Leader Guide

Bible Activity

Bibles or the Superbook Bible App
Whiteboard and marker or chalkboard and chalk

Made for Man: Children look up and discuss verses about Jesus on the Sabbath day.

Give children a Bible if they do not have one. Have children look up the verses about Jesus and the Sabbath day. Be ready to assist children who are not familiar with using the Bible. Have volunteers take turns reading a few verses of a passage and then lead a discussion. Note: The answers are taken from the New Living Translation Bible.

Have you ever heard the word, Sabbath? It means a day of rest. The Bible tells us that God created the world in six days, and then He rested. God created people in His own image. We can work and be busy for six days, but then we should take a day of rest. We can use this time to worship, study the Bible, pray, and think. The Jews observed the Sabbath Day from Friday evening through Saturday evening. Jesus rose again on a Sunday, so many Christians observe Sunday as their Sabbath day.

Let’s read some scriptures about things Jesus did on the Sabbath.

1. Mark 2:23–28:

²³One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, His disciples began breaking off heads of grain to eat. ²⁴But the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look, why are they breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?” ²⁵Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? ²⁶He went into the house of God (during the days when Abiathar was high priest) and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. He also gave some to his companions.”²⁷Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. ²⁸So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”

Where were Jesus and His disciples? In a grain field.

What were the disciples doing that upset the Pharisees? They were breaking the law by harvesting grain to eat on the Sabbath.

Why would they believe this was wrong? It was considered working.

What did Jesus refer to when defending their actions? A story about David in the Old Testament. David and his companions ate the priests’ sacred bread loaves on the Sabbath.

David and his men were fleeing for their lives from Saul who was chasing them. They became hungry and needed to eat.

What did Jesus say the Sabbath was made for? It was made to meet the needs of the people and not for people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.

Jesus was saying that the Sabbath was made to provide rest and strength and be a blessing to man, not a burden. Who did Jesus say He is? The Lord over the Sabbath.

What do you think verse 28 means? Children respond.

Jesus was saying that He had authority over the Sabbath not the reverse. He understood that people need to do what is necessary to live and survive. Emergencies and other things come up that are necessary to do. How do you think followers of Jesus can apply the Sabbath today? Children answer.

2. Luke 6:6–11

⁶On another Sabbath day, a man with a deformed right hand was in the synagogue while Jesus was teaching. ⁷The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely. If He healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse Him of working on the Sabbath. ⁸But Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” So the man came forward. ⁹Then Jesus said to His critics, “I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” ¹⁰He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! ¹¹At this, the enemies of Jesus were wild with rage and began to discuss what to do with Him.

What did the man suffer with? A deformed right hand.

Where were Jesus and the man? In the synagogue. A synagogue is a place where Jewish people gather for instruction and worship.

In verse 7, why were the religious leaders closely watching Jesus? Was it to learn how to enter God’s kingdom? No, they wanted to see if He was going to heal the man’s hand so they could accuse Him of working on the Sabbath.

Did Jesus know their plan because He heard them talking? No, He knew their thoughts.

Did Jesus try to hide what He was going to do for the man? No, He called the man to stand in front of everyone; then, Jesus spoke to everyone there.

In verse 9, what did Jesus ask the religious leaders about the Sabbath day? Is it a time to do good or evil? Is it a day to destroy life or save it?

Does it appear the leaders answered Jesus? No, He looked at each one, but it doesn’t say they answered Him.

What did Jesus tell the man to do to restore his hand? He told him to hold his hand out.

Were the religious leaders thankful that the man’s hand was restored? No, they were enraged and planned to do away with Jesus.

How do you feel about the religious leader’s reaction to such a wonderful event? Children respond.

What do you think their hearts were filled with? Anger, outrage, jealousy, embarrassment, resentment, revenge or retaliation, rebellion, fear.

Conclusion: Jesus had authority over the Sabbath. He knew what the day was created for—to benefit people, not to weigh them down with rules and fear of breaking them. The Sabbath day is a day to break from normal routine, to rest, and be thankful for God and His goodness.