Blind Beggar (Luke 18:35-43)

Art Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

Students will either create a banner or weaving using various types of fabric which represent different parts of the story (a story memory weaving/banner).

Objectives:

• know that Jesus healed blind men and that today's story is found in the New Testament book Luke 18:35-43 (Blind Beggar),
• and know that there are also accounts of Jesus healing the blind in Matthew 20:29-34 (Jesus Heals Two Blind Men), Mark 10:46-52 (Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus) and John 9:1-41 (Jesus Heals Man Born Blind)
• will hear that God can be glorified in any circumstances
• be able to retell the story of the blind man in their own words

Key Scripture: 

“Jesus said to him, Receive your sight, your faith has healed you.” Luke 18:42 (Blind Bartimaeus)

Leader Preparation:

• Read the scripture ahead of time.
• Gather the materials.

Materials: 

• bibles,
• scripture signs,
• index cards,
• pencils,
• symbols,
• sticks,
• fabric strips (see list below),
• coins,
• beads,
• blind boxes with objects (see list below).

Note: You will want to have many different types of fabric colors and textures for students to select from and create their their Memory Banner or Memory Weaving.

The banner can be as simple as gluing the fabric cut interesting shapes IN THE STORY ORDER (see story order below). 

For older students, you could have them weave their chosen strips of fabric (in story order). To create a simple loom to weave the fabric strips, tie two dowel rods about 8 inches apart and 8" wide using hemp twine as the vertical ties in the loop. The fabric is then woven in horizontally through the twine.

Presentation

Opening-Welcome and Lesson Introduction:

Greet the children and introduce yourself.

Open with a prayer. 

• Ask the kids to open their bibles to the New Testament.
• Remind the kids that the Old Testament tells us what happened before Jesus was born. New Testament tells what happens after Jesus was born. It is toward the back of the bible.
• Have them find the book of Luke. Ask them to find chapter 18,verse 35. (This is sometimes time consuming. One of our long term goals is to help the children learn how to look things up in their bibles, so help them find what they are looking for rather than just doing it for them).
• Tell the kids you will be reading the story to them, but to keep their bibles open to the passage, because you will be going back to it.
• Read the story.
• Say (in your own words): Our memory verse for this lesson is the something that Jesus said in this story.
  Week One: show the scripture sign, say the verse, then ask the kids to say it with you. Pass out the index cards, and ask them to write it down so they can practice it at home.
  Week Two and Three: Ask if anyone remembers the verse, giving them a chance to tell it to you. Show the scripture sign, say the verse, then ask the kids to say it with you.

Dig-Main Content and Reflection:

• Say (in your own words). Today’s art project will use symbols to tell the story we just heard. (Be sure the kids know what symbols are: things that represent other things, or remind us of things).
• Before we start, let’s look at some things and you can tell me what they mean to you.
  Show these objects, in any order:
  A Valentine, a US flag, an Easter egg, a cross, a shamrock, firecracker, wedding rings, lightning bolt, turkey, wise men, globe, Uncle Sam hat. Ask the kids what they represent.
• Say (in your own words): We will be using DIFFERENT TYPES OF FABRIC to represent the different verses in the story. I have put some different types of fabric in this box, take one and tell me what you think it reminds you of, what does it symbolize?
  (The boxes will have a baby blanket, a teddy bear, a potato sack, denim). 
  As they feel the fabric they might guess what it is.
• Say (in your own words): I’m going to read you the story again, but this time you're going to select from fabric and other objects to represent things and idea in the story as I read it. I will read the verses and give you some time to select the type of fabric/object that you think represents the idea. Then we will set it aside and move on to the next verse.
  
  After I've read all the verses, you'll then start WEAVING (or gluing if you're making a banner) your fabrics KEEPING THE ORDER you selected them in, so that each fabric/object can remind you of the verse in the story and let you retell the story to the class.

A Blind Beggar Receives His Sight (LUKE 18:35-43) 

35As Jesus (white silky cloth) approached Jericho (palm or fruit cloth), a blind man (heavy black cloth) was sitting by the roadside (brown beads) begging (coin or fruit beads). 

36When he heard the crowd (very loud cloth) going by, he asked what was happening. 

37They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth (white silky cloth) is passing by."

38He called out, "Jesus, Son of David (white silky cloth), have mercy (soft flannel) on me!"

39Those who led the way rebuked (rough fabric) him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David (white silky cloth), have mercy on me!"

40Jesus (white silky cloth) stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus (white silky cloth) asked him,

41"What do you want me to do for you?" 
"Lord (white silky cloth), I want to see," he replied.

42Jesus (white silky cloth) said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you (lace)."

43Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus (white silky cloth), praising God(shimmery gold fabric). When all the people saw it, they also praised God (shimmery gold fabric).

Say (in your own words): Let’s talk for a minute about the things I showed you and see if you remember what the represent. (Show in whatever order you prefer, giving them the reasons behind each cloth or object as you talk about them).

• Beggar represented by heavy black cloth (the beggars lived in darkness)
  
  
• Large brown beads represent the dirt road.
  
  
• Coin beads represent money Food beads represents the food begged for.
  
  
• Jesus represented by white silky cloth (Jesus was not spotted by sin, he was pure)
  
  
• Jericho represented by palm or fruits (Jericho is a tropical city, called the city of palms in the book of Deuteronomy. Citrus fruits grow abundantly there)
  
  
• Noise of crowd represented by a very loud cloth (this cloth is very colorful and exciting. The crowd was probably very excited to be traveling with Jesus)
  
  
• Beggars cry for mercy represented by soft flannel (the beggar was crying for compassion and kindness, represented by the softness of the flannel)
  
  
• Rebuke represented by a rough fabric (it feels bad when someone rebukes you…you may need to explain rebuke, depending on the age group)
  
  
• Jesus granting request represented by lace (The solid/sheer design of lace represents our faith…sometimes it is so strong and and sometime it is very weak and fragile)
  
  
• Jewels represent the power of Christ
  
  
• Praising God represented by a shimmery gold fabric (Gold is the color of kings).

Say (in your own words): I want you to make a banner to help you remember this story. Use a strip of each piece of fabric and tie it onto the stick. You can also tie the beads into the banner. Put the fabric in the order that will help you tell the story. (They can use as much fabric as they like, but encourage them to use at least one of each type of fabric. Some of them may want to use many strips of the Jesus fabric, for example, because Jesus is named several times). Assist them as needed. If you have an early finisher, ask them to retell the story using their banner.

Closing:

End with a prayer.

A lesson posted by member "Psalm 77".

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