Lesson 4: Jesus Heals a Lame Man by a Pool

Welcome

            Thank kids for coming.

            Just for fun, have kids link arms with a partner and swing each other in a circle.

            Make announcements.

            Introduce new kids.

            Celebrate birthdays by having kids shout “Happy birthday!” as loud as they can.

            Collect the offering.

Introduce the Lesson

            Say: Today we’ll learn about a time Jesus healed a man who couldn’t walk. Jesus was able to heal the man because Jesus is God!

Share

            Say: Saying Jesus is God is one way we describe Jesus.

            Tell one word that describes you, and why it describes you.

            Have kids get in pairs and tell each other one word that describes them and why.

Summarize

            Open a Bible, and say: Today we’ll learn more about the description of Jesus. We’ll explore what it means that Jesus is God. We’ll dig into the Bible to find out. God’s special book—the Bible—is one way God talks to us. And right now, God is here—ready to talk to you!

            Pray, thanking Jesus that he’s God.

Tip 

Sing Songs to God

            Sing the three songs in any order.

Tip

• This activity could get messy. If you’re concerned about mess, use smocks or trash bags with arm and head holes cut out.

Mix the Paint

            Have kids help you mix the paint. To do so, you’ll put roughly equal parts water, dish soap, and tempera paint into each cup, using a different cup for each color. Cups should end up about a quarter full.

            Give each child a cup with paint of his or her color choice and a straw. Also give kids each a piece of paper. Say: We’re going to make periscopes—tools that help us see things in fresh ways. Jesus is God, so he helps us see God and what God can do. Because Jesus is God, he was able to heal a man who hadn’t been able to walk. The man had tried to be healed another way—by getting into a pool of bubbling water. To remind us of the pool, we’re going to use a special way to paint. We’ll paint paper that we’ll use later to wrap around our periscopes.

            Have kids put their straws in the cups and then put their papers on top of the cups. Have them blow fairly hard into the straw and then lift up the paper to see the splatter. (To avoid having kids suck paint into their mouths, have older kids do this for younger kids.) They can blow more or move to another section of the paper depending on how much splatter they want. (See photo below.) They could also trade cups to use a variety of colors. Have kids cover a large section of their papers and then use wet wipes to clean their hands. Some paint may splatter around their mouths as well, so make sure they clean their faces.

Make a Periscope

            While the paper dries, have kids work on creating periscopes. To do so, each child will need to cut a slit in the cardboard tube wide enough for a spoon to fit through. Kids will cut a smaller slit for the tip of the spoon on the other side of the tube, at a 45-degree angle. Then have kids cut a hole, about 1 inch in diameter, opposite from the bottom of the spoon. Older kids will need to help younger kids with cutting. The final product should be set up so that kids can look through the end of the cardboard tubes and see a reflection out the side of their tubes. (See photo below.)

            Have kids hold their periscopes by the spoon handles and experiment with looking through the end of the tube and seeing to the side.

            Say: Jesus is God in human form. That means we can learn who God is by looking at Jesus. With your periscope, you can look one direction but see something else. Jesus is like that. We see God by looking at Jesus.

Talk About It

            Ask: • What are some things you can learn about who God is from what Jesus did in today’s Bible story?

            • How does Jesus help us see God better?

            Say: It can be hard to understand something no one can see. But God came to earth in human form, as Jesus, to help us see him. We can look at Jesus and see God because Jesus is God. And because Jesus is God, he has power in our lives far beyond the power of a bubbling pool!

Assemble the Periscope

            Have kids temporarily remove their spoons from the periscopes and then wrap the tubes with their painted paper, paint facing out. Kids will cut off the excess, tape the paper in place, and then cut holes to align with the slits for the spoon and the viewing hole. (Older kids can help younger kids.) Then have kids put the spoon back into place.

            Have kids take their periscopes home as a reminder that Jesus is God and helps us see God.

Talk About Swimming

            Say: Today’s Bible story takes place at a pool.

            Tell kids about something fun you’ve done at a pool or at the beach.

            Have kids form groups of four and share about fun things they’ve done at a pool or at the beach.

            Hold up a Bible and say: The pool in the Bible was a little different from the ones you’ve gone swimming in. It wasn’t a swimming pool. At this pool, once in a while, the water would bubble up. People thought that the first person to get in the pool when the water bubbled up would be healed. So the people who hung out around this pool were mostly sick people—people who were blind, lame, or paralyzed. When the water bubbled, they’d have to race to be the first one there.

Race to the Bubbling Water

            Say: Let’s have our own race to the bubbling water. But since the man we’re going to learn about in the Bible couldn’t walk, neither can you. You’ll have to drag yourself there using your arms. Place the glass of water in the middle of the room. Have kids gather around it in a circle, lying on their stomachs. (If there are any girls in dresses, they can watch and cheer others on.) You may wish to let preschoolers crawl instead of pulling themselves with their arms.

            Say: When this water starts bubbling, that’s your cue to start moving.

            Drop the Alka-Seltzer tablet into the glass of water, and then step back and let kids race. Make a big deal of celebrating the winning child. Have that child stand up and get out of the crowd while the other kids remain where they are.

            Ask the rest of the kids: • Why didn’t you win? Encourage kids to make excuses.

            Say: So now you kind of understand what was happening in the Bible. The lame man (a man who couldn’t walk) had been sick for 38 years. He wanted to walk. But as you saw, only one person could get to the pool first! But here’s the thing: The pool may or may not have had some kind of healing power, but the pool wasn’t God. It didn’t have enough power to go around. That’s where Jesus comes in. Jesus is God, so he had a lot more power than the pool. Let’s see what Jesus said to the man.

            Read John 5:6-7.

            Ask: • How would you answer Jesus’ question: Do you want to get well?

            • What do you think of the fact that the man didn’t actually say yes?

            • How did the man’s excuse remind you of our excuses in the game we played?

Stand Up and Walk

            Say: Even though the man didn’t actually tell Jesus he wanted to be healed, here’s what Jesus did.

            Read John 5:8. Say: Jesus could heal the man because Jesus is God. Let’s see what happened when the man stood up.

            Have kids all stand up and walk around the room. As kids walk, make up silly rules and scold kids who are breaking those rules. Here are some possible rules:

• There’s a certain part of the room kids weren’t supposed to walk in.
• Kids aren’t supposed to walk in a certain type of shoes.
• Kids’ steps are too small or too big.

            Eventually, have kids sit back down for discussion.

            Ask: • What did you think of the rules I gave you about how to walk?

            • How did you feel when I told you that you were breaking a rule?

            Say: The lame man in the Bible got in trouble for breaking the rules, too.

            Read John 5:9-10.

            Say: The Sabbath was supposed to be a special day set apart for God. Let’s hear the original rule the religious leaders were talking about.

            Read Exodus 20:8-10.

            Ask: • How does this rule sound the same as what the Jewish leaders were talking about?

            • In what ways is it different?

            Say: It’s true that God had made a rule: No working on the Sabbath. But over the hundreds of years since God had made that rule, religious leaders had added to it. They missed the point—that the Sabbath was a day to focus more on our relationship with God. Carrying a sleeping mat probably isn’t really work, and it doesn’t break God’s rule. But it did break the rules the religious leaders had added to God’s rule.

            The religious leaders weren’t God, though. Jesus is God. So the religious leaders didn’t get to make up the rules. But they thought they did, and they went off to find Jesus so they could make sure he followed their rules, too.

Talk About It

            Say: Meanwhile, Jesus found the lame man again. Here’s what he said to him. Read John 5:14.

            Ask: • Based on what you’ve learned today, how could Jesus know everything about that man—and us?

            Say: Jesus hadn’t met the man before today’s story, yet he knew everything about the man. He knew that because Jesus is God. He knows all of our hearts! And he loves and helps us even when he sees bad things.

            Speaking of bad things—the religious leaders were still looking for Jesus because they thought he had done bad things. They not only thought carrying a mat was working but also thought healing someone was working, too. So they thought Jesus had broken the Sabbath rules.

            Ask: • Do you agree that Jesus broke the rules? Explain.

            Say: Whether or not healing was work, here’s what Jesus had to say when they found him. Read John 5:17.

            Say: When Jesus said that, he was basically saying, “God doesn’t take a day off—so I don’t take a day off.” That was a way of saying he was God, which made the leaders extra mad. Read John 5:18.

            Say: They didn’t know that Jesus really is God, and they thought he was lying. Lying about something like that was a big deal. So now they thought Jesus broke the Sabbath rules and lied about being God.

            Ask: • Why do you think it was so hard for the Jewish leaders to believe that Jesus is God?

            • What from today’s passage shows you that Jesus is God?

Consider That Jesus Is God

            Say: Let’s think about what it means to us that Jesus is God. Name some things that God can do that humans can’t. Write kids’ answers on a dry-erase board or poster board.

            Say: Jesus came to earth as a human. But he wasn’t just a human; he was God in human form. And Jesus is still in our lives today. That means that all these things God can do, Jesus can do, too. He doesn’t take breaks, and he helps us even if he knows we don’t deserve it. Ask Jesus which of the words we wrote down he wants to do for you. Silently pray and thank Jesus that he can do that for you. Allow time for silent prayer.

Tip 

Discuss and Watch “By the Pool”

          Say: Tell about a time you wanted something but didn’t know who could help you with that need. Begin by sharing your own example, such as a time you needed help in a store but couldn’t find anyone to help you or you needed to find a specific item but didn’t know who the right person was to ask for help. Then invite kids to get into groups of three and share their own stories.

          Say: In our Bible story, there was a man who needed help, and he wasn’t sure who could help him. Let’s see what happened.

          Watch “By the Pool.”

          Say: Jesus was able to help this man and heal him! This is just one of many ways Jesus shows he is God. But it made some people mad that Jesus helped the man on the Sabbath. That was a special day, and those cranky men had made up a lot of extra rules that God had not made. They said it was wrong to carry a mat on the Sabbath.

          Ask: • Why do you think they got so mad?

          Say: One reason they might have been mad is that they couldn’t make Jesus do what they wanted him to do. Jesus is God, and he does what is right—even when it’s not the popular thing to do.

Try to Lift the Ice With the String

            Have kids form mixed-age pairs. Give each pair a cup of cold water, two large ice cubes, and one 8-inch piece of string. Have kids put the ice cubes in their water.

            Say: Work together with your partner to use only your string to lift the ice.

            After children have tried for a couple of minutes, say: You’ve been trying for a couple of minutes now, and so far it’s not working with what you have. Like that, the lame man was trying for a long time to get healed, but it wasn’t working on his own power.

Really Lift It

            Say: The Bible says the man couldn’t walk for 38 years! When Jesus came to him, he was just lying there. But Jesus is God, so he knew what to do.

            Have the children lay the string over their cups, letting it rest on the ice. Have each pair put a pinch of salt over the string where it’s resting on the ice.

            Let the salt sit for about a minute. While you wait, read aloud John 5:6-11.

            Have kids gently lift the string by its ends and watch the ice lift with it.

            Say: You tried for a while, and you couldn’t pick up the ice with your string. But when we put the salt on it, it just lifted right out of the water!

            Ask: • How is the salt like Jesus in the Bible story about the lame man?

            • How has Jesus helped you when you felt like giving up? Share your own example with kids first.

            Say: We know that Jesus is God because he did things only God can do! He healed the lame man even when the man felt like giving up. Jesus is God, so he can help you when you want to give up.

            If time permits, let kids experiment more with the ice cubes, string, and salt to see how many ice cubes they can get to stay on one string.

Talk About Identity

            Tell kids what nationality or mix of nationalities you are.

            Ask kids to share what they know about their nationalities.

            Say: We’re learning that Jesus is God. In fact, he pretty much says that at the end of our Bible story!

            Read John 5:17-18.

            Say: Jesus is God. But listen to this.

            Read Hebrews 2:14.

            Say: So Jesus is God but also human. Was it kind of like being a mix of nationalities? Not exactly. I can be both German and English. But I can’t be 100 percent German and 100 percent English. And I certainly couldn’t be both human and something else. Somehow, Jesus was 100 percent God and 100 percent human at the same time. How can that be? Let’s dig into that.

Play a Game

            Have kids form pairs, preferably same-gender and with someone of a similar size. Have one child in each pair put his or her hands behind his or her back. The other partner will stand behind the first one, facing his or her back, and reach under the front partner’s arms from behind. Set a piece of paper and a pen in front of each pair.

            Say: You and your partner now operate as one person. Your job, as one person, is to draw a picture, fold it, and throw it to me. Here’s the challenge: The person in the back of your pair is only the arms. You can’t see or talk. So close your eyes and mouth. The front person has to be the eyes. Front person, you’re also the mouth, so you might talk about what you’re doing. For example, you might say, “Now I’m reaching for the pen with my right hand. It’s a little farther to the right.”

            Allow time for kids to complete this challenge. After about five minutes, have pairs stop and separate.

Talk About It

            Ask: • What was it like to operate as one person?

            Say: This game reminds me of something Jesus said right after our story ends. Listen to it and think about what it means.

            Read John 5:19.

            Ask: • What do you think this verse means?

            Say: Let’s hear another verse. This verse talks about “The Word.” That means Jesus. Think about what this verse might mean.

            Read John 1:14.

            Ask: • What does this verse mean?

            • Why did we need for God to become a human?

            Say: Jesus is God in human form. In the game we played, you were 100 percent both partners, merged together to do one thing. The partner who could see things was like the God part of Jesus. He knows everything God knows, and he has a plan for how to do things. The partner with the arms was like the human side of Jesus. Jesus came to earth to be God’s hands and feet in the world.

Talk to Jesus

            Say: The great thing about Jesus being both God and human is that we can be as comfortable around him as we are around our human friends, but he has the power of God!

            Have kids find somewhere comfortable in the room. Say: Jesus is human. Have them spend a minute silently talking to Jesus as if they are talking to a human friend.

            Say: Jesus is God. Have kids take another minute talking to Jesus as God, recognizing he has the full power of God.

            Pray: Thank you, Jesus, that you are God, but that you came to earth and know what it’s like to be a human, too. In your name, amen.

Recommended for 6 or more kids.

Tip

• If you used the Music Video block, consider repeating the songs from today’s lesson during the game. You can find the album here.

Play a Version of Steal the Bacon

            Have kids form two mixed-age teams and stand facing each other in rows on opposite sides of the room.

            Have kids in each team count off. For example, if you have teams of 10, both teams will have a 1, a 2, and so on up to 10. If your teams are uneven, have one child on the smaller team be two numbers.

            Place a ball in the middle of the room an equal distance from each side.

            Call a number—or a set of numbers—between the assigned numbers.

            Have the kids from each side whose number(s) you call try to be first to pick up the ball and carry it back to their side.

            Once a child has picked up the ball, his or her team gets a point.

            After a child gets back to his or her side with the ball, return the ball to the center of the room and play another round.

            Continue the game for about five minutes.

Talk About It

            Gather kids and have them sit in a circle.

            Say: In our Bible story, only one person could be first into the pool. There wasn’t enough healing to go around. But Jesus is God, and he has enough power for all of us!

            Ask: • What’s one thing you can tell about God from what Jesus did in this story?

Tip

• If you used the Music Video block, consider repeating the songs from today’s lesson during the game. You can find the album here.

Play a Version of Musical Chairs

            Have kids stand in a circle around the chairs.

            Start the music, and have kids walk around the circle.

            Randomly stop the music, and have kids quickly find a seat with only one child to a chair. One child will be left standing.

            Start the music again, and have all the kids play another round (including the child who didn’t find a seat).

            Each time you play a new round, remove one of the chairs but let everyone keep playing. This will cause more and more kids to be left standing at the end.

            Continue the game until there’s only one chair left.

Talk About It

            Have kids sit on the floor wherever they are.

            Say: In this game, there weren’t enough chairs for everyone.

            Ask: • How did you feel when you couldn’t find a chair?

            • Explain whether you gave up trying to find a chair as the game went on.

            • Why do we need Jesus’ power when we can’t do something?

            Say: In the same way some of you might have given up trying to find a chair, the lame man in the story had given up on getting well. He couldn’t do it on his own. But he didn’t need to! He met Jesus, and Jesus is God! That meant Jesus could help him get well, and the man didn’t have to get into the pool at all! In the same way, Jesus can help you do things you thought you couldn’t. Because Jesus is God, you can always trust him to help you in the way that’s best.

Talk About Worries

            Say: When Jesus saw the man by the pool, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” Jesus is God, and he can help us.

            Have kids pray quietly about a problem in their lives, thinking about this question: “Do you want Jesus to make it better?” When kids feel ready, they can stand up to show that they trust that Jesus is God and can help them with their problems.

            After all the children are standing, close in prayer. Let the children know that you’re glad they came to church today, and encourage them to stand and trust Jesus throughout the week because Jesus is God.

           Distribute a copy of the “Dig In @ Home” handout to kids as they leave, or email it to parents during the week.