The Holy Spirit gives healing power to Peter and John
Scripture: Acts 3-4:31
Age group: 2-5 year olds
Opener: Gather some notecards or half sheets of construction paper and write an action that the kids can do using their legs {run in place, walk in a circle, march like a soldier, hop three times, stand on one foot, kick, squat down…} Place the cards face down in the middle of the floor and have the kids gather around them. One at a time have a child pick up a card and the whole group do what it says. When all the cards have been picked say, we used our legs for every action on these cards today. But today’s Bible story is about a man who couldn’t use his legs at all, ever. Let’s sit and listen.
Focus: The power to heal comes from God, not people, and the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit causes people to praise God.
Lesson: {This is a paraphrasing based on the scripture.}
Jesus’ friends have already received their helper, the Holy Spirit. Two of them were walking to their church called the temple and as they came up to the temple stairs they saw a man there. The man was paralyzed. That means he couldn’t walk, or use his legs for anything, ever. He had to have people carry him wherever he went. This man was asking for money when Peter and John saw him. Peter said to him that he didn’t have any money to give him, but that through Jesus, he could give him something even better than money. Then Peter told the man to get up and walk. And he did!! The man was so excited he went walking and leaping all over town. Well, people started to hear about the wonderful thing that happened to the paralyzed man and many people started to believe in Jesus. This made the leaders mad, so they put Peter and John in jail for a night. In the morning the leaders told Peter and John to stop talking about Jesus and they would let them out of jail. Do you think Peter and John stopped talking about Jesus? No! They said, “we have seen and heard so much from Jesus that we have to talk about him, we can’t help it!”
Discussion questions:
1 – What was wrong with the man at the temple stairs? he was paralyzed
2 – What did he ask from Peter and John? for money
3 – What did Peter say? I can give you something better than money, rise and walk
4 – What happened next? The man got up and walked
5 – Did Peter heal the man? No Who healed him? Jesus did! Jesus can do anything, Jesus has all power, Jesus can fix legs that don’t work.
6 – Did the man know that Jesus had healed him? yes Did Peter and John know that Jesus healed the man? Yes, because they told people that it was Jesus.
7 – Do you believe that Jesus can do anything? What are some ways that Jesus has shown you His power? What has Jesus done for you?
Just like the crippled man thanked Jesus for His powerful work in healing his legs, we should thank Jesus for what He does for us and others.
Pray: Spend some time praising Jesus for being all-powerful and thank Him for what He has done for us.
Activities:
1 – Coloring book 
Create a book titled My book about Peter and the man who couldn’t walk. On each of the pages type part of the story. Mine were {1}Peter and John walking and talking, {2}Peter and John at the temple talking to the paralyzed man, {3}the paralyzed man jumping, and {4}Peter preaching. You can either draw figures for the kids to color or allow space for them to draw their own pictures of what is happening on that page. Cut a front and back cover out of cardstock, punch two holes in the side of the book and tie with yarn. Encourage the kids to take their books home and tell the story to their parents.
2 – Leaping man 
Draw a head and torso of a man. Have the children color and cut it out. Give each child four thin strips of paper and teach them how to accordion fold {over, under, over, under,…} Then attach the folded paper as arms and legs to the man’s body. The accordion fold legs are springy and jumpy so the kids can play like the paralyzed man is leaping for joy.
Memory verse: John 15:7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you.
gracefullhome 
Very creative