RCCG JUNIOR ZEAL FOR AGE 13-19 TEACHER’S MANUAL: 31ST OF MARCH, 2024

[11]And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

[12]And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:

[13]And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

[14]And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

[15]And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,

[16]And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

[17]And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

[18]There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

[19]And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

CENTRAL TRUTH: Gratitude can make you enjoy perfect health without sickness.

INTRODUCTION: Last week we discussed how being grateful can improve our mental as well as emotional wellbeing and how this can lead to unspeakable joy. Today, we want to look at physical wholeness as a benefit we get from having a heart of gratitude. While Jesus was going to Jerusalem, 10 lepers met Him. I believe these lepers were together in one place, not that they met Jesus at different times, because the Bible says they stood at a distance and shouted “Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on us.” Jesus asked them to go and show themselves to the priest and as they were going, they were healed. However, as soon as one of them saw that he was healed, he turned back while the others went their way.

WHAT IS PHYSICAL WHOLENESS? Physical wholeness is a state of being well in our body. The word of God makes us understand that gratitude improves our physical health while ingratitude makes the body sick.

LESSONS FROM THE STORY (LUKE 17:11-19) What did Jesus say when only one leper came back and gave thanks to Him? Jesus said in verse 19 – “Arise, go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole.”

What does that mean? It means that:

• Jesus appreciated his grateful heart.

• Faith is attached to a grateful heart.

• He was not only healed from the leprosy but also every other sickness and disease he had. This is wholeness.

• The grateful leper would be enjoying perfect health from that point onward.

CLASS ACTIVITY: Read these Scriptures below; compare and contrast them in the light of today’s lesson:

• Prov. 15:13 -A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance

• Prov. 17:22 -A merry heart doeth good like a medicine

• Neh. 8:10b -… For the joy of the Lord is your strength

• Prov. 15:15 – … a merry heart hath a continual feast

LIFE APPLICATION: When you are free from sickness and diseases, aches and pains in your body, it is a gift from God. There are some gifts that money cannot buy and wellness is one of them. Be grateful to God that you enjoy good health.

CONCLUSION: People who are grateful sleep better and have fewer aches and pains, which improves their immunity. Science and research have proven that, amongst the health benefits of gratitude are that it reduces heart rate, lowers blood pressure, speeds recovery time, improves cognition, boosts mood, improves sleep etc.

TODAY’S LESSON REFLECTION:

What truth have you learnt in today’s lesson?

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Write down one way in which you are going to apply what you now know.

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