Lesson 5 – Adventure Island: Jesus Heals a Blind Man
Series: The Life of Jesus
Adventure Island—For Younger Students
LESSON OVERVIEW
Key Point: Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life
Repeat this phrase throughout the lesson.
Bible Story: Luke 18:35-43
Challenge Verse: John 14:6—Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
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ITEMS NEEDED
Each class needs the following:
A candy bag with enough candy for the class.
1 blindfold
Cut out and hide the words to John 14:6
Signs for: Jesus, Blind Beggar, Crowd, Crowd (2 signs for Crowd)— hole punch these and use yarn to make a sign that will hang around a student’s neck.
Memory Verse Sign
BEFORE CLASS
– Play the island or Hawaiian music as the kids enter.
– Set up for the “Guiding Light” Activity by setting out your candy bag and a blindfold.
– Use scotch tape to hide the words to the Challenge Verse.
– Pray for each student by name.
AS STUDENTS ARRIVE
– Greet your students by name as they enter.
– Give each child an attendance sticker for your attendance chart.
– Fill out a guest card for any students who are not on your roll.
OPENING ACTIVITY
SAY: Welcome to Adventure Island. On an island you don’t have electricity, so What would you do if you were going to lead a lot of people from one side of the island to the other at night? What would you use to see? (A torch; big flashlight; etc.)
Ask the students: What if you one had one light? Where would you put it: in the back of the people, in the middle, or at the front? (You’d put it in front so the people could see.)
SAY: Jesus is the light who guides you and today we’re going to learn that Jesus is also the way.
Guiding Light
Choose one volunteer—to be blindfolded. The volunteer is going to try to find a piece of candy you hide in the room after he is blindfolded. The other students will guide him toward the candy in a Marco-Polo style as follows: Anytime the blindfolded student calls out “guiding,” the closest person to the candy will say “light.” If the blindfolded student comes close to an obstacle such as a chair, everyone can call “look-out.” Give a couple of students the opportunity to play.
Discussion
Ask the students: How did you feel being blindfolded? (Confused; scared; different; lonely.)
SAY: You needed someone to guide you–someone to show you the way. The Bible says that Jesus is the Way.
Ask the students: What did Jesus mean when He said, “I am the way?” (He’s the only way to go to heaven. He’s the only way to have a meaningful life.)
Have the students repeat after you: Jesus is the Way!
BIBLE LESSON
SAY: Imagine what it would be like to be totally blind. That’s what our lesson is about today–someone who was totally blind
NOTE: This section purposely doesn’t tell the students where the Bible Story is found. This is revealed in the Bible Skills section.
Choose 4 volunteers who are willing to help you act out the Bible Story.
Give them the following signs: Jesus, Blind Beggar, Crowd, Crowd.
Have the Blind Beggar sit off to your side with the two Crowd volunteers between you and he and have Jesus to your other side.
(NOTE: As you read the verses, lead the volunteers in what to say. Keep this fast-paced and with high energy.)
SAY: The following story is from the Bible and I will be helping our volunteers with some special speaking parts.
BIBLE: As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.
BLIND MAN: “Beg, Beg, Beg”
BIBLE: When he heard the crowd going by…
CROWD: “Excuse me. Pardon me. Excuse me. Pardon me.”
BIBLE: He asked them what was happening.
BLIND MAN: “Hey, what’s up?”
BIBLE: They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
CROWD: “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
BIBLE: He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
BLIND MAN: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
BIBLE: Those who had led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet…
CROWD: “Hey, blind man, hush up! Put a sock in it.”
BIBLE: But he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
BLIND MAN: (Shouting) “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Do it again—louder)
BIBLE: Jesus stopped and ordered them man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”
JESUS: “What do you want me to do for you?”
BIBLE: “Lord, I want to see,” he replied.
BLIND MAN: “Lord, I want to see,”
BIBLE: Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.”
JESUS: “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.”
BIBLE: Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
Give our volunteers a hand. Great job!
SAY: Even though the blind man was different—even though he was blind and was a beggar— Jesus still cared for him.
Ask the students: Do you know someone who gets treated badly because they’re different?
Ask the students: Do you know someone who gets picked on or teased?
Ask the students: How can you show Jesus’ care for them?
SAY: Jesus loved the blind man and did something great for Him.
Ask the students: What is something great God has done in your life? (He saved you, takes care of you, etc.)
SAY: Anything is possible for God—to make blind eyes see; to make crippled people walk; to heal any sickness. But Jesus doesn’t just care about the big things—He cares about everything in your life, no matter how small it might seem.
LESSON ACTIVITY
Make a Choice
Choose one volunteer. Divide your class into two teams and have them sit on both sides of the volunteer.
This is very similar to the game you previously played except you are going to make it harder. The blindfolded volunteer is still trying to find the candy except this time, when you say “Go” both sides will try to guide him. The catch is—one of the sides won’t be telling the truth. The other will. Tell your class that after you blindfold the volunteer you’ll point to the side that is suppose to try to lead him the wrong way. He’ll have to choose which side he is going to follow. Give a couple of students the opportunity to play.
Discussion
Ask the students: How did you know which side was telling the truth?
Ask the students: How do you know Jesus will always tell you the truth? (Because He is perfect; Because the Bible tells you so, etc.)
SAY: Jesus doesn’t just tell the truth; He is the Truth. He is perfect and will never lie or point you in the wrong way.
Have the students repeat after you: Jesus is the Truth!
CHALLENGE VERSE
Before class began you should have hidden the words to John 14:6.
Explain that everyone in the class needs a partner. Each pair needs to decide who is going to be the Guide and who is going to be the Blind Man. The Guide keeps his eyes open and looks for the words although he is not allowed to use his hands. The Blind Man can use his hands, but he has to keep his eyes closed. The two will have to work together to locate and retrieve the words to the challenge verse.
Let the class search for about a minute or two and then, as a class, let them try to assemble the verse.
Ask the students: Did any of you have a Guide who ran off and left you? (Aren’t you glad that God will never leave you and that He will always guide you in the right way.)
Read John 14:6 from your Bible.
Have the students repeat after you: Jesus is the Way!
Have the students repeat after you: Jesus is the Truth!
Have the students repeat after you: Jesus is the Life!
Ask your kids to take a deep breath.
SAY: Anything can breathe, but that’s not what real life is about.
Ask a student to give you a high five.
SAY: Did you feel that? Even frogs can feel things, but that’s not real life. Life isn’t just breathing, feeling and existing. Real life—God’s kind of life—is only found in Jesus.
Have the students repeat after you (pause at the slashes):
Jesus is the Way! / The Truth! / And The Life!
No one comes to the Father / except through Him.
John 14:6
BIBLE SKILLS
Ask the students: Is the book of John in the Old Testament or the New Testament?
Ask the students: Who can find the book of John on the Bible Book Chart?
Ask the students: Who can guess what book our Bible story today came from? (Luke 18:35-43. Help your students to think this through: What part of the Bible tells about Jesus’ life? Answer: The Gospels—So it would have to be in one of the Gospels. Today’s Bible Story comes from the Gospel of Luke. The Challenge Verse comes from the Gospel of John.)
Tell them to get their Bibles.
SAY: Get ready for a Bible Drill. Remember you can’t open your Bibles until I say go.
Ready…John 14:6…Go!
SAY: Jesus is the only way to go to heaven and if you’ve given your life to Christ, then you’ve become a guide for those who don’t know Christ, to lead others to Him.
Ready…2 Corinthians 4:4…Go!
SAY: The Bible says that those who don’t know Jesus are blind to the things of God. That’s the reason they need someone to show them the way to Christ so He can bring His light and love into their lives.
Ready…Matthew 5:16…Go!
SAY: You can be a light to lead others to Christ. When you trust God and live for Jesus people will see that there is something different about you.
Ask the students: Who can remember what last week’s verse was? (Proverbs 3:5)
SAY: Get ready for another Bible Drill.
Ready…Proverbs 3:5-6…Go!
Ask the students: What book comes just before Proverbs? (Psalms)
Ask the students: Is Proverbs in the Old Testament or the New Testament? (Have a student point it out on the Bible Book Chart.)
PRAYER TIME & WRAP-UP
Have the students repeat after you (pause at the slashes):
Jesus is the Way! / The Truth! / And The Life!
No one comes to the Father / except through Him.
John 14:6
Ask the students: Before Jesus healed the blind man, what did he ask him? (He asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” It sounds like a silly question—asking a blind man what he wants, but Jesus wanted him to ask Him to restore His sight. In the same way, Jesus wants us to give our cares and requests to Him too.)
List Prayer Requests
Be sure to pray specifically for each request.
EXTRA TIME
Use any extra time to help your students memorize the verse for today.
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