Grades 1–6: The Amazing Power of Jesus — Session 1: Jesus Healed the Official’s Son (September 1)

Grades 1–3

Introductory Activity—Puzzle Race

Materials: colored paper, marker, scissors, tape

Print the Unit Verse on 3-5 different colors of paper; print the complete verse on each color. Cut each verse into 8 pieces. Tape the pieces randomly on the walls around the game area.
Group the kids into teams (the same number of teams as puzzle colors). Assign a color to each team. Lead teams to stand in the middle of the game area. On your signal, the first member of a team runs to retrieve one of her team’s puzzle pieces. When she returns to the team, she tags the next player, who runs to retrieve another puzzle piece. When a team retrieves all pieces, they can work together to assemble the puzzle. When the puzzle is complete, the team can shout “Amazing Power!” Lead all teams to read the verse together. Tell kids that they will be learning about Jesus’ amazing power today and through all this unit.

Live It Out

Game—Straw Darts

Materials: plastic cups, straws

Arrange 6 or 10 cups into a triangular shape at one end of a table. Lead kids to stand at the other end of the table. Show kids how to hold a straw and toss it (like a dart or a spear) toward the cups. Guide kids to take turns tossing straws. When a straw lands in a cup, ask a review question.
Options: (1) Create several tossing stations to use at the same time; (2) Award higher points for cups that are more difficult targets; (3) Play as teams. Award points for landing in a cup and additional points for answering questions.

Craft—Speech Bubbles

Materials: paper cut into speech bubble shapes, markers, gel pens, magnetic tape, scissors

Precut the speech bubble shapes (like in comic strips). Guide kids to print the Life Point on the shapes. They can draw pictures of Jesus, too. As they work, talk about what Jesus did. Note that Jesus healed the official’s son by speaking. Encourage the kids to recall other stories about Jesus’ healing. Help kids put a piece of magnetic tape on the backs of their speech bubbles. Tell them to display their reminders to remind them about Jesus’ power.

Grades 4–6

Introductory Activity—Impossible Tasks

Materials: paper, marker

Ask: “What is something that is impossible to do?” Make a list of things that kids think may be impossible. Talk about the word miracle. Ask kids to define it. (something only God and Jesus can do) Tell kids that they will think of things that do not seem possible and learn about the amazing power that Jesus has.

Live It Out

Game—Verse Hoops

Materials: 2 small plastic hoops, 2 dishpans, pool noodle cut into 2-inch-wide circles, tape, marker

In each pool noodle circle, cut a slit from edge to center so the circle will slip onto the plastic hoop. Adhere a length of tape to each pool noodle circle on the side opposite the slit. Print 1-2 words of the Bible verse on each pool noodle circle. Make two sets of words. Mix each set of words and place in a dishpan. Lay the hoops at one end of the play area and set the dishpans at the opposite end of the area.
Group kids into two teams. Lead teams to stand near the hoops. On your signal, the first player of each team runs to retrieve one word and return to the group. He can slide the word onto the hoop. Then the next player runs to retrieve a word. Lead kids to slide the words in the appropriate places (or rearrange as needed) before the next player runs to get a word. Read the completed verses and talk about the Bible story.

Craft—Torn Poster

Materials: construction paper, markers, adhesive bandages (or tape)

Give each kid a piece of construction paper. Tell kids to tear their paper into five pieces. (Allow kids to tear whatever shapes they choose.) Tell them to lay the pieces on a table back together as a whole piece of paper. They can print the Life Point on their paper, one word per torn shape. Say to pull the pieces slightly apart, so there is a small gap between each piece. Show them how to use an adhesive bandage (or short piece of tape) to attach the two pieces across the gap. (Place one end of each adhesive bandage on each piece to hold them together.) Talk about the Bible story and recall other stories where Jesus healed sickness or other disability. If kids choose, they could print Jesus heals on one of the adhesive bandages. If posters seem a little unstable, stabilize by adding clear tape to the back to further attach the torn pieces.