, the truth and the life.  No man comes to the Father except through me.”  (John 14:6)
300 Points:      He was also called Didymus.  (John 11:16)
200 Points:      He said he would not believe Jesus was alive unless he saw the nail marks in His hands and feet.  (John 20:24)
100 Points:      Jesus asked this disciple to put his finger into His side after His resurrection.  (John 20:27)

Matthew:
500 Points:      This disciple had a dinner party that Jesus attended along with many tax collectors and “sinners”.   (Mat. 9:10)
400 Points:      At this dinner party, Jesus was asked by the Pharisees why he was eating with sinners.  (Luke  5:30-31)
300 Points:      He was also called Levi.  (Luke 5:27)
200 Points:      He was a tax collector.  (Mat. 9:9)
100 Points:      He wrote the first book of the New Testament.

James (the younger):
500 Points:      Paul visited this disciple in Jerusalem and told him how many Jews were coming to know Jesus.  (Acts 21:18)
400 Points:      According to Scripture, Jesus appeared specifically to him after His resurrection.  (I Cor. 15:7)
300 Points:      He was a brother of Jesus.  (Gal. 1:9)
200 Points:      He was the son of Alpheus.  (Acts 1:13)
100 Points:      He possibly wrote the book after Hebrews in the New Testament.

Jude:
500 Points:      This disciple asked Jesus why He was showing Himself to the disciples, but not to the world.  (John 14:22)
400 Points:      He was also called Thaddeus.
300 Points:      He was the brother of James (the younger).
200 Points:      He was the author of the second to last book in the New Testament.
100 Points:      His name rhymes with “dude”.

Simon:  (Not as much is known of this disciple.)
500 Points:     He was from Galilee.
400 Points:      He was also called “The Zealot”.  (Mat. 10:4)
300 Points:      Clue:  He was not simple like the Mother Goose rhyme says.

Judas:
500 Points:      He was a thief and helped himself to the money bags.  (John 12:6)
400 Points:      He was willing to take money for handing Jesus over to the authorities.  (Mat. 26:14-16)
300 Points:      He betrayed Jesus with a kiss.  (Mat. 26:48)
200 Points:      He hanged himself for betraying Jesus.  (Mat. 27:5)
100 Points:      His last name was Iscariot.  (Mat. 10:4)

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“Let us throw off everything that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles us an let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

Hebrews 12:1

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