During the earliest days of the church God demonstrated the power of Jesus name through the ministry of Peter. In this lesson kids will learn about Jesus power to heal as seen in the Bible story where Peter healed a lame (disabled) man in the name of Jesus. This kids Bible lesson was written for older elementary Sunday School but could be modified for younger children or a children’s church setting. Be sure to note the additional learning activities at the end of this page.
Bible Story: Peter Heals the Crippled Beggar in Jesus’ Name
Scripture: Acts 3
Target Age Group: Age 9 – 11 (U.S. 3rd – 5th Grade)
Learning Context: Sunday School
Printer Friendly Bible Lesson: PRINT this lesson plan
You Can Help: Please leave your feedback and suggestions for this lesson plan. Others will benefit from your ideas. Click here to respond
Supply List: Crutches, silver cup, coins, mat/towel
Learning Goal: Students will learn that Jesus has power to heal.
Learning Indicator: Students will be able to re-enact the story through drama. Students will be able to identify key events and characters by answering review questions.
Learning Activity #1: Allow students to choose a character from the story and have them re-enact the story.
Learning Activity #2: While waiting for students to arrive have a hopscotch board for them to play on (you can use masking tape to create your own). As students play say, “Aren’t you thankful that God has given you power in your legs to hop today? It would be difficult to play this game if you couldn’t stand 0r walk.”
Learning Activity #3: Before the lesson ask students for prayer requests and ask them about the ones they have given you in the past. If they share an answer to prayer, “My grandmother’s eyes are not hurting her anymore. (Use this opportunity to say that God is powerful and He has answered our prayers.) In our prayer time together let’s make sure to thank Him for healing your grandmother’s eyes.”
Test: Students will be able to identify key events and characters by answering review questions
Bible Lesson: The Crippled Man is Healed in Jesus’ Name
(Teacher: Have props located with your Bible in the location you teach the Bible lesson. If you have an assistant you can allow the assistant to get the students ready for the lesson as you step out of the classroom for a few minutes. Enter the classroom jumping/leaping and praising God. If you are not comfortable teaching in first person the story can be adapted for and told in the way you are more comfortable. It’s a story with a lot of action and drama so this is one way to teach the lesson.)
“Good Morning boys and girls you may be wondering why I am so filled with joy and excitement this morning? Let me tell you about my day!”
This morning a group of my family and friends gathered as they usually do and carried me to the temple gate called Beautiful. I can see that you are wondering why they would be carrying me when I came in here jumping and leaping around. You see, this morning I had to be carried to the gate called Beautiful because when I was born I was crippled. I couldn’t walk or do anything for myself. As I got older and old enough to take care of myself the only way I could make money was to sit at the temple gate and beg people who came to worship. As the people walked by (hold out your silver cup) I would say, ‘Do you have any coins to spare?’ Some people would drop a coin or two in my cup and some would just pass on by.
Today was very much like every other day until right before 3 p.m. As I lay on my mat holding out my cup as worshippers entered the temple courts for the time of prayer, two men were passing me and were about to enter into the temple courts. I called out, ‘do you have some coins to spare?’
The man looked straight into my eyes. Not many people do that. To many people I am sure beggars are annoying. To have someone look into my eyes meant that most likely they were going to give me something. As this man looked at me he said, “Look at us.” He had my attention, I was hoping for a nice offering from him.
Imagine my surprise when he said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give to you. In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”
The man who spoke these words to me was Peter an apostle of Jesus Christ. I wanted money so I could survive but he was offering me something so much greater than money. He was offering me a new life! He was saying if I believed in Jesus I could walk. No one has that kind of power except for God Himself.
Peter reached his right hand out to me and I took it. As he raised me up I immediately felt streng in my feet and ankles. I had never stood up in my entire life. As I felt strength in my ankles and feet, I took a step. Then I took another. I was so excited that I couldn’t just walk I began to jump and leap around! I followed Peter and his friend John into the temple courts. I couldn’t keep silent! As I lept around I shouted “Praise God! Praise God! Jesus has healed me! Thank you Jesus! Thank you!”
Since it was about time for the people to gather to pray it was a bit out of the ordinary for someone to be shouting and jumping around. People began to gather around and as they looked at me they were amazed.
I stood there holding on to Peter and John. Word got out quickly that the man who was crippled was now jumping and leaping around in the temple courts. Crowds of people came running into the area called Solomon’s Colonnade to see if it was true.
As the crowds gathered around seeing me standing on my feet Peter began to preach to the crowds. He asked them, “Why does this surprise you? You are staring at us like we have some way of healing this man. You know that God alone has power to heal a man. God sent His Son Jesus into this world. You had Him handed over to be killed. You acted like you didn’t know Him by begging Pilate to release a murderer named Barabbas instead of Jesus who was righteous. You killed the Author of Life but God raised Him from the dead. We have witnessed His resurrection. This man you see standing here was once crippled from birth. He believed that Jesus could heal Him and through faith in Jesus he had been completely healed.”
Peter told the people in the crowd that they could have their sins forgiven by repenting and turning to God. Jesus would forgive them of their sins and they could have everlasting life.
Boys and girls, I am so thankful for what Jesus did for me! I was physically crippled for more than forty years (Acts 4:22). I couldn’t get up and move around on my own. When I put my faith in Jesus His power healed me.
There was a part of me that no one could see besides God that was paralyzed or dead too. Because I was a sinner I was unable to live a life that pleased God. My sin separated me from a relationship with Him. When I believed in Jesus, He healed me spiritually so now I have new life in my heart! Jesus’ power saved me from my sins and now I can have a relationship with God and live with Him forever.
Boys and girls it is time for me to go but I want to encourage you that if you have never believed in Jesus today is the day you can be saved. Jesus’ power that healed me can heal you too. Talk to your teacher and she will share with you how you can put your faith in Him.”
(End by leaving the room or put the props away and say, “Did you enjoy our visitor today? God’s Word is full of exciting stories of His Power. As you listened to the crippled man that was healed we can only imagine what he actually said. What we know for certain is written in Acts 3. Drama is a fun way to try to see and feel what the person from the Bible may have experienced. Let’s close our time with prayer.)
Memory Verse: Acts 3:6: “Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”
Memory Verse Activity: Use a hop scotch board and place phrases on each square. Play hopscotch and as the student hops have the class recite the verse together.
- Why was the crippled man carried to the temple? (So he could beg for money)
- What gate did he sit at and ask for money? (Beautiful Gate)
- What time did Peter and John go to the temple? (3 p.m.)
- Why were they going to the temple at that time? (To pray)
- What did Peter say to the crippled man? (Acts 3:6)
- How was the crippled man healed? (By faith in the Name of Jesus)
- Why did people gather in the temple court? (The man was leaping and praising God)
- What did Peter tell the crowd they needed to do so they could be forgiven of their sins? (Repent and turn to God)
- What do you need God’s power to do this week? (Obey parents/teachers, tell others about Jesus, Be kind, Read Bible/Pray) When you believe in Jesus He has power to help you with whatever you need. That’s why when we pray we end our prayers by saying “In Jesus’ Name we pray. It is because we believe that Jesus has power to hear and answer our prayers.