Third Sunday of Lent

Week Three: Persistence

Suggested Scripture reading: Mark 2:1-12

Lesson/Devotional:

Jesus went back home to Capernaum which is where he had preached the Word of God before and healed sick people. A lot of people heard about Him coming back and wanted to listen to Him talk so there was a big crowd and there wasn’t any more room for anyone to even fit through the door of the house where He was teaching. While Jesus was teaching some men started to make an opening in the roof so they could get to him.

Back then, houses were made of clay and dirt so these men were probably digging a hole through the roof! They lowered their friend who was a paralytic down through the hole in the roof. What is a paralytic? A paralytic is someone who is paralyzed which means they can’t move certain parts of their body.

So, these friends had so much faith in Jesus that they KNEW Jesus could heal their friend. Can you imagine knowing something and having such a great faith (believing) that you would dig a hole in a roof to get there?

That is persistence. Persistence means doing something to get somewhere or do something, no matter how hard it is to do it, or get there. After seeing the paralytic’s faith, Jesus tells him, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Wow. Jesus does not choose to heal the man’s body first; He chooses to heal his heart.

Having Jesus’ forgiveness from sins was a much greater gift to this man than having Jesus heal his body. But this made some men upset. They believed Jesus was just an ordinary man; they did not believe He had the power to forgive sins, so they saw Him as a liar. In their hearts, they thought, “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Now, we know that Jesus is the Son of God and does have power to forgive our sins.

Jesus heard what these men were thinking (He can always hear our thoughts) and so that these men would know He had the power to forgive sins, He said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your mat, and go home.” What do you think happened next? The man who was a paralytic got up, picked up his mat, and walked home! Sometimes you might feel like things are too hard but if you ask Jesus for help and remember that He is always with you, even when it’s hard, you can be persistent and get through that hard time, with His help. 

PRAYER: 

Heavenly Father, thank you for the sick man’s friends. Thank you that Jesus healed the man and that he forgave the man’s sins. Thank you for forgiving us, too. Help us be willing to forgive others. Amen. 

Family Activities

Every week you will find purple paper with different activities written on them. Throughout the week pick activities to do. Some activities may have additional materials provided or you may need to use some items from home. Once you finish the activity cut along the dotted line and create a paper chain. Put the paper chain near your Lent Place or hang it somewhere to remind you of your journey through Lent with Jesus!

Feel free to share any pictures of your family completing these activities on our CYF facebook page

Don’t forget to add a rock to your Lent Place and pray this week for persistence and to spread the news of Jesus!