Leader Guide

Video Leader Guide

Welcome (1 minute)

Hi, everybody! Does anyone know what a miracle is?

A true miracle is a supernatural act performed by the power of God! Today, we’re going to watch the Superbook story, “Miracles of Jesus.” Our Superbook story will show us that we can turn to Jesus for all of our needs and that with God, all things are possible! Let’s start the video and see what Chris, Joy and Gizmo are up to today.

Play Video 2: Chris and Joy’s Dilemma (3 minutes)

Chris and Joy's Dilemma

When Chris begins to believe that a mysterious street magician possesses real powers, Superbook whisks him, along with Joy and Gizmo, back in time to Galilee.

SuperTruth and Discussion (2 minutes)

Did Chris think that Miraculo’s show was real?

How about Joy—what did she think?

Is there a difference between an illusion and a miracle?

Today’s SuperTruth says, “With God, all things are possible.” God sent Jesus to Earth and He performed miracles by God’s power and anointing. People were amazed to see miracles performed by Jesus that were impossible for man to do.

Now let’s watch the rest of today’s Superbook video.

Play Video 3: Bible Story and Resolution* (19 minutes)

*Note: Be sure to preview this video. Should you feel that some scenes in Video 3 are too intense for the younger children in your class, you may play Video 4: Condensed Bible Story, and Video 8: Chris and Joy's Resolution, together instead.

Bible Story and Resolution

In Galilee, Jesus is performing amazing miracles—such as healing a man who was paralyzed and calming a storm on the sea. Chris learns that the power to perform true miracles comes only from God.

Video 4: Condensed Bible Story (6 minutes)

Condensed Bible Story

Video 8: Chris and Joy's Resolution (2 minutes)

Chris and Joy’s Resolution

Play Video 10A: SuperVerse Graphic 1

Graphic loops 2.5 minutes without audio; turn off or freeze video after children repeat verse.

SuperVerse Graphic 1

SuperVerse Discussion (1 minute)

Let’s say our SuperVerse, Acts 10:38 nkjv, together:

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

Jesus did not do miracles for show or to draw large crowds. He was anointed by God to perform miracles for a purpose: to help people and show them that His authority came from God because He truly is God’s Son!

Children will have more time to learn the SuperVerse in Small Group.

Prayer and Send-Off (1 minute)

Dear God, thank You for being our God who can accomplish everything. Nothing is impossible for You! When we trust in Jesus, we can be healed and set free. Thank You for being real and true! In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Who likes to do laundry?

Well, today in Small Group, we are going to use a laundry basket to play a fun basketball game to review our Bible story. Have a great time.

Teachers take children to Small Group classes for Grades 1–3 and 4–6. If the combined group is small, all children may stay together for Small Group time.

Game

At the beginning of our video today, who did Chris think could do miracles? Miraculo, ordinary people.

Magicians know how to use mirrors, hidden wires, and other tricks to fool people—but those illusions are not miracles. What did Chris learn during his Superbook adventure that changed his understanding of miracles? True miracles come from God; magicians’ acts are tricks and illusions.

Our SuperVerse in Acts 10:38 says:

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

Jesus was sent by God, full of the Holy Spirit, empowered to do miracles. God’s miracles are real and powerful—not tricks or illusions! You’ve probably heard of basketball, but today we will play a fun game of “laundry basket” ball to review the miracles that were in our Bible story today.

Divide the group into two teams. Teams will alternate turns. A turn consists of answering a question and then shooting baskets. When a team correctly answers a question, each player of that team gets an opportunity to throw one ball into the laundry basket and win points for the team. Each player decides how far away from the basket to stand. Standing behind the first mark —closest to the basket—is one point, second mark is two points, and the third—farthest—mark is three points. Be prepared to assist any children with special needs. Keep the game moving at a fast pace by using volunteers, such as sixth grade helpers, to keep track of points scored and quickly retrieve balls.

Chris realized that he was wrong in thinking Miraculo could do miracles after he spent time with Jesus. He learned that God can do what no one else can—real miracles! Our SuperTruth tells us, “With God, all things are possible.”

Teaching

Our SuperTruth says: “With God, all things are possible.” Do you believe it? Yes!

Display the plastic jar containing water, oil, and food coloring, or add them to the jar as the children watch.

Do you remember when Peter and Chris discussed the seen and the unseen? The water represents what we can see with our eyes—our world. I added some blue food coloring to the water so you can see it more clearly. The oil represents God. Shake the jar and then place it on the table. What happens to the oil? It floats to the top.

God is all powerful, and He is on top of every situation! Pick up jar and shake it as you speak. God is not limited by anything on Earth! No power, no disease, and no disaster is above God. Place jar on table so oil rises again.

Before each statement below, pass the jar to a child. He or she should shake the jar as you read one of the descriptions below. When you say the word “BUT,” the child sets the jar on the table. As the oil rises to the top, everyone says, “GOD IS ALL POWERFUL!” The child who was holding the jar then tells how the story ends. If the child cannot answer after a short wait, offer a clue or allow a volunteer to answer.

Ready?

• Some friends wanted to bring a man who was paralyzed to Jesus. The crowd was so large that they could not get through the door. So, the man’s friends carried him to the roof and lowered him down on a mat through a hole to be near Jesus. The religious leaders, called Pharisees, were angry, BUT ... The child sets the jar down, and everyone says “GOD IS ALL POWERFUL!” Then the child tells the end of the story: Jesus healed the man, anyway.
• Jesus told a story, called a parable, about a farmer scattering his seed across a field. The seed represents God’s message — God’s Word. Some seed fell on a footpath where people stepped on it and birds ate it. Some seed fell on shallow soil where it withered and dried up. Other seed fell among thorns and weeds that choked the little plants as they tried to grow. Some of the seed never grew, BUT ... The child sets the jar down, and everyone says “GOD IS ALL POWERFUL!” Then the child tells the end of the story: When seed falls on good soil, it takes root and God’s Word spreads.

The devil tries to stop God’s Word from spreading, but nothing is more powerful than God!

• The disciples were on the Sea of Galilee when a big storm hit. They were panicked and frightened by the raging sea, BUT ... The child sets the jar down, and everyone says “GOD IS ALL POWERFUL!” Then the child tells the end of the story: Jesus was with them and calmed the storm.
• Jesus encountered a man who was under the control of the devil. The disciples and others were afraid and helpless to free the man, BUT … The child sets the jar down, and everyone says “GOD IS ALL POWERFUL!” Then the child tells the end of the story: Jesus rebuked the demons and sent them into swine/pigs. The man was healed and set free!

Yes, only our ALL-POWERFUL God has the power to set people free and bring them healing and peace!

• Miraculo appeared to have miraculous powers and Chris was impressed with his tricks and illusions, BUT ... The child sets the jar down, and everyone says “GOD IS ALL POWERFUL!” Then the child tells the end of the story: Chris learned that true miracles come only from God.

If time allows, ask if the children know any other Bible stories where people experienced great trials, such as Daniel, David, Isaac, etc. Have the child shake the jar while telling the beginning of the story, then say “but” and set the jar on the table as everyone says, “GOD IS ALL POWERFUL!” Have the child tell the rest of the story.

God is amazing, isn’t He? He alone has power to perform real miracles! Let’s shout our SuperTruth one more time together: “With God, all things are possible.”

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Today, we are going to make “Gizmo Hand” Bible bookmarks you can take home.

Hand out the Gizmo Hand Bookmark Pattern and supplies, and have the children cut and fold them according to the pattern instructions, then put their names on them.

Take the bookmarks you just made and put them in your Bibles at home. Look up the Scripture on the bookmark and pray for your friends who need to know Jesus. Be sure to take time to listen for God’s answers in your hearts. Next time we meet, I’ll ask you what God showed you about how to reach out to your friends with the love of God.

SuperVerse

Have the children look up Acts 10:38 as you slowly read the SuperVerse once.

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 

Our SuperVerse explains how Jesus could do miracles. He didn’t use trickery like Miraculo; He was anointed with God’s Holy Spirit and power to do REAL miracles. Does anyone know what anoint means?

It means to put oil on something, to set something aside, or place a call on someone’s life for a particular purpose. Jesus healed the man who was paralyzed. He cast out the demons from the man who was oppressed by the devil. The power of the storm was no match for God’s power! Jesus taught God’s Word with power! As Peter said in the video, Jesus’ words and miracles were very real because they came from God!

Have all the children sit down. The girls should stand up and read the first section of the verse, then sit down; the boys then quickly stand up and read the second section; then everyone stands and shouts the last section together. Repeat once, having the children compete to see which group can say their section the loudest. Then change the order and have the boys stand and read first, then the girls, with everyone joining for the third part.

Jesus didn’t do miracles for fun, or to draw a crowd, like Miraculo did. The Lord dearly loves people, and He deeply cares about all of our needs. Jesus cared so much about the man who was being tormented by the demons that He traveled all the way across the Sea of Galilee to save him, heal him, and set him free! We serve a wonderful Savior, don’t we!

Note: Younger children may not be able to memorize the SuperVerse. They may simply repeat it several times, while older children may memorize part or all of it. Be sure all children understand its meaning.

Prayer

Optional: Read Mark 2:1-12 about how Jesus healed the man who was paralyzed; or, if time permits, have the children take turns reading one verse each. Be prepared to assist any children with special needs.

What would it be like if you were paralyzed—you couldn’t walk—and you didn’t have a wheelchair or a car?

Why do you think the man’s friends carried him to Jesus? They loved him, they wanted to help him, and they believed Jesus could cure him, they heard that Jesus performed miracles.

How might the paralyzed man’s story have been different if he didn’t have caring friends who were willing to help him? He wouldn’t know Jesus, have his sins forgiven, or been healed.

Your friends may be able to walk, but do they have other needs?

I’m sure that all of us have friends who need to know Jesus.

Let’s pray: Dear Lord, right now we are taking some time to pray for our friends who need to know You. Allow a few moments for children to pray silently. Please remind us to pray for them throughout the week, and show us how to talk to them about You or how to invite them to church. In Your name we pray, Amen.

Egg Object Lesson

Read Philippians 4:13:

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Hold up the egg that was not soaked in vinegar.

Would you say that eggs are strong or weak?

Yes, eggs are very delicate. What do you think will happen to this egg when I drop it? 

Carefully put the egg in the clear plastic bag, zip or tie it tightly closed, then hold the bag up high and drop it on the table. Discuss how easily it broke. Then hold up the egg that had been soaked in vinegar for two days.

This egg is different—it has been transformed! It now has extra strength so it can do what eggs normally cannot do. Do you think this egg will break like the other one?

Just for fun, let’s not put it in a plastic bag and see what happens when I drop it!  Drop the vinegar-soaked egg. Wow, did you see that? Do it again. What happens? It bounces.

Do you remember, when we discussed our SuperVerse, how Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and God’s power? Jesus was soaked and saturated with God! This enabled Him to do powerful miracles.

This egg was soaked in vinegar before class. It made the fragile egg much stronger. That’s why it bounced and didn’t break. When we allow God to fill our lives with His Holy Spirit and to anoint our lives with His power, we too are strengthened and can do mighty works for God!

What are some things we can do to allow God to strengthen us? Pray, read the Bible, listen for God's voice in our hearts, obey God's Word, worship the Lord, go to church, serve others, etc.

You may pass around the vinegar egg for the children to touch, then pass out hand sanitizer or allow them to wash their hands.

Let’s say our SuperTruth: “With God, all things are possible.”

Balloon Game

Who remembers our SuperTruth?“With God, all things are possible!”

Read Psalm 105:4:

Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face evermore!

We are learning how God is all-powerful. Nothing is impossible for Him! We should look up to Him in prayer. When we keep our eyes on Him, focusing on His power and ability instead of our own weaknesses, we are strengthened! God is above everything on Earth!

Let’s play a fun game where we will look up toward God as we play!

Divide the class into teams of three children each. For larger classes, you may have four to six children on each team. Have each team stand single file, facing forward. Leave several feet between each team. Hand a balloon to the last player in each row. Start the game. The player with the balloon gently tosses it forward in the air toward the next child in line while saying the first word of the SuperTruth “With.” The next child must look up to see the “God” balloon to catch it, then quickly toss it to the next child while saying the second word of the SuperTruth. The child at the front of the line must toss the balloon back to the one at the end of the line. Be prepared to assist any children with special needs. Repeat this process until the entire SuperTruth is repeated without the balloon hitting the floor. The first team to do this wins. Play again but increase the pace, or have them complete the SuperTruth two or three times.

Optional: Play again, using the SuperVerse instead of the SuperTruth.

How did it go for you?

What was most difficult about the game?

Was it easy to remember the next word of the SuperTruth after hearing it a few times?

We’ve said the SuperTruth as teams; now let’s shout it out as loud as we can together so everyone can hear about God’s amazing power! “With God, all things are possible!”

Marbles Object Lesson

Important: You must have clear marbles, not colored, and a clear bowl for this activity to work. The marbles should virtually disappear in the water.

Remember when Peter talked to Chris about things not always being what they seem? Sometimes, there is more than meets the eye. Chris said that when our eyes tell us one thing, the truth may really be something else. Look at this bowl. What do you see inside? Water, nothing.

When we just look at the surface, or from a distance, things can appear one way. But, when we look closer, or in this case, reach inside, we learn that maybe things aren’t as they appear.

Ask a child to come up, or take the bowl to a child, and allow him or her to reach in and lift out a few of the marbles.

Wow, I guess the bowl isn’t really empty, is it? Is this a miracle?

No, this is an illusion. The clear marbles seem to disappear when placed in the water. It is a trick of the eye, not a real miracle.

Allow children to reach in the bowl and discover the water marbles.

Miracles are not tricks or illusions. Jesus made a raging storm stop. He healed a man who had been paralyzed. These are amazing miracles made possible by God.

Read Matthew 19:26:

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

Bible Race

Note: This activity is most suitable for children who are familiar with the Bible. Have the children sit down and hand out a Bible to each child.

Did you know that I just gave you a “sword”? Read Ephesians 6:17:

Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Now we’re going to have a sword drill. Raise your swords high in the air!

Children raise their Bibles. As you call out a scripture from below, children should find the verse as fast as possible, then stand up. Be prepared to help any children with special needs. Call on the winner to read the verse aloud, then briefly discuss its meaning.

Ready?

Matthew 19:26

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

2 Chronicles 20:6

He prayed, “O Lord, God of our ancestors, You alone are the God who is in heaven. You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against You!”

1 Corinthians 6:14

And God will raise us from the dead by His power, just as He raised our Lord from the dead.

Jeremiah 10:12

But the Lord made the earth by His power, and He preserves it by His wisdom. With His own understanding He stretched out the heavens.

Psalm 62:11

God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to You.

Revelation 19:6

Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder: “Praise the Lord! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.”

Job 42:2

“I know that You can do anything, and no one can stop You.”

How can knowing that we serve the all-powerful God help us in times of trouble?

When we hide verses like these in our hearts, we do not have to fear anything, because we serve a God who can do anything! “With God, all things are possible!”