Leader BIBLE STUDY Use Week of: The prophet Isaiah wrote about the Messiah s mission. It would include opening the eyes of the blind. (See Isa. 35:5; 42:7.) The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record an account of Jesus physically healing people who were blind. In Matthew 20, Matthew mentions two unnamed blind men, while the accounts in Mark 10 and Luke 18 focus on only one of them. Mark provided more detail, identifying the blind man as Bartimaeus (bahr tih MEE uhs). 3 As Jesus traveled from Jericho, He passed Bartimaeus, who spent his days begging on the side of the road. When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was passing by, he cried out to Him, using a messianic title: Son of David, have mercy on me! Socially, Bartimaeus would have been considered unimportant certainly not important enough for the attention of someone as popular as Jesus. Perhaps Bartimaeus was used to being ignored by passersby, but Jesus stopped and reached out to him. Jesus said to Bartimaeus, What do you want Me to do for you? (Mark 10:51). Jesus had just asked the same question to two of His disciples, James and John. (See Mark 10:36.) Their response, asking for their own glory, revealed their own spiritual blindness. Jesus told them that they didn t know what they were asking. They didn t truly understand Jesus mission, which included suffering and service. Bartimaeus, on the other hand, answered Jesus question with a plea of faith: Teacher, I want to see! Bartimaeus believed that Jesus could heal him, and Jesus did. Bartimaeus had nothing to offer Jesus. He knew he was needy, and he begged for mercy. Jesus is willing to help those in need. Though we may not be physically blind, all sinners are born spiritually blind. In our need, we can cry out like Bartimaeus, Son of David, have mercy on me! Jesus can open our eyes to the truth about God and save us. Younger Kids Bible Study Leader Guide Unit 29 Session 3 1
Younger Kids BIBLE STUDY OVERVIEW Session Title: Jesus Has Power Over Sickness Bible Passage: Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43 Big Picture Question: How did Jesus show His power over sickness? Jesus opened the eyes of people who were blind. Key Passage: John 11:25-26 Unit Christ Connection: Jesus demonstrated His power over the brokenness of the world caused by the fall. Small Group Opening Welcome time Activity page (5 minutes) Session starter (10 minutes) U N I T 29 3 Large Group Leader Countdown Introduce the session (1 minute) Timeline map (1 minute) Big picture question (1 minute) Sing (5 minutes) Key passage (4 minutes) Tell the Bible story (10 minutes) Discussion starter video (3 minutes) The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional) Prayer (5 minutes) Small Group Leader Key passage activity (5 minutes) Bible story review (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. 2
The BIBLE STORY Jesus Has Power Over Sickness Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43 Jesus and His disciples had been in the town of Jericho. When it was time to leave, they started walking out of town. A large group of people followed them. A man named Bartimaeus (bahr tih MEE uhs) was sitting by the road that led to Jerusalem. Bartimaeus was blind, so he sat there and begged for money. Bartimaeus heard a crowd walking by. What is going on? Bartimaeus asked the people around him. Jesus is passing by, they said. Bartimaeus wanted Jesus to help him, so he cried out, Jesus, Son of David! Have mercy on me! Bartimaeus believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah, born into the family of King David like the Old Testament prophets had said He would be. If anyone could help Bartimaeus, it was Jesus. The people around Bartimaeus told him to keep quiet, but Bartimaeus did not keep quiet. In fact, he cried out even more. Son of David! Have mercy on me! Jesus heard Bartimaeus, and He stopped walking. Tell that man to come here, Jesus said. So the people told Bartimaeus to get up. Jesus is calling for you, they said. Bartimaeus got up right away. He left his coat on the ground and went to Jesus. What do you want me to do for you? Jesus asked him. Teacher, Bartimaeus said, I want to see! Go on, Jesus said. You are healed because you believed. Right away, Bartimaeus could see! He wasn t blind anymore; Jesus had healed him. Jesus started walking again, and Bartimaeus followed Him down the road. Bartimaeus praised God, and the people who saw what Jesus had done praised God too. Jesus has power over sickness! Younger Kids Bible Study Leader Guide Unit 29 Session 3 3
Christ Connection: The prophet Isaiah wrote that the promised Messiah would open the eyes of people who were blind. (Isaiah 35:5; 42:7) He was here! Jesus was the promised Messiah. Even if we are not blind, we are sinners. Sinners can t see the truth about God until Jesus opens our eyes and saves us. Want to discover God s Word? Get Adventure! Invite kids to check out today s devotional to discover more about the Messiah Jesus! Anyone who trusts in Jesus will live forever with Him! Order in bulk, subscribe quarterly, or purchase individually. For more information, check out www.lifeway.com/devotionals. 4
Small Group OPENING Session Title: Jesus Has Power Over Sickness Bible Passage: Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43 Big Picture Question: How did Jesus show His power over sickness? Jesus opened the eyes of people who were blind. Key Passage: John 11:25-26 Unit Christ Connection: Jesus demonstrated His power over the brokenness of the world caused by the fall. Dot Code printable name tags, 1 per kid index cards, 1 per kid pencils Injury Match activity page, 1 per kid pencils Welcome time Arriving Activity: Braille fun Place a Dot Code printable at each table or where a group of kids can easily access it. Explain that you are using dots as a code for letters. Provide a name tag for each kid and an index card. Encourage the kids to write their names on the name tags using the dot code. Then give them a simple sentence like Jesus loves me! or Jesus has power! to write on their index cards. Say The code you just used really isn t a made-up code. It s the Braille alphabet. Braille is the written language for people who are blind. If a person who was blind was reading braille, the dots would be raised. She would feel the dots with her fingers and know what it said. Today s Bible story is about a blind man who asked Jesus for his sight. Activity page (5 minutes) Guide boys and girls to complete the activity page. Say Lots of things we do help us feel better when we are sick, but today we will discover who has power over all sickness. Younger Kids Bible Study Leader Guide Unit 29 Session 3 5
LOW PREP towel, bandana, handkerchief, or cloth headband Tip: If a child does not want to wear a blindfold, he may close his eyes. Session starter (10 minutes) Option 1: Sounds only Invite a leader to make different sounds. The kids must guess what makes that sound. Consider animal sounds, alarms, ring tones, sirens, vehicle sounds, and so forth. Continue as time allows. If you have older kids, choose a volunteer to make the different sounds. You may want to approve the sounds before kids make them to the class. Say Some sounds we recognize immediately. Others are more difficult. Imagine if you had to rely on sounds to identify almost everything. That s what one man had to do in today s Bible story. Option 2: Quiet! Choose a volunteer to blindfold using a towel, bandana, headband, or handkerchief. Once the volunteer is blindfolded, secretly choose another kid to be Jesus. The blindfolded volunteer should stand still while the rest of the kids move around the room making any noise they wish. The blindfolded volunteer then yells quiet. Then the kids must freeze and remain silent. The volunteer will then say, Where s Jesus? Jesus must say, I m here. The blindfolded volunteer should then remove the blindfold and guess who was speaking. If he guesses correctly, the blindfolded volunteer remains in the game. If not, Jesus becomes the blindfolded volunteer, and you choose another kid to be Jesus next round. Play as time allows. Say In today s Bible story, a man who was blind heard Jesus and asked for help, even though others were trying to keep the man quiet. Transition to large group 6
Large Group LEADER Session Title: Jesus Has Power Over Sickness Bible Passage: Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43 Big Picture Question: How did Jesus show His power over sickness? Jesus opened the eyes of people who were blind. Key Passage: John 11:25-26 Unit Christ Connection: Jesus demonstrated His power over the brokenness of the world caused by the fall. countdown video Countdown Show the countdown video as your kids arrive, and set it to end as large group time begins. high stool or chair Introduce the session (1 minute) [Large Group Leader enters and sits on a high stool or tall chair.] Leader Have any of you ever noticed that lifeguards at a pool or beach sit way up high on very tall chairs? Why do you think they do that? [Invite a few kids to respond. Thank kids for their participation.] Lifeguards must be able to see the entire area they protect. If they can t see everyone in the water, they can t notice someone who may be signaling for help. It s important that a lifeguard can always see what is happening. Eyesight is really important for all of us. However, not everyone can see like you and I can. These people are called blind. Did you know there are stories in the Bible about people who were blind? Let s talk about one of those stories today. Younger Kids Bible Study Leader Guide Unit 29 Session 3 7
Timeline Map Timeline map (1 minute) Leader Who can find the picture of the lifeguard stand on our timeline map? Let s look at the line of pictures above it. The first picture is a picture of a storm. Can anyone tell me what this story was about? That s right! The disciples were afraid their boat was going to sink because of the waves and wind. Jesus told the waves and wind to stop, and both obeyed. Who has power over creation? Jesus has power over creation because He is God the Son. Who can tell me about the next picture? Jesus took a boy s lunch. How many loaves of bread did the boy have? (five) How many fish did he have? (two) How many people did God feed with the loaves and fish? (more than 5,000) Jesus took care of the spiritual and physical needs of the people following Him. Who will always take care of us? God can and will provide for our needs. Today s Bible story is the next picture. What do you think this picture is about? We ll find out the details in a moment. Big picture question (1 minute) Leader Let s take a look at our big picture question for today. How did Jesus show His power over sickness? Hmm. That s an interesting question. I ve been sick a few times, and it certainly wasn t fun. I wonder how Jesus showed His power over sickness. Something Beautiful song Sing (5 minutes) Leader Before we turn to the Bible for an answer to the big picture question, let s sing our theme song. It reminds us that Jesus has power over all things, even bad situations. Let s praise Him. Sing together Something Beautiful. 8
Key Passage Slide or Poster Everlasting Life song Jesus Has Power Over Sickness video Bibles, 1 per kid Bible Story Picture Slide or Poster Key passage (4 minutes) Leader As Jesus went from place to place, He often healed the sick. When people heard that Jesus healed the sick, others who were sick came to be healed too. Jesus proved each time that He is more than just another man. He is also God. He is even in control of life and death. Let s take a look at our key passage. Show the slide or poster of the key passage, John 11:25-26. Lead the boys and girls to read the verse. Sing together Everlasting Life. Tell the Bible story (10 minutes) Leader Turn to Luke 18. Let s hear our Bible story. See if you can find out the answer to the big picture question, How did Jesus show His power over sickness? Show the Jesus Has Power Over Sickness video, or tell the Bible story in your own words using the script provided. For a shorter version of the story, read only the bolded text. Leader Bartimaeus called Jesus the Son of David. Why do you think He did that? Bartimaeus recognized Jesus as the Son of David because the Old Testament taught that the Messiah would be part of King David s family. Bartimaeus was certain Jesus could heal him. We call that faith. Even though those around him told Bartimaeus to be quiet, he continued to cry out to Jesus. When Bartimaeus heard Jesus wanted to see him, he didn t wait. He jumped up and ran to Jesus. He even left his stuff behind. Jesus healed Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus followed Jesus and praised God. Everyone else who saw this healing also praised God. Jesus has power over sickness. How did Jesus show His power over sickness? Jesus opened the eyes of people who were blind. Younger Kids Bible Study Leader Guide Unit 29 Session 3 9
Ask the following review questions: 1. Why was Bartimaeus sitting by the road begging? (He was blind, Luke 18:35) 2. What did Bartimaeus call Jesus? (Son of David, Luke 18:38) 3. What did the people around Bartimaeus tell him to do? (Be quiet, Luke 18:39) 4. What did the people do after Jesus healed Bartimaeus? (They praised God, Luke 18:43) 5. How did Jesus show His power over sickness? Jesus opened the eyes of people who were blind. Unit 29 Session 3 discussion starter video Discussion starter video (3 minutes) Leader Have you ever been sick and prayed for God to help you feel better? Watch this video. Show the Unit 29 Session 3 video. Leader How many of you have prayed for someone who was sick to get better, and she did? Sometimes God heals people of a sickness very quickly. Somtimes God heals us by allowing our bodies to fight viruses and bacteria the way He designed it to. How many of you have prayed for someone to get better, but he didn t? Maybe the person you were praying for died. Sometimes we have to trust that God has a greater plan that we may not always understand. That doesn t mean we should stop praying. We know Jesus has the power to heal. Hundreds of years before Jesus birth on earth, the prophet Isaiah wrote that the promised Messiah would heal the blind. Jesus healed the blind, but He also heals something much more important. We all need to be healed from sin. Jesus saves us when we repent and trust in Him. 10
The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional) Use Scripture and the guide provided with this session to explain to boys and girls how to become a Christian. Assign individuals to meet with kids who have more questions. If this is not possible, encourage boys and girls to ask their parents, small group leaders, or other Christian adults any questions they may have about becoming a Christian. Big Picture Question Slide or Poster Prayer (5 minutes) Show the big picture question slide or poster. Leader Let s see if you can answer the big picture question. How did Jesus show His power over sickness? Jesus opened the eyes of people who were blind. Invite the kids to close their eyes. Tap three or four kids gently on the head. Encourage the kids to open their eyes and ask the big picture question. Those who you secretly chose should answer together. Play again as time allows. Before transitioning to small group, make any necessary announcements. Lead the kids in prayer. Pray that God will help each kid learn to trust God as each kid deals with sickness. Dismiss to small groups Younger Kids Bible Study Leader Guide Unit 29 Session 3 11
The Gospel: God s Plan for Me Ask kids if they have ever heard the word gospel. Clarify that the word gospel means good news. It is the message about Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation. Use the following guide to share the gospel with kids. God rules. Explain to kids that the Bible tells us God created everything, and He is in charge of everything. Invite a volunteer to read Genesis 1:1 from the Bible. Read Revelation 4:11 or Colossians 1:16-17 aloud and explain what these verses mean. We sinned. Tell kids that since the time of Adam and Eve, everyone has chosen to disobey God. (Romans 3:23) The Bible calls this sin. Because God is holy, God cannot be around sin. Sin separates us from God and deserves God s punishment of death. (Romans 6:23) God provided. Choose a child to read John 3:16 aloud. Say that God sent His Son, Jesus, the perfect solution to our sin problem, to rescue us from the punishment we deserve. It s something we, as sinners, could never earn on our own. Jesus alone saves us. Read and explain Ephesians 2:8-9. Jesus gives. Share with kids that Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again. Because Jesus gave up His life for us, we can be welcomed into God s family for eternity. This is the best gift ever! Read Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; or 1 Peter 3:18. We respond. Tell kids that they can respond to Jesus. Read Romans 10:9-10,13. Review these aspects of our response: Believe in your heart that Jesus alone saves you through what He s already done on the cross. Repent, turning from self and sin to Jesus. Tell God and others that your faith is in Jesus. Offer to talk with any child who is interested in responding to Jesus. 12
Small Group LEADER Session Title: Jesus Has Power Over Sickness Bible Passage: Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43 Big Picture Question: How did Jesus show His power over sickness? Jesus opened the eyes of people who were blind. Key Passage: John 11:25-26 Unit Christ Connection: Jesus demonstrated His power over the brokenness of the world caused by the fall. Key Passage Slide or Poster dry erase board and markers (optional) Key passage activity (5 minutes) Make sure the key passage, John 11:25-26, is visible for each child, either as the slide, printed poster, or written on a dry erase board. Read the verses together. Say Jesus has power over all things. He has power over creation, power to take care of our needs, and power to heal sickness. These verses remind us that He also has power over death. We don t have to fear any of these things. We can trust Jesus to heal us, just like Bartimaeus did. Invite the kids to read the key passage together again. Then encourage the kids to cover one eye and read it together. For a third time, ask the kids to cover both eyes with their hands. When they cannot remember the verse, they should open their eyes. Challenge them to see who can recite the most of the verses without looking. You may even choose a few individuals at a time for the challenge. Bibles, 1 per kid Small Group Visual Pack Big Picture Question Slide or Poster Bible story review (10 minutes) Encourage the kids to find Luke 18:35-43 in their Bibles. Help them as needed. Say If you open your Bible about three-fourths of the way, you will likely open up near or in one of the Younger Kids Bible Study Leader Guide Unit 29 Session 3 13
four Gospels. What are the four Gospels? (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) Luke is the third Gospel. Whose life do the Gospels share with us? (Jesus life) 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. Challenge the kids to keep their eyes closed for the entire review time. Say Jesus told Bartimaeus his faith had healed him. Certainly, Jesus is the One with the power to heal. Bartimaeus didn t let anyone keep him from Jesus. He believed Jesus was the promised Messiah. We are also asked to put our faith or trust in Jesus. When we repent and trust in Jesus, He will heal our greatest sickness sin. Show the big picture question slide or poster. Say How did Jesus show His power over sickness? Jesus opened the eyes of people who were blind. LOW PREP half-sheet of paper tape sticky note (optional) blindfold (optional) timer (optional) Activity choice (10 minutes) Option 1: Find it! Clear a large area of wall space, making sure there are no obstacles on the ground for kids to trip over. Tape a halfsheet of paper somewhere on the wall, not too high for the kids to reach. You may also use a sticky note. Choose a volunteer. Blindfold her or encourage her to close her eyes. Position the volunteer near the wall, but a few feet away away from the piece of paper. When you give the start signal, the volunteer must feel along the wall until she finds the paper. Choose another volunteer and play again. If you want the kids to compete against each other, use a timer or stopwatch app to time the kids. The kid with the best time wins. 14
Say Often, signs on walls in public places have small dots below the words. That is braille. People who are blind feel those dots to read the sign. If you were blind, you would have to feel for the braille on the sign so you could read it. In our story, Bartimaeus knew Jesus could heal him from any sickness, including blindness. How did Jesus show His power over sickness? Jesus opened the eyes of people who were blind. ziplock bags, 1 per kid permanent markers bowls, 2 per group tablespoons measuring cups water salt duct tape sponges, 1 per kid (optional) Option 2: Ice pack Give each kid a sandwich or quart-size ziplock bag. If you would like, allow the kids to decorate the outsides of their bags with permanent markers. Encourage the kids to team up. Provide a small bowl of salt and tablespoons for each team, along with a measuring cup and a large bowl of water. Explain that teams will work together to pour two tablespoons of salt and one cup of water into each bag. Seal each bag and then tape it, or provide a second ziplock bag to reinforce it. Instruct kids to put the ice pack in the freezer when they get home. For an easier, no-mess option, provide each kid with a sponge and a ziplock bag. Kids can just wet their sponges and place them in ziplock bags. Explain that when placed in a freezer for a few hours, the ice pack will freeze. It can be used in a lunch box to keep things cold or to treat an injury. Say An ice pack is used to treat an injury or sickness that causes swelling. Many people with sicknesses came to Jesus to be healed. Jesus proved He has power over sickness. How did Jesus show His power over sickness? Jesus opened the eyes of people who were blind. Younger Kids Bible Study Leader Guide Unit 29 Session 3 15
journals Journal Page, 1 per kid markers or crayons Bible Story Coloring Page Journal and prayer (5 minutes) Distribute each child s journal and the journal page provided with this session. Instruct the kids to draw a picture of Bartimaeus after Jesus healed him. Writers can write the big picture question and answer. Say Let s all say the big picture question and answer one more time. How did Jesus show His power over sickness? Jesus opened the eyes of people who were blind. 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. If time remains, take prayer requests or allow kids to complete the coloring page provided with this session. Pray, thanking God for healing those who are sick or injured. Pray for each child by name, asking God to allow each one to see and understand more about who God is and His plans to save sinners. 16
Journal Page Key Passage: John 11:25-26 Session 1: Jesus Has Power Over Creation Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25 Session 2: Jesus Has the Power to Provide Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-14 Session 3: Jesus Has Power Over Sickness Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43 Session 4: Jesus Has Power Over Evil Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39 Session 5: Jesus Has Power Over Death John 11:1-44 OK TO PRINT
I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die ever. John 11:25-26 UNIT 29 Key Passage Poster (HCSB) OK TO PRINT
I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. John 11:25-26 UNIT 29 Key Passage Poster (KJV) OK TO PRINT
I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. John 11:25-26 UNIT 29 Key Passage Poster (ESV) OK TO PRINT
I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. John 11:25-26 UNIT 29 Key Passage Poster (NIV) OK TO PRINT
I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. John 11:25-26 UNIT 29 Key Passage Poster (NKJV) OK TO PRINT
UNIT 29 Key Passage Poster OK TO PRINT
How did Jesus show His power over sickness? UNIT 29 Session 3 Big Picture Question OK TO PRINT
How did Jesus show His power over sickness? Jesus opened the eyes of people who were blind. UNIT 29 Session 3 Big Picture Question OK TO PRINT
UNIT 29 Big Picture Question OK TO PRINT
UNIT 29 Session 3 Jesus Has Power Over Sickness OK TO PRINT
Instructions: Draw a line connecting the illness or injury with what might be used to treat it. Unit 29 Session 3 Younger Kids Activity Pages
Jesus Has Power Over Sickness Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43
Today we will be tasting/ touching/sniffing: Please notify the leader if your child should not participate. Instructions: Print this poster. You may laminate it and reuse it throughout the quarter. Use a dry erase marker to fill in the necessary information. Display the poster where parents and kids can see it before class. UNIT 29 Allergy Alert Poster OK TO PRINT
Dot Code Instructions: Print and use as directed in the leader guide. a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z UNIT 29 Session 3 Younger Kids Leader Guide OK TO PRINT