Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

Children's Sermon: Jesus Heals on the Sabbath (Luke 13:10-17)

I have a challenge for you that will help you understand the woman in our Bible passage for today. Ready?

Stand up nice and straight. (Pause.) Now, bend at your waist so you’re looking straight down at the floor. (Demonstrate, and then guide kids to follow you. Explain to kids that they’ll remain in that position until you tell them to stand up straight again.)

The woman in our Bible passage for today had a disability that caused her to have to stand like this all the time. She couldn’t stand up straight like you were before. She was bent over like that for eighteen years. (Lead children to consider 18 years, by naming how old they are.)

It wasn’t easy for her. Think about this: What if you went to the store and you needed something from the top shelf?  (Pause for responses.) You would have to depend on someone to find and get the items you needed.  

What other difficulties might you face if you had this disability?

(As a class, decide whether kids can continue to hold the position for the rest of the children’s sermon, or if they need to discontinue.) In today's Bible passage, Jesus was teaching in a place like a church called a synagogue. It was the Sabbath—the day when everyone was supposed to rest. Jesus saw the woman with the disability. He knew she’d been like that for 18 years. He called her to Him, touched her and said, "Woman, you’re healed!" Instantly she could stand up straight. (Allow children to stand up straight.) (Luke 13:10-13)

She was so happy that she began to praise God! (Lead kids in praising God!)

But everyone wasn’t happy that the woman was better. The leader of the synagogue was very angry that Jesus had healed the woman on the Sabbath. He told everyone listening, "There are six days of the week for working. Come on those days and be healed, but not on the day of rest." (Have kids bend back over to show that the synagogue leader didn’t want the woman healed that day.) (Luke 13:14)

Jesus answered the leader of the synagogue, "You hypocrite! All of you work on the Sabbath! Don't you untie your ox or your donkey and lead it out for water? Doesn't this dear woman deserve to be healed, even on the Sabbath?" (Allow the children to stand up straight again.) (Luke 13:15-16)

The people watching were happy and rejoiced at all of the wonderful things that Jesus did. Jesus knew that rules are important, but He knew that the needs of people are more important. 

We, too, can remember that people’s needs are more important than rules.  Whenever we see someone in need, the most important thing is to help them.

God, help us to follow the example that Jesus has set for us. Help us to place the needs of others ahead of any rules we may have. In Jesus’ name, amen.