Jesus Heals a Paralytic - The Miracles of Jesus Series
This week in Calvary Kids, we learned that four friends brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus. They didn't give up when the crowd was in the way and Jesus forgave the man's sins first. Jesus then healed the man so he could walk! True friends bring friends to Jesus and don't give up when things are hard. Jesus cares about our hearts (sins forgiven) even more than our bodies, including He has the power to heal and forgive.
Read Mark 2:1-12, Luke 5:17-26
The Bible tells us: Jesus went back to a town called Capernaum. News spread FAST that Jesus was back. So many people came to hear Jesus and the house was PACKED - completely full! There wasn't even room by the door! Think about your favorite person, maybe a singer or sports star: Everyone wanted to see Jesus THAT much! Everyone wanted to hear Jesus teach about God. When you really want to see someone important, you get there early to get a good spot. These people wanted to hear Jesus SO badly, that they filled the whole house and the street outside!
Four men were carrying their friend who couldn't walk. The man was paralyzed and his legs didn't work. He couldn't walk or move on his own and His four friends were carrying him on a mat. They wanted to bring him to Jesus! They believed Jesus could heal him! But there was a BIG problem... When they got there, the house was too crowded! They couldn't get through the door. They couldn't even get CLOSE to Jesus! What would they do? Did they give up? NO! They got creative! They carried their friend UP to the ROOF! Houses back then had flat roofs that you could walk on. They started digging through the roof and made a big hole in the ceiling. Then they lowered their friend down on ropes right in front of Jesus!
Can you imagine it? Jesus is teaching, and suddenly dirt starts falling from the ceiling. Then a HOLE opens up and ropes come down with a man on a mat! These friends really wanted their friend to meet Jesus! When something gets in your way when you're trying to do something good - like obeying, being kind, or helping someone - do you give up or do you keep trying like these friends did? Jesus saw their faith! Jesus saw the four friends' faith. Jesus saw the paralyzed man's faith too. All five of them believed Jesus could help!
Then Jesus said something surprising: "Your sins are forgiven." The man came to be healed in his body, but Jesus cared about his HEART first! Jesus knew the man needed forgiveness most of all. Jesus cares more about what's INSIDE us (our hearts) than what's OUTSIDE (our bodies). Some religious leaders got mad! They thought "Only God can forgive sins!" They were right - only God CAN forgive sins, but they didn't believe Jesus IS God! Jesus knew what they were thinking. He said: "Which is easier to say - 'Your sins are forgiven' or 'Get up and walk'?" Both are impossible for regular people, but Jesus can do BOTH because He's God! "To prove I can forgive sins, watch this!" Then Jesus told the paralyzed man: "Get up! Pick up your mat and go home!" IMMEDIATELY the man was healed! His legs that hadn't worked were suddenly STRONG! He stood up! He picked up his mat and he walked out!
Everyone was amazed! They'd never seen anything like this! They praised God for what Jesus did. The man walked home carrying his own mat! What an amazing story! Four friends who didn't give up, a man who was healed, and Jesus who showed He has power to forgive sins AND heal bodies! So here's the question: Are YOU bringing your friends to Jesus? When something gets in the way, like being embarrassed or not knowing what to say, do you give up? Or do you find a way like these friends did?
Christ Connection:
How it connects to Jesus' character:
1. Jesus has power to forgive sins Only God can forgive sins! When Jesus forgave the man's sins, He was showing He is God. Then He healed the man's body to PROVE He has this power. Jesus can forgive YOUR sins too!
2. Jesus sees faith in action Jesus saw ALL FIVE men's faith - the four friends AND the paralyzed man. When we do hard things to bring people to Jesus, He sees our faith!
How it connects to our hearts:
1. True friends bring friends to Jesus. These four friends didn't just help their friend feel better - they brought him to JESUS! That's what true friends do. We should bring our friends to Jesus too!
2. Jesus cares about our hearts most. Jesus could have just healed the man's legs, but He forgave his sins FIRST because that's more important! Jesus cares more about what's INSIDE us (our hearts) than what's OUTSIDE (our bodies).
How it connects to the Gospel:
1. We all need Jesus to heal us spiritually Just like the paralyzed man couldn't walk without Jesus' help, we can't save ourselves from sin. We need JESUS to forgive us and make us right with God!
Application:
1. Bring Your Friends to Jesus: Invite friends to church! Tell them about Jesus! Pray for them!
2. Don't Give Up: When something is hard, keep trying like these friends did!
3. Work Together: The four friends worked as a TEAM. We can do more together than alone!
4. Remember Your Heart is Important: Jesus cares about your heart being right with God!
5. Be a Good Friend: Love your friends "at all times" - even when it's hard!
Small Group Questions:
1. How many friends brought the paralyzed man to Jesus?
2. What did they do when they couldn't get through the door?
3. What did Jesus say first - "You're healed" or "Your sins are forgiven"?
4. What happened when Jesus told the man to get up and walk?
5. How can YOU be a good friend like these four men?
Read Mark 2:1-12, Luke 5:17-26
The Bible tells us: Jesus went back to a town called Capernaum. News spread FAST that Jesus was back. So many people came to hear Jesus and the house was PACKED - completely full! There wasn't even room by the door! Think about your favorite person, maybe a singer or sports star: Everyone wanted to see Jesus THAT much! Everyone wanted to hear Jesus teach about God. When you really want to see someone important, you get there early to get a good spot. These people wanted to hear Jesus SO badly, that they filled the whole house and the street outside!
Four men were carrying their friend who couldn't walk. The man was paralyzed and his legs didn't work. He couldn't walk or move on his own and His four friends were carrying him on a mat. They wanted to bring him to Jesus! They believed Jesus could heal him! But there was a BIG problem... When they got there, the house was too crowded! They couldn't get through the door. They couldn't even get CLOSE to Jesus! What would they do? Did they give up? NO! They got creative! They carried their friend UP to the ROOF! Houses back then had flat roofs that you could walk on. They started digging through the roof and made a big hole in the ceiling. Then they lowered their friend down on ropes right in front of Jesus!
Can you imagine it? Jesus is teaching, and suddenly dirt starts falling from the ceiling. Then a HOLE opens up and ropes come down with a man on a mat! These friends really wanted their friend to meet Jesus! When something gets in your way when you're trying to do something good - like obeying, being kind, or helping someone - do you give up or do you keep trying like these friends did? Jesus saw their faith! Jesus saw the four friends' faith. Jesus saw the paralyzed man's faith too. All five of them believed Jesus could help!
Then Jesus said something surprising: "Your sins are forgiven." The man came to be healed in his body, but Jesus cared about his HEART first! Jesus knew the man needed forgiveness most of all. Jesus cares more about what's INSIDE us (our hearts) than what's OUTSIDE (our bodies). Some religious leaders got mad! They thought "Only God can forgive sins!" They were right - only God CAN forgive sins, but they didn't believe Jesus IS God! Jesus knew what they were thinking. He said: "Which is easier to say - 'Your sins are forgiven' or 'Get up and walk'?" Both are impossible for regular people, but Jesus can do BOTH because He's God! "To prove I can forgive sins, watch this!" Then Jesus told the paralyzed man: "Get up! Pick up your mat and go home!" IMMEDIATELY the man was healed! His legs that hadn't worked were suddenly STRONG! He stood up! He picked up his mat and he walked out!
Everyone was amazed! They'd never seen anything like this! They praised God for what Jesus did. The man walked home carrying his own mat! What an amazing story! Four friends who didn't give up, a man who was healed, and Jesus who showed He has power to forgive sins AND heal bodies! So here's the question: Are YOU bringing your friends to Jesus? When something gets in the way, like being embarrassed or not knowing what to say, do you give up? Or do you find a way like these friends did?
Christ Connection:
How it connects to Jesus' character:
1. Jesus has power to forgive sins Only God can forgive sins! When Jesus forgave the man's sins, He was showing He is God. Then He healed the man's body to PROVE He has this power. Jesus can forgive YOUR sins too!
2. Jesus sees faith in action Jesus saw ALL FIVE men's faith - the four friends AND the paralyzed man. When we do hard things to bring people to Jesus, He sees our faith!
How it connects to our hearts:
1. True friends bring friends to Jesus. These four friends didn't just help their friend feel better - they brought him to JESUS! That's what true friends do. We should bring our friends to Jesus too!
2. Jesus cares about our hearts most. Jesus could have just healed the man's legs, but He forgave his sins FIRST because that's more important! Jesus cares more about what's INSIDE us (our hearts) than what's OUTSIDE (our bodies).
How it connects to the Gospel:
1. We all need Jesus to heal us spiritually Just like the paralyzed man couldn't walk without Jesus' help, we can't save ourselves from sin. We need JESUS to forgive us and make us right with God!
Application:
1. Bring Your Friends to Jesus: Invite friends to church! Tell them about Jesus! Pray for them!
2. Don't Give Up: When something is hard, keep trying like these friends did!
3. Work Together: The four friends worked as a TEAM. We can do more together than alone!
4. Remember Your Heart is Important: Jesus cares about your heart being right with God!
5. Be a Good Friend: Love your friends "at all times" - even when it's hard!
Small Group Questions:
1. How many friends brought the paralyzed man to Jesus?
2. What did they do when they couldn't get through the door?
3. What did Jesus say first - "You're healed" or "Your sins are forgiven"?
4. What happened when Jesus told the man to get up and walk?
5. How can YOU be a good friend like these four men?
Posted in Calvary Kids