Dear Parents, Guardians, Teachers:
Our story is about a man with leprosy and how Jesus showed compassion and healed him. Jesus showed us who God is by touching the untouchable and loving those who were often feared and rejected. This lesson will help reinforce that Jesus was more than just a man. He could heal and cleanse the man with leprosy and can heal and make us clean on the inside now. God loves us no matter what we look like or what we’ve done we just need to humble ourselves, ask and believe and He will change us for the better.
Scripture Reference: (Matt. 8:1-4; Mark 1:40-45; Luke 5:12-16)
Memory Verse:
“Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!”
Mark 1:41
Introduction:
Today’s story can be found in the first three books of the New Testament in the Bible. Matthew, Mark and Luke are also the names of three men that either heard about the story or were there to see the miracle for themselves and then wrote about it.
This story is about a man with leprosy. So what is leprosy?
Leprosy is a disease that is caused by bacteria. People that get leprosy usually live in poor areas, have dirty water, eat food with little nutrition, and aren’t healthy to begin with.
It looks very bad. It can make a face look bumpy and can completely change the way a person looks. Some people get it on their hands or feet and loose their fingers and toes from it.
This isn’t everything leprosy is, but you get the picture. On top of it all, during the time when Jesus was around, people thought leprosy was caused by people’s sins. So, if someone had leprosy, it was because he or she had done something wrong.
For all these reasons the “lepers”, as they were called, were kicked out of the city and had to live on the outside of it. They weren’t allowed in stores or churches or any public place, so many times they went to live in the dumps where the garbage was, to find food and other things they needed. No one wanted to see them for fear of touching them and catching the disease or becoming ‘unclean’ because of their sins.
Bible Lesson:
Now to the story: Jesus was going around at this time healing people and telling stories. Word got around about Jesus, so people would follow Him because they wanted to hear what He had to say or to see a miracle.
While Jesus was walking and talking with people, a man with leprosy approached Him, fell to his knees, and put his face to the ground begging , “Lord if you want to, you can heal me and make me clean.”
Something amazing happened next. Like it was no big deal, Jesus just reached out and touched the man.
Wait a minute, Jesus reached out and touched a man with leprosy? This was not allowed then and now Jesus would be unclean! Besides this man looked really bad and probably was very sick! None of this mattered to Jesus, however. He reached out his hand and said to the man, “I will heal you. Be clean.” And right in that moment the leprosy left him.
This showed that Jesus was more than just a man. Jesus healed the man of his disease but also cleansed him from his sin without becoming infected Himself.
Jesus then asked the man to do one thing. He asked him not to tell anyone what just happened and to go to the priest to be checked out. This would show that he was cleansed and he would leave an offering. Then the priest would give permission for him to come back and live with the people again.
By going to priest the healed man would send a message that Jesus had a special power from God. The people were waiting for a Messiah (someone that would come and save them) and the priests and Jews believed that only God could cure leprosy. This was supposed to be a sign that the Messiah had come.
Instead the man was too excited and told everyone he saw what had happened. This made it hard for Jesus to walk around in the cities because large crowds would flock to Him and the Jewish leaders started to go against Jesus because they didn’t believe that He was sent by God.
Jesus would often go off by Himself and pray but people kept coming to see Him from everywhere.
The message that I want you to take from this story is that it doesn’t matter to Jesus what you’ve done, how you look, or what other people think about you. He made you and He loves you no matter what! Everyday, Jesus is trying to reach out and show His love to you but sometimes we’re too busy to notice.
Start taking notice of the beautiful things outside (a butterfly, flowers, or a sunset), the love from a parent or a friend and even kindness from a stranger. All these things are ways God is trying to show His love for you.
Learning Activities After the Lesson
1. Have your kids watch the animated story: Jesus Heals Lepers
2. Have your kids do this:
Answer
Sources: DLTKs Bible Stories, Mission Arlington, Children and Youth Co. UK
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