Houses in those days were built with bricks of clay or dried mud. Roofs were flat and made of woven sticks with more clay or mud on top to make it solid and hard. People slept on their roofs, and sometimes stored things there. A person could easily walk on the roof. So that day, they carried their sick friend up the stairs and they set him down. Were they giving up? (Allow the children to respond.)
A very small boy was camping with his grandparents. As they tucked him into his sleeping bag he looked into the night sky filled with moonlight and said, "The moon is my friend." Have you ever felt like that? The moon seems like a friend you can count on. We know when to look for it and what to expect. It may appear to be larger at times and we call that a full moon. We are often awed by the beauty of a full moon, so huge and bright.
If we become too busy our bodies slow down and don't work as well as they should. We become tired. Jesus reminds us to "rest awhile." A wonderful thing happens when you slow down, rest, and are silent. You may hear things you miss when you are busy - frogs croaking in a nearby puddle, the wind rustling through trees, a beautiful bird's song, the music of rain, or your mother's voice telling you she loves you.
Today I wanted to introduce you to a new word: compassion. Is that a word you've heard before? Would anyone like to take a guess as to what it means to be compassionate? (Solicit children's responses.) We show compassion when we notice someone else's problems and take steps to help solve them.
The Bible tells us that when Jesus lived on earth he was famous. King Herod and others heard about his miracles; they heard that he cured people who had been sick. They knew about Jesus because he developed a reputation for helping people. In the Bible we read that "his name had become known" (6:14). All these years later we still know about Jesus and he still has a reputation for helping people. We could say he is the most famous person of all time. He is famous for what he did to teach us about God's love.
I’ve thought a lot about that this week – and decided that for me, this story is a reminder that we are sometimes asked to make choices that we just know would be wrong – and how important it is to have the strength and the courage to say no. Even when taking responsibility is a hard thing to do. Only you can make those choices. So next time you’re asked, will you do a better job than Herod and remember that you’re responsible for the things you do?
The twins listened and began removing things their parents said they wouldn't need on the trip. Kyle took his softball and glove and his electronic game back to his room. Kelly decided she could do without her journal for the week-end and that she really didn't need the extra pairs of shoes either. Soon, the twins had only what they would need for the trip. When it came time to carry their back pack and bedroll to the car, they were glad they didn't have too many heavy or useless items. Jesus' disciples must have felt like that, too. They were to share Jesus' message with people who needed to hear it. They had a successful trip, too.
The people in Jesus' hometown listened to him speak and they "were astounded." They couldn't believe that the wise things he said and the miracles he did could come from a man who was a carpenter. They asked, "Where did this man get all this?" In this particular Bible verse we aren't given the answer. What are your ideas about where Jesus' wisdom and power came from?
All of us have experienced times when we have difficulty getting others to listen to us. You may have tried to talk to your mom or dad, sister or brother when the television or radio is on and they are unable hear you. Or perhaps they are busy concentrating on a task and aren't aware that you are talking. Jesus experienced the same thing.
Even though Jesus was in a large crowd he felt the woman touch his clothes and he immediately felt the power go forth from him. He said, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be cured of your disease" (5:34). One of the lessons of this story is that Jesus did not say, "Don't touch." He accepted the woman and showed kindness to her. She was healed because of her great faith. Jesus accepts each one of us and, although we can't physically touch him, we can be touched, comforted, and healed by his love.