Through an event that takes place in the New Testament, children will learn what it means to have faith in Jesus, and they will see how the Power of God works in the lives of those who believe in Him. TOPICS Faith, Healing, Miracles, Power of God AS KIDS ARRIVE (10 minutes) Just Say the Word (Activity) Have the children brainstorm words or commands that their parents, teachers, or other leaders may say should be obeyed. Examples: Listen, go, stop, quiet, come here, time's up, wait, sit down, clean up, do your homework, time for bed, etc. OPENING PRAYER AND PRAISE (5 minutes) MEMORY WORK (12 minutes) "For we live by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV Have the children tell you what faith means in their own words. Discuss how faith enables us to communicate with God and empowers us to live for Him. SCRIPTURE READING AND DISCUSSION (15 minutes) Introduction: Could you imagine calling a doctor and asking him or her to heal a family member over the phone? In today's story, a centurion trusts that Jesus can just say the word to heal a paralyzed servant. The centurion believes what he cannot see and knows the power Jesus holds. Read Matthew 8:5-13 (Faith of the Centurion) Discussion Questions: 1. What did the centurion ask Jesus to do? (Heal his paralyzed servant.) 2. Where was the servant? (The servant was at the centurion's home.) 3. Why do you think the centurion didn t want Jesus to come to his home? (He didn t feel deserving or worthy enough to have Jesus enter his home. He also had faith that Jesus could just say the word and his servant would be healed.) 4. How did Jesus respond? (Jesus was amazed at the centurion's faith and healed the man's servant. Jesus had not seen anyone with such great faith in Israel.) 5. Do you think by reading verses 11-12 that the centurion will be feasting in Heaven with the forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? (Allow for discussion.) 6. Why do you think Jesus healed the centurion s servant? (Allow for discussion.) CLASS EXERCISE (10 minutes) Can We Believe What We Can t See? (Activity) page 2 ALTERNATE CLASS EXERCISE (20 minutes) Power of the Tongue (Activity) page 3 APPLICATION (2 minutes) Our faith can be as great as the centurion's in today's lesson. While Jesus is not with us physically, He does hear and respond to our prayers. Matthew 17:20 states that if we believe and have the faith the size of a mustard seed we will be able to move mountains. CLOSING PRAYER (2 minutes)
CAN WE BELIEVE WHAT WE CANNOT SEE? Children will toss popcorn from different distances to see that the closer they are to God, the stronger their relationship can be with Him. TOPICS: Believing, Faith, Trust MATERIALS: None DURATION: Approximately 10 minutes WHAT YOU WILL DO: Ask a volunteer to answer questions as to whether or not he or she believes others can perform specific tasks. WHAT YOU WILL SAY: I need one volunteer to stand in front of the class and answer several yes or no questions. (After the volunteer answers each question, ask other volunteers to perform each task.) Volunteer Questions: 1. Do you believe someone in this class can do a summersault? 2. Do you believe that someone in this class can cross his or her eyes? 3. Do you believe that someone in this class can dance? 4. Do you believe that someone in this class can hop on one leg for 30 seconds? 5. Do you believe someone in this class can spell his or her name backwards? You did not see any of these things until it happened, yet we did not have to prove it to you beforehand, you had faith that someone would be able to do each task. This is just a small measure of faith. Now, the whole class will be asked a series of questions. Each of you should answer each question, silently to yourself, with a yes or no. Class Questions: 1. Do you believe in God? 2. Do you believe you are going to Heaven? 3. Do you believe Jesus takes our sins away when we repent and ask Him to forgive us? These are three examples of spiritual faith. We cannot see God or Heaven, yet we know that both exist. We were not there when Jesus was crucified; however, we know that He died to take away the sins of the world. How is it we can believe in something that we cannot see? (Allow for discussion. We trust that the Bible is the Word of God. We know God keeps His promises.) "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1 NIV
POWER OF THE TONGUE Through this activity, children will learn the power behind Jesus' words and their own words. TOPICS: Believing, Faith, Miracles, Power of God MATERIALS: NIV Scripture page [pdf] page 4 & 5 Pencils Whiteboard/Chalkboard Dry-erase marker/chalk DURATION: Approximately 20 minutes PREPARATION: Before class, print a scripture page for each student. WHAT YOU WILL SAY: Each of you will be given a pencil and a scripture page. Your job is to circle words from the scripture page that demonstrate Jesus power or authority. Once everyone has finished, we will share the words we circled. (Allow students to share the words they circled.) We just read how powerful Jesus' words are, but did you know our words can be powerful as well? It's true, we can use our words to either help or hurt people. Let's work together to compile a list of how our words can be a powerful tool to help others. (Write student's answers on the whiteboard/chalkboard.) Examples: Prayer Share the Gospel Encouragement Comforting Thankfulness Graciousness Acceptance Celebratory Instructional
Matthew 8:1-17, 8:23-27 NIV Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy 1 When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean. 3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. I am willing, he said. Be clean! Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. 4 Then Jesus said to him, See that you don t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them. The Faith of the Centurion 5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 Lord, he said, my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly. 7 Jesus said to him, Shall I come and heal him? 8 The centurion replied, Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, Go, and he goes; and that one, Come, and he comes. I say to my servant, Do this, and he does it. 10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would. And his servant was healed at that moment. Jesus Heals Many 14 When Jesus came into Peter s house, he saw Peter s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him. 16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases. Jesus Calms the Storm 23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, Lord, save us! We re going to drown! 26 He replied, You of little faith, why are you so afraid? Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. 27 The men were amazed and asked, What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!
Matthew 8:1-17, 8:23-27 NIV Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy 1 When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean. 3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. I am willing, he said. Be clean! Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. 4 Then Jesus said to him, See that you don t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them. The Faith of the Centurion 5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 Lord, he said, my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly. 7 Jesus said to him, Shall I come and heal him? 8 The centurion replied, Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, Go, and he goes; and that one, Come, and he comes. I say to my servant, Do this, and he does it. 10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would. And his servant was healed at that moment. Jesus Heals Many 14 When Jesus came into Peter s house, he saw Peter s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him. 16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases. Jesus Calms the Storm 23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, Lord, save us! We re going to drown! 26 He replied, You of little faith, why are you so afraid? Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. 27 The men were amazed and asked, What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!