Cleaning House – Biblical Beasts: When Pigs Fly See the related Bible Craft Ideas.
Main Objective: Jesus performed many amazing miracles throughout His ministry, but it can be harder to address the ones involving demon possession. We often give plenty of attention to physical healing, yet find it difficult to handle demons or focus on spiritual transformation. This message describes the healing of a man with a legion of demons, who were then sent into a herd of pigs. Through the account, we remember how God cleans and changes our lives, working from the inside out to rescue us from sin.
Law/Gospel Theme: In this story, Jesus healed a man who was possessed by evil spirits. He “cleaned up” his heart and life and made him a new person. In the same way, Jesus can heal us and make us new, but it doesn’t come on our own power. We are made new by and through Christ alone, and when we trust in Him, our lives can change in wonderful ways.
Note: This lesson is the fifth in a series on “Biblical Beasts,” remarkable stories of animals that God used in various ways. This story features pigs that God used when healing a man possessed by demons.
Optional Materials: Cleaning materials (soap, toothpaste, shampoo, dish soap, bathroom cleaner, etc.).
Bible Passage: Mark 5:1-20
True freedom in Christ — a Bible lesson with printable activities. Kids and PreK tracks in one download.
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.
Greet children, and discuss cleaning products…
Hello, children of God!
I have a few items here, and I want to see if you can figure out what they have in common. What is similar about all of these things? Hold up several types of cleaning products. Here we have toothpaste, an important thing if I want to brush my teeth. This one is body wash, which I would need in the bath. Here’s some bathroom cleaner, if I’m washing out a counter or shower. This is dish soap, for the dishes…so what do you think all of these items might do? That’s right, they are all used for cleaning! Some of these clean things, and others clean people, but they’ll all wash things, at least on the outside. Now, what do you think would make someone fresh and new on the inside? Do any of these products do that? How can you make yourself clean inside? It’s sort of a trick question. You see, you can’t make yourself new inside. At least, not on your own…but we know someone who can. God is the one who cleans and transforms us inwardly, through the power and blood of Jesus. Only He can wash us and make us transformed.
Jesus did this a lot throughout the Bible. He makes us a new creation. During His earthly ministry, we know that Jesus did a lot of great miracles. A lot of these involved physical healing, like curing illness or restoring the ability to see, hear, or walk. But there are also times that we see spiritual healing. People can have spiritual needs just as much as bodily ones, and Jesus came to take care of those!
One of the stories that demonstrates this involves a man who was possessed by demons. He had evil spirits living inside of him, and he acted pretty crazy as a result. He lived among the tombs (dead people), and no one could even chain him up, because he would just break out of the chains or ties. When the demons in him encountered Jesus, they knew who He was, and they knew He had power! The demons asked what He wanted with them, because Jesus had ordered them out of the man. Jesus asked what the demon was named, and they said they were called “Legion.” That was because there were so many of them. This man had a lot of demons in him. The demons knew that Jesus wanted to drive them out of the man, and they begged Him not to destroy them, but instead, to send them into some pigs that were nearby. Jesus agreed, and allowed the demons to escape into a herd of pigs. There were 2,000 pigs, and when the demons entered them, they went running off a cliff and into the sea! The man was completely transformed after that. People were amazed to see that he was in his right mind, back to normal. He was changed. He wanted to stay with Jesus, but Jesus told him that his job was to tell others about Him, demonstrating how He had changed his life and helped him.
Through this account, we see how Jesus has the power to change and cleanse us. We might not be possessed by demons (hopefully!), but we all sin and make mistakes. We do things that we shouldn’t, and need God’s love and forgiveness every day. When we rely on Him, He makes us clean from the inside out. He transforms our hearts and minds and makes us new. We can tell others what He has done for us, and rejoice that He has made us clean!
Let’s pray now and thank God for cleaning and healing our hearts.
Prayer:
(Have kids repeat each line)
Dear God,
Thank you for changing our hearts
And making us clean from the inside out.
Help us to remember your power
And tell others of your healing work.
Thank you for your love.
We love you, God!
In Jesus name, Amen!
Bible Verses/story to Reference:
They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes.And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.
The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.
-Mark 5:1-20
Biblical Beasts: When Pigs Fly! Sunday School Lesson on Jesus Healing a Man with Demons
The story of Jesus healing a man possessed by demons reminds us of God’s power to transform our lives, cleaning us on the inside and making us new. We see the remarkable power that Jesus has over everything, and how He heals physically and spiritually. That same power witnessed in the Bible is capable of helping us!
This lesson is the fifth in a series on “Biblical Beasts,” remarkable stories of animals that God used in various ways. This story features pigs that God used when healing a man possessed by demons.
Passage: Mark 5:1-20
Target Audience: Kindergarten-6th grade
Materials Needed: Cleaning Products; toy pigs; butterfly (or other transforming creature) pictures; Bibles.
True freedom in Christ — a Bible lesson with printable activities. Kids and PreK tracks in one download.
Lesson Opening: This passage contains some difficult elements with the references to demonic possession. Focusing on how Jesus cleaned and changed the man might be the best approach. Of course, the story features pigs, too, which could also help in activities! To get students thinking and ready to learn, consider an activity opener along these lines:
- Pig Toss: provide students with stuffed toy pigs or small plastic pigs. Invite them to toss and catch them back and forth between partners, similar to a water balloon toss. See who can toss their pig the farthest! (If you really want to get Biblical, involve water, too!)
- Who’s That Oinking? Have one student blindfolded, or have them close eyes. They should approach the other students one at a time. Each student will make a pig noise (oinking or snorting), and have the guesser try to identify who is oinking, based on sound alone. The student who is guessed can be the next guesser.
- Clean-Up Time: Display pictures or examples of various cleaning products, and have students identify what each is used for. For older students, show a part of a label or brand, and then have them guess. If there are parts of the room that need cleaned, get to work and wash them up!
- Are you transformed? Have one student leave the room briefly, and ask them to alter one thing about their appearance. Bring them back into the room and have other students identify what has changed.
- Take out the Trash…Divide students into teams and give each team a trash bag. Toss pieces of paper throughout the room, and see who can get their bag fuller from the paper. For a practical approach, go to an area where there’s litter, and have teams really pick up trash (provide gloves).
Explain that the lesson is about someone who was changed by Jesus. His life got “cleaned up” from the inside out, and he was transformed! Jesus can (and does) change and clean our lives, too, when we allow Him to work in and through us.
Bible Lesson:
This passage does include some “mature” elements, with the demon possession component. It can be paraphrased or read verse by verse. This story could perhaps be a fun one for older students to act out or read interactively. Have older students take turns reading, or read out loud for younger kids.
They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. -Mark 5:1-5
Jesus had been doing a lot of teaching, preaching, and miracles. He had also been demonstrating His power and authority over all things. Directly prior to this passage, He calmed the storm with the disciples watching. Here, He is about to show His power over spiritual forces. A man approached Him who had a reputation due to his affliction. He couldn’t even live among the living or be controlled by anyone. People were probably afraid of him and avoided going near him. Jesus did not run away, though. He knew this man needed help that He could give.
Ask: Have you ever known someone that was an outcast or a bully? How did people treat him/her?
And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea. -Mark 5:6-13
The evil spirit recognized Jesus, and knew He had power. Jesus asked what the demon’s name was, and the spirit replied that it was actually a whole legion of demons. They knew Jesus had come to get rid of them, and begged not to be tormented. In fact, the spirit(s) asked to be cast into a herd of pigs. For Jews, pigs were considered an “unclean” animal, but in this region, someone owned and took care of them. Jesus allowed the spirits to go into the pigs, and they rushed off into the sea, drowning the demons and the pigs (two thousand of them!) at once.
Ask: How do you think the man felt to be cleansed from the spirits?
The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.
-Mark 5:14-20
The pigs’ owners were not too happy, as they’d lost a lot of money, but this wasn’t about their preferences. Jesus wanted the man to be whole again and clean on the inside. The man certainly was. People hardly recognized him, since he could finally be back in his right mind and acting normal. He wanted to go with Jesus. Who wouldn’t, after witnessing His power and being changed by it? But Jesus told the man that his job was to share the good news of how he’d been changed. He was to tell others the power that Christ had. And he did, proclaiming his story to all who would hear.
Ask: Have you ever felt changed by something? What did you do as a result?
Jesus changes and heals us. Maybe not from demons, but from sin and all the bad things that impact us. We can rejoice and than Him every day for that healing power. And just like the man, we can tell others how we’ve been changed, and share how great our God is!
Review questions about the lesson:
- Why do you think Jesus let the demons go into pigs?
- How was the man changed on the inside and outside after His encounter with Jesus?
- How does Jesus change our lives on the inside and the outside?
Close with prayer, thanking God for cleaning and transforming our lives and asking for help to follow Him.