Peter helps a lame man
key words
biblical reference
Acts 3:1-10
lesson objective
To help the children learn that God healed a lame man through Peter.
memory verse
“They never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah” (Acts 5:42b, NIV*).
prepare yourself to teach
After Pentecost, the apostles continued praying and worshiping in the temple. One day, Peter and John entered the temple to pray. It was the custom in the Jewish religion to pray three times a day. The first prayer was at nine o’clock in the morning, the second at three o’clock in the afternoon, and the last at sunset.
Peter and John entered through the Beautiful Gate door of the temple to participate in the prayer time at three. That was a good time and a good place for a crippled man to beg. It was very common for people to carry coins, as they were carried for the offering and for the purchase of animals for the sacrifice.
The Beautiful Gate was the main entrance. It ran from the room of the gentiles to the inner part of the temple, from the women’s room and the men’s room to the altar.
On that day, while the man begged for alms, he received something that for a long time he thought was impossible. Peter and John did not have gold or silver to give, but they had Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, and as the man responded with faith, he was healed.
The man jumped for joy, and the people around him looked at him in amazement. Can you imagine all the conversations that arose?
Once again, Peter had the opportunity to give testimony about his friend and savior, Jesus Christ.
What opportunities do you have to speak to others about Jesus? Ask God to use your teaching to help your children know Jesus as their friend and savior. Then be sensitive to their questions. Allow time to pray with those who are ready to receive Jesus as their friend and savior.
This biblical story is about a miracle, but the most important thing was not that the man was healed, but that he believed in Jesus as the Son of God.
As you teach this lesson, help your children understand that not only did Peter heal the crippled man in the name of Jesus, but also gave him something of much more value. He introduced him to Jesus. Until that moment, the man knew nothing about him; but, after this fact, he knew Jesus as the Son of God, the only one who had the power to transform his life.
As the lame man in this story, perhaps one of your children is ready to take that step of faith. Invite them to talk to you personally about their relationship with Jesus.
If any of them shows an interest in accepting Jesus, use the child’s plan of salvation. Follow up on the spiritual growth of each one, especially those who begin their relationship with God.
introduce the lesson
Use some activities to capture the children’s interest.
Special people
Have your children sit down and form a circle to talk about people who have a physical disability. It is likely that in your class or congregation there is a person who is physically challenged. It is important that your children learn to respect and love all people equally, regardless of their condition.
Let them know that these people have a limitation in their body due to different factors, such as illness, accidents, or birth problems.
Tell them that today’s story tells us about a person who had a physical disability; he was lame. That means he could not walk very well, however, God had a plan for him.
teach the lesson
A very special visitor
Invite a member of your church to help with this part of the lesson. Bring the children together to tell them the story and tell them: I want to introduce you to someone. This man is dressed like the lame man of the story that we will hear about today. This lame man could not walk, and sat outside the temple to ask for money so he could buy food to eat. Peter and John had no money, but they told the man about Jesus. We will see what else happened in this Bible story. Our visitor will stay with us to listen to the lesson.
“A coin, please, a coin,” said the lame man. He had been physically challenged from birth. He could not walk. Every day, someone would take him to the door of the temple called the Beautiful Gate.
“A little coin, please,” said the lame man as two men approached him. “Do you have a coin for this lame man?”
Peter and his friend John loved Jesus; they were his disciples, and that day they went to the temple to pray. The lame man looked at Peter intently and waited for something.
“I have neither silver nor gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus, get up and walk!” said Peter. Then he took the man’s hand and helped him to his feet.
At that moment, the lame man’s legs were strengthened! And he began to walk and jump full of joy.
“Praise God!” shouted the man as he walked and jumped around. He believed in Jesus, and was now one of his followers.
“Is that the lame man?” people wondered. “What happened? You can walk now!”
Everyone saw the miracle happen, and Peter spoke to them so they would know the message of Jesus. That day many repented of their sins and accepted Jesus Christ in their hearts.
connect the lesson
The labyrinth
Distribute Student Activity Sheet #46-A, #46-B and #46-C. As they work, tell the children: “A follower of Jesus is one who loves and testifies about him. You can talk about Jesus to others.”
Let the children put their name on Student Activity Sheet #46-A, and trace the Word of Faith (Jesus). Then, help them follow the path from Peter and John to the lame man (there are three possible paths). When they have finished doing this, repeat the memory verse (Acts 5:42). Also, help them to cut out the figure of the formerly lame man, which they will find in Student Activity Sheet #46-B, and show them how attach it over the previous figure in SAS #46-A.
Say: “Peter spoke to the lame man about the power of Jesus! God healed him and he was able to walk and jump. Thank God for his love and Son, Jesus.”
Turn to Student Activity Sheet #46-C. Hand out crayons to your children and give them time to draw themselves in the blank box. Remind them that they are very special and important to Jesus.
Give the activity sheets and materials to the children and encourage them to share the gospel message to others during the week.
practice the memory verse
For this activity, you will need to write the memory verse words on strips of paper or cardboard and place them inside a box or bag.
Then mix them together and let your children take them out one by one, and help them arrange the text correctly. If it is within your means, give them a treat.
wrap-up
Pray
Tell the group: “We should never stop praying.” Pray for the needs of the group and ask for God’s help to speak without fear to others about Jesus.
Encourage
Encourage the children to continue sharing the good news of Christ to everyone.
Invite
Ask the children to bring a friend that they shared the good news with during the week. Sing songs of praise to God, and invite them to the next session.
* Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™