God s Unfolding Story. Arrival

New Testament Unit 2: Jesus Healed Lesson 1: Jesus Healed a Royal Official s Son God s Unfolding Story Bible Story: Jesus Healed a Royal Official s Son (John 4:46-53) Bible Phrase: Jesus made sick people well (Luke 7:21). Bible Truth: Jesus has the power to heal sick people. 1. God created everything 2. People disobeyed God. 3. God chose a special people. 4. God sent Jesus to help us. 5. Jesus began the Church. 6. Jesus is preparing heaven for us. Suggested Schedule: Arrival Centers 25 minutes Clean-up Time 5 minutes Bible Story Time 15 minutes Craft Time 10 minutes Snack Time 10 minutes Game Time/Dismissal Hour B Unfolding God s Story for Teachers Our unit theme this month is Jesus Heals. Preschoolers will hear stories about Jesus encounters with individuals who have physical infirmities. Children will learn one way Jesus demonstrated His love and power was by healing people of their diseases or physical inabilities. The term miracle will be introduced. A miracle is an event which unmistakably involves an immediate and powerful action of God designed to reveal His character or purposes. We don t want children to confuse a miracle with magic. Jesus healed to bring glory to God. In our passage, Jesus has returned to Cana of Galilee. In previous verses, He said not everyone received Him with favor. It was in Cana that Jesus had performed His first miracle of turning water into wine. The people of Cana welcomed Jesus possibly because they wanted to see more signs and wonders. While in Cana, He was approached by a royal official from Capernaum. The man probably worked for Herod. His son was seriously ill, and he had walked from his seaside town of Capernaum to the hillside town of Cana (about 20 miles) to find Jesus. The official had heard of these signs and wonders, and he hoped Jesus could heal his dying son. As soon as the man found Jesus, he begged for help. Jesus reply seemed somewhat harsh. He said, Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders, you will never believe. Perhaps at this point, Jesus called for a test of faith. He simply responded to the man s request by saying, You may go, your son will live. The official was presented with a crisis of faith. Did he continue to plead for Jesus to come and miraculously heal the child in front of everyone, or did he turn and walk home, trusting what the Master had said? It must have been extremely difficult for the man to turn and walk away. Jesus was his only hope. Were the Teacher s words enough? We know the rest of the story, but when he turned to leave, the father did not yet. One has to wonder what was going on in his mind as he journeyed home. The passage says, he took Him at His Word. That is an amazing passage, but that is what faith does. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Heb. 11:1). How often do we want a sign or wonder to prove God s truths? The royal official was met by his servants who announced the son s fever had left and he was alive. He realized his son s health returned at the same time Jesus spoke the words. Perhaps the miracle was also in turning and walking home. Lesson Plan Arrival Greet children at eye level and express how happy you are to see them. Be sure each child has a name tag and the security measures of your church are followed. Label all coats and personal belongings. Strongly encourage children who have brought items from home, such as toys and books, to place them on a shelf while they are working with other materials. Assure children their items will be safe and they can take them home at the end of the session. Help each child make a choice where he or she would like to begin his or her Center Time. God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright 2012 - SundaySchoolZone.com NT02 Lesson 1 Hour B Page 1

Block Center Build with Blocks Wooden blocks What to Do: Provide a small carpet if possible. Blocks are best located in a corner of the room away from the traffic flow. Encourage preschoolers to work together to build and construct. Link to the Bible Story: As children work, look for opportunities in conversation to say the Bible phrase or interject parts of the Bible story. Home Living Center Role Play Doctor and Nurse Doll bed, small rocking chair, sink and stove unit, and small table and chairs. Plastic dishes, child pots and pans, and doll items such as doll bag, blanket, clothes, bottles and diapers. Add a toy doctor or nurse kit to the area. Lab coats or scrub tops would be a fun addition. Provide adhesive bandages, cotton balls, craft sticks and gauze tape for play. What to Do: Encourage children to role play doctor and nurse. Children can place bandages or gauze on the baby doll. Link to the Bible Story: Tell children in today s story, Jesus healed a young boy who had a fever. Jesus traveled around healing people who were sick. Center Time Art Center Make a Salt Design Picture Paper plates White glue Salt, dry tempera paint Paper bowls or plastic salt shakers What to Do: Print today s Bible phrase at the bottom of each paper plate. Mix a small amount of dry tempera with the salt. Provide several colors. Place several paper plates on the table for shaking off excess salt. Invite children to make a design with the glue on their paper plates. Encourage children to use small lines of glue. After the glue has been applied, have children shake or sprinkle different colors of salt over the glue. Instruct children to wait just a moment before tapping their plates over another paper plate to remove any excess salt. Link to the Bible Story: Read the Bible phrase. Comment that today s story is about Jesus healing a young boy who was sick. Puzzle Center Work Puzzles Offer a variety of non-fantasy wooden or cardboard puzzles for children to work. What to Do: Invite preschoolers to work puzzles. Encourage children to finish a puzzle before leaving the center. Give guidance rather than doing the puzzle for the child. Link to Bible Story: As children work, look for opportunities in conversation to say the Bible phrase or briefly tell the Bible story. Bible Learning Center Which Picture Is Different? Copies of Activity Page: Which Picture Is Different? (Reproducible) Crayons What to Do: Ask children to look carefully at each picture in each row. Explain that one picture in each row is different from the others. Children can circle the picture that is different. Link to the Bible Story: Express to children that in today s story, Jesus healed a young boy. Explain to children Jesus did not need medicine or bandages to heal the boy; Jesus simply said, The boy is healed. God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright 2012 - SundaySchoolZone.com NT02 Lesson 1 Hour B Page 2

Clean-up Time Encourage preschoolers to help at clean-up time. Assign specific tasks for preschoolers to do such as placing all the crayons in the basket, throwing away the trash, gathering all the glue sticks, etc. Guide children to the Bible Story Time area. Bible Story Time Bible Teaching Picture Jesus Healed a Royal Official s Son (Reproducible) God s Unfolding Story Cube (Reproducible) Introduction Show the God s Unfolding Story Cube. Point to each symbol and tell God s Unfolding Story. (Refer to page 1.) Encourage children to say the story with you. Comment to boys and girls today s segment of God s Unfolding Story is from the part God sent Jesus to help us. (Point to that symbol on the cube.) Review last week s Bible story. In our story last week, Jesus asked Peter to put into the water and let down his fishing nets. Even though Peter had fished all night and had not caught one fish, he did what Jesus asked. Then an amazing thing called a miracle happened: His nets filled with fish. This miracle helped Peter believe Jesus was God s Son. Comment, A miracle is something amazing that happens which brings glory to God. A miracle helps us know God s power. Our stories this month are about some of Jesus healing miracles. Listen to hear about a young boy who was very sick and how Jesus healed him. Bible Story Jesus Heals a Royal Official s Son (John 4:46-53) Jesus had been traveling from town to town telling people about God s love. One day, He traveled to a town called Cana. A young boy lived near Cana who had become very sick with a fever. His father was a wealthy man. He was a royal official who worked for the king. The young boy s father was very concerned about his son. He knew he needed to get help in order for his son to live. News reached the father that Jesus was in Cana, not far away. He had heard Jesus had healed other people. Maybe Jesus could heal his son. The man decided to find Jesus. So the father walked to the town of Cana. Finally, he saw Jesus. He hurried to Him and asked, Jesus, will You come and heal my son before he dies? Jesus told the man, Go, your son will live. The man believed what Jesus said, and he began walking home. While he was still walking, some of the man s helpers met him. They said, Sir, your son is well. He no longer has a fever! The man asked, When did this happen? His helper said, Yesterday morning. The man realized it was the same time Jesus said, Your son will live! Because Jesus had healed the man s son, He and his family believed in God. Talk Time 1. Show the teaching picture for today s Bible story. Ask the following: Why did the man want to find Jesus? What did Jesus do? When did Jesus heal the young boy? What did this healing cause the man and his family to do? 2. Read the Bible phrase on the teaching picture. Say the phrase together. Comment that Jesus healed people to show God s power. Explain to children God often uses doctors and nurses to help people get well; God also chooses sometimes to heal someone miraculously. 3. Close the Bible Story Time by inviting children to join you in prayer. Perhaps someone has a friend or family member who is ill. Allow any interested preschooler to pray. Conclude prayer time by thanking Jesus for the miracle of healing. 4. Direct children to Craft Time. God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright 2012 - SundaySchoolZone.com NT02 Lesson 1 Hour B Page 3

Craft Time Bible Craft Time: Make a Bible Story Puzzle Copies of Bible Story Puzzle (Reproducible) Five large craft sticks per child Crayons and washable markers White glue What to Do: Give each child a Bible Phrase Puzzle and ask them to color the Bible story picture. Next, instruct them to cut apart the picture along the lines. Each child should have five strips. Ask children to glue each strip to a craft stick. Encourage boys and girls to put their Bible Phrase Puzzles together. Link to Bible Story: Practice saying the Bible phrase together. Express to children that just as Jesus healed the royal official s son a long time ago, Jesus still heals people today. Snack Time Be sure to wash hands or use hand sanitizer. Say a thank-you prayer to God for the snack. When snack time has ended, encourage preschoolers to help with cleaning up. Game Time/Dismissal Find a Friend No supplies necessary. What to Do: Ask children to sit in a circle. Play a version of Hide and Seek. Choose a child to be the first to hide. Ask all the children to close their eyes while the child hides somewhere in the room. After the child has hidden, say something such as, Cooper, Cooper where are you? Have the children open their eyes. Choose one child to go and find the friend. After the child is found, that child gets to hide. Remind children in today s Bible story the royal official had to go and find Jesus in another town. Dismiss children as parents arrive. Be sure to follow the security procedures of your church. God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright 2012 - SundaySchoolZone.com NT02 Lesson 1 Hour B Page 4

Resources and Supplies New Testament Unit 2: Jesus Healed Lesson 1: Jesus Healed a Royal Official s Son Hour B Standard Art Supplies (Supplies that are generally in the room) Washable markers Crayons Child scissors Playdough and accessories Drawing paper Easel (optional) Glue/glue sticks Tempera paint, 4 colors Tape/masking tape Pencils/colored pencils Hole punch Teacher scissors Stapler/staples Permanent markers Watercolors Paintbrushes Yarn Standard Equipment (Equipment that is generally in the room) Small beanbag for Bible Story Time Assorted wooden/cardboard puzzles Set of wooden blocks Small cars and trucks Doll bed Baby doll (soft plastic) Stove/sink unit Play dishes/pots and pans Small table and chairs Small carpet for block area Play food items Storage shelf for blocks Tables and chairs for art, puzzles, and Bible Learning Center CD player/children s Worship CDs Reproducibles (Included with the lesson plan downloads) Activity Page Which Picture is Different, 1 copy per child Bible Story Puzzle, 1 copy per child Teaching Picture Jesus Healed a Royal Official s Son, 1 copy per class God s Unfolding Story Cube (Cardstock) 1 copy per class Parent Page, 1 copy per child Additional Art Materials Paper plates, 1 per child Salt small baggie full Dry tempera paint, 2 or 3 colors Paper bowls or plastic salt shakers, 2 or 3 Large craft sticks, 5 per child Additional Home Living Materials Toy doctor or nurse kit Adhesive bandages, cotton balls, craft sticks, gauze God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright 2012 - SundaySchoolZone.com NT02 Lesson 2 Hour B

Which is Different? NT02 Lesson 1 Hour B Center Time: Bible Learning Center God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright 2012 - SundaySchoolZone.com Which is Different? Instructions: Copy one per child.

Bible Story Puzzle Instructions: Copy one per 3 children. Jesus made sick people well. Luke 7:21 Jesus made sick people well. Luke 7:21 Jesus made sick people well. Luke 7:21 NT02 Lesson 1 Hour B Bible Story Craft God s Unfolding Story for Older Preschoolers, Copyright 2012 - SundaySchoolZone.com