As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. John 9:5

Sunday, February 11, 2018 Lesson #4-22 Seeing Abundant Life in Jesus John 9:1-41 3 rd -6 th Key Verse: The Point: As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. John 9:5 God works even through our brokenness and unbelief to draw us into relationship with Jesus. Making Connections: Invitation to Abundant Life Bible Nuts & Bolts: Pharisees Spiritual Practice: Fellowship 1

Lesson #4-22 (3rd-6th) February 11, 2018 Activities Supplies Identify objects in the dark. Pairs of objects in multiple sizes and textures Bags Optional: blindfolds Following the Law like the Pharisees is hard. None Play a quiz show after hearing the story. Bible Activity Sheet #4-22.A Optional: paper, pens or pencils, buzzers or other noisemakers Hear from someone who has vision challenges. None 2

Lesson #4-22 (3rd-6th) February 11, 2018 Performing actions while blind. Explore the braille alphabet. The full glory of Jesus is revealed. Students continue their own Bible storybook. Supplies for each game (see below) Blindfolds Timer Activity Sheet #4-22.B Beads, sequins, dried corn/beans, pompoms, etc. Paper Glue Bible Optional: pictures of the different stages of caterpillars changing into butterflies Bible Book page (found at end of lesson) Cardstock or plain paper Pens Markers or crayons Optional: three-ring binders, hole punch None 3

Lesson #4-22 (3rd-6th) February 11, 2018 Background for Teachers Story Connections Today s passage tells of the sixth recorded miracle performed by Jesus. Our last three stories the discussion with Nicodemus about being born again, the woman at the well, and now the man who was born blind have reinforced Jesus invitation for all people to experience abundant life through him. Story Summary: Seeing Abundant Life in Jesus Our story today begins with a question. As they come upon man who was born blind, the disciples asked Jesus if it was the sin of the man or that of his parents that had caused the young man to be without sight. Jesus proclaims that this man was born blind so that God s works might be revealed through him. Jesus then declares himself the light of the world. To demonstrate this mighty work of God, Jesus makes a paste of saliva and mud, spreads it on the man s eyes, and commands him to wash in the pools of Siloam. The man returns healed, praising Jesus and testifying that it was Jesus who performed this miracle. Of course, this caused great opposition from the Pharisees. The man is brought before them, and continues to testify to the healing that he received from Jesus. His parents are brought in to testify to the fact that the man had, indeed, been born blind. The Pharisees were angry that Jesus performed this miracle on the Sabbath, which is against the religious law. Therefore, they conclude, Jesus must not be from God. Their doubt and disbelief blind them from experiencing God. The Point God works even through our brokenness and unbelief to draw us into relationship with Jesus. Much as he did last week in his encounter with the Samaritan woman, Jesus is now entering into relationship with another outcast. This man had been born blind, and was living a life as a beggar. Jesus testifies that the healing of this man will testify to the glory of God, yet the Pharisees question and doubt and try to twist the truth to prove otherwise. They refuse to believe what is in front of them, and eventually even drive the man out rather than accept his testimony of the miracle. While the young man suffered from physical blindness, the Pharisees are struggling with their spiritual blindness. Bible Nuts and Bolts: Pharisees The Pharisees were a group of Jewish believers who lived in accordance to the law of Moses found in the Old Testament. They strove to follow every aspect of the law. They believed that it was only by living in the strict obedience to this law that they were honoring God. The Pharisees continually confronted Jesus about his actions that seemed to defy the law. Spiritual Practice: Fellowship Fellowship means welcoming all people into the family of Christ. For people with physical challenges, attending worship can be especially difficult. It is important that congregational leadership work to remove barriers for those who struggle with movement, vision, hearing, or other physical limitations so that all people can fully participate in worship. 4

Lesson #4-22 (3rd-6th) February 11, 2018 Lesson Plan Identify objects in the dark. You will need: Pairs of objects in multiple sizes and textures Bags Optional: blindfolds Before class: 1. Use objects that can be manipulated by the students. It would be helpful if they had interesting features, such as being bumpy, fuzzy, round, hard, soft, etc. Some examples might be a measuring cup, dice, acorn, toy car or airplane, banana, an instrument, or a tennis ball. You will need two of each item. 2. Place items in individual bags so they are hidden from students view. 3. Keep the items hidden until ready for use. During class: 1. I have some bags with mystery items in them. You see many of these items almost every day. But today you are not going to see any of them. Today you are going to have to figure out what these objects are by simply feeling them. 2. I am going to divide the class into two groups and then I will call up one student from each group. They will each close their eyes (or put on a blindfold/bandana). I will give each player the same object. The first student to guess their object wins a point for their team. 3. Play the game until all the pairs of objects have been used. 4. How many of you found that task difficult? Were you surprised at how long it took you or other students in the class to figure out what a simple object was? It is amazing how much we depend on our eyesight. When that is taken away from us life gets very difficult. 5

Lesson #4-22 (3rd-6th) February 11, 2018 Following the Law like the Pharisees is hard. You will need: Nothing During class: 1. In today s Scripture lesson we hear that Jesus had some conversations with the Pharisees, who disagreed with what Jesus did when he healed the blind man. The Pharisees were a group of people who tried to follow every law written in the Old Testament. The Law dictated what they should eat, how they should dress, who they could talk to, when they could work, and what the right way was to worship God. The Pharisees believed that following these laws made God happy. 2. Do you think that this would have been an easy way to live? [No!] Let s see if you guys can follow every Law that I tell you. We are going to play a version of Simon Says. I am going to give you a series of commands to follow. You need to listen for me to say, The Law says before performing the action. If I do not say, The Law says do not perform the action. If you perform the action when I do not say, The Law says you are out. We will play until there is one Pharisee left standing. 3. Give simple commands such as touch your toes, jump up and down, turn in a circle, wave your arms, act like a monkey. Begin giving clues faster and faster as the students continue playing. 4. After the game, say: You were all good Pharisees! But you can see how difficult it was to do everything I said. The Pharisees thought that everyone who followed the Law of Moses should do and not do very specific things. So if someone said that they followed God but they did things that did not follow the Law of Moses, it made the Pharisees angry. 6

Lesson #4-22 (3rd-6th) February 11, 2018 Students play a quiz show after hearing the story. You will need: Bible Activity sheet #4-22.A Optional: paper, pens or pencils, buzzers or other noisemakers During class: 1. Today we are going to reread the story of the blind man who was healed by Jesus. This story is found in John 9:1-41. You are going to learn this story only by hearing it. This might be easy for some but more difficult for others. Just like the blind man, you will need to rely on your other senses. This time you will need to use your sense of hearing. Read the story, repeating if necessary. 2. Now we are going to play a game that will test your memory of the story. We will see if you were able to learn this story while blind. Divide the class into two teams. Use Activity Sheet #4-22.A to ask questions about the story. Each team must decide on one answer. Depending on your class, you can then: Have them write the answer on their paper and score at the end of the game. Have students run forward and tell you the answer. Have students raise their hands, and call on the first hand. Provide some sort of buzzer or noisemaker to buzz in with their answer. 3. The correct team will earn one point per question. Celebrate the success of both teams. 4. This game was a great example of how we can rely on senses other than our sense of sight. Your teams worked well together to demonstrate how you learned this story. Jesus gave this man the gift of sight. Knowing how much we value our eyesight we can understand what a powerful miracle this was. 7

Lesson #4-22 (3rd-6th) February 11, 2018 Hear from someone who has vision challenges. You will need: Nothing Before class: 1. Invite someone from your congregation to visit your class. This person could have actual vision impairment or simply be an older person who may need to use a larger print to be able to worship. During class: 1. We need to be able to see for a lot of what we do in our church. What are some things that it would be hard to do during worship if we could not see? [Read the bulletin, read the screen, see the pastor, take communion, etc.] 2. Before your guest arrives, spend some time with the students talking about what questions you may want to ask them. Create a list as a class. Focus on ways that the church can be more welcoming to people with vision or other physical challenges. 3. Today we have a special guest to help us understand what is it like to have difficulty seeing. Introduce guest. 4. Invite your guest to tell how they manage with limited vision. 5. It is important that we make everyone feel welcome in our church. What are some of the things that we can do to help make people with vision challenges feel welcome? 6. Thank your guest for visiting the class. 8

Lesson #4-22 (3rd-6th) February 11, 2018 Performing actions while blind. You will need: Supplies for each game (see Activity Suggestions below) Blindfolds Timer Before class: 1. Determine which game(s) best suits your group s needs and gather the necessary supplies. Activity Suggestions: Building a tower out of eight to ten blocks. Lining up sticks, poles, or other straight items from shortest to longest. Stringing beads. Putting shapes into a baby shape sorter. Creating a pattern out of colorful blocks. Any other activity that requires both fine motor skills and eyesight. During class: 1. We are going to try to experience living as someone without sight. Playing games without using our sight will force us to rely on help from someone else. The man in the story relied on help from his parents and other members of his community. 2. You will each choose a partner. You will be given one minute to complete an activity. The catch is that one partner will be blindfolded. It is the job of the other partner to coach the person who cannot see. After the minute is over we will see who is furthest along in the challenge. Then the partners will switch who is the coach and who is blindfolded. 3. Continue to play the game as time allows. 9

Lesson #4-22 (3rd-6th) February 11, 2018 Explore the braille alphabet. You will need: Activity Sheet #4-22.B Beads, sequins, dried corn or beans, pompoms, etc. Paper Glue Before class: 1. Make copies of Activity Sheet #4-22.B for each student. During class: 1. Does anyone know what the braille alphabet is? [The alphabet that people cannot see use, words that have raised bumps that allow people to touch to read.] People without eyesight memorize the way each letter feels instead of what each letter looks like. Books are printed in special presses that create this raised print. The books are very large. 2. We are going to make our own braille word today. We are going to feel our names. I am going to give you a copy of what the braille alphabet looks like. You are going to copy the letters in your name onto a piece of paper. We will then glue items onto each letter. Each letter consists of a series of dots in six possible places. When we are done you will be able to read your name with your fingers. 3. Note: the smaller dots in the braille alphabet are placeholders only. Glue objects onto the larger dots to correctly create the letters. 10

Lesson #4-22 (3rd-6th) February 11, 2018 The full glory of Jesus is revealed. You will need: Bible Optional: pictures of the different stages of caterpillars changing into butterflies Before class: 1. If a password is needed for Internet access, have it available for students. During class: 1. Today is a special Sunday in the church called Transfiguration. That is a really big word. Does anyone know what it means? Allow students to answer. When something is transfigured it is changed. In this story, Jesus changes. Listen to what happens. 2. Read the story from Matthew 17:1-8. 3. In this story, who goes up on the mountain? [Jesus, Peter, James, and John.] Suddenly, what happens to Jesus? [He changes, he begins to glow, Moses and Elijah join him.] 4. Show the pictures of the metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a butterfly, or have the students find images online. How is this butterfly like Jesus? [Jesus is still the same, but he changes to become even more than he was before.] 5. This story talks about an amazing moment for these three disciples. It is so amazing, in fact, that Peter wants to build a tent and stay on the mountaintop forever! But Jesus tells them that they have to go back down the mountain. 6. Sometimes we have moments like that too, when we feel like we are really close to Jesus and we do not want it to end. Sometimes people call that a mountaintop experience. But we need to always remember that we cannot stay on that mountain; we need to take those special mountaintop moments with us and come down to tell the story to the people who need to hear about Jesus. 11

Lesson #4-22 (3rd-6th) February 11, 2018 Optional ongoing activity. You will need: Bible Book page (found at end of lesson) Cardstock or plain paper Pens Markers or crayons Optional: three-ring binders, hole punch Before class: 1. Make copies of this week s Bible Book page on cardstock or copy paper for each student. During class: 1. Hand out Bible Book pages. 2. What are some of the important things we have learned from today s story? [Answers will vary.] 3. On the bottom of your page, please write one or two important things that you have learned from the story today. In the middle of the page, draw a picture from the story or illustrate one of the important things you ve learned. Don t forget to put your name on the back of the page, please! 4. Optional: Collect and three-hole punch the pages, and put them in individual binders for each student to be kept at church until the end of the year. If you wish, you can investigate other options for binding the Bible books through a local print shop at the end of the year instead of using a three-ring binder. 12

Lesson #4-22 (3rd-6th) February 11, 2018 Before ending class, make a point to come together to pray. Use the following or say your own prayer. Allow any students who would like to include a petition to do so at the appropriate time. Have students cover their eyes with their hands until it is time for them to say the phrase, Thank you for loving us, too. (Cover eyes) Leader: Jesus, you showed your love when you gave the blind man his sight. (Uncover eyes) Students: Thank you for loving us, too. (Cover eyes) Leader: Jesus, you showed your love when you spoke with the Samaritan woman. (Uncover eyes, students respond) Students Thank you for loving us, too. (Cover eyes) Leader: Jesus, you showed your love when you taught Nicodemus how to be born again. (Uncover eyes) Students: Thank you for loving us, too. Leader: Thank you for healing and loving all of us. Amen. 13

Activity Sheet #4-22A Lesson #4-22 (3rd-6th) February 11, 2018 Quiz Bowl Play a quiz show after hearing the story. 1. Jesus says, As long as I am in the world, I am what? [The light of the world.] 2. The disciples asked if the man or his parents had sinned because he had been born blind. What did Jesus say in response? [Neither, he was born blind so that God s works might be revealed in him.] 3. What did Jesus use to make the mud? [Saliva and dirt from the ground.] 4. What did Jesus tell the man to do after he put the mud on his eyes? [Go wash it off in the pool of Siloam.] 5. When the people asked the man how his eyes were opened, what did he say? [The man named Jesus made mud, and spread it on my eyes. I washed and received my sight.] 6. Why were the Pharisees angry that Jesus had performed the miracle? [It was the Sabbath day and Jesus should not have done any work. ] 7. The Pharisees ask the man s parents who healed their son. What did they say to the Pharisees? [We do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.] 8. Jesus finds the man later and Jesus tells the man that he is the Son of Man. What did the man do after Jesus told him this? [He worshipped Jesus.] 15

Activity Sheet #4-22.B Lesson #4-22 (3rd-6th) February 11, 2018 Feeling Your Name Explore the braille alphabet. 17

Bible Book Lesson #4-22 (3rd-6th) February 11, 2018 Seeing Abundant Life in Jesus John 9:1-41 I learned: 19

The Story @ Home 3 rd -6 th Living the Word: Teaching Kids God s Story Narrative Lectionary, Year 4 (2017-2018) Lesson #4-22 John 9:1-41 Last Week Last week the story of the woman at the well showed that everyone is welcome in Jesus abundant love. This Week Jesus performs another miracle by healing a man who was born blind on the Sabbath, causing division and doubt within the Pharisees. Story Summary Jesus demonstrates the mighty work of God by healing a man born blind. Jesus makes a paste of saliva and mud, spreads it on the man s eyes, and commands him to wash in the pools of Siloam. The man returns healed, praising Jesus and testifying that it was Jesus who performed this miracle. Of course, this caused great opposition from the Pharisees. The Pharisees were angry that Jesus performed this miracle on the Sabbath, which is against the religious law. Therefore, they conclude, Jesus must not be from God. Their doubt and disbelief blind them from experiencing God. Practice: Fellowship Fellowship means welcoming all people into the family of Christ. For people with physical challenges, attending worship can be especially difficult. It is important that congregational leadership work to remove barriers for those who struggle with movement, vision, hearing, or other physical limitations so that all people can fully participate in worship. The Point God works even through our brokenness and unbelief to draw us into relationship with Jesus. Bible Nuts & Bolts Pharisees The Pharisees were a group of Jewish believers who lived in accordance to the law of Moses found in the Old Testament. They strove to follow every aspect of the law. They believed that it was only by living in the strict obedience to this law that they were honoring God. The Pharisees continually confronted Jesus about his actions that seemed to defy the law. Next Week Next week we start a unit about Following Jesus, beginning with the story of Jesus bringing his friend Lazarus from death back to life.

@ HOME Lesson #4-22 John 9:1-41 Family Discussions Use the questions below or other questions you think of to discuss today s Scripture reading (listed above) with your family. In what way does this text speak to our theme of an Invitation to Abundant Life? What does this scripture have to do with our lives today? What part of this scripture is the most interesting to you? Why? Family Devotions As you hear and study these stories each week, consider what God has to say to you and your family. What is God s message to us? How should we respond? Sunday Read John 9:1-41 Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath. Who do you know that could use Jesus healing? Pray for them. Monday Read Matthew 17:1-13 Jesus, Moses, and Elijah are transfigured on a mountain. As you read this story, shine a bright light on the reader so that they glow. Tuesday Read Luke 12:22-34 Fear not, little flock. Talk about the things that cause you fear or worry. Wednesday Read John 10:1-18 Following the shepherd. Take turns being the shepherd and the lambs. The shepherds will protect and care for the sheep. Thursday Read Luke 15:1-7 Finding the lost sheep. Take turns hiding and looking for something (a stuffed sheep would be perfect!) Friday Read John 10:22-30 Jesus s sheep hear his voice. Send someone out of the room. Call that person s name, and have them guess who called them. Do they recognize your voice? Saturday Read John 10:31-42 The signs of Jesus testify to his greatness. How do you see Jesus active in the world today?