Jesus heals the paralytic
Lesson: Jesus has the power to forgive sins
1. Story:
- Tell the story of Jesus healing the paralytic from Luke 5:17-26.
- One day Jesus was teaching in a house in Capernaum.
- The Pharisees and teachers of the law came from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem to hear him teach.
- The house was very crowded.
- Some men, carrying a paralysed man on a mat, tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.
- Who knows what “paralysed” means? (Someone who cannot move his body and limbs)
- They had heard that Jesus was healing many people. So they wanted Him to heal their friend too.
- But there were so many people in the house and they couldn’t get in!
- Oh no! What do you think they could do?
- Suddenly, they had an idea. They would bring their friend up to the roof and lower him through the tiles!
- So they carried their friend to the roof and started removing the tiles. Then they lowered him carefully, slowly, down, into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
- Act it out (optional): Prepare a “mat” with a string tied to each corner of it. Place a small doll or object to depict the paralysed man. Choose 4 volunteers and get them to stand on chairs. Give them each one of the strings and have them lower the “mat” down slowly to the floor without dropping the man.
- Everybody must have been so surprised to see a man come down from the roof!
- Jesus was pleased at the four friends’ faith. Then He told the paralysed man, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
- Isn’t that a strange thing to say? The paralysed man was waiting for Jesus to heal him, but Jesus just told him that his sins were forgiven.
- The Pharisees and teachers of the law were not happy. They began thinking to themselves, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
- Even though they didn’t say it out, Jesus knew what they were thinking. He asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say ‘Get up and walk’? But I want to tell you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.”
- So Jesus said to the paralysed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”
- Immediately, the man stood up in front of them, took up his mat and went home, praising God.
- Everyone was amazed and praised God. They said, “We have seen remarkable things today!”
2. Lesson: Good News for today!
- Last week, we learnt that Jesus had the power to heal. All who are sick can go to Him and He can make them whole.
- This week, we see Jesus do another amazing miracle — He healed a paralysed man, someone who probably hadn’t walked or moved in years!
- But more importantly, Jesus forgave the man’s sins. In the Bible times, sicknesses were seen to be a result of sin.
- The Pharisees and teachers of the law were upset that Jesus said He forgave the man’s sins because only God could forgive sin.
- So Jesus was actually saying that He was God. And He proved it by:
- Knowing what the Pharisees and teachers of the law were thinking, even though they didn’t say anything aloud.
- Asking the man to get up, pick up his mat and walk.
- If Jesus were not God, the man’s sins would not have been forgiven, and he would still be paralysed.
- Jesus not only had the power to heal this paralysed man but He also had the power to forgive sins!
- The Pharisees and teachers of the law were probably not happy about that. But everyone else was amazed, and they all praised God!
- None of us here are paralysed. We all can run and jump and play. Thank God for that!
- But we were all paralysed by sin before. It was a sickness that no one could cure, except God.
- Praise the Lord that Jesus came to take away all our sins and sicknesses. He tells us, “Your sins are forgiven!” And because of this forgiveness, we can now walk in the light of God! Hallelujah!
- Memory Verse: “But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” (Luke 5:24)
- Pray: Lord Jesus, thank you that You came to die for me. You took all my sins and sicknesses on the cross. Because of You, I am forgiven and can now walk in God’s ways. Thank you for loving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
- Assure kids that Jesus has forgiven them of their sins!
3. Activity Suggestions:
a. Craft: Mat
- Materials: A5 cards with slits and strips of colour paper
- Have the kids sit in smaller groups.
- Get kids to make a mat by weaving the colour paper through the cards.
- Then write the memory verse on the mat.
b. Activity Sheets:
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Youth Bible Study
Leader’s Guide
Jesus’ Miracles: Jesus heals the paralytic (Luke 5:17-26)
Read Luke 5:17-26.
1. What town was Jesus in? What was its significance? (cref Mark 2, Matt 4:12-16)
Capernaum; this is where Jesus stayed when He had just begun His ministry (fulfilling another prophecy about the Messiah)
2. Who was some of those who were there to hear Him teach in the house?
A large crowd, including Pharisees and teachers of the law from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem.
3. Jesus had power to heal the sick. Who came to see Jesus for healing? What obstacles did they face, and what did they do about it?
A paralysed man on a mat brought by some men. They could not enter the house due to the crowd, so they went onto the rood and lowered him on the mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
4. What was Jesus’ reaction?
He was amazed at their faith and said, “Friend/Son, you sins are forgiven.”
5. How did the Pharisees and teachers of the law react? Why were they upset?
They thought to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” They were upset because Jesus was likening Himself to God.
6. Even though they did not speak it out, amazingly, Jesus knew what they were thinking in their hearts. Why do you think Jesus told the paralysed man that his sins were forgiven when he was obviously coming for physical healing?
In those times, sicknesses were sometimes seen to be a result of sin. Jesus knew that while this man wanted to walk again, his real need was forgiveness of sin and freedom from condemnation.
People knew Jesus had the power to heal, but Jesus established the fact that He alone had the authority and power to forgive sins — that He was God.
People knew Jesus had the power to heal, but Jesus established the fact that He alone had the authority and power to forgive sins — that He was God.
7. How did Jesus prove that He was God?
· Knowing what the Pharisees and teachers of the law were thinking, even though they didn’t say anything aloud.
· Healing the man so he could get up, pick up his mat and walk. (If Jesus were not God, the man’s sins would not have been forgiven, and he would still be paralysed.)
8. Write today’s Scripture memory verse (Luke 5:24)
“But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.”
Good news for today:
- None of us here are paralysed physically. Thank God for that!
- But we were all paralysed by sin before. It was a sickness that no one could cure, except God.
- Praise the Lord that Jesus came to take away all our sins and sicknesses. He tells us, “Your sins are forgiven!” And because of this forgiveness, we can now walk in the light of God!
- Let’s thank Jesus for taking our sins and sicknesses on the cross and setting us free to walk in Him!
