Background Scripture (read 2-3 times during the week)
Mark 2:1-12, Matthew 9:1-8, Luke 5:17-26
Story Summary
Early on in Jesus' ministry, he was staying in a fishing valled called Capernaum. He was beginning to become famous and many people crowded the house he was staying at. Word was starting to spread that he was healing people with various diseases and physical conditions. There was a man in Capernaum who couldn't walk - he was a paralytic. Four of his friends were so sure that Jesus could heal him that they cut a hole in the roof of the house Jesus was preaching at, let down the bed he was laying on, and interrupted Jesus' teaching.
Jesus did something that surprised everyone - forgave the man's sins. The Scribes who were in the room became angry at Jesus for claiming to be able to forgive sins. Jesus knew what they were thinking, spoke up and told them that to prove he had the ability to forgive sins, he was going to also heal the man. The man got up and walked away as everyone watched in amazement.
The Setting: A Crowded House in Capernaum
Capernaum was home-based for Jesus during his ministry. It is on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Capernaum was a busy city because it was on a major road in Jesus' time. Several of the disciples lived in Capernaum before joining Jesus, like Peter and his brother Andrew, James and his brother John, and Matthew (the tax collector). Peter's mother-in-law also lived there. We learned about Jesus healing her in Mark 1.
During this time in history, homes had flat rooftops made of mud. Check out this artist's rendering of what that might have looked like. Jesus was staying at this house during his visit and word got around that he was back home. People flooded the house to hear him preach.
Four Friends, One Mat, and a Hole in the Roof
The first thing Jesus saw was the faith of this man's friends who would be willing to cut a hole in a roof and figure out how to lower this man on a mat into a crowded room. They were willing to do whatever it took because they were sure that Jesus could do something to help their friend.
How did they lower him down? The story doesn't say, but it is fun to imagine the options! Did they use 4 ropes tied to 4 corners of a bed frame? Was someone on the ground being the anchor? Was the man afraid of heights? Did the almost drop him at one point!?
However they did it, they got him down into the house. What Jesus did next surprised everyone and angered some.
Why Jesus Forgave the Man's Sins Before He Healed Him
Jesus' first response to the man and his friends was not to heal him, but to forgive his sins. Jesus knew something about that man that is true for all of us. Yes, we all have things in our lives that we struggle with. Some have more struggles than others. But one thing we all need is for our sins to be forgiven so we can be at peace with God.
Only after he forgave his sins did he then move to heal his physical problem. He knew the hearts of the religious leaders (the Scribes). "Why is this fellow talking like that? He’s saying a very evil thing! Only God can forgive sins!” (Mark 2:7)
Jesus called them out (which had to be scary enough for them!) and then proved that he had the power to forgive sins by also healing the man.
Who Were the Scribes, and Why Did They Cry "Blasphemy"?
So why were the Scribes so angry that Jesus forgave the man's sins? "Only God can forgive sins" - this is true! They had correct theology here. They just missed the fact that Jesus had also claimed to be God. This hole in their theology is what ended up making them sentence Jesus to death.
The Scribes were like lawyers of the day. They were experts on the Torah (the first 5 books of the Old Testament) and their role was to interpret the laws of the Torah to apply them to everyday life. The Scribes were mentioned very frequently with the Pharisees, with both groups becoming very legalistic in how they applied the Old Testament law. Jesus criticized both groups frequently for missing the deeper issues of the heart and only focusing on outward behaviors.
"Paralytic," "Paralysed," or "Sick of the Palsy"? This Story in Different Translations
You may come across different words for the man's condition. We don't know exactly what caused the man to be paralyzed. Sometimes the Bible stories tell us that someone had a condition from birth, and it doesn't say that in this story. It could have been an illness or even a bad fall. We just don't know.
"Palsy" and "paralysis" are exactly the same thing. "Palsy" is just an older English word (you will encounter it in the King James Version or other older translations). When teaching this to kids, just tell them that he couldn't walk. You may know someone in your congregation who is in a wheelchair and can't walk. Invite them in to talk about their condition and maybe how this man felt.
My Notes
What You Will Need
Supplies
- New Testament Bible map (to show where Capernaum was located, on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee)
Snack
Provide fruit roll ups or graham cracker mats. Place a teddy graham on the mat.
Video Options
From Crossroads Kids Club
From Saddleback Kids
From Kids on the Move
Resource Sheet
This coloring sheet depicts the paralyzed man's four friends lowering him down through the roof so Jesus could heal him.
1 Warm Up get your kids talking and engaged
Where is the most crowded place you've ever been? Some examples could be: a state fair, a major league sporting event, a subway in a busy city, Black Friday shopping, etc.
How did you feel? Were you able to get where you were going quickly?
Today, we're going to learn about a man who really needed to see Jesus, but he couldn't get to him because it was so crowded!
2 Teach the Story teach a holistic story
Read story from a Children's storybook Bible for younger children.
For older children, read the story from an age-appropriate Children's storybook Bible or read directly from the Bible.
3 Bible Mastery give them basic Bible skills
Scripture for Kids to Read Aloud Mark 2:1-12
4 Comprehension Questions make sure they understand the story
First, ask the children if they have any questions about the story. What to do if you don't know the answer?
- Where did this story take place?
- Where Jesus was living in Capernaum
- Why was the house so crowded?
- Everyone heard Jesus was back and they wanted to come see him. He was preaching the word to them
- What did the man need from Jesus?
- He needed to be healed, because he was paralyzed and couldn't walk
- Who brought the man to Jesus?
- 4 men were carrying him on a mat
- How did they get the man to Jesus, since the house was so crowded?
- They took off the roof, made an opening, and lowered him down on the mat they were carrying him on
- How did they lower the man down from the roof to the ground floor?
- We don't really know, so use your imagination!
- What did Jesus do first for the man?
- He forgave his sins
- Who wasn't happy that Jesus claimed he could forgive sins?
- The scribes, people in charge of copying the scriptures
- What did Jesus do next?
- He healed the man and told him to pick up his mat, walk, and go home
5 Faith Questions open up a conversation about faith and the gospel; close with prayer
- This man and his friends were determined to get to Jesus, because they had faith that Jesus was the only one who could really heal him.
- Jesus is the only one who can forgive our sins as well. But we don't have to fight through a crowd to get to Jesus. We can ask him to forgive our sins by praying to him. Have you prayed to him and asked him to forgive your sins?
6 Memory Verse hide God's Word in their heart
Mat Races Relay
- Split children into two teams.
- Each team needs 2 adults and one blanket.
- Adults carry children on blanket, one at a time, for the relay.
- First team to get all the children to the other end wins!
Or
- 2 children take turns carrying a stuffed animal on the blanket or towel.
- Make it a relay by having a pile of stuffed animals each team has to move from one space to another.
No Walking!
- Provide the students with free time to play or give them a list of tasks to complete.
- The catch is, they cannot walk or use their legs while they play or complete activities.
Paralyzed Man Craft
- Take an 8 1/2" x 11" card stock and cut it into thirds (so, roughly 8 1/2" x 3 2/3" each).
- Cut lots of squares of different color paper about 1" each.
- Glue colored squares to the card stock rectangle to make a colorful mat.
- Punch 2 holes in the man's legs.
- Place the man on the mat, then make him stand up and put your fingers through the holes to make him walk.
- You could make this craft before teaching the story and have the students act out the story for themselves as you are teaching it.
Graham Cracker Mat Snacks
- Give each kid a graham cracker rectangle.
- Allow them to spread peanut butter or icing on the graham cracker
- Place a teddy graham on the mat, to represent the man who could not walk.
- Enjoy your snack!
Act Out the Story with Toys
- Build a house with legos or blocks. Leave a hole in the top. Put steps on the side of the house up to the flat roof.
- Use a large lego plate or rectange block for the mat.
- Place a lego man or people figure on the mat.
- Use other people figures to act out the story.
Wind Up Walking Toys
- Draw a face on the toy.
- Play with wind up toys
Standing Man
- Print copies of the standing man cut out.
- Cut out man.
- Fold man's legs in accordion fashion.
Shoe Box House
- Cut a hole in the top of the shoe box.
- Cut a piece of cardstock just slightly smaller than the hole.
- Tie string to both sides of the card stock and draw a picture of a man lying down.
- Optional: draw pictures of people. Fold the bottom edge back and glue to the bottom of the shoe box to make them stand. These people represent Jesus and others gathered.
- Have students retell story and act out lowering the mat into the shoe box house.
Weaving Mats
- Weave mats using construction paper strips.
- Cut slits most of the length of the construction paper sheet.
- Weave paper strips through slits, going under and over.
- Hold in place with glue or staples.
- Draw a picture of a man and glue to the mat
Egg Drop Experiments
- Split students into small groups (3 or 4 students each)
- Or, for smaller classes, have them do it together as one group
- Give them the choice of any construction/building material to create a contraption that will keep an uncooked egg from breaking when dropped from a height
- This man's friends took great care to lower him down from the roof so he didn't break!
Make Parachutes
- Provide students with supplies to make their own parachutes.
- Test parachutes to see if their creations are successful.
- Attach eggs to parachutes for outside play or plastic figures for inside play.
Running a kids’ ministry or Sunday school?
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Paralyzed Man Craft Example
Paralyzed Man Craft Example
Standing Man Example
