Jesus Heals the Blind Man

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2nd/3rd Grade – Feb 24

New School  Lesson 7

Jesus Heals the Blind Man Bible Verse After Jesus said this, He spit on the ground. He made some mud and smeared it on the man’s eyes. When the man had washed off the mud, he could see. (John 9:6-7)

Teacher Enrichment This is the seventh lesson in the New School: Moments from Jesus’ Life series which explores scripture lessons from Jesus’ life on earth. As both human and divine, Jesus is our best example of what God wants us to be like as humans. This series examines how Jesus lived and the choices He made for His life. While Jesus was in Jerusalem, He came upon a man who was blind from birth. In these days, an affliction like blindness would have been blamed on sinfulness and Jesus’ disciples asked if the fault was the blind man’s or his parents’. Jesus made it clear that it was neither and that this blind man would allow the “work of God to be displayed.” The Bible contains many instances of Jesus healing people, but children will love this one because Jesus proceeds to spit, make mud and put it on the man’s eyes! How awesome! But the real awesomeness in this healing, and in all of Jesus’ healings, is the love and compassion Jesus shows to both people He knows and to complete strangers. When we choose to follow Jesus’ example, and help those who are sick and hurting, we continue to help the “work of God to be displayed” in the world. In this lesson children will learn that Jesus can heal those who are sick and hurting. They will also understand that God wants them to follow Jesus’ example and help others who are sick and hurting. Children will explore ways they can personally help when someone is sick.

Before Class Begins  Place the Sign In sheet and a pen where parents can see it upon arrival.  Place the Joy & Concern cards, Time & Talent cards and pens where students can see them upon arrival.  Check that you have supplies for this lesson: - Arrival Activity, Jesus Heals Blind Man activity sheet – 1 per child - Band Aids - Gauze - Construction paper – 1 sheet per child  Place an arrival activity at each place on the table.

Welcome SUPPLIES: Sign In sheet, Joy & Concern cards, Time & Talent cards, Attendance chart, stickers, pens, Jesus Heals the Blind Man activity sheet, pencils, markers  Greet each child individually as they arrive. Introduce yourself by name.  Help children find or add their name on the attendance chart. Provide each child  

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with a sticker to place in today’s column on the attendance chart. Encourage children to complete a Joy or Concern card if they have a particular joy or concern they would like to express. Collect completed Joy & Concern cards. Encourage children to complete a Time or Talent offering card if they gave their time to God or used their talents to serve God or others during the previous week. Children should keep their own completed Time and Talent cards. If children bring monetary offering, they should keep it with them. Direct children to complete Jesus Heals the Blind Man activity sheet. Encourage conversation among the children and with you! Get to know the children in your classroom by asking about their week including school, activities and families. Introduce new children to each other and encourage friendships.

Children’s Worship SUPPLIES: Sign In sheet, Joy & Concern cards, Time & Talent cards New School  Lesson 7

 The Children’s Worship Leader will direct your class to come to Ruth Hall at 9:20 or      

11:05. Bring the Sign In sheet and completed Joy & Concern cards to Ruth Hall. Hand the Joy & Concern cards to the Children’s Worship leader as you arrive. Have children bring their completed Time & Talent cards and any monetary offering. If additional children arrive while in Ruth Hall, have parents complete the Sign In sheet and remind parents that pickup is in Room 105. Encourage children to participate in Children’s Worship and provide re-direction if necessary. Assist the Children’s Worship leader as needed. At the conclusion of Children’s Worship, have children line up and return to Room 105.

The Lesson SUPPLIES: Band Aids, gauze, construction paper, markers/crayons/colored pencils, stickers

SAY: Today we learned about Jesus healing a blind man. Before we talk more about helping those who are sick, I thought we’d play a “healing” game. Jesus used mud to heal this man, but we are going to use Band Aids and gauze!  Create two even teams of children (or three if you have a large class).  Provide each team with a box of Band Aids and a roll of gauze.  Explain the rules of the game - Teams must choose one “sick” child. This child must be okay with other children

touching them to apply band-aids and gauze. - Teams must “heal” their person by applying all the band-aids and gauze. - First team to complete the challenge wins. This is simply a fun game to lead into the next discussion! SAY: This game way fun, but it also showed us two sides to our lesson today. The first side is that Jesus helps us when we are sick. The “sick” child on your team received the “help” of the other children – in this case Band Aids and gauze. The second side is that we should follow Jesus’ example and help those who are sick. The team “helped” the sick child. New School  Lesson 7

SAY: Turn to a partner and share a time when you were sick and someone helped you or when you helped someone else who was sick. ASK: How did it feel to be helped when you were sick? Take a few answers from children. Allow them to share some specifics if desired. ASK: How did it feel to help someone when they were sick? Take a few answers from children. Allow them to share some specifics if desired. SAY: Here at Arcola Church, there are a few ways that people help those who are sick. We have a team of people called Congregational Care Ministers. One of their jobs is to visit people in the hospital or at home when they are sick. They provide comfort and company to them. The church also has a Card Ministry. This team of people sends cards to people for lots of reasons. Sometimes it’s for joyful reasons – a new baby, a birthday, a wedding – but they also send cards when someone is sick or in the hospital or has surgery. Today we have the opportunity to support those ministries by creating Get Well cards. These cards will be used by the Congregational Care Ministers when they go to visit people or by the Card Ministry when they send out cards to people from our congregation. SAY: These cards can say “Get Well Soon,” but they could also simply bring someone comfort while they are sick by saying “We are thinking of you,” or “I am praying for you,” or “God loves you.” You can sign the card with your first name or “The Children of Arcola Church.”  Write some sample messages on the white board.  Give each child a piece of construction paper.  Children may make more than one card if time allows.  Collect all cards at the end.

Closing  Lead the children in a closing prayer. You may say your own prayer, ask one of the

children to say a prayer or use the one below. God, New School  Lesson 7

Thank you for helping us when we are sick and hurting. Help us to follow Jesus’ example and help others who are sick. Amen  If time remains before parents arrive, encourage children to return to their Jesus Heals the Blind Man activity sheet if they did not complete it. Also encourage conversation between children and with you. This is another opportunity to build relationships with the children in your classroom.

New School  Lesson 7