Healing
WELCOME TO WEEK 1
It’s never fun to be sick. Who takes care of you when you are feeling ill? Who cares for you when you are sad? This week we will see how Jesus cared for the people around him by healing them from their sicknesses. Jesus wants to take care of us too!
BIBLE STORY
We all get sick sometimes and need to see a doctor or have a parent make us feel better. Let’s pretend we are the doctor and patient and see what type of healing we need. Prepare a few things to use as fun such as bandaids, gauze and a thermometer. Use a pretend doctor kit if you have one or use items from your house to substitute such as a small towels, tissue paper, masking tape, etc.
-I don’t feel well, my stomach hurts
-I have an ant bite
-My head is hurting
-I think I twisted my knee
This week we will see that many people during Jesus’ day were hurting and sick. They went to Jesus because they heard he could heal the sick and the demon possessed. Jesus took care of the people in the town and Jesus still takes care of us today. Jesus can still heal the sick and demon possessed. We may not always see our loved ones healed here on earth but instead have to wait until heaven to see Jesus’ healing. We can know that Jesus cares about us and wants to heal us.
Materials: Pretend Dr. kit, (or household items such as small towels, tissue paper, masking tape)
Read or listen to the Bible verse for this week: Mark 1:29-39
Whose mother was sick lying in bed? (Peter’s mother-in law)What did Jesus do for Peter’s mother-in-law? (He took her by the hand and raised her up and her fever left)
Who came to the house for healing from Jesus? (Those who were sick and demon possessed)
Why didn’t Jesus allow the demons to speak? (Because they knew him)
Where did Jesus decide to go next? (The neighboring town of Galilee)
What did Jesus say was the reason why he had come? (To preach)
BIBLE STORY ACTIVITY
When others heard of Jesus’ healing they came to the house where Jesus was to also receive healing. Jesus did not turn them away but spent time caring for them. The house was full of people who were looking for Jesus to heal them.
Activity
Jesus healed many people in the after he healed Peter’s sick mother in law. Think about the rooms in your house and how you use them for many different things. Let’s play a game of 4 corners to remind us how many people came to the house to be healed by Jesus. In each corner of a room, place labels describing rooms in a house such as bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom. Then read the following statements and have your child move to the corner of the room that is being described.
Materials: Printed signs, tape, statements to read.
Alternate
Get a beachball, inflate it, and write the following words around the ball: Simon, Jesus, woman. Pass the ball to each other. When you catch the ball read the name closest to you and then tell something you heard in the story about that person. Continue the game until everyone has caught the ball several times. Alternately you can toss the ball and ask the catcher a question and allow them to turn the ball to show who is the answer of the question. For example: Who was sick in bed? (Woman)
Materials: Beach ball or other cheap inflatable ball, marker
Independent activity:
Use the following activity sheet to see how many items it takes to fill each container. Cut out each container and their corresponding items. Place the items onto each container and then record how many items it took to completely fill the space of the container. When the people in the town heard that Jesus could heal the sick, the whole town came to see Jesus so they could also be healed. Let’s see how we can fill up space.
Materials: Printed activity sheet, scissors, glue (optional)
ARTS & CAFTS
CRAFT 1
Bandaid art. Use bandaids to create a picture or picture scene. Using the bandaids to create flower, butterfly or any other image. Then use crayons or markers to add details to the image and then create a background scenery to go with your image. See this website for example bandaid art.
Materials: construction paper, coloring utensils, bandaids
Craft 2
Coloring page
Materials: printed coloring sheet, crayons
FOLLOW-UP
Who did the people crowd in the house to see?
How did Jesus take care of the people who were sick?
How does Jesus care for each of us?
In what ways do you care for other people.
Practical Application at Home
Jesus took care of the people who came to the house to be healed. He knew the things they needed, the sicknesses they had, and he healed them. They no longer needed to worry about the things that had ailed them for so long. Jesus still tells us today not to worry because He will take care of us. We may not know what will happen in the future, but we can know that God will be there with us through it.
Read Matthew 6:25-33
Jesus said that He clothes the lilies of the field and knows when even one sparrow falls from the sky, therefore he knows us and cares for us even more. We were made in the image of God, we are special to Him and He will continue to care for us.
Draw the following picture to remind yourself that God has promised to care for the flowers, he will care for us even more. Using a white sheet of paper, dip your finger in paint, ink pad, or color the tip of your pointer finger and then stamp in a circle in the center of the paper. These will be the pedals of the flower. Color the center of the flower yellow (or desired color) using paints or crayons. Then decorate the rest of the flower using crayons or markers with the stem, leaves and buds. At the top or bottom of the page write “Do not worry, but seek first His kingdom”.
Materials: white drawing paper, paint, (Alt: ink pad) markers or crayons
Additional Resources
Outings to Reinforce Lesson
Donate to a local food shelter or toy drive this Christmas season. As a family, volunteer together or pick out toys you think another child your age might enjoy.