Thanksgiving

ONE LEPER SAYS “THANK YOU” Luke 17:11-19

Lesson by Betty Benson Robertson

Needed:
Bible open to Luke 17 (which you hold while telling the story).

Have you ever had measles where you got little red spots on your body? Or chicken pox where you have little sores all over your body that itch?

With either of these diseases, you get well within a few days. A story in the Bible, in Luke 17, talks about people who had a horrible disease that made sores all over their bodies. Sometimes the disease made them crippled or blind. They were called lepers.

Let’s say that word together: Lepers.
Again: Lepers.

Because others could catch this disease, the lepers had to stay away from people. So they were very lonely. The lepers always carried bells to ring, warning others to stay away. They couldn't work or live with their families. They could only stand by the roadside or outside the gates of the city and beg for money.

Then, one day, a leper said to the others: “Did you hear the good news? Jesus is coming to town! I can’t wait to see Him!”

Another leper said: “We’ll never be able to get close enough to Him. We can’t get near people.”

“No,” the first leper replied, “but we can shout!”

Soon they saw Jesus coming. And they shouted: “Jesus, have mercy on us!” And they kept shouting: “Jesus, have mercy on us! Jesus, have mercy on us!”

Let’s pretend we are the lepers. Let’s shout together those words: “Jesus, have mercy on us!” Let’s say it again: “Jesus, have mercy on us!” Again: “Jesus, have mercy on us!”

Jesus looked at the lepers. And when the lepers saw Jesus looking at them, their eyes opened wide with surprise and their mouths dropped open. Let’s all show on our faces how we look when we are surprised.

Jesus looked right at the lepers and said: “Go to the temple and show the priests that you are healed.” The lepers may have said to each other: “What? What does Jesus mean we are healed?” Then one probably said: “My sores are gone!” And another leper said: “Mine, too! My skin looks healthy again!” Another one said: “I don’t limp anymore!”

As they were all walking toward the temple, they were saying: “Jesus has healed us! Jesus has healed us!” Let’s say that together: “Jesus has healed us!” Again: “Jesus has healed us.” One more time: “Jesus has healed us.”

One of the ten lepers when he realized Jesus had healed him, turned around and went back to where Jesus was. He was so grateful for what Jesus had done for him that he knelt at Jesus’ feet and said: “Thank You, Jesus. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You, Jesus.”

Let’s say that together: “Thank You, Jesus! Thank You, Jesus! Thank You, Jesus!”

Jesus said: “Stand up. Go on your way now. Your faith has made you well. But didn't I heal TEN lepers? Where are the other 9?

PRAYER: Perhaps some of the children would like to thank Jesus for things He has done for them and/or their families recently.

SONG: “It Is Good” (…to give thanks to the Lord) from 15 Singable Songs album

BIBLE VERSE: “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever” (Psalm 107:1).

ACTIVITY TO LEARN VERSE: “Let’s Pretend”
Preparation: Post the scripture verse for all to see.
Activity: Lead the children in reading the verse in segments.
Segment #1: “Give thanks to the Lord.”
Segment # 2: “for he is good.”
Segment # 3: “his love endures forever”;
Segment # 4: Psalm 107:1).

Read each segment 3 times in unison before adding another segment. Now remove the verse and play “Let’s Pretend.”
Leader says: “Let’s pretend to be robots and say the verse together; let’s pretend we’re in a library and whisper the verse together; let’s pretend we’re telling the verse to someone who can’t hear very well.”

CRAFT:
Bible Verse Poster Materials Needed
Colored construction paper
the Bible verse printed on white 81/2” x11”
glue
scissors
crayons
washable magic markers

Activity: Have the children mount the scripture verses on construction paper and then decorate. Encourage them to take them home and mount them on the front of their refrigerators and read to their family before the evening meal each day the next week.
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to Facebook