Trivia Questions

1) From which Gospel do we take this lesson? (Mark)

2) In what city did this event take place? (Capernaum)

3) How many friends brought the sick man to Jesus? (Four)

4) What was the man’s problem? (He was paralyzed)

5) Who sent the scribes and Pharisees to check on Jesus? (Sanhedrin)

THE FOLLOWING LESSON IS DIVIDED INTO THREE LEVELS OF DIFICULTY. THEY CAN BE USED TO SEPARATE AGE GROUPS OR LEVELS OF BIBLE STUDY BACKGROUND.

Level 1

1) Each session should start with a prayer. Again review the books of the New Testament from Matthew through Acts and emphasize the words Gospel and history. Work through the Epistles from Romans through Ephesians. Read them aloud several times and see how many in the class can remember them from the previous lesson. Finally have the group say together the list from Matthew through Ephesians.

2) The lesson can begin with a question. “What is a friend?” Have several of the class members tell about a special friend or the teacher can tell about a special friend he or she has. Try to include what you do with your friends and perhaps how you met.

(Keep it clean and appropriate from both the students and the teacher.)

Continue this line on friendships to the lesson for today. Have the group or the teacher read the passage from Mark 2:1-12. Retell the story in your own words. Include a description of the house and how easy it was for the friends to get to the roof and break through. Describe how close these friends had to be and what a chance they took to bring this man to Jesus. Tell the student who the scribes and Pharisees were and why they had been sent to hear Jesus. Be sure the class realizes that Jesus would have been stoned to death on the spot if he had not been able to show that the man was healed.

Be sure you explain how the healed man must have felt and how guilt sometimes can make people sick as well as germs ad viruses. Help the class to realize that people get sick from many causes but in Jesus’ day no one knew what caused illness so they blamed it on sin or evil spirits. Remind them that even thought the four friends might have believed this they still helped.

3) Memory Verse: Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loves at all times.” NIV Explain the verse and tell how we can all follow it. Have the group say it together several times and then have each person say it alone. The verse is very short so everyone will be able to say it easily.

4) Review the trivia questions at the beginning of the lesson and give out some type of snack. Hand out pictures to color.

5) Close in prayer.

Level 2

1) Open with prayer and work on the New Testament books as in Level 1.

2) Begin with the discussion as on friendship as in Level 1. This group should be able to read the scripture from Mark 2:1-12. Let the class know that this story also appears in both Matthew and Luke. Include more information on the scribes and Pharisees and mention that They had been sent by the Sanhedrin to show Jesus as a false teacher. (Explain what the Sanhedrin was) Conclude with the feelings of the four friends; what good friends they were and the risks they took.

3) Memory Verse: Same as Level 1.

4) Snacks and pictures. If the group consists of older students you might skip the picture to color and just ask the trivia question at the beginning of the lesson as a review of the story.

5) Close with prayer.

Level 3

1) Open with prayer and work on the books of the New Testament as in Levels 1 and 2. Work with the students on remembering the words Gospel and Epistle. You might name the book and ask if it is one or the other.

2) Begin the lesson as in Levels 1 and 2. After the reading from Mark 2:1-12; retell the story in your own words as in Levels 1 and 2. Include the information on the Sanhedrin, the scribes, the Pharisees, and the Syrians. Conclude as in Levels 1 and 2 with a talk on true friendship.

3) Memory Verse: as in Levels 1 and 2 with explanation.

4) Snacks and trivia questions.

5) Close with prayer.