8/2/2019 Reading About St Patrick's Day

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Ireland's Church Planter: Saint Patrick

Patrick was born in Britain around 360 A.D. Whenhe was 16 years old, Irish pirates kidnapped him.The pirates sold him as a slave to a local king.

Patrick did not understand the language spoken inIreland. This made his masters very angry.Sometimes they would beat him because he couldnot understand their instructions.

Patrick had to work hard. He took care of the king's sheep. He had no house orapartment and no soft bed. Instead, he lived outside on the mountain night andday. Patrick also had no one to talk or to play with. He was sad and lonely.

While caring for the sheep, Patrick came to know God. Patrick had heard about

God from his Christian grandfather. Alone on the mountain, he talked to God.

After six years of slavery, Patrick escaped and returned to Britain. Soon, Godcalled Patrick to return to Ireland as a missionary.

Patrick obeyed. At first, the Irish people did not want to hear about God. Theyworshiped many false gods. To worship a false god is to worship Satan. Satandoes not want people to believe in the true God. Satan tried to stop Patrick fromtelling the Irish people about the true God. Sometimes these followers of Satanput Patrick in prison.

But God is stronger than Satan. God let Patrick rest in the prisons. WhenPatrick had rested, God freed him to tell more people about the true God. Allover Ireland, people listened to Patrick. They turned from their false gods andSatan to the one true God. Thousands accepted God's Son Jesus Christ astheir Savior. They were baptized. Hundreds of churches also started. A churchis a place to worship God and to learn more about him.

For thirty years, Patrick told people about the one true God. When he was anold man, he was amazed by how God had worked through him. He wrote,"Those who never had a knowledge of God, but worshiped idols and impure

things have now become a people of the Lord, sons of God."

Patrick died in Ireland March 17, 460 A. D., but his work continued. Within onehundred years, Ireland had become a Christian nation. In fact, Ireland sentmissionaries to the rest of Europe. The land which once enslaved him, he hadset free.

8/2/2019 Reading About St Patrick's Day

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Vocabulary

Baptize FollowerMissionary GodSlave Idol

Worship KidnapMaster Missionary

Short Answer

1. Where was Patrick born?

2. How old was he when he went to Ireland?

3. Did Patrick want to go to Ireland the first time?

4. What made Patrick's masters angry?

5. How old was Patrick when he left Ireland the first time?

6. Why did Patrick go back to Ireland?

7. Who is stronger, God or Satan?

8. What happened in Ireland because of Patrick's work?

Sentence Completion I

Using the vocabulary words listed, complete the following sentences.

1. Because he was a ____________, Patrick had to work very hard.

2. When his ____________ were angry, they would beat Patrick.

3. God called Patrick to return to Ireland as a ____________.

4. In Ireland, Patrick ____________ thousands of people.

5. Patrick also started hundreds of ____________.

Writing: SLAVERY

Has slavery ever been a part of your country's culture? Is slavery still legal inyour country? Is slavery good or bad? Why?