Jesus Heals and Spreads the Good News
Theme: Good News to Share
Theme Verse: "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10b NIV
Readings: Luke 5:17-32 Luke 7: 11-17
Optional: Luke 7: 18-23
Memory Verse: "Jesus answered them, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. Luke 5: 31,32
This lesson is set in the early part of Jesus' ministry. People were thronging to hear him and be healed. (Notice Jesus' reaction to all this -- he withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.) It would have been so easy to be influenced by his popularity and all the miracles but Jesus keeps setting time apart to be with his Father in Heaven and kept on doing what the Father wanted.
In these days there were many Pharisees and teachers of the Law who came to hear and observe him (and check him out??) Word received: I brought them there to see My power and My Son. I want you to bring others to see My power and My Son too. That is part of your job as believers. They and others came from all over the country. They were curious and drawn to him, but they thought (in their hearts) that he was being blasphemous toward God in forgiving the man. (We too can have wrong thoughts toward God and what he is doing.) Whatever they later thought about Jesus, the religious leaders were amazed and gave praise to God along with everybody else.
"The power of the Lord was with him to heal." (vs.17) Word received: My power to heal is present today. Ask for My Holy Spirit.
A man who was paralyzed was brought by his friends to Jesus. Word received: Pray for those who are paralyzed, those paralyzed by injury, disease or fear. Pray that they will be brought to Me to heal them.
Look at the paralyzed man's friends who cared enough for him to bring him to Jesus. Word received: Look at their faith in Me and their love for their brother. Do you love your brothers enough to bring them to Me? Bring Me your brothers and sisters who are hurting. I AM faithful and I can heal them. Trust Me. His friends were both persistent and creative in getting their friend right in front of Jesus. Jesus saw their faith (notice it was their faith, not that of the invalid), forgave the sins of the paralytic and healed him. Word received: What are you willing to break to bring a friend to Me? Bring the halt, the weak, the paralyzed, the sick to Me for healing. Word received: I want you to step out in faith. Pray for Me to use your faith in bringing others to Me for healing.
The Scribes and Pharisees thought it was blasphemous to claim to forgive sins, but Jesus knew what they were thinking. Word received: I know what you are thinking also. I know your coming and going. There is nothing that is a surprise to Me. Jesus challenged the thoughts of their hearts. "That you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins, he said to the man who was paralyzed, 'I say to you, rise, take up your bed and go home.'" And he did. Word received: I want you all to respond as this paralyzed man and the village did. Give Me the honor and glory I deserve. That will draw others to Me.
Jesus successfully established his authority to forgive sins by healing the man -- for those who had eyes to see and hearts willing to respond. (Over and over some of the religious leaders believed and others hardened their hearts after a miracle and would say, "Show us a sign." What are the obstacles that keep us from letting Jesus have access to the hurting areas of our lives? What things paralyze us? What things from the past (sins, wounds) keep us from wholeness and growing? Jesus had to deal with the root problem before he could heal this man. Notice that it was this man's friends that brought him to Jesus. We can do that too.
Next Jesus calls a tax collector, Levi (Matthew), to follow him. We can assume Levi and everyone else had heard Jesus and heard about him but he would not have thought of himself worthy to be a Rabbi's disciple. (Remember tax collectors were hated and despised.) When Jesus simply says, "Follow me," Levi jumps at the chance and leaves everything to follow his Rabbi, Jesus. Word received: Follow Me like Levi did. Jesus ' word to us is the same as his word to Levi.
Levi is so happy that he makes a great feast and invites all his tax collector friends to come and meet Jesus. (New believers often have large groups of friends they can reach for Jesus.) The Scribes and Pharisees were scandalized and Jesus answers them. Read the Memory Verse. Are we willing to recognize our own sin-sickness and our own need for Jesus? It is only as we do that, that Jesus can bring us to healing and repentance. It is often when we are most desperate for Jesus that he can help us most. PRAYER: Pray that people find the freedom to acknowledge their sickness so that they can come to Me for healing.
Jesus showed great compassion for the widow who had lost her only son. (Luke 7:13f) He knew that in that society, a woman without a husband or a son was often destitute, with no means of support. (Perhaps he remembered his mother being a widow, or what would happen to his mother after his crucifixion.) Jesus goes over and touches the bier (something that would make him "unclean") and raises the young man to life and gives him to him mother.
Fear and praise filled the people. They "got it" and said, " A great prophet has arisen among us." and "God has visited his people." They would remember how both Elijah and Elisha had raised boys from the dead and given them back to their mothers.
God wants the miracles he does in our midst to call attention to HIM so people will come to him and get to know, love and serve him.
God visits his people to advance HIS Kingdom and have mercy on the lost, the sick, and the spiritually dead. He wants to do that is our day too. Pray for God's visitation in our own day. Do we put limits on God's power by our unbelief and fear and get in God's way?
In the verses that follow this lesson, John the Baptist, who is in prison and alone, is tortured by doubts and sends his friends to ask Jesus is he is really the "One who is to come".(vs.21) "In that hour" Jesus cured many diseases, cast out evil spirits, raised the dead and told them to tell John what they had seen. Jesus was fulfilling Isaiah's
prophesies. John would remember Isaiah 29:18-19 about the deaf hearing, the blind seeing and the poor exulting in God. See Also Isaiah 35:3-6 about God coming to your rescue and people being healed. In Nazareth Jesus had quoted Isaiah 61:1ff about God's anointed one bringing good news and healing and a day of salvation, and beauty for ashes to those who mourn.
God has spoken to many that his is going to bring a time of visitation in our day. Are we ready to be a part of it??
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 22
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
p 1.Jesus wants us to bring others( including friends & relatives) to Him for healing.
p 2.Jesus wants each of us to come to Him for healing, when we need it.
p 3. Jesus heals today. God wants us to ask for His Holy Spirit so He can use us in bringing others for healing.
p 4. When someone is healing in Jesus Name, God wants us to give Him the glory.
p 5. Jesus knows what we're thinking, so feel free to talk to Him about it.
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