Bible Stories: A Nobleman's Household Believes

  

This story is called "Day 230: A Nobleman's Household Believes" from 365 Read-Aloud Bedtime Bible Stories by Daniel Partner.

February 15: Jesus Heals Ten Lepers (Luke 17:11-19)

February 15: Jesus Heals Ten Lepers (Luke 17:11-19)

Supplies:

1 sheet of paper for each child

Colored chalk to share

Pencils

Activity Before Story:

            Hand out a sheet of paper. Tell students to draw a big circle or oval on their paper. Then slowly give them this list, giving them time to finish drawing each item before continuing on: 1. Two eyes far apart from each other, with very small pupils. 2. One enormous-sized nose. 3. A set of lips that look they came from a monkey. 4. Two ears that would flap in the wind. While telling the story, allow students to draw other “unattractive” features on their faces, such as a rash or bruise, or stitches and scars. Allow them to color with colored chalk for effect.

Story (From The Beginner's Bible):

            Ten men were very sad. They were sad, because they were sick. They were so sick they had to live away from their families. They had to live away from their friends.

            One day the ten men found out that Jesus was coming their way. They decided to go meet him. When they saw him, they called, “Jesus, Jesus!” Jesus looked. And He said, “Go to the priest. Let him take a look at you.”

            Now the priest was the one who could tell them if they were well. He could tell them if they could live with their families again. So they started on their way to see the priest.

            While the men were walking, they began to notice something. They were feeling better. They were looking better. In fact, they were all well! They were so excited. They hurried on to see the priest. All but one. One man remembered something. He remembered to go back to Jesus and say thank you.

Summary & Questions:

            If you have good manners, then you say “thank you” when someone does something nice for you. Jesus did something very nice for these men. How many men were sick? They were so sick they were not allowed to be near their families, because then their families would get sick! How do you feel when someone tells you “thank you” for doing something nice? How do you think Jesus feels when we tell him “thank you”? What are some things we should be thankful for? When we pray, we can thank Jesus for everything He does for us.

Activity After Story:

            Ask kids if they would like to have faces that looked like the ones in their pictures. Tell students that Jesus loves us no matter what we look like. Just as He healed the ten lepers who had sores all over their bodies, Jesus wants to help you with the sins and problems in your life. When Jesus helps you, do you tell Him thank-you? We should be very thankful to Jesus for taking care of us.

Week 24: June 15

Our theme for June is "Jesus Heals"

Week 24- Jesus Heals a Crippled Hand (Luke 6:6-11)

Since this was also Father's Day, I wanted to find an activity that both taught the lesson and became a gift for dad. The story was pretty simple. I didn't divulge the "healing on Sabbath" moral, but simply that Jesus heals.

I started by giving each child a piece of scrap paper to crumple into a ball and hold in their dominate hand. We talked about how not everyone is able to use both hands due to various disabilities. We discussed how these people can do many things, but it's often more difficult than people who can use both of their hands. Each student had to hold the construction paper in his/her hand while drawing and coloring a picture of their dad. The drawings were hilarious! Most kids used their other hand, but some tried to hold the crayons in the hand while simultaneously holding a (somewhat large) piece of crumpled paper. 

I told the kids there was a man in Jesus' time who had a disability in his hand. He couldn't do many of the things others were able to do, and it often took him longer to do small tasks. We talked about what a picture of his dad might've looked like. 

One day Jesus was teaching in the synagogue when this man came in whose hand was shriveled. Everyone was curious to see what Jesus would do. Would Jesus heal the man? 

Jesus told the man to stretch out his hand. (I then had the kids stretch out their hand holding the paper.) As the man obeyed Jesus' instruction, his hand was restored. What does it mean if something is "restored?" Yes, it's made to look like it should have. Did Jesus heal the man's hand? Go ahead and drop your paper. Move your fingers around. It sure feels good to be able to use your hand, doesn't it!? Jesus healed the man's hand and Jesus can heal us, too. 

To go along with Father's Day, I found these hand-shaped sticky boards from Oriental Trading. We talked about how Jesus healed the man's hand, and how He, in fact, "hand"les a lot of problems so we don't have to worry! We talked about how blessed we are that He made Dads that "give us a hand" with things, as well. I had a first-grader who couldn't stop laughing after all of the hand-puns. It was hilarious! (And he looked quite "hand"some while doing it!) lol But anyway, we wrote a nice note to our dads on the backside "Thanks for giving me a helping hand. Happy Father's Day" and the kids were able to decorate the front with tissue paper squares. Some of the kids used their dad's favorite colors, others use different colors and shapes to represent dad's favorite things ("A" for Auburn, a cross in the middle "cause my dad loves Jesus," etc.) 

Week 23: June 8

Our theme for June is "Jesus Heals" 

Week 23- Jesus Heals a Paralytic (Mark 2:1-12) 

This week we read about how Jesus healed a man who was paralyzed. We first talked about what it means to be paralyzed, and how sad it was that He couldn't visit Jesus.


When Jesus came to Capernaum, everyone wanted to see Him. People filled the house- every room- to the point where nobody could even get through the door. In fact, people stood outside of the doorway waiting to hear Jesus speak.

There was one man, though, that could not go visit Jesus. He was paralyzed, which means he was not able to move his body. He couldn't walk to Jesus. He couldn't push through the crowds. He knew that Jesus could heal him, but how? He wasn't able to get there on his own.

The man's friends had a great idea. They put the paralyzed man onto a special mat. They climbed onto the roof of the house that Jesus was standing in. They lowered the man through the roof into the room Jesus was in. Jesus looked at the ceiling, and saw the men slowly lowering down the paralyzed man. He was happy that they trusted Him. He knew they believed. And He healed the man. He said, "Pick up your mat and walk. You are healed!" And the man was able to walk! Jesus also forgave the man of his sins. Jesus can heal us from our sins, too. 

We then went into a discussion about what it means to be forgiven by Jesus and how come it's important to ask Him to forgive us of our sins. 

We then water-colored our own card stock "mats" to remind us that Jesus can heal our bodies, but can also heal our souls. 

Week 22: June 1

Our theme for June is "Jesus Heals"

Week 22- Jesus Heals with Living Water (John 4:1-42)

Today we began our unit called "Jesus Heals." We started off our discussion with what it means to be healed. The kids mostly talked about how they had a cut that was healed, or their grandma was sick but now is healed, and other physical hearings. Then, I guided the conversation to emotional healing... a child's feelings were hurt but now he feels better, or a kiddo was upset with her sister but isn't anymore. Last, I brought up spiritual healing. I read the kids the story (paraphrased but I didn't type it... sorry!) and I asked the kids what type of healing the woman needed. They were spot on answering "spiritual!" 

This lesson is a little tricky to get because it involves a metaphor, but I gave each of my kids a small pail to help them remember. Not all answers were spot on (as you can expect) but It went something like this:

The lady at the well could give Jesus water. 
Why did Jesus ask for water? (To drink. He was thirsty. He didn't know how to get it from the well by himself.)
Jesus really didn't need the woman to get him water. He wanted to talk to her. What did Jesus want to talk to the lady about? (Spiritual healing. How to use the well. He wanted to heal her. He wanted to be friendly because nobody liked the Samaritans.)
Yes, Jesus wanted to be friendly and talk to the lady. He wanted to heal her from her sins. Can we heal sins? (No. Of course not! That's Jesus' job!)
Only Jesus can heal our sins. Only Jesus can take away the pain we feel when we are hurting. Asking Jesus to be in our hearts is like drinking water when you are thirsty. You feel SO much better afterward.

Jesus said that He is the "Living Water." Does this mean Jesus is actually water that we can drink? (No. Jesus is in our hearts.)
You're right! Jesus was telling the lady that He is like water, because everyone needs it, and it makes you feel so much better! 

After that, He said that if you have Living Water you will never thirst again. Does that mean we never have to drink water again? (No. It means that Jesus will be in our hearts forever. Jesus won't ever leave us. Jesus is with us always.)
That's pretty awesome, isn't it? Anytime we are in need of healing, we can ask Jesus to help us. Whether we fall on the playground and scrape our knees, a kid at school says something that hurts our feelings, or we alone because nobody will listen, Jesus is always there for us. Jesus is our Living Water! 

My kiddos then made this adorable well that was only slightly difficult for a couple to put together (The rope wrapping around the brown sticker was tricky!) but they were so proud! They also got to "drink" their "living water" from the metal pails. (Yes, it was full of air, and yes, my kids have great imaginations!) It was so cute to watch; I should've taken pictures!

Week 20: May 18

Our theme for May is "Jesus Teaches us to say 'Thanks!'"

Week 20- Thanks, Healer! (Luke 17:11-19)

Is it obvious my brain is fried, being a public school teacher by (week)day and Children's Programs Director by weekend? I totally missed pictures (again!) of this activity, but it was cute!

This week we talked about how there was once a man that was very sad because he had leprosy. We compared leprosy to chicken pox, and the kids were astounded that back in those times instead of going to a hospital for treatment the sick people were sent out to the edge of the villages and not allowed to be around their family anymore. 

The kids were each given 2 small circles cut on manilla paper to glue onto a half-sheet of card stock. On one side, they chose very sad eye stickers and created a sad man with leprosy using crayons. We then finished the story, about how Jesus came to the rescue and healed the men, and only one came back and said "Thanks!" to Jesus for healing him. On the back of the card stock, we drew the man again, this time with happy eyes, and no spots! We talked about how sometimes God gives us good things, and we sometimes don't say thank you. The kids learned that God is pleased when we do remember to thank Him for the blessings we receive. 

Week 5: Feb 2

Our theme for February is "Jesus Shows Us How to Love"

Week 5- Jesus Heals the Sick: What You Can Do (Matt. 4:23-25, Mark 1:29-39, Luke 4:31-44)

I plan to begin this lesson by students brainstorming anyone they know who is sick. It could be an older relative in a nursing home, a friend with a broken arm, or even a mom with the sniffles. Each person can write down someone's name on a piece of poster board. A volunteer will pray that God will be with everyone who is on the paper. 

Then I'll start asking questions:
1. What types of sicknesses are there?
2. What makes people sick?
3. Think about the last time you were sick- how did you feel?
4. What can you do for someone when they're sick?

*Just a note, because demon-possession can be EXTREMELY scary to a small child, and in my case I can't sit around to answer everyone's questions and quell everyone's fears, I leave that specific part out and just go with "sick people." If you're in a small group (or with your own child) and you feel like you can talk to your kids about it without creating the fear inside of them that the devil could crawl inside of them (trust me... this is where you even mentioning it will lead their little brains, no matter what else you say while talking), then you might wish to add that part.* 

Over the last few weeks we've explored how amazing our God is. We learned how when Jesus was a kid he learned all He could at the temple... He was proud to be a follower of God. We talked about how Jesus showed us how to be baptized so that we can show others we are proud to be followers of God, also. Last week we were reminded that Jesus wants us to go share the Good News with others. We can share the Good News of Christ Jesus with others, even if they're under the weather. Our sharing is nothing like Jesus', though. Listen to what He did!

(paraphrase) I'm going to read you guys a few verses from the book of Matthew. Chapter 4, verses 23-25: "Jesus traveled and taught all around Galilee. He healed every kind of disease and illness. People heard about this and began bringing everyone they knew that were sick. Jesus healed all of them!"

That's pretty amazing, isn't it? Jesus was able to actually heal- or fix- everyone that came to Him. In the book of Mark it says that Jesus healed Simon's mother-in-law. Do you remember Simon from last week? He left his fishing boat to follow Jesus. His wife's mom was sick with a terrible fever and Jesus healed her! Anyway, after He healed people in one area, He would go somewhere else to preach and heal people. In the book of Luke, chapter 4 it even says that Jesus told everyone, "I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God in other towns, too, because that is why I was sent." 

I'm going to give each of you a small bag and some stickers. Before you start to decorate your bag with stickers, I want you to write a message to someone that is sick. It can be simple on one side, like "Get Well Soon." 

-What would be something good to say on the other side?
-Jesus said "I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God." Even though we can't heal the sick people we know, what good news can we give them?
-Why do you think Jesus healed people?
-God wants us to pray for people who are sick. How come?
-What do you think is more important, healing someone's body when they are sick, or sharing the Good News of Jesus with them? Why is the Good News so important?

While the kids are decorating their bags with stickers and messages of God's love, I'm going to set up stations. Each station will have something that students can add to their Get Well Bags. I'll introduce everyone to each station and tell them what to do, and we'll rotate in small groups so that everyone will reach each station in an organized manner.

My stations:
1. Band-aids- Put 2 bandaids in your Get Well bag.
2. Tissues- Put 1 small pack of tissues in your bag.
3. Gum- Put 1 pack of gum in the bag. You choose the flavor.
4. Hand Sanitizer- Put a small bottle in your bag.
5. Candy- Choose 3 pieces of candy to put in the bag. You choose the flavor.
6. Chapstick- Put 1 tube of chapstick in the bag. You choose the flavor.
7. Card- Write your name on the card and put in the bag.

Once the bags are finished, we will fold the tops over and hole punch a spot to tie a ribbon. Staples would work fine, too. 

Now the most important instructions- Find someone who is sick to give your Get Well Bag to! Maybe you can ask a parent to take you to a nursing home. Perhaps your grandmother has been feeling under the weather. The main thing is that we're being disciples by sharing the Good News of Jesus with others, while also providing them small comforts. Be sure to tell them that no matter what, the bag is only to be opened by someone who is TRULY  sick... not just them trading with a friend ;-).