YEA Lesson Library
A Hole in the Roof
About This Lesson
This lesson teaches about Jesus’ healing of the paralytic who was lowered through the roof and reminds the student that God heals and forgives sin.
Scriptures
Psalm 147:1-3
Proverbs 18:24
Proverbs 27:10
Jeremiah 17:13-14
Matthew 4:24
Matthew 9:1-8
Mark 2:1-12
Mark 2:10
Luke 5:18-26
Words to Know
CAPERNAUM - a large, important city on the shore of the Sea of Galilee
CRIPPLED - not able to walk
The Lesson
How do you get to school or to church? Do you walk? Do you ride in your dad’s car? Do you ride your bicycle? There are many different ways to get from one place to another. Can you think of some more ways?
How would you get to the hospital if you were in an accident? Would your mom take you in her car? Would you ride in an ambulance? Some people even go to the hospital by helicopter.
Today’s lesson is about a man who was crippled. He needed to get to see Jesus. He heard that Jesus could make sick people well again. The man didn’t go by car. He didn’t go by ambulance or helicopter. Let’s see how he got to Jesus.
Jesus was in the city of Capernaum. It wasn’t long before people found out where He was staying. People followed Jesus everywhere He went. Soon the house was full of people. Some people even had to stand outside. Many came to hear what Jesus was teaching. Some came to see if He would perform a miracle. But, some people came to spy on Jesus. They were looking for something that would get him into trouble with the rulers.
There was a crippled man who lived in Capernaum. He wanted to see if Jesus could make him well again. But the man couldn’t walk. How would he get to Jesus? The man had four friends. They picked up him up on his mat and carried him.
They got to the house where Jesus was teaching. But, the house was full. They couldn’t get inside. They walked around and looked in the windows. There was no way they could get their friend inside. Then they saw some steps leading to the roof. The house had a flat roof like a porch. The friends had an idea. They carried the crippled man up the stairs and set him down. He watched as his friends made a hole in the roof.
All eyes were on Jesus inside the house. The people listened to everything Jesus had to say. All of a sudden, pieces of the ceiling started falling. People looked up and saw a hole. As the hole got bigger, they could see four men looking down from the roof. Then the four men tied ropes to the crippled man’s mat. They carefully lowered him down through the hole in the roof—right in front of Jesus.
Jesus saw the crippled man. He knew the man and his friends believed He could help. It took a lot of work to get this man to Jesus. Everyone waited to see what Jesus would do.
Jesus didn’t touch the man and heal him. He told the man that his sins were forgiven. This made the men who were spying on Jesus very angry. They said that only God could forgive sins. Who did Jesus think He was, anyway!
Jesus knew what these men were thinking. How could Jesus prove He was God’s Son? Jesus looked at the crippled man. He told him to get up and walk. Then he told the man to pick up his mat and go home. It was a miracle! The crippled man could walk! He was so happy he told everyone what Jesus did for him. All the people were happy. They praised God for giving Jesus such power.
What a wonderful Savior we have! He can make us well when we are sick. He gives us friends to help us. He gives you a mom and dad to take care of you. But most important, He can forgive our sins.
Student Prayer
Dear Father, Thank you for being there for me when I am sick. Thank you for giving me friends, and thank you for forgiving my sins. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Daily Devotions
Sunday - Mark 2:9-11
Monday - Jeremiah 17:13-14
Tuesday - Psalm 147:1-3
Wednesday - Proverbs 27:10
Thursday - Proverbs 18:24
Friday - Luke 5:18-20
Saturday - Matthew 4:24
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Give two reasons why the man was unable to go to see Jesus.
2. Tell how the crippled man finally got to see Jesus.
3. Explain why some people were angry when Jesus told the man his sins were forgiven.
4. State that God has given Jesus power to forgive sins.
Topics & Themes
Capernaum
Forgiveness
Healing
Jesus, His Miracles
Healing
Jesus, Son of God
Sin
Preparation
To make a model Bible-time house, cut a paper grocery bag in half, using the flat bottom half for the house. Cut a 2” strip from the remaining half of the bag. Accordion-fold the strip to make stairs. Tape the stairs to one side of the house. Using a marker or crayon, draw windows and a door on the house. See Activity Time for more instructions.
How to Teach This Lesson
Primary-aged children are curious and enjoy learning new things. In this lesson they will be introduced to Bible-time houses. Since children retain more when their senses of sight and touch are stimulated, use visual aids to help children comprehend, remember, and apply the principles being taught. Allowing children to build their own models of a Bible-time house will bring this story to life.
As you greet the children, ask them about their own houses. Ask: Do you live in a ranch-style house or a two-story? Does your house have a porch? Do you have stairs? Is it a big house or a small house? Show them the Bible-time house model. Explain that the stairs led to the roof where the people would sit on cool evenings. It was used like our porches are used.
Ask children if they have ever been sick and had to stay in bed. Ask: Can you imagine what it would be like to have to lie in bed all of the time? You couldn’t go out and play with your friends. You couldn’t go to school with other children. If you wanted to go anywhere, you would have to be carried.
Explain that the man in today’s story was not able to walk. He needed to see Jesus because Jesus could heal him, but he couldn’t get there by himself. His friends were determined to get him some help. They were willing to try anything—even making a hole in the roof! This man was very fortunate to have such good friends.
Jesus told the man that his sins were forgiven instead of saying that he was healed. Explain that there are many people who can help make you well. Ask: If you are sick, who could help you get better? (God, doctor, nurse, mother, etc.) Explain that Jesus was beaten so that we can be healed and He died so that our sins would be forgiven. We need to ask God for forgiveness. God has given Jesus the authority to heal us and to forgive our sins. Jesus wanted everyone to know that He was God’s Son, and only He had power to forgive sins.
Primary-aged children are beginning to understand what sin is, though they may not yet comprehend that they are sinners. As you talk about Jesus forgiving the crippled man’s sins, ask the children to name some things that are sinful. Explain that when we don’t obey God’s law it makes God unhappy and that is sin. Help them to see that even children can make God unhappy by disobeying parents, by fighting with siblings, and by disobeying God’s commandments. Emphasize how important it was that Jesus forgave the crippled man’s sins and that He forgives our sins.
Review Questions
1. Why was the man in our lesson unable to go to see Jesus?
2. How did his friends help him?
3. How did they get into the house where Jesus was teaching?
4. Why were some of the people angry when Jesus told the man his sins were forgiven?
5. Why was Jesus able to forgive the man’s sins?
6. Who do you think needs to have his sins forgiven?
Teacher-Directed Activity
The children will make their own Bible-time house to take home. For this activity you will need enough paper lunch bags for each child to have one. Cut the bag in half, using the flat bottom half for the house. Have the children draw windows and a door on the bag with markers or crayons. Cut a strip of paper from the top half of the bag to make stairs. Show children how to fold the strip accordion-style. Tape the stairs to one side of the house leading from the bottom to the roof.
REACH Activity
Special Materials:
miniature set materials: cardboard, card stock, tempera paint, paint brushes, twigs and dried grass, pebbles, craft glue, construction paper, material scrap, string, card stock people, mat, large cardboard, rope, sharp knife or scissors, string
1. Make a miniature set of the story from Mark 2:1-9. When you make the house, be sure the roof is something you could dig through when you want to get inside. Once the set is finished, make tiny people out of card stock to go with the set. Then retell the story with the props. (See Notes, Explanations, and Materials Needed for suggestions on building your tiny set.) This project may take several days to construct. Then use it to retell the story.
2. Do a sword drill with the Daily Devotionals for the YEA lesson.
3. Pretend you are a newscaster, broadcasting live from the house. Retell the story for your viewers. Be sure to include the size of the crowd, the description of the house, the amazing event of lowering the paralytic in front of Jesus, and His amazing statements.
4. Pretend you are the paralytic. Write a journal entry for when you first got up that morning and another journal entry for when you came back home, walking and praising God.
5. Sing: “God is So Good” on page 87 of Kids Classics Collection.
6. You may not be paralyzed, but God can heal you just like He did the paralytic. Romans 3:23 says that we have all sinned. God is able to forgive your sin, if you ask. In your Bible notebook, write a prayer of repentance for something you know needs forgiveness; then write a prayer of thanksgiving because God has heard your prayer and forgiven you (1 John 1:9).
7. Sing: “He Hideth My Soul” on page 128 of the CEM Hymnal. After you sing this song, read the words again. Write in your Bible notebook how this song relates to your lesson. How does it relate specifically to the paralytic? How does it specifically relate to you?
8. This YEA lesson takes place in Capernaum. Use a Bible dictionary, map, and encyclopedia to find out more about this city. Draw a map of Capernaum. Label other nearby cities.
9. Everywhere Jesus went people followed Him. Who were the 12 men who followed Jesus when He called them? Write their names in your Bible notebook. Also write the Scripture reference that tells about where these men were when Jesus called them.
10. Gather the following objects and tell the story to the students: mat (that someone could lay on), large, flat piece of cardboard, four pieces of rope, and something to make a hole in the cardboard. After you are finished, let the students have a turn to retell the story.
11. How would you feel if you were one of the friends trying to help the crippled man? Write your feelings and thoughts in your Bible notebook.
12. Imagine that you were listening to Jesus teach and when you looked up you saw the hole in the roof, and the man being lowered down into the room. What would you say about what happened that day? Write it in your Bible notebook. Share with family and friends.
13. Use eight pieces of 5 x 7 or 8 x 10 paper and color tools to draw pictures of eight different parts of the YEA lesson story. Each picture must also have a short sentence describing the picture. Use the pictures to retell the story to family or friends.
14. After the man was healed, he told everyone what happened. Do you think everyone believed what he said? Why or why not? Write your thoughts in your Bible notebook.
15. What other title can you give this lesson? Write it in your Bible notebook.
16. We have a wonderful Savior. In your Bible notebook write down at least one time that: when you were sick Jesus made you well; gave you a friend to help you; forgave you for your sins. Remember the YEA lesson prayer, or write your own. Pray to Jesus every day.
17. Use pieces of string to form the letters in the memory verse. Some will be different lengths. Practice until the verse is memorized.
18. Sing: “I Love to Tell the Story” on page 80 of the CEM Hymnal.
Song
“Isn’t He Wonderful” is on page 42 of the Kids Classics Collection.
Closing Prayer
Ask one of the children to lead in prayer, thanking God for being there when they are sick, and for forgiving their sins.
Printable Pages
