Scripture: Matthew 8:1-4 and 9:1-2, Mark 1:40-45 and 2:1-5 and Luke 5:12-20
- Students will learn Jesus thought it was important to take regular breaks in his ministry to be alone and pray.
- Students will learn Jesus respected the faith of the men who loved their friend enough to do anything to get him to Jesus.
- Students will learn Jesus thinks having our sins forgiven is more important than healing someone of an illness.
- Students will participate in a service project to help care for men and women who are homeless and/or in a homeless shelter.
Guiding Question: How can students meet the needs of the homeless who may be sick or injured?
Materials: Cellophane bags, ties, bandaids, small nail clippers, cleansing wipes, soap, hand sanitizer, instant cold pack, Ace bandage (other materials can be added for the first aid kit but make sure to not include medication), paper, pencils, crayons, markers
Procedure: Review the story of the Leper and the Paralytic from the scripture above. Explain to the students that Jesus found it important to help heal people but most importantly to forgive our sins. Ask the students how Jesus healing people would have helped them want to know and follow Jesus. Ask the students in what ways they could provide medical care for others in a way that would also share God’s love with them and lead them to want to know more about God.
Introduce the service project. Explain that those who are homeless often go without basic first aid items such as bandaids, ice packs, etc. Tell the students that creating first aid kits for the homeless and those in homeless shelters is a way to meet some of their basic needs while also showing God’s love. Have the students pack the first aid bags and create a card to include in the bag. If possible, have the students come with you to deliver the bags.
Additional Questions: What other ways can students provide for those in homeless shelters?
Supplemental Activity: Have students work together to reach out to a local homeless shelter and gather information about the needs of those at the shelter. Have the students come together and decide how they want to meet one or two of those needs and create a service project to do so.