This Bible lesson for preschoolers is based on Mark 1:21-34 when Jesus drives out an evil spirit. Preschoolers will learn that Jesus is in charge because he is God. He is strong to protect us from anything. As his people we are called to obey and love him. He is our boss.
This is the fifth lesson from a series for preschoolers on knowing Jesus through the book of Mark. You can read the series introduction for more explanation and links to the other lessons. These free materials are ideal for your Preschool Sunday School lessons or any teaching setting for younger kids.
Bible Passage: Mark 1:21-34
Bible Lesson Title: Jesus Reveals His Authority
Target Age Group: 4-5 years old (U.S. preschool & Kindergarten)
Target Time Frame: 30 minutes
Original Teaching Context: Preschool Sunday School
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Knowing Jesus through the Book of Mark: Lesson Five (37 minutes)
Scripture: Mark 1:21-34
Exegetical Idea: Jesus teaches in the synagogue with authority; He casts out demons and heals the sick.
Pedagogical Idea: Jesus has all authority in our lives today; He is God.
Cognitive Aim: Preschoolers will understand that Jesus has authority because He is God.
Affective Aim: Preschoolers will feel amazed at who Jesus is.
Behavioral Aim: Preschoolers will memorize Daniel 7:14a and praise God through song.
Memory Verse: Daniel 7:14:a, “And to Him was given authority, glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him.” (NASB)
- Kindle Curiosity (5 minutes) Description: Put on Bible outfits and prepare to listen! Supplies: Bible outfits
- God Revealed (15 minutes) Description: Hear and reenact Mark 1:21-34. Supplies: Bible, an area designated for Simon and Andrew’s house, and pretend food for serving.
- Personal Pursuit (10 minutes) Description: Learn about Jesus’ authority, praise Him through song. Supplies: Pictures of people in authority (parents, teachers, policemen), soft blanket, song You Are by Mark Roach
- Daily Knowing (7 minutes) Description: Pray together, memorize Daniel 7:14a. Supplies: Notecards with Daniel 7:14a written on them. On the back of each card, ask the parents to discuss with their children each day ways they can obey Jesus and to pray with them each day for Christ to give them hearts that want to follow Him.
Before the children arrive, have the Bible outfits ready along with supplies for the reenactment of Mark 1:29-34 (God Revealed)!
1. Kindle Curiosity (5 minutes)
- State: Let’s put-on our Bible outfits and get ready to follow Jesus in His ministry on Earth! Last week, we saw Jesus call His first followers to Himself. We pretended to be those followers. These men went everywhere with Jesus! Today, we will continue to pretend we are His followers when He was on Earth. Jesus will begin teaching and preaching to many people today. He is going to show us who He is, but we have to listen and watch carefully so we can truly understand who He is. Ready?!
2. God Revealed (15 minutes)
- State: Jesus began teaching in the Synagogues. Can you say Syn-a-gogue? A Synagogue is like a church. The Jewish people would gather there to pray, worship, and learn Scripture. When Jesus went to the Synagogue to teach, the people were amazed! Let’s pretend we just heard Jesus teach in a Synagogue. What would our faces look like if we were amazed? They had never heard anyone teach like Him before, with authority and power. Jesus healed a man (made him well again) in the Synagogue, casting out an evil Spirit from Him. Even evil obeyed Jesus because He had authority! The people were so amazed, that everyone began telling everybody about this man named Jesus.
- This section can be acted out by the children (Mark 1:29-34). There are six main roles. If there are quite a few children, you can have them play parts of the many people who came to Jesus for healing. Keep it simple, but allow the children to have fun and interact with the Scripture. Explain to them that they will be acting out what happened. As you read each event, allow them to act it out.
- Here is a summary of the Scripture: After they left the Synagogue, Jesus, James, and John went to Simon and Andrew’s house. Simon’s mom was very sick with a fever, but when Jesus took her by the hand and lifted her up, the fever left her! She was immediately well and served them as if she had never been sick! (The preschooler playing the mother-in-law can serve the pretend food) That night, the whole city came to the door with all of the sick and people who had evil spirits in them. Jesus healed many of them!
3. Personal Pursuit (10 minutes)
- Lead the children to sit on the floor on a soft blanket.
- State: Everyone was amazed by Jesus, but they still did not know who He was. Who do we know Jesus is? (The Son of God, God!) Right! Jesus was showing them who He was by showing them His authority, but they did not understand.
- Ask: Who do you know in your life who has authority? (may need to explain the term) If someone is in authority over you, that usually means we listen and obey them. (Show the pictures one at a time and discuss them.) Your parents have authority over you. When your mom or dad tell you to do something, you should obey. Your teachers have authority over you. Policemen have authority over many people. There are many people in the world who have authority, people who we need to obey.
- State: Jesus could heal the sick and command evil because He has ultimate authority. That means no one on earth has authority over Jesus. In fact, He has authority over all of creation! Over you and me, over all the animals, and even the mountains and oceans. He is King over all! Jesus has authority because He is God. The Scripture we heard today reveals to us again that Jesus was not just a man who could do special things. He is God, and He has authority over all! We obey Jesus because of who He is. The people He taught and healed did not realize who Jesus truly was, but we do.
- State: Jesus wants us to be amazed by Him too. We were pretending today to be His followers from the past, in Bible times. But we are also His real followers each and every day! Jesus wants us to be amazed by Him not just because of the wonderful things He did, but because He is God and He deserves our worship and praise. Let’s sing to Jesus now and be amazed at who He is!
- Worship through song: You Are by Mark Roach. The lyrics for this song can be found in the introductory lesson to this series, Knowing Jesus as Immanuel
4. Daily Knowing (7 minutes)
- State: We can follow Jesus through striving to obey Him everyday. He is our ultimate authority, and when we love Him with all of our hearts, He helps our hearts want to obey Him. Let’s pray to Him now to give us hearts that want to obey Him.
- State: Memorizing God’s Word is another way that we can follow Jesus. Let’s learn God’s Word now together! Today we are going to memorize Daniel 7:14a. We can make up motions together to help us memorize this verse!
- Make sure you review with them the next week or when you have encounters during the week one-on-one. Remind the parents how important it is for them to help their children review their verses all throughout the week. Provide each parent with a notecard that has Daniel 7:14a written on one side. On the other side, ask parents to discuss with their children each day ways they can obey Jesus and to pray with their children each day to give them hearts that want to follow Him. Be conscious of children who do not have parents who are believers and strive to communicate these things with them, along with encouraging them in their pursuit of Christ.