Single lesson
Jesus Teaches, Prays and Heals
Matthew 4:23–25; Matthew 9:35–38; Matthew 12:15–21; Mark 1:35–39; Mark 3:7–12; Luke 4:42–44; Luke 6:17–19; Luke 8:1–3
These verses show a repeated pattern in Jesus’ ministry. Children will trace how he taught, prayed and healed, and will notice that preaching the good news of God’s Kingdom stayed central even when very large crowds gathered.
Before you teach
In Matthew, Mark and Luke, these passages describe Jesus going through cities, villages and Galilee, teaching in synagogues, preaching the good news of the Kingdom, healing diseases, and helping those troubled by unclean spirits. Crowds followed him from many places. He also withdrew to pray, told people not to make him known, and kept going to other towns to preach.
Students will be able to identify teaching, prayer and healing in these verses and explain that Jesus kept going to other places because he said he was sent to preach the good news of God’s Kingdom.
Welcome: Listen for the repeated actions
4 minWrite three words where everyone can see them: teaches, prays, heals. Tell children they will hear these ideas again and again. Read Matthew 4:23 aloud first, then ask what Jesus is doing in that one verse. Explain that today they will collect repeated actions from several passages and see which one Jesus says he must keep doing in other places.
Matthew 4:23
Read and explain: Teaching, prayer and healing
8 minRead Matthew 4:23, Mark 1:35, Mark 1:38, Mark 1:39, Luke 6:17, Luke 6:18, Luke 6:19 and Luke 8:1. Point out only what the verses say: Jesus taught and preached in synagogues, prayed in a deserted place, healed diseases, and went through cities and villages preaching the good news of God’s Kingdom.
Matthew 4:23, Mark 1:35, Mark 1:38, Mark 1:39, Luke 6:17, Luke 6:18, Luke 6:19, Luke 8:1
Discuss: Crowds, compassion and purpose
6 minRead Luke 4:42, Luke 4:43, Luke 4:44, Matthew 9:35, Matthew 9:36, Matthew 9:37 and Matthew 9:38. Ask why Jesus did not stay in one place when people wanted him to remain. Help children answer from the text: he must preach the good news in other cities also. Then notice his compassion for the crowds and his instruction to pray for labourers.
Luke 4:42, Luke 4:43, Luke 4:44, Matthew 9:35, Matthew 9:36, Matthew 9:37, Matthew 9:38
Make and respond: Reminder card from the verses
7 minChildren choose one short phrase from the readings to copy onto a card, such as from Matthew 4:23, Mark 1:35 or Luke 4:43. Then add a drawing or sentence showing a fitting response. During sharing, include Mark 3:9 and Mark 3:10 by noting how great crowds pressed near Jesus because he had healed many.
Matthew 4:23, Mark 1:35, Luke 4:43, Mark 3:9, Mark 3:10
Closing: Gentle ministry, many followers
5 minFinish with Matthew 12:15, Matthew 12:16, Matthew 12:18, Matthew 12:19, Matthew 12:20, Matthew 12:21, Mark 3:11, Mark 3:12, Luke 8:2 and Luke 8:3. Review that Jesus healed many, commanded people not to make him known, and is described as God’s chosen servant. Also notice that certain women who had been healed travelled with him and served from their possessions.
Matthew 12:15, Matthew 12:16, Matthew 12:18, Matthew 12:19, Matthew 12:20, Matthew 12:21, Mark 3:11, Mark 3:12, Luke 8:2, Luke 8:3
Questions to explore
According to Luke 4:43, why did Jesus say he needed to go to other cities too?
Answer with Jesus’ own words about preaching the good news of God’s Kingdom and the reason he says he was sent.
Luke 4:43
What do Matthew 9:36-38 show about how Jesus saw the crowds and what he told his disciples to do?
Notice the words that describe the crowds, Jesus’ compassion, and his command to pray to the Lord of the harvest.
Matthew 9:36, Matthew 9:37, Matthew 9:38
What extra details do Mark 3:9-12 and Luke 8:2-3 add to the picture of Jesus’ ministry?
Look for the crowd pressing near Jesus, his warning not to make him known, and the women who had been healed and served from their possessions.
Mark 3:9, Mark 3:10, Mark 3:11, Mark 3:12, Luke 8:2, Luke 8:3
Make, think or respond
Teach, Pray, Heal Reminder Card
What you’ll need
- Plain card or paper
- Pencils or pens
- Crayons or coloured pencils
- A Bible or the lesson verses written where children can see them
Try it together
- Ask each child to choose one short phrase from Matthew 4:23, Mark 1:35, Luke 4:43, Mark 3:10 or Luke 8:3.
- Have them copy that phrase onto the front of a small card.
- On the back, they draw or write one response connected to the phrase, such as listening carefully, praying, showing compassion, or serving others.
- Invite each child to show the card and explain how their phrase fits Jesus’ ministry in these verses.
This activity helps children remember that these passages show Jesus teaching, praying and healing, while also showing crowds, compassion and people who served alongside him.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, offer two or three short phrase choices to copy and let them explain their card with one spoken sentence.
- For older or more confident children, ask them to sort verse references under four headings: teaching, prayer, healing and response of others, then explain why Luke 8:2-3 belongs in the last heading.
An optional closing prayer
You could pray: “Lord Jesus, thank you for these verses that show you teaching, praying and healing. Please help us listen to your good news, pray faithfully and serve gladly.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Matthew 4
23 Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people.
24 The report about him went out into all Syria. They brought to him all who were sick, afflicted with various diseases and torments, possessed with demons, epileptics, and paralytics; and he healed them.
25 Great multitudes from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed him.
Matthew 9
35 Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people.
36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them because they were harassed and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd.
37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
38 Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into his harvest.”
Matthew 12
15 Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Great multitudes followed him; and he healed them all,
16 and commanded them that they should not make him known,
17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations.
19 He will not strive, nor shout, neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
20 He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a smoking flax, until he leads justice to victory.
21 In his name, the nations will hope.”
Mark 1
35 Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there.
36 Simon and those who were with him searched for him.
37 They found him and told him, “Everyone is looking for you.”
38 He said to them, “Let’s go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because I came out for this reason.”
39 He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.
Mark 3
7 Jesus withdrew to the sea with his disciples; and a great multitude followed him from Galilee, from Judea,
8 from Jerusalem, from Idumaea, beyond the Jordan, and those from around Tyre and Sidon. A great multitude, hearing what great things he did, came to him.
9 He spoke to his disciples that a little boat should stay near him because of the crowd, so that they wouldn’t press on him.
10 For he had healed many, so that as many as had diseases pressed on him that they might touch him.
11 The unclean spirits, whenever they saw him, fell down before him and cried, “You are the Son of God!”
12 He sternly warned them that they should not make him known.
Luke 4
42 When it was day, he departed and went into an uninhabited place and the multitudes looked for him, and came to him, and held on to him, so that he wouldn’t go away from them.
43 But he said to them, “I must preach the good news of God’s Kingdom to the other cities also. For this reason I have been sent.”
44 He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.
Luke 6
17 He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a crowd of his disciples and a great number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases,
18 as well as those who were troubled by unclean spirits; and they were being healed.
19 All the multitude sought to touch him, for power came out of him and healed them all.
Luke 8
1 Soon afterwards, he went about through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of God’s Kingdom. With him were the twelve,
2 and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out;
3 and Joanna, the wife of Chuzas, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others who served them from their possessions.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.
