* LESSON
*HANDOUT
* JESUS HEALS PARALYZED MAN PLAY
* LESSON: JESUS HEALS PARALYZED MAN
Bible Memory Verse:
"Jesus said, ‘Your sins are forgiven." Mark 2:5
Review: WHO BAPTIZED JESUS? WHO TEMPTED HIM IN THE DESERT? HOW MANY DISCIPLES OR FOLLOWERS DID HE CHOOSE? WHAT IS THE GOOD NEW JESUS CAME TO TELL? (If we believe Jesus is the Son of God then God will change our hearts so we will try to do good instead of bad and someday we will go to heaven; the Bible tells us we can’t even imagine how wonderful heaven is) ISN’T THAT THE BEST GOOD NEWS YOU COULD HEAR?
Jesus went throughout all the land, teaching in the synagogues (temples or churches) and preaching the Good News of the kingdom of God. He also went about healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about Him spread, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering from severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and He healed them. Large crowds followed Him.
One day Jesus was teaching about the Good News and the Kingdom of God. The power of the Lord was present for Him to heal the sick.
Four men had a friend who was paralyzed. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE PARALYZED? (Your body is injured in such a way that you cannot move) The four men believed that Jesus could heal their friend. They brought their friend on a mat for Jesus to heal, but there was such a large crowd that they couldn’t get into the house where He was. So they climbed up on the roof and removed the tiles and lowered the mat with the man on it down right in front of Jesus.
When Jesus saw how great their faith was, how much they believed that He could heal this man, even to taking the roof apart of a house, He said, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven." Matthew 9:2 Jesus knew that the man on the man and the four men had great faith.
In the crowd were Pharisees who were the religious leaders at that time and the teachers of the law. The Pharisees and teachers of the law did not believe that Jesus was the Son of God. So when He said this, they thought He was speaking blasphemy. Blasphemy is speaking against God. They began to think to themselves, "Who is this fellow that speaks blasphemy. Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
The Pharisees were right in saying that no one could forgive sins, but God alone. THEN WHY WERE THEY WRONG IN THINKING JESUS WAS COMMITTING BLASPHEMY? (Because Jesus is God so Jesus could forgive sins. Most of the Pharisees and teachers of the law did not believe that He was God.)
Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…” He said to the paralyzed man. "I tell you, get up, take up your mat and go home." Immediately, the man stood up in front of them, took up the mat he had been lying on and went home praising God.
Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They said, “We have seen remarkable things today.” Luke 5:26
DO PEOPLE GET HEALED TODAY BECAUSE SOMEONE PRAYS FOR THEM? Jesus healed everyone He prayed for while He was on earth. When He went back to heaven, He promised that His followers would do greater works than He did. When we pray in the name of Jesus, sometimes people are healed.
“Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” James 5:14-16
Sometimes people are not healed. The reasons might be:
(1 they have sin in their lives, but theywon’t ask forgiveness from Jesus
(2 because of unbelief (they don’t really believe that Jesus can and will heal them)
(3 because God knows that it is best that they are not healed. God wants us to become like His Son Jesus and if our
sickness will draw us closer to Him He will not heal us or else He will heal us later.
Usually God wants to heal us-we should always ask Him.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
We should see more healings. Whenever you are sick, you should ask God for his help and wisdom even before you go to the doctor.
QUESTIONS:
1. Who followed Jesus throughout the land?
2. What was wrong with the man Jesus healed?
3. What did the four men show by working so hard to get their friend to Jesus?
4. What is blasphemy?
5. Why could Jesus forgive sins?
6. Does Jesus heal people today?
JESUS HEALS A PARALYZED MAN
Bible Memory Verse:
"Jesus said, ‘Your sins are forgiven." Mark 2:5
Words to choose from: ROOF, BELIEVED, PRAY, TEACHING, FORGIVEN, JESUS, FOUR, HEALS, GOD, PARALYZED
1. Jesus went throughout the land __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ people about God and healing them of various diseases.
2. __ __ __ __ men put their friend on a mat.
3. The men lowered the mat through the __ __ __ __ of the house.
4. They __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Jesus could heal their friend.
5. A part of your body injured in such a way that it cannot move is said to be __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.
6. Jesus told the man that his sins were __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.
7. Blasphemy is speaking against __ __ __.
8. The Pharisees did not believe that __ __ __ __ __ is God.
9. Jesus __ __ __ __ __ people today.
10. When you are sick, the first thing to do is __ __ __ __.
* JESUS HEALS PARALYZED MAN PLAY:
Bible Memory Verse:
"Jesus said, ‘Your sins are forgiven." Mark 2:5
CHARACTERS: Jolly the Giraffe. Polly the Polar Bear, Leo the Lion
JOLLY & POLLY: (enter) Hi, Kids!
JOLLY: It’s so good to be here today. Are you having fun learning about Jesus, kids? (wait for answers)
POLLY: Isn’t it amazing that Jesus could heal the paralyzed man?
JOLLY: And even more amazing is that Jesus can do the same thing today through His servants—anyone who believes in Him and trusts Him.
LEO: (enter) Hi, kids & Jolly & Polly.
JOLLY & POLLY: Hi, Leo!
POLLY: We were just talking about healing people.
JOLLY: Yes, we can pray for people to be healed in Jesus’ name, and they will be healed because we are Jesus’ servants. Isn’t that exciting?
POLLY: How come some people aren’t healed when they ask Jesus?
LEO: I don’t know. Do you, Jolly?
JOLLY: Not really. But we know Jesus can. And we know He loves us. So we should always ask.
POLLY: That’s true. We should ask, believing that He can and He loves us.
LEO: I have a question from today’s Bible lesson for you. Why did the Jewish leaders think Jesus was blaspheming or talking against God when He said He could forgive sins? Remember our Bible Memory Verse: "Jesus said, ‘Your sins are forgiven." Mark 2:5
POLLY: I know.
LEO: What, Polly?
POLLY: Because they didn’t know that Jesus IS God.
JOLLY: They were right when they said that God alone can forgive sins, but they were wrong when they thought Jesus was blaspheming. Jesus is God!
LEO: You guys are right! And we all need our sins forgiven.
JOLLY: We know that He ALWAYS will forgive our sins if we just ask, realizing we have sinned and hurt Jesus and others.
POLLY: That’s really more important than being healed in the body, because healing of the body is just for this life, but forgiveness means healing of the spirit which is forever.
LEO: Jesus could heal the body of the paralyzed men, and He could forgive his sins. Nothing is impossible with Jesus.
POLLY: It’s wonderful to know Jesus. We should always be thanking Him and praising Him.
JOLLY; That’s great to remember. Try to think of something you especially want to thank Jesus for this week, kids, and tell us next week.
LEO: That’s a good idea. See you next week, kids! God bless you!
JOLLY & POLLY: Good-be for now, kids!
(Puppets exit)