Being Healed
Children's sermon
Object:
none
First Thoughts: How does it feel to be truly seen? Sometimes it feels great -- we know that someone is really paying attention to us and we feel important. But it can also feel uncomfortable and intimidating, particularly if there's something in our lives we'd rather keep hidden. Reflect on a time in your life when someone really saw you and knew you for who you are. Was it a scary or liberating experience? Did your relationship get stronger with the person who saw your real self or did it weaken? So much of our spiritual walk is about facing the truth about ourselves, and trusting in a God who is always loving to us no matter what. Bring these thoughts with you in your time with the children.
Props You Will Need: none
Teaching As A Team:
Leader 2: You know, moms are kind of spooky.
Leader 1: Why do you say that?
Leader 2: Because they know things about you, even when you don't tell them stuff.
Leader 1: Such as?
Leader 2: I've been having a tummy ache for about three days. When I eat, my stomach just rolls around and I can't sleep well at night. So I told my mom about it, thinking she'd give me some medicine.
Leader 1: What did she do?
Leader 2: She said that maybe my stomach was hurting because I broke her favorite vase three days ago. How did she know that I broke it?
Leader 1: Maybe because your stomach was hurting. She knows that when you feel guilty about something, it makes you sick. What happened next?
Leader 2: She gave me some medicine, and she said she forgave me.
Leader 1: And how does your stomach feel now?
Leader 2: Great!
Leader 1: You know, our story today is about someone who came to Jesus for help. He couldn't walk and his friends brought him to Jesus so Jesus could heal him. But you know what happened?
Leader 2: What?
Leader 1: Jesus didn't just help the man to walk again -- he forgave him for his sins.
Leader 2: Just like my mom!
Leader 1: Yeah. Some of the people didn't like it very much. I guess they didn't like the idea that Jesus could look into people's souls and see what was really going on in their lives.
Leader 2: Oh sure. They would rather hide what they'd done wrong. Like I hid it from my mom.
Leader 1: But that doesn't work, does it? I mean, it gave you a tummy ache. It's understandable that we'd try to hide things we're ashamed of, but in the end isn't it better to be forgiven? As long as we know the person loves us, like God loves us, it's okay to let them see who we really are.
Teaching On Your Own: You know what? I think moms are spooky. I mean, they always seem to know things even when you don't tell them. See, I've been having a tummy ache for about three days. When I eat, my stomach just rolls around and I can't sleep well at night. So I told my mom about it, thinking she'd give me some medicine. But you know what she did? She said that maybe my stomach was hurting because I broke her favorite vase three days ago. How did she know that I broke it? Maybe she knew because my stomach was hurting, and she knows that when I feel guilty about something it makes me sick. What do you guys think? Yeah, that's probably it. Then my mom gave me some medicine, and she said she forgave me. And you know what? Now my stomach feels great! Our Bible story today is about someone who came to Jesus for help. He couldn't walk and his friends brought him to Jesus so Jesus could heal him. But you know what happened? Jesus didn't just help the man to walk again -- he forgave him for his sins. Just like my mom! But some of the people didn't like it very much. I guess they didn't like the idea that Jesus could look into people's souls and see what was really going on in their lives. We feel that way sometimes, like we want to hide things we're ashamed of, right? Like I hid from my mom? But that doesn't really work. I mean, it gave me a tummy ache. It's understandable that we'd try to hide things we're ashamed of, but in the end isn't it better to be forgiven? As long as we know the person loves us, like God loves us, it's okay to let them see who we really are.
Closing Prayer: Thank you, God, for loving us exactly as we are. Help us to grow in trust each day to share with you all the parts of our lives, so we can grow healthy and strong in your care. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this lesson at home or in a classroom setting, let's revisit the story of the paralyzed man. Tell the story in your own words, emphasizing the four friends who carried the man to Jesus, and how they tore off the roof to lower the man to Jesus. Those are some great friends, huh? How can we be friends like that? Talk a bit about who we know that needs to reach Jesus: people who are sick, people who have handicaps, people who are poor. How do we help these people feel God's love? Give the children a chance to brainstorm ideas. Now remind the children that Jesus can look in people's hearts and, even if things look okay on the outside, people still might be hurting inside. How do we bring someone to Jesus who is hurting inside? We can pray for them and be the kind of friend who listens lovingly to whatever that person has to share. When we are loving and available to others, and we let Christ shine through us, we become the "mat" that brings people into God's presence. The craft for this lesson consists of creating a mini-hammock with a man glued inside (to represent the paralyzed man in the story). Using craft sticks, create a rectangle frame you can attach together by lashing string around the corners or with a glue gun. Then stretch a piece of cloth over the frame (provide several scraps for the children to choose from). Next give the children old-fashioned clothespins and allow them to decorate their patient. Finally, using the glue gun, attach the patient to the hammock. Invite the children to put their craft somewhere in their room to remind them to pray each day that they can bring people to Christ who need help. Close in prayer.
Props You Will Need: none
Teaching As A Team:
Leader 2: You know, moms are kind of spooky.
Leader 1: Why do you say that?
Leader 2: Because they know things about you, even when you don't tell them stuff.
Leader 1: Such as?
Leader 2: I've been having a tummy ache for about three days. When I eat, my stomach just rolls around and I can't sleep well at night. So I told my mom about it, thinking she'd give me some medicine.
Leader 1: What did she do?
Leader 2: She said that maybe my stomach was hurting because I broke her favorite vase three days ago. How did she know that I broke it?
Leader 1: Maybe because your stomach was hurting. She knows that when you feel guilty about something, it makes you sick. What happened next?
Leader 2: She gave me some medicine, and she said she forgave me.
Leader 1: And how does your stomach feel now?
Leader 2: Great!
Leader 1: You know, our story today is about someone who came to Jesus for help. He couldn't walk and his friends brought him to Jesus so Jesus could heal him. But you know what happened?
Leader 2: What?
Leader 1: Jesus didn't just help the man to walk again -- he forgave him for his sins.
Leader 2: Just like my mom!
Leader 1: Yeah. Some of the people didn't like it very much. I guess they didn't like the idea that Jesus could look into people's souls and see what was really going on in their lives.
Leader 2: Oh sure. They would rather hide what they'd done wrong. Like I hid it from my mom.
Leader 1: But that doesn't work, does it? I mean, it gave you a tummy ache. It's understandable that we'd try to hide things we're ashamed of, but in the end isn't it better to be forgiven? As long as we know the person loves us, like God loves us, it's okay to let them see who we really are.
Teaching On Your Own: You know what? I think moms are spooky. I mean, they always seem to know things even when you don't tell them. See, I've been having a tummy ache for about three days. When I eat, my stomach just rolls around and I can't sleep well at night. So I told my mom about it, thinking she'd give me some medicine. But you know what she did? She said that maybe my stomach was hurting because I broke her favorite vase three days ago. How did she know that I broke it? Maybe she knew because my stomach was hurting, and she knows that when I feel guilty about something it makes me sick. What do you guys think? Yeah, that's probably it. Then my mom gave me some medicine, and she said she forgave me. And you know what? Now my stomach feels great! Our Bible story today is about someone who came to Jesus for help. He couldn't walk and his friends brought him to Jesus so Jesus could heal him. But you know what happened? Jesus didn't just help the man to walk again -- he forgave him for his sins. Just like my mom! But some of the people didn't like it very much. I guess they didn't like the idea that Jesus could look into people's souls and see what was really going on in their lives. We feel that way sometimes, like we want to hide things we're ashamed of, right? Like I hid from my mom? But that doesn't really work. I mean, it gave me a tummy ache. It's understandable that we'd try to hide things we're ashamed of, but in the end isn't it better to be forgiven? As long as we know the person loves us, like God loves us, it's okay to let them see who we really are.
Closing Prayer: Thank you, God, for loving us exactly as we are. Help us to grow in trust each day to share with you all the parts of our lives, so we can grow healthy and strong in your care. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this lesson at home or in a classroom setting, let's revisit the story of the paralyzed man. Tell the story in your own words, emphasizing the four friends who carried the man to Jesus, and how they tore off the roof to lower the man to Jesus. Those are some great friends, huh? How can we be friends like that? Talk a bit about who we know that needs to reach Jesus: people who are sick, people who have handicaps, people who are poor. How do we help these people feel God's love? Give the children a chance to brainstorm ideas. Now remind the children that Jesus can look in people's hearts and, even if things look okay on the outside, people still might be hurting inside. How do we bring someone to Jesus who is hurting inside? We can pray for them and be the kind of friend who listens lovingly to whatever that person has to share. When we are loving and available to others, and we let Christ shine through us, we become the "mat" that brings people into God's presence. The craft for this lesson consists of creating a mini-hammock with a man glued inside (to represent the paralyzed man in the story). Using craft sticks, create a rectangle frame you can attach together by lashing string around the corners or with a glue gun. Then stretch a piece of cloth over the frame (provide several scraps for the children to choose from). Next give the children old-fashioned clothespins and allow them to decorate their patient. Finally, using the glue gun, attach the patient to the hammock. Invite the children to put their craft somewhere in their room to remind them to pray each day that they can bring people to Christ who need help. Close in prayer.
