Prayer / Worship Activity
10 minutes
Beforehand, write the outline of the word ‘love’ in big letters across a large white sheet or similar. Provide washable felt-tips pens and encourage people to colour in the word, write their own words or draw pictures to portray God’s love on the sheet. Afterwards, attach the sheet to the wall above everyone’s heads and encourage people to look at the sheet, reflecting on God’s love and pray simple prayers. Finish the prayers by saying, ‘Let him lead me to the banquet hall, and let his banner over me be love’ (Song of Songs 2:4).
Option 2
10 minutes
Briefly explain that when the Ark of the Covenant (signifying God’s presence) was returned to Israel from the Philistines after a triumph in battle, Samuel was the judge over Israel. He led them in worshipping God and celebrating the return of the ark. Read 1 Samuel 7:12, ‘Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”’
Say that Ebenezer is not about Scrooge, it means stone of help! (Scrooge’s parents must have had a strong sense of irony!) Give out small stones, enough for everyone to have one. Encourage people to write a thank you to God on the stone, remembering something he has done. Make a big pile of Ebenezers at the front of your space.
Story
15 minutes
Mark out an area for the congregation to squeeze into while you tell the story. Ensure it has some seats for those who need them, but also make sure it is slightly uncomfortable! If possible, arrange a false ceiling or large piece of board to hang overhead. Cut a hole in the middle of the board and cover it over. Arrange beforehand for someone to stand on stepladders and lower down a doll (it could be a puppet, an action man or anything else you have to hand!) lying on a mat with string through the hole at the appropriate moment! Make sure you risk assess this before the service starts.
If you are unable to do this, arrange people into smaller groups with a cardboard box for each group. Cut a hole in the top of the cardboard box and fill the box with play people or wooden lollipop stick people. Give each group string and card to make the mat. They can ‘act’ out the story with their boxes. Go on to tell this story:
Everyone had heard that Jesus had come to Capernaum. Everyone wanted to hear him teach. With a squeeze, they all squished into one home, just to hear Jesus. There were people everywhere. Hanging off the windows, squished under tables and chairs, blocking the doorway. There was no room to move, let alone get through the crowd.
Some friends of a paralysed man were trying to bring him to Jesus. They had heard that Jesus healed people and they desperately wanted their friend to be able to walk again. He had lain on his mat for so long. They carried his mat to the door, but there was no way they were going to get through it. Not with all those people squeezed in the way. ‘Hmmm. Let’s work out a plan,’ they whispered to each other. They gathered into a group and came up with the perfect plan.
Jesus carried on teaching the people, who were totally unaware that someone was trying to get to him. Then suddenly, some dust fell down from the ceiling straight onto their heads. Everyone looked up. What was going on? Was there an earthquake? Some more dust fell, and then some of the roof tiles started to crack. Two eyes peered through the roof, down on the people below, as the hole in the ceiling was made bigger and bigger. The people gasped! Who would be doing such a thing? Such vandalism!
Eventually, the hole was large enough for the friends to lower the man down to Jesus on his mat. They plonked him right down at the feet of Jesus. Jesus saw the huge faith of these men. They were so confident that he would heal their friend that they had made a hole in the roof just to get to him! He said to the man, lying on the mat, ‘Young man, your sins are forgiven.’
At this, the teachers of the law gasped and began muttering to themselves. ‘Tut, tut, tut,’ they muttered among themselves, ‘Who does this Jesus think he is? How dare he say someone’s sins are forgiven! Only God can forgive sins.’
Jesus knew exactly what they were thinking and he called over to them. ‘Why are you thinking these things? I tell you what, let me give you a challenge. Which do you think is easier? To tell the man his sins are forgiven, or to tell him to stand up, pick up his mat and walk? I’ll prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority to forgive sins.’
The teachers of the law didn’t know where to look. How embarrassing! How could Jesus know what they were thinking? Embarrassed shock echoed around the house in silent waves. Jesus looked down at the man on the mat and spoke to him: ‘I tell you, stand up. Pick your mat up and go home.’
As soon as Jesus had finished speaking, the man stood up. He collected his mat, looking down at his legs in amazement, and walked, barefoot (he’d never needed shoes before!), out of the house while everyone was watching him. They all moved out of the way and made a path for him. Everyone was amazed. While they clapped, cheered, danced and praised God for such an awesome miracle, the teachers of the law kept quiet and crept silently away.
Reflective response to the story
Option 1
10 minutes
What choices did the man on the mat have? Choose four different men to shout the following phrases from different corners of the room:
- ‘Oh no, that’s far too embarrassing! Lowering me in front of all those people?! What will people think of me?!’
- ‘Hold on a minute, you’re going to lower me down from the roof?! What if I die instead of being healed?’
- ‘OK, I’ll believe it and trust Jesus!’
- ‘Ah no, I’m too tired today to go to all that bother! I’d rather stay as I am!’
What choices do we have when confronted with impossible obstacles in our lives? Give out some paper with ‘thought bubbles’ printed on. Encourage everyone to think about their own response to Jesus in light of the impossible things in their lives and write or draw this on their thought bubble. This need not be displayed but can be taken home to be thought and prayed through.
Option 2
5 minutes
What did the man need after Jesus had healed him? Shoes! Lead the congregation through this active prayer:
Sovereign God, we recognise that you are holy and perfect. (Take off one shoe.)
We come to you today with nothing but what is in our hearts. (Take off second shoe.)
Sometimes we feel empty and broken. (Place shoes in front of you.)
But we know that nothing is impossible for you. (Put one shoe on.)
So we put our faith in you and trust you. (Put second shoe on.)
And we choose to believe. (Stamp feet.)
Amen. (Jump up and down.)
Group Discussion Questions
Split into mixed-aged groups. Give underfives a cardboard box with a hole in the top and play people to continue playing with the story during the discussion, but make sure you include them as you chat.
- What was your favourite part of the story?
- What do you think the crowd felt when the ceiling began to break above their heads?
- Which character do you think you are in this story?
- Which is more important: the healing or the forgiveness of the man’s sins?
- I wonder if the broken roof could be symbol of anything…
- I wonder if any part of this story is about your life…
Helen Hodgson leads the children’s and youth work at Gracechurch, Bromsgrove
