Sunday, March 15th - Sunday School

Miracles of Jesus - Jesus Heals a Boy with an Evil Spirt
Mark 9:14 - 29

Memory Verse: "Everything is possible for the one who believes." Mark 9:23
(If you have younger children have them echo you and break the verse into two parts. You say: Everything is possible (they echo you) You say: for the one who believes (they echo you). You can also be creative and whisper the verse or say the verse while you pat your head.) Have fun with scripture! :)

Lesson Goals: Learn that Jesus healed a boy with an evil spirit. Recognize that the disciples were not able to help the boy. Learn that Jesus said we need to have faith and pray.

Start With: Have you ever tried to do something and you couldn't? Then maybe you got someone older than you and they were able to help you. Let's talk about a time when Jesus' disciples needed help.

Watch Lesson HERE!

Jesus and the three disciples were coming down the mountain to rejoin the other disciples. When they arrived, a large crowd had gathered around the disciples. The disciples were having an argument with the religious leaders. Once all the people saw Jesus, they ran over to Him.

Jesus asked them, "What are you arguing about?"

A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought my son. He is possessed by an evil spirit. The evil spirit keeps him from talking. Whenever the evil spirit wants to, it throws him on the ground and makes him foam at the mouth. His whole body becomes extremely stiff. I asked your disciples to help him, but they could not."

Once Jesus heard the man, He became upset. He looked at the crowd and said, "You people have no faith. How long must I stay with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to the ground. He rolled around and begun to foam at the mouth. The evil spirit knew that Jesus was God's Son and that Jesus was very powerful.

Jesus asked the father, "How long has the boy been like this?" "Ever since He was little," said the father. "The evil spirit has even thrown him into fire or water to try and kill him. But if you can do anything, please have pity on us."

"IF you can?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for the one who believes." Jesus knew that the father did not quite believe and Jesus could help this boy. Had the father truly believed, he would not have used the word "if."

When the father heard Jesus' response, he got excited. He exclaimed, "I do believe. Help me to believe more and not doubt!" ASK: What do you think Jesus did next?

Jesus then made the evil spirit leave the boy's body. He said, "Evil spirit, I command you to come out of the boy and never enter him again!" The spirit yelled and shook the boy's body and came out. The boy laid on the ground looking as if he were dead. The crowd all thought he was dead because he was not moving. Jesus took his hand, lifted him up and the boy stood up! Jesus healed the boy of the evil spirit!

After everyone had left, the disciples asked Jesus a question. "Why couldn't we remove the evil spirit from the boy?" Jesus answered, "That kind of spirit can only come out by prayer."

Jesus was teaching them and us something very important. Prayer is powerful, useful, and important. When we pray about something, we are trusting God that He is going to handle whatever it is we are praying about. The father in the story did not have that trust ... at first. Once Jesus told him he needed to believe, then he decided he was ready to completely trust what Jesus could do.

Pray Together:
Dear God,
Thank you that you have the power to help us with our problems. Help us to have more faith.
Amen.

Review Questions for older children: 
1. What was wrong with the boy that Jesus healed? (He had an evil spirit)
2. Why couldn't the disciples heal the boy? (They needed to pray more)
3. What did Jesus say to the boy's father when he asked if Jesus could do something to help him? ("Everything is possible for the one who believes.")


SING: My God is So Big!  Find Song HERE!
My God is So Big! So Strong and So Mighty!
There's Nothing My God Cannot Do!
For You!

He Made the Trees!
He Made the Seas!
He Made the Elephants too!

My God is So Big! So Strong and So Mighty!
There's Nothing My God Cannot Do!
For You!

Create: Draw/craft butterflies
You can keep this simple ... paper and crayons. Talk about some things that change. Examples may include forms of water, tadpole to frog, seed to plant, caterpillar to butterfly. Share with your children as you draw butterflies how Jesus has changed your life and how glad you are for Him.
**All are encouraged to take a picture and post your child's butterfly creation**

Blessings,
Danielle