Peter Heals the Lame Man Sunday School Lesson for Kids -

God Gives Peter the Power to Heal

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The Rock: Children Sunday School Lessons on the Apostle Peter by [Wilson, Rev. Stephen R.]

Use this children’s Sunday School lesson to teach kids about the power God gives all of us.

Needed: Bibles

Intro Game: Get Up!

Have students lie down on the floor. Sitting is fine if you don’t have enough room for everyone to lie down. When you yell, “Get up!” everyone should get to their feet and jump into the air as quickly as they can. The first person to jump gets to be the next caller. Play as long as time allows. Be sure to give everyone a chance to be the caller, even if you have to ask someone who’s already done it to give up their turn.

Lesson

Do you remember how Jesus was always healing people and making them better?

Do you think a normal person could do that too, or could only Jesus do it?

(Read Acts 3:1-5.)

“One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, ‘Look at us!’ So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.”

What was the problem with the man? (He couldn’t walk.)

Ever since he was born, the man’s legs wouldn’t work right, so he could never walk. And since he couldn’t walk, he could never get a job. He had to have people bring him to the church so that he could beg for money from people going into the church.

Do you think Peter and John will give the man any money?

(Read Acts 3:6-16.)

“Then Peter said, ‘Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.’ Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

“While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. When Peter saw this, he said to them: ‘Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus. You handed Him over to be killed, and you disowned Him before Pilate, though he had decided to let Him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised Him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through Him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.”

How was Peter able to make the man who had been crippled walk? (God gave Peter the power to heal him.)

Peter couldn’t have healed the man by himself. He needed God’s power to do it. Peter said he was able to heal the man because he believed in Jesus.

Do you think God could give you power if you believe in Jesus? (Yes.)

God might not give us all the power to heal people as Peter did, but if we have faith in Jesus, then God can give us the power to do incredible things for Him.

He can give us the power to resist the devil’s temptations and do the right things that God wants us to. He can give us the power to tell other people about Him. He can give us the power to do nice things for other people and help them feel good.

There are lots of things God can give us the power to do if we believe in Him.

Game: Who Has the Power?

Have students close their eyes. Explain that when you walk among them and tap one student on the shoulder, that student is the Healer. When you tap them, they should look up and point to another student.

Have everyone open their eyes and say that the student the Healer pointed to is healed and is not the Healer. Students then have the opportunity to guess who the Healer is. If they guess more than one person, have them take a vote. If the majority votes for the actual Healer, they win and the game is over. Choose a new Healer and play again.

If the majority is wrong, the person the Healer pointed at is out. Have everyone close their eyes and then, ask the Healer to point to another student. The game continues until students guess the real Healer or the Healer is one of the last two students left. If the Healer makes it to the end, they win.

Play as long as time allows. Then, explain that in the story, Peter was the healer, but God could give any of us the power to do miracles.

Game: Disciple Tag

Explain that when Peter told everyone that he was a follower of Jesus and that God had given him the power to heal the man, he was trying to help other people believe in Jesus too.

Choose one student to be It. When they tag someone, that person links hands with them and joins their team. They continue adding people to their team, linking hands with each one until all but one student is part of their chain. That remaining student becomes It for the next round.

Play two or three rounds and then, explain that when we tell people about Jesus, we want them to believe in Jesus too. If they do, they become a Christian and join our team. Then, they help us tell more people about Jesus.

Closing Prayer

Jesus, we know that You won’t give all of us the power to heal others, but You will give us the power to live for you and do incredible things for You. Help us to be ready and open for however You want to use us. Amen.