student lesson - healing at the pool - and class exercise

(John 5.1-17)

The Healing at the Pool

1  After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2  Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethes'da, having five porches.

3  In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 

4  For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water:  whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease they had.  [cf. song, Wade in the Water]

5  And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

6  When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

7  The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no one, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool:  but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

8  Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

9  And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked:  and on the same day was the sabbath.

10  The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day:  it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.  (see, Neh. 13.19; Jer. 17.21)

11  He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.

12  Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?

13  And he that was healed wist not who it was:  for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.

14  Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole:  sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

15  The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.

16  And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

17  But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

healing at the pool

*class exercise for current session, or students homework to present at the very next session

make groups of five each –  choose an activity

*activity one

create a 5 or 10 minute play based on James 5.17 and the contextual story of “healing at the pool” - or -

*activity two

create a hip-hop music rap based on James 5.17 and the contextual story of “healing at the pool”

*James 5.17

But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. 

As if to say, you can’t stop me from doing the will of my Father; I will be faithful and fulfill the will of my Father!