1st-3rd Grade Kids Bible Study Guide Unit 13, Session 4: Elisha and Naaman TEACHER BIBLE STUDY Everyone seems to get sick at some point in his or her lifetime … most often many, many times! Illness is probably no stranger to the kids you teach. In today’s Bible story, Naaman—a commander for the Syrian army—was really sick. He had leprosy, a skin disease that was likely disfiguring and isolating. Without a cure, Naaman would face great suffering. But help came from an unlikely source: a young slave girl. The people of Israel and Syria were often at odds with one another. The Syrians sometimes attacked the cities in Israel and plundered them. They took what they wanted, including people to work as slaves. The young slave girl who served Naaman’s wife had been taken from her home in Israel. As an Israelite, the girl knew about the one true God. She was familiar with God’s prophets, including Elisha, who had performed miracles to help and heal people. The girl told her mistress that Elisha the prophet could heal Naaman. So the king of Syria sent a letter to the king of Israel, asking him to cure Naaman of his leprosy. But the king of Israel had no power to heal Naaman. The power to heal comes only from God. Elisha called for Naaman. But what happened next was not at all what Naaman expected. Naaman expected Elisha to call upon the name of God, wave his hand over Naaman, and miraculously heal him. Instead, Elisha instructed Naaman to go wash in the river. Naaman was angry! If Naaman wanted to wash in the river, he could have done that back home! But Naaman’s servants urged him to wash. He did, and he was made clean. Not all sick people will be healed on this side of heaven, but our physical maladies are symptoms of an even greater illness—sin. Jesus’ death and resurrection provided healing—forgiveness and eternal life—for those who trust in Him. LESSON OVERVIEW/SCHEDULE Session Title: Elisha and Naaman Bible Passage: 2 Kings 5 Big Picture Question: Who heals us from our sin? Jesus heals us from our sin. Key Passage: 2 Kings 17:13-14 Unit Christ Connection: The prophets called God’s people to repentance as Christ calls people to repentance. Sin continued to divide and ultimately destroy the Northern Kingdom, but Christ’s perfect kingdom is forever. Transition Time Welcome time Activity sheet/Table Centers 1 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources 1st-3rd Grade Kids Bible Study Guide Unit 13, Session 4: Elisha and Naaman Session starter (10 minutes) Lesson Countdown Introduce the session (1 minute) Timeline Map (1 minute) Big picture question (1 minute) Sing (5 minutes) Key passage (4 minutes) Tell the Bible story (10 minutes) Discussion starter video (3 minutes) The Gospel: God’s Plan for Me (optional) Prayer (5 minutes) Table Time Timeline map (1 minute) Bible story review (10 minutes) Large Group Review / Activities Key passage activity (5 minutes) Activity choice (10 minutes) Prayer (5 minutes) THE BIBLE STORY/OVERVIEW Elisha and Naaman 2 Kings 5 Naaman (NAY muhn) was the commander of the Syrian army. The king of Syria respected Naaman, and Naaman was good at his job. He led the army to attack cities in Israel. They took things from the cities. They even took people to be slaves in Syria. But Naaman was sick. He had leprosy, a serious skin disease. One of the Israelites who was captured to be a slave was a little girl. She served Naaman’s wife in Syria. The slave girl saw that Naaman was sick, and she wanted him to be healed. “A prophet in Samaria could heal Naaman,” she told Naaman’s wife. Samaria was a city in Israel. Naaman heard what the little girl said, and he went to talk to the king of Syria. The king of Syria agreed to send Naaman with a letter to the king of Israel. The letter read, “I have sent you my servant Naaman for you to cure him of his skin disease.” When the king of Israel read the letter, he was upset. “Am I God? Do I have the power to give life and take it away? Why does this man think I can cure a skin disease?” The king of Israel could not heal Naaman. The power to heal comes only from God. 2 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources 1st-3rd Grade Kids Bible Study Guide Unit 13, Session 4: Elisha and Naaman Elisha the prophet heard the king was upset and called Naaman to his house. Naaman arrived and stood at the door. He was ready to be healed! But what happened next was not what Naaman expected. Elisha didn’t come to the door. Instead, a messenger told Naaman, “Go wash seven times in the Jordan River.” Wash in the river? If Naaman wanted to wash in the river, he could have done that at home! Had he traveled all the way to Samaria for nothing? Naaman was angry. He had hoped Elisha would call on the name of the Lord, wave his hand over Naaman’s skin, and heal him. Naaman started to leave, but his servants encouraged him to do what Elisha said. So Naaman went to the Jordan River. He dipped himself in the river seven times. Then Naaman’s skin was healed! It looked as good as the skin of a young child. Naaman and all the people with him went to Elisha. “I know that the God of Israel is the one true God,” Naaman said. He thanked Elisha and offered him a gift of gold, silver, and clothing. But Elisha would not take the gift. So Naaman left to go back home. Elisha’s servant Gehazi (gih HAY zigh) stopped Naaman. Gehazi asked him for silver and two changes of clothing. He lied to Naaman about why he wanted the gifts. Gehazi said the gifts were for visitors, but Gehazi really wanted them for himself. Naaman gave Gehazi some silver and clothing. When Gehazi returned to Elisha, Elisha said, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” Gehazi lied again. “I didn’t go anywhere,” he said. But Elisha knew Gehazi had been greedy. He knew he had taken gifts from Naaman. Instead of thinking about God, Gehazi only thought about himself. As punishment, Gehazi’s skin became diseased. He had leprosy like Naaman had, and his skin was white like snow. Christ Connection: Naaman was sick with a skin problem. His disease went away when he washed in the river. All people are sick with a sin problem. We all need a Healer. When we trust Jesus as Lord and Savior, God forgives our sin and heals us. TRANSITION TIME Session Title: Elisha and Naaman Bible Passage: 2 Kings 5 Big Picture Question: Who heals us from our sin? Jesus heals us from our sin. Key Passage: 2 Kings 17:13-14 Unit Christ Connection: The prophets called God’s people to repentance as Christ calls people to repentance. Sin continued to divide and ultimately destroy the Northern Kingdom, but Christ’s perfect kingdom is forever. Welcome time Tip: As kids arrive this is a great time to collect the offering, fill out attendance sheets, and help new kids connect to your group. 3 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources 1st-3rd Grade Kids Bible Study Guide Unit 13, Session 4: Elisha and Naaman Arriving Activity: Water Dip bucket, 1 or more ice water towels TIP: Don’t allow kids to keep their hands in the water for more than 10 seconds. Fill a small bucket with ice water. If you teach a large class, use two or three buckets of ice water. Invite the kids to see if they can dip their hand in the water and hold it there while everyone else counts to ten. Keep towels available to dry their hands. Let them try again as time allows. Say • In today’s Bible story, a man was asked to dip his entire body in water with a promise of a miracle. Activities/Table Centers (5 minutes) Table centers (Miscellaneous Activities) “Game Board” activity sheet / Bible Story Coloring Sheet, 1 per kid coins, buttons, beans or playing pieces, 1 per kid Guide boys and girls to complete the activity page. Say • To win your game, you had to obey the instructions. A man named Naaman was asked to obey some very important instructions too. We’ll see if he did. If time remains, allow kids to complete the coloring page provided with this session. Session Starter (10 minutes) Option 1: Number Seven Numbered cards, with numbers between 1 and 6 tape Several cards, with numbers between 1 and 6 are provided in your classroom. There should be enough cards for each kid to get two. Tape a start line. Encourage the kids to line up behind the start line. Shuffle and lay out the cards upside down several feet away. When you give the command to go, the kids should run to the line of cards and take two of them. They should then go back to the start line. Invite them to flip the cards over. The goal is for them to have two numbers that when added together equal seven. Shuffle the cards and play again. The winner is the kid who has the number seven. Say • We were trying to get to the number seven for a special reason. It’s a very important number in today’s Bible story. Option 2: Bandage Twist adhesive bandages Invite the kids to form a tight circle and choose a volunteer.