Children's Sermon on Jesus Healing the Blind Man (John 9:1-42)

This Children’s Sermon will teach kids about Jesus healing the man born blind from John 9:1-42. Print the object lesson directions below and watch the teaching video to be prepared.

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“Jesus Heals a Blind Man”

Children’s Sermon Object from John 9:1-41

Main Objective: This story reminds us that there is more than one way of being “blind.” That symbolism can be a challenging concept for young children to understand, since they tend to interpret and grasp things in a more literal way. This message aims to express how marvelous, miraculous, and loving Jesus is. It also reminds kids that we need to be open to what God does in our lives, as well as what He wants us to do for others.

Law/Gospel Theme: In this specific story, Jesus is explicitly overcoming the Law. The letter of the law stated that no work could be done on the Sabbath, and by healing the blind man, He was technically “working.” The church leaders were, of course, suspicious and worried about Jesus. Their eyes were closed to what amazing things He was doing. We have the blessed assurance of understanding that He has already overcome every obstacle, and because of His death and resurrection, we will ultimately be healed and renewed. If we open our eyes to recognize this, we find hope in Him, and joy in serving others around us.

Optional Materials: Pieces of paper or paper towel tubes (one per student)

Bible Passage: John 9:1-41

Message Note: As with most messages, the details of how you choose to communicate this are adaptable and should cater to timing as well as to your audience and student needs. Use your judgment and ideas to best serve students.

More Teaching Ideas on the Man Born Blind

• Children’s Church Lesson on Jesus Healing the Man Born Blind
• John 9:1-41 Sunday School Lesson
• Crafts on Jesus Healing the Man Born Blind

John 9:1-41 Children’s Message “Jesus Heals the Blind Man”

Greet the children, and hand each student a piece of paper or paper towel tube.  

Hello, children of God! How are you? How would you like to see a neat little trick with your eyes? You know, your eyes can do some pretty amazing things. But I am going to show you how your eyes can put a hole in your hand. Do you believe I can do that? I’ll also show you how to make your hand disappear completely! Check this out…take that paper I gave you (or tube; if not already rolled, have students roll up the paper pieces), and hold it over one eye. Keep both of your eyes open, but hold the paper up to it.

 Now, hold out your hand (demonstrate as you invite students to do this: hold out the hand that is not holding the tube, palm facing toward you, near the end of the tube/paper). Bring your hand close to the side of the tube (slowly do the same to show students what is happening. It should appear as though there is a “hole” in the hand, due to the perception of the eyes).

Do you see the “hole” in your hand? Now, keep that hand held out next to the tube.  Close the eye that is not covered by the tube/paper. Did your hand disappear? Open your eye. It reappeared again! This is wild and impossible? How is it happening?
(Students can put their papers or tubes down as you go on to explain.)

Well, your eyes are really quite marvelous and miraculous things. You have two eyes, and it takes both of them to make a proper picture. Your brain interprets what the eyes are seeing, and you can process all sorts of things through that. In fact, your eyes can see over ten million different variations of color, and can focus on fifty objects in a second! There are muscles behind your eyes, and they are extremely fast, but never need rest. The eye is so complex, it’s just amazing! But some people have eyes that don’t see perfectly, and they might wear glasses or contact lenses. Some people aren’t able to see at all. Can you imagine if all you could see was…nothing? (Hold up a paper or hand over one or two of the children’s eyes to consider blindness.) That would be challenging. You couldn’t watch cartoons, or find your favorite color of shirt, or play a video game…it would be hard not to see!

In today’s Gospel story, Jesus met a man who couldn’t see. This man was born blind. He had never been able to see, not once in his whole life. Jesus decided to heal the man. He took some dirt, and he mixed it with his own spit, to make mud! Umm, eew? Then he spread that mud on the blind man’s eyes! Jesus told him to go wash up in a pool, and when the man did, he could see again! It was a miracle! Some people weren’t too happy about this, though. Some people didn’t believe it was the same man as the one who had been born blind. Some people were angry because Jesus did “work” on the Holy Sabbath day, since He made mud and healed someone.  The neighbors and church leaders were questioning the healed man, and his parents. They were so suspicious and upset that they missed out on appreciating this great miracle. They closed their eyes, in a way.

Did you know we have eyes in our hearts? Not actual eyeballs, of course…but we can think about seeing with our hearts when we consider our attitudes towards God and one another. If your thoughts and your actions are focused on yourself, it’s hard to have a “vision” or see outside your own little problems and needs. You might be able to look at things with your eyes, but you’ll be “blinded” to what God is doing, or to the things other people need and are doing. It’s like closing your eyes, or wearing goggles that don’t let you look around.

God wants us to recognize that HE is the light. He should be our vision and desire. Jesus is the light of the world, and our heart eyes should seek Him. Jesus sometimes said that people did not see things clearly, even if they could see with their physical eyes. That’s how some people missed out on HIM and the amazing things He did! So let’s keep our eyes open, spiritually and physically. We can look around to know what others need. We can keep our minds on God, and what He wants to do in our lives. Why don’t we pray and ask for help in doing this well?

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Children’s Prayer Moment

(Have kids repeat each line)
Dear God,
Thank you for your miraculous work
You do amazing things in the world and in our lives
Thank you for the TRUE stories of the Bible
Help me to open my eyes
So that I can love and serve those around me
Thank you for your love
We love you, God!
In Jesus name, Amen!

John 9 New International Version (NIV) Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

9 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. ² His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

³ “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. ⁴ As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. ⁵ While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

⁶ After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. ⁷ “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

⁸ His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” ⁹ Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”

¹⁰ “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked. ¹¹ He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”

¹² “Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said. The Pharisees Investigate the Healing ¹³ They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. ¹⁴ Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. ¹⁵ Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”

¹⁶ Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided. ¹⁷ Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.” ¹⁸ They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. ¹⁹ “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”

²⁰ “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. ²¹ But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” ²² His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. ²³ That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

²⁴ A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” ²⁵ He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” ²⁶ Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” ²⁷ He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”

²⁸ Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! ²⁹ We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.” ³⁰ The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. ³¹ We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. ³² Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. ³³ If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

³⁴ To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.

³⁵ Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” ³⁶ “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”

³⁷ Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” ³⁸ Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. ³⁹ Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”⁴⁰ Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” ⁴¹ Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

John 9:1-41 NIV