3.3. God Forgives. March 20, Bible Passage: Mark 2:1 12 (Healing of the Paralyzed Man) Schedule EXPLORE DISCOVER RESPOND BLESS

Transcription

1 March 20, 2019 Bible Passage: Mark 2:1 12 (Healing of the Paralyzed Man) God Forgives REMEMBER VERSE Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16 Schedule EXPLORE DISCOVER RESPOND BLESS 1

2 Leader Prep Each week you ll find a list of resources along with encouraging articles that help you prepare your heart to present the lesson. Further Resources A Small Group Enhancement is available for this lesson. Download the following resources to help you plan and lead TruStory lessons: Customizable copy of Lesson Scope and Sequence TruStory How It Works document HomeFront Weekly: Lesson 3 is provided for this lesson. The weekly for the next lesson to be sent home for preteaching by parents is found in BLESS. If you have questions about Tru curriculum or are looking for great training, blogs, and other support resources, visit truministry.com. Inspire Shares personal stories from fellow ministry leaders about how God has worked in their lives I spent my mid-20s struggling with an eating disorder. It consumed me and started to affect almost every area of my life. My family and friends could see that something was wrong, but I refused to talk about it. I worked incredibly hard to hide what was happening and made up excuses about it. I certainly wasn t talking to God. Eventually I reached a breaking point. Feeling alone, exhausted, and overwhelmed by all the lying and hiding, I told a friend. To my surprise, she didn t look horrified, nor did she judge me. She simply said, I love you, and I want to see you let God into this with you. Her words gave me the courage to tell others. One day I asked a few of my friends to pray with me. That day, I finally found the courage to ask Jesus for healing. I asked Him for forgiveness, and I asked Him to take my sin from me. I felt His forgiveness instantly. In that moment, I heard Him say to me, I forgive you. I love you. I ve been waiting to heal you; I just needed you to ask. My struggle didn t immediately subside; there was still work to do as I learned to live in forgiveness. God and I had a long journey ahead, and I slowly opened my heart to His healing. Laura Weber ROCKHARBOR Church Equip Offers perspective and context to the lesson's Bible passage More than any other term, Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of Man. In Jesus day, this term could have been perceived two ways the first being simply a man, and the second being the Messiah. Ezekiel referred to himself more 90 times as the son of man. In Hebrew, son of man was a figure of speech indicating membership to a particular class. In the context of Ezekiel, the term son of man brings to light the 2

3 contrast between humanity and Almighty God. Daniel used the term son of man to describe the One who will come on clouds from heaven, in glory and everlasting dominion (Daniel 7). All people will serve the Son of Man, and His kingdom will not be destroyed. Clearly this refers to a divine being, not just a mere man. We can infer that when Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of Man, He was making a statement. He was declaring both His humanity and His divinity. Those who denied the deity of Jesus, such as the Pharisees and the religious leaders, saw His claim as blasphemous. However, for one to recognize Jesus as the divine Son of Man described in Daniel 7, one would have to have the conviction that Jesus was the fulfillment of messianic prophecy. Jesus was seemingly always trying to bring the question Who do you think I am? to the forefront, challenging those around Him to make a decision about His authority. Support Provides reflection and assessment through encouragement, prayer, and time in God's Word The story is told of the Great Blondin, a famous tightrope walker who lived near the end of the 19th century. One of his most famous endeavors was the crossing of the Niagara Gorge, where legend has it that upon crossing the gorge back and forth pushing a wheelbarrow, with the crowds going wild, he asked the onlookers, Who believes I can cross again with this wheelbarrow? Everyone enthusiastically applauded with agreement. Then he asked, Who, then, will get in the wheelbarrow? That is the definition of faith. It is staking all you have on the faithfulness of the One you are trusting. When we seek forgiveness and healing from God, it is the ultimate act of stepping into faith. Faith is not something comfortable. It stretches us in unforeseen ways. The faith of the paralyzed man and of his friends, to dig down through the roof of a house, probably upsetting the homeowner, demonstrated an heroic faith, a true faith. God calls us to step outside of what is easy and what is comfortable into a life that honors His faithfulness. If you dare, ask God this week to deepen your faith. But be careful: The way faith grows is through opportunities to demonstrate that faith and dependence upon God. Pray that God would also deepen the faith of the children whom you lead, that He would take them out of their comfort zones and change them as only He can. SMALL GROUP S E C T I O N EXPLORE// 10 min. Small Group Leaders Children engage in fun, creative activities designed to pique their curiosity about the day s portion of The Big God Story. Because a crowd of people surrounded the house where Jesus was, the paralyzed man s friends had to find a creative way to get him inside. With the following activities, get children thinking about creative ways to get somewhere. Option 1: Riding Across the Room (for 3

4 younger kids) Cardboard box (big enough to hold a younger child) Packing tape Rope (at least 6') Scissors Optional: masking or painter s tape Assemble the cardboard box and seal the bottom shut with packing tape. Set the box right side up, and punch two holes in the flap on one end. Feed a rope through the holes, and tie the ends of the rope together to form a large circle. Place the box at a start line and decide on a finish line. Optional: Create start and finish lines on the floor using masking or painter s tape. In today s part of The Big God Story, we ll hear about a man who was paralyzed, which means he couldn t walk. His friends wanted to get him to Jesus, but they couldn t get past the crowds surrounding the house where Jesus was. So the man s friends got creative in how they brought him to Jesus. Today let s get creative as we travel around the room in a cardboard sleigh. Ask for a volunteer to go first. Invite this child to sit in the box and face the flap with the rope threaded through it. Then, along with several other kids in the group, grab the rope and slowly pull the box with the child in it across the room. Repeat this activity with the rest of the children. Be sure to give each one a chance to ride. Pull slowly enough that the kids don t fall out! Option 2: Riding Through an Obstacle Course (for older kids) Cardboard box (big enough to hold an older child) Packing tape Rope (at least 6') Scissors Masking or painter s tape Obstacles (chairs, tables, stuffed animals, etc.) Assemble the cardboard box and seal the bottom shut with packing tape. Set the box right side up, and punch two holes in the flap on one end. Feed a rope through the holes, and tie the ends of the rope together to form a large circle. Use masking or painter s tape to create start and finish lines. In between these lines, use the obstacles to create an obstacle course. Optional: Use the masking tape to create zigs and zags for the kids to follow along the floor. In today s part of The Big God Story, we ll hear about a man who was paralyzed, which means he couldn t walk. His friends wanted to get him to Jesus, but they couldn t get past the crowds 4

5 surrounding the house where Jesus was. They had to try some pretty tricky maneuvers to get their paralyzed friend to Jesus. Today, let s ride in a cardboard sleigh as we try to navigate some obstacles. Ask for a volunteer, and have that child sit in the box and face the rope. Then ask several more kids to pull the box. On your signal, have the kids pull the child in the box through the obstacle course. Make sure they go slowly enough that the child doesn t fall out of the box! Repeat this activity with the rest of the children. Be sure to give each one a chance to ride. Optional: To make this activity more challenging, don t assemble the sleigh ahead of time. Have the entire group work together to use the flattened box, tape, scissors, and rope to create something that can transport kids through the obstacle course. Then let the kids take turns riding in the sleigh. LARGE GROUP S E C T I O N DISCOVER// 30 min. Host/Worship Leader/Storyteller Children participate in discovering God s Word through Bible verse memorization, interactive storytelling techniques, and worship as response. Traditions and Remember Verse Remember Verse image (see Resources) Remember Verse animation (see Resources) Mementos for your church Traditions (rocks, marbles, gum balls, etc.) Give the children mementos (such as rocks, marbles, or blocks) for accomplishments such as memorizing the Remember Verse or bringing their Bibles. Have them put the objects into a clear container or add them to a structure, and celebrate when it s complete. This week s Remember Verse focuses on a character trait of God that s highlighted in today s portion of The Big God Story. Let us then approach God s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16 Connect Question When have you needed a friend to help you do something you couldn t do by yourself? 5

6 Activity: Crowding Together Connect Activity image (see Resources) Connect Question image (see Resources) Masking or painter s tape Use masking or painter s tape to create a large circle on the floor. Make sure the circle is big enough for all of the kids to stand inside for a brief moment. Ask each child to go around the room, find another person wearing the same color, and ask that person the Connect question. Once the two have discussed the question, have them step inside the circle. Have the Storyteller stand in the middle of the circle as the children crowd inside. Once all of the kids are inside the circle, have the Storyteller start telling The Big God Story from the middle of the crowd. The Big God Story Bible Passage: Mark 2:1 12 Storytelling Technique: Acting Out the Narrative God Forgives Timeline image (see Resources) Timeline animation (see Resources) House image (see Resources) Bibles Large bedsheet or blanket Small garden tools (4; trowels, cultivators, etc.) Backpack Small, heavy items (4 5; books, bricks, rocks, etc.) Paper (enough to wrap small, heavy items) Scissors Tape Marker Optional: masking or painter s tape PREPARE AHEAD Ask four adults to help you act out the narrative by carrying a child on a large sheet or blanket. (Each adult will hold a corner of the sheet.) Wrap the heavy items in the paper, and write a sin on each one ( lying, greed, selfishness, etc.). Place the heavy items in the backpack, then the garden tools, and then the sheet. If you didn t do the Connect activity, use masking or painter s tape to create a large circle on the floor. Make sure the circle is big enough for all of the kids to stand inside for a brief moment. Lead children in a Prayer of Release to pause, be still, and ask the Holy Spirit to quiet their hearts and minds. If 6

7 you didn t do the Connect activity, have the children form a crowd by standing close together in the center of the room or inside the tape circle on the floor. Put on the backpack and stand in the middle of the crowd of children. Just before Jesus began His ministry, He was baptized and then tempted in the wilderness for 40 days. After His time in the wilderness, Jesus began traveling from town to town, preaching and ministering to people. The Bible tells us that in one town, the people gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door (Mark 2:2). What a crowd! But there were four friends determined to get to Jesus. Have the children take their seats, and invite the four adult volunteers to the front. Take the sheet out of the backpack, and lay it on the floor. These four men had a friend who was paralyzed, which means he couldn t walk on his own. So the friends carried him on a mat. Ask for a child volunteer to come to the front and lie on the sheet. Then have the four volunteers carry the child, inside the sheet, across the stage. When they arrived at the house where Jesus was, it was too crowded to get in the door! But they didn t give up; they thought of a plan. Have adults place the sheet with the child inside at the back of the stage. Pull out the tools and give one to each adult. Back then, houses had flat roofs made of a straw-and-mud mixture. Tech: Cue House image. So the men climbed up to the roof, brought up their friend, and started digging a hole in the roof! Have the four adults pretend to dig a hole with their tools. Everyone in the crowd must have wondered what they were doing! But the four men kept on digging. When the hole was big enough, they picked up their friend and lowered him down into the house. Have adults pick up the sheet with the child inside and move it to where they dug the hole. The adults can then exit the stage. Invite the children to open their Bibles to Mark 2:5. When Jesus saw their faith, He turned to the paralyzed man and said, Son, your sins are forgiven (Mark 2:5). Wait! What? Your sins are forgiven? Why would Jesus say that? That man had come for healing, but instead Jesus forgave his sins. Pharisees, or Jewish teachers, were also in the room. They claimed to follow the commandments of the Old Testament very closely and believed that following the laws would cause God to send His Messiah and conquer their enemies. They were so strict about their beliefs that they wouldn t even go near sinners, the sick, or outcasts because they didn t want the sin to rub off on them. Needless to say, most Pharisees didn t like Jesus very much because He spent a lot of time with all kinds of people. The Pharisees also believed that only God has the authority to forgive sin. So when they heard Jesus forgive the paralyzed man of his sins, the Pharisees were furious. Because Jesus is God, He knew what they were thinking and said (invite kids to follow along starting in Mark 2:9), Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, Your sins are forgiven, or to say, Get up, take your mat and walk? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. So he said to the man, I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home (Mark 2:9 11). Motion to the child lying on the sheet to stand up. The paralyzed man was healed! Everyone was amazed! Encourage the kids in the audience to act amazed. Then thank the child volunteer, and have him return to his seat. Sometimes we try to hide our sin or pretend it doesn t exist, but we still feel the huge weight of sin s guilt and shame. Take off backpack and set it onstage. One by one, take out the weights inside as you show and read the label on each weight. But through Jesus, we don t have to carry the weight of our sin anymore! That s why Jesus came. The Bible says, The punishment that brought us peace was on [Jesus], and 7

8 by his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). When Jesus died on the cross, He took the punishment for our sins, and when we trust and obey Him, He forgives us! Share an age-appropriate story of a time you experienced true forgiveness from God, and share how free you felt. Worship as Response This time allows kids to respond to God through worship. Make plans for your worship time, but prepare yourself and your team to hold them loosely if the Holy Spirit leads the group in a different direction. Large chalkboard or several small chalkboards Chalk Erasers (at least 5 6) Large cross (3' 6') Index cards (1 2 per child) Pens Glue dots (1 2 per child) Worship music (suggestion: Nothing but the Blood of Jesus ) Create a Confession Station by placing a large chalkboard or series of small chalkboards off to the side or in the back of the room. Place the chalk and erasers on the ground near the base(s) of the board(s). Create a Forgiveness Station by placing a large cross somewhere else in the room. Place the index cards, pens, and glue dots on the ground near the cross. Sometimes it can be hard to think about and even talk about our sins. But God is good, and He will always love us, always listen, and always forgive us when we choose to turn away from our sin and ask for His forgiveness. Have the leaders position themselves around the room, especially near the response stations. Ask the kids to spend some time talking to God silently about any places in their lives where they need God s forgiveness. When the children are ready, encourage them to visit the response stations. At the Confession Station, encourage each child to write a word or draw a picture of something she wants to confess to God. The child can place both hands on that word or picture and confess that sin to God, asking Him for forgiveness. Then the child can remove her hands, take an eraser, and erase the word or picture while thanking God for sending Jesus to pay for her sins. At the Forgiveness Station, encourage children to write brief letters to Jesus and thank Him for what He did on the cross and for giving them grace and love. Then the kids can take glue dots and stick their letters to the cross. As children respond (Tech: Cue music), encourage leaders to move around the room, be available to kids, and pray with them for forgiveness if they want. SMALL GROUP S E C T I O N RESPOND// 15 min. 8

9 Small Group Leaders A time to engage in relationship, reflect on the lesson with spiritual conversation, and/or create a meaningful project or piece of art. Reflect: God Forgives Encourage children to look up the following passages in their Bibles. Questions for Younger Kids Why was the paralyzed man lowered through the roof? Mark 2:2 What did Jesus do first for the man? Mark 2:5 What are some examples of sin? Colossians 3:8 Why do we need God to forgive us? Romans 6:23 How can we ask Him for that forgiveness? 1 John 1:9 Questions for Older Kids Why was the paralyzed man lowered through the roof? Mark 2:2 What did Jesus do first for the man? Mark 2:5 What are some examples of sin? Colossians 3:8 Why is God the only One with authority to forgive our sins? Leviticus 19:2 Why do we need God to forgive us? Romans 6:23 How can we ask Him for that forgiveness? 1 John 1:9 Graham Cracker House Children will create a house and lower a "man" inside as they remember that Jesus healed the paralyzed man and forgave his sins. Graham crackers (1 package) Frosting (1 tub) Disposable knives or craft sticks (1 per child) Saltine crackers (1 2) Graham or gummy bears (1 small package) Disposable plate String (2 pieces, each 8" 10" long) Disposable tablecloth Paper towels or hand wipes Spread the tablecloth on the table, and set out the supplies. In today s portion of The Big God Story, the paralyzed man s friends climbed onto the roof of the house and lowered their friend down to Jesus. They showed radical faith, and Jesus saw their faith (Mark 2:5) and responded by forgiving the man s sins and healing him from his paralysis. 9

10 Tell the children they get to play the part of the paralyzed man s friends and lower a graham or gummy bear down into a graham cracker house. Place the disposable plate in the center of the group, and have each child take a disposable knife or craft stick. Encourage the kids to use the frosting and graham crackers to build a house with a flat roof but have them put the roof only on half of the house! Then have them lay both pieces of string parallel on the table, place the saltine on top, and place the bear on top of the saltine. Have the kids work together to pick up the ends of the string and carefully lower the bear into the house. Make sure every child who wants to help lower the bear gets a chance to do so. If you d like, allow the children to snack on pieces of their graham cracker house at the end of the activity. BLESS// 5 min. Small Group Leaders Children receive a blessing from their leaders and sometimes one another. A blessing may be prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words to encourage and guide. Remember Verse cards (see Resources) HomeFront Weekly: Lesson 4 (see Resources) Bible Bedsheet or blanket (large enough for the group to stand under) As you bless your kids, tell them they have the opportunity to also be a blessing to others. Encourage them to freely share the joy and love they have received from God. Invite parents or other adults to help hold the bedsheet or blanket above the children as they receive the blessing. Open a Bible and read Psalm 32:1 2, 5: Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the LORD. And you forgave the guilt of my sin. Have the parents and adults lift up the sheet, and allow the kids to huddle under it as you finish with this blessing: May you find grace and healing and trust that God s grace covers your sins. Send home Remember Verse cards and the HomeFront Weekly with your kids. 10