Healing a Man with Leprosy Preschool Lesson
Preschool lesson (ages 3–6, 20 minutes)
1. Welcome (3 min)
Sit in a circle, greet every child by name and show one thing from the story to touch.
2. The little story (5 min)
Teach the refrain first: “Jesus reached out and touched him.”
A man had a sickness called leprosy. It was a sickness of the skin. It made spots and sores on the skin, and it did not go away. Leprosy could last for years and years.
People with leprosy had to live alone, away from everyone else. They lived outside the town. They had to wear torn clothes and cover their mouth. If someone came near, they had to call out, “Unclean! Unclean!” Then people stayed away.
Nobody came close to the man. Nobody touched him. He could not go to the market. He could not eat with friends. Maybe nobody had hugged him for a long, long time. Maybe he was very lonely.
One day Jesus came down from a mountain. He had been teaching the people there. A big crowd followed him. Many, many people. Step, step, step.
The man with leprosy came to Jesus. He came close, even though he had leprosy! He knelt down in front of him. Many people were afraid to come near a man with leprosy. Can you kneel down like the man? He begged, “Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean.” Clean means well again.
What would Jesus do? Would he send the man away? What do you think?
Jesus was moved with compassion. His heart was full of love for the man. Jesus stretched out his hand. Can you stretch out your hand gently?
Jesus reached out and touched him. Jesus touched the man nobody touched! Jesus was not afraid of the sickness. Jesus said, “I want to. Be made clean.”
Right away! The leprosy was gone! His skin was well and clean. No more spots. No more sores. The man was made clean. He was well again. Jesus reached out and touched him.
Then Jesus spoke to him very seriously. “See that you tell nobody; but go, show yourself to the priest.” That means: go to the priest first.
The priest was the one who checked if someone was well. The priest would look at his skin. He could say: this man is well now. Then the man could live with everyone again. People could come close to him again. Jesus reached out and touched him.
Jesus also told him to bring a gift to God, just as Moses had said in God’s law. The gift would show everyone that God had made him well.
But the man went out and told everybody! Can you put your finger on your lips? Shh! It is a secret! But the man did not keep it quiet. Maybe he was just too happy to keep quiet. He told it everywhere.
Soon so many people came that Jesus could not go into the towns openly. He stayed in quiet places outside. But people came to him from everywhere. Everyone wanted to see Jesus.
Jesus came close to the man that no one came close to. His hand was kind, and his heart was full of love. Jesus reached out and touched him.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- How do you think the man felt when Jesus touched him?
- What do you think the man told people first?
4. Move (3 min)
Refrain Freeze: move around the room; when you say the refrain, everyone freezes and says it together.
5. Make (4 min)
Draw a line to who said it.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“I want to. Be made clean.” — Matthew 8:3 (I want to → hand on your heart; Be made clean → stretch out your hand gently)
Dear Jesus, thank you that you came close to the sick man. Thank you that you are never far from me. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: Jesus is never too busy to care
Memory verse: “Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I want to. Be made clean." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” — Matthew 8:3 · WEB
The Bible story
A lonely man nobody would touch kneels before Jesus with one brave hope — and discovers that Jesus is never too busy or too afraid to love him.
Talk about it
- Where was Jesus coming from when the big crowd followed Him? — Down from a mountainside
- What sickness did the man have? — Leprosy
- Why did people stay far away from the man? — They feared his sickness
- What did the man do when he came to Jesus? — He knelt before Jesus
- The man said, "Lord, if You are willing..." what? — You can make me clean
- What surprising thing did Jesus do? — He touched the man
Where is Jesus in this story?
When Jesus touched a man that no one else would go near, He showed us exactly what God's love is like — it comes close, it is not afraid, and it makes hurting people whole again. Jesus came to reach out to every lonely, broken heart and welcome them home to God. The same Jesus who healed that man still loves and rescues us today.
What God wants to tell us
This story shows us that no one is ever too lonely, too sick, or too forgotten for Jesus to love. While everybody else backed away, Jesus stepped closer and reached out His hand. God sees the people others ignore, and He comes near with kindness. Whenever you feel left out or sad, you can remember that God loves you just as you are and is always ready to help.
Prayer
Loving God, thank You that You are never too busy or too afraid to love me. Thank You for reaching out with kindness, just like Jesus did. Please help me be gentle and kind to people who feel lonely or left out. I love You. Amen.
Read the story · Coloring page 1 · Coloring page 2 · Quiz · All lessons
Home · All stories · Topics · Coloring pages · Quizzes · Sunday school lessons
