LEADER BIBLE STUDY Jesus was in Capernaum, a city on the Sea of Galilee. The Pharisees and scribes teachers of the law came to listen to Jesus teaching. They were curious about His message and wanted to make sure He was teaching things that were true. So many people came that they crowded the house; there was no more room. That day, four friends came to see Jesus. The four men carried their friend who was paralyzed. Jesus had healed people before even people who were paralyzed. (See Matt. 4:24; 8:6.) The men believed Jesus came from God, and He could heal people. So their faith led to action. Because the friends could not get through the crowd, they carried their friend to the roof and lowered him down to Jesus. Jesus words to the paralyzed man surprised the Pharisees and teachers of the law. Rather than saying, Get up and walk, Jesus said, Your sins are forgiven. The religious leaders kept quiet, but Jesus knew their thoughts. They accused Jesus of blasphemy, dishonoring God by claiming to do what only God can do. But Jesus did not blaspheme. He is God, and He has authority to forgive sins. Jesus asked them, Which is easier: to say, Your sins are forgiven, or to say, Get up and walk? Simply saying, Your sins are forgiven, seems to be the easier thing, but to actually forgive sins is harder, something only God can do. As God, Jesus has the power and authority to heal and forgive. And Jesus knew He would take the man s sins upon Himself on the cross an act of love that would cost Him His life. Jesus healed the paralyzed man to prove to the religious leaders His power to forgive. Mark 2:12 records the crowd s reaction: They were all astounded and gave glory to God, saying, We have never seen anything like this!
YOUNGER KIDS BIBLE STUDY OVERVIEW Session Title: Bible Passage: Matthew 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26 Big Picture Question: How could Jesus forgive people s sins? Jesus was going to take the punishment for sin when He died on the cross. Key Passage: John 20:30-31 Unit Christ Connection: Jesus miracles demonstrated His divine authority. Small Group Opening (8:45 9:05 / 10:20 10:45) Welcome time Activity page (5 minutes) Session starter (10 minutes) Large Group Leader (9:05 9:35 / 10:45 11:15) Countdown (5 minutes) Worship (7 minutes) Welcome/Rules/Big Idea (5 minutes) Worship (7 minutes) Tell the Bible story (10 minutes) Small Group Leader (9:35 10:10 / 11:15 11:45) Key passage activity (5 minutes) Bible story review & Bible skills (10 minutes) Activity choice (10 minutes) Journal and prayer (5 minutes) Additional suggestions for specific groups are available at gospelproject.com/kids/additional-resources. For free online training on how to lead a group, visit ministrygrid.com/web/thegospelproject.
THE BIBLE STORY Matthew 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26 Jesus had been traveling, and He went back to Capernaum (kuh PUHR nay uhm). When the people in the town heard that Jesus was home, they gathered at the house to hear Him teach. Pharisees and other teachers of the law had traveled from villages all over Galilee and Judea. Some even came from Jerusalem to hear Jesus. So many people came that they stood in the doorway, and there was no more room for anyone else. Just then, four men came to the house. They were carrying their friend on a mat because he could not walk. They tried to bring their friend to Jesus because they wanted Jesus to heal him, but they could not get through the crowd. So the men carried their friend up to the roof. They took off the roof above Jesus. Then they lowered their friend through the crowd so that he was right in front of Jesus. Jesus saw that the friends had faith, and He told the man lying on the mat, Young man, your sins are forgiven! When the religious leaders heard this, they thought, "Who does Jesus think He is?" He is being disrespectful to God! Only God can forgive sins. Jesus knew what the religious leaders were thinking. He said to them, Why are you thinking like that? Is it easier for Me to say to this man, Your sins are forgiven, or Get up and walk? As God s Son, Jesus had the power to forgive people s sins. But how could He prove that the man s sins were really forgiven? So Jesus showed His power on earth to forgive sins by turning back to the man on the mat. Get up, pick up your mat, and go home, Jesus said. The man who had been unable to walk immediately got up. He picked up his mat, and he went home, just like Jesus commanded. Everyone in the crowd saw what happened, and they could hardly believe what they had seen! They praised God and said, We have never seen anything like this! Christ Connection: The man who was paralyzed needed to be healed. Jesus knew this and did something even greater; Jesus forgave his sins, and then He healed the man. Because Jesus is God, He has the power and authority to heal and forgive. Jesus offers forgiveness to those who trust in Him.
SMALL GROUP OPENING Session Title: Bible Passage: Matthew 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26 Big Picture Question: How could Jesus forgive people s sins? Jesus was going to take the punishment for sin when He died on the cross. Key Passage: John 20:30-31 Unit Christ Connection: Jesus miracles demonstrated His divine authority. Welcome time Arriving Activity: Mat racing inflatable swim floats, 2 Use two inflatable swim floats as mats. Invite a kid to lie down on the mat. Remind her to hang on to the edge of the float. Push or pull the float around the room. As more kids arrive, allow the kids to race in pairs, with one partner pushing or pulling the float and the other riding the float. Say How did you like being carried around on a mat? What do you think it would be like if you could never get off of that mat? Today, we will talk about a man who was paralyzed until he met Jesus. Activity page (5 minutes) Picture Perfect activity page, 1 per kid pencils Guide boys and girls to complete the activity page. Say In today s Bible story, four friends brought a paralyzed man to Jesus. The man couldn t walk, but Jesus knew the man was missing something far more important than the ability to walk. We ll find out in a few minutes what he was missing. Session starter (10 minutes) Option 1: Drop game tape beanbags or paper wads Tape a small circle with a smaller circle within it, making a target on the floor. Form two groups. Invite the kids in each group to line up single file over the target. Give the first kid in each line a beanbag or paper wad. She must drop the beanbag from shoulder height, trying to hit the center of the target. The first kid in the other group will do the same. The kid who gets closest to the center of the target earns two points for her team. Continue until each kid has had a chance to play. Say Was hitting the center of the circle easy? Now, can you imagine lowering a person on a mat through a hole in a roof? Would that be hard? That s what happened in today s Bible story. Option 2: Stethoscope snack cookies licorice strings round candy pieces Allergy Alert
Provide each kid with a small cookie, two licorice strings, and two round candy pieces. Encourage the kids to make a stethoscope. Demonstrate how to twist the two licorice strings together about halfway. Place the cookie at the end of the twisted side and one of the round candies on the other end of each licorice string. Say Why does a doctor use a stethoscope? He uses it to hear someone s heartbeat. Jesus doesn t need a stethoscope to understand what someone s heart is like. Today, we will talk about a man who was paralyzed, but Jesus saw that his biggest problem wasn t on the outside but on the inside. Transition to large group
SMALL GROUP LEADER Session Title: Bible Passage: Matthew 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26 Big Picture Question: How could Jesus forgive people s sins? Jesus was going to take the punishment for sin when He died on the cross. Key Passage: John 20:30-31 Unit Christ Connection: Jesus miracles demonstrated His divine authority. Key passage activity (5 minutes) Key Passage Slide or Poster dry erase board and markers (optional) Make sure the key passage, John 20:30-31, is visible for each child, either as the printed poster or written on a dry erase board. Read the verses together. Say Jesus proved to the people that He didn t just come to heal people from physical sickness. He came to heal from sin. The key passage says John wrote about Jesus miracles so people might believe and have life in Him. Jesus number one mission was to save people from sin. The kids should be very familiar with the key passage by week five. Hide the key passage poster or slide. Choose a volunteer to come to the front of the room to say the key passage. Explain that the volunteer may choose four friends. She will then try to say the key passage without assistance. If she stumbles over a word, she may ask the four friends for help. Continue with a new volunteer. Play as long as time allows. Bible story review (10 minutes) Bibles, 1 per kid Small Group Visual Pack Big Picture Question Slide or Poster Encourage the kids to find Mark 2:1-12 in their Bibles. Help them as needed. Say This Bible story is found in three books of the Bible. The Book of Mark is one of them. Can you name the other two? (Matthew, Luke) Which division of the Bible are these books from? (Gospels) What is the other book in the Gospels division? (John) Use the small group visual pack to show kids where today s Bible story is on the timeline. Review the Bible story provided using the bolded text or summarize the story in your own words. Explain that Jesus offered the paralyzed man physical healing and forgiveness of sin. Read the following statements and invite the kids to respond as if they had done what the statement says. If they believe they should ask God to heal them, they should stand up. If they believe they should ask God to forgive them, they should lie down. You may add to the list if you like. I feel bad because I cheated on a test. (forgive, lie down) I have a bad cough. (heal, stand up) I didn t help my neighbor but I could have. (forgive, lie down) I lied to my parents. (forgive, lie down) My stomach hurts. (heal, stand up)
I watched a movie I wasn t supposed to watch. (forgive, lie down) I broke my arm. (heal, stand up) Say Jesus isn t just able to heal sickness. He is able to heal a much greater problem. As God s Son, He is the only One who can save people from their sins. Show the big picture question slide or poster. Say How could Jesus forgive people s sins? Jesus was going to take the punishment for sin when He died on the cross. Activity choice (10 minutes) Option 1: Bed bugs beach towel, garbage bag, or bed sheet paper markers Bibles Use a large beach towel, garbage bag, or bed sheet as a play parachute. Write each of the following Bible verses about forgiveness on a piece of paper and crumple it into a paper wad. Invite the kids to stand around and hold the parachute. Place each paper wad, one at a time, on the parachute. Invite the kids to shake the parachute until the paper wad flies off. The kid closest to where it lands should drop the parachute, open the piece of paper, and look up the verse. For younger kids, invite a leader to read the verse for them. Here are the verse references: 1 John 1:9 Romans 5:10 Acts 2:38 Isaiah 43:25 Luke 24:47 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 Psalm 32:5 Say Jesus told the paralyzed man his sins were forgiven. How could Jesus forgive people s sins? Jesus was going to take the punishment for sin when He died on the cross. Option 2: Friendship puzzle necklace puzzle pieces, 2 per kid paint or permanent markers paintbrushes (optional) string or yarn hole punch beads (optional) Provide each kid with two small to medium size puzzle pieces that connect together. Punch a hole near the middle of each piece. Give the kids paint or permanent markers to decorate each piece. Demonstrate how to string each piece to make two necklaces. You may also choose to let the kids add beads to their necklaces. Encourage kids to wear one necklace and give the other necklace to a friend. The fact that pieces fit together is a symbol of the kids friendship. Say The four friends did everything they could to get the man to Jesus. Wear one of these friendship necklaces and give the other to a friend. Tell that friend about today s Bible story, and share with them the big picture question and answer. How could Jesus forgive people s sins? Jesus was going to take the punishment for sin when He died on the cross.
Journal and prayer (5 minutes) journals Journal Page, 1 per kid markers or crayons Bible Story Coloring Page Before you journal, ask for prayer requests from your kids. Pray, thanking God for dying on the cross for our sins. Pray for each child by name, asking God to give each kid friends with whom they can share the good news of Jesus. Father in Heaven, thank you for sending you one and only son Jesus to earth heal those who are sick. Jesus no one else could have healed the paralyzed man and forgiven his sins other than you. Holy Spirit of God, please help us to be brave and tell that Jesus has the power to heal and save those who are lost. In Jesus name we pray, amen. Distribute each child s journal and the journal page provided with this session. Instruct the kids to draw a picture of the man walking home with his friends after Jesus healed him. Writers can write ways they can tell a friend about Jesus. Say Here s the answer to the big picture question one more time. How could Jesus forgive people s sins? Jesus was going to take the punishment for sin when He died on the cross. Make sure each child puts this week s sheet in the journal, and then collect them. Keep the journals in the classroom so they will be available every week or as often as you wish to use them.