Here are the images you need for the hero’s attributes linked to ‘Be Quiet (Mark 1) – also referred to as the healing of the an with the unclean spirit.
Each hero set contains a high quality graphic of the character, a take home bible card and a colouring page.
The images are displayed small here, click on the image you wish to have, then save the image that loads.
(These images are not copyright free, they are for personal/classroom use only.)
| There is a moment in this weeks story where the unclean spirit responds to Jesus’ words. It comes in Verse 26 where it is written “The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.” It’s one of those details that kids acting out the story will grab onto, a physical movement that puts life into the account. This craft captures this moment with a rolling papercraft mechanism. ps. I know it looks like it won’t work, I had the same doubts, so I’ve added a short video clip at the end to show it in action! |
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Interruptions during worship are something we may be far too familiar with. In this passage from Mark 1, where a man with an impure spirit interrupts, Jesus is very much to the point commanding him to ‘be quiet’. These games play on the ideas of interruptions, sounds, identity, and authority.
All Ages
Any size group
Requires setup time
Noisy game
Can be seated
Have your child(ren) identify various sounds. Keep it simple and make the sounds yourself, farm animals, vehicles, sirens etc. Alternatively, search online for “guess the sound” videos.
Link to : Jesus saying “Be quiet!”
All Ages
Small group
Requires setup time
Quiet game
Can be seated
Take a large envelope and cut a small hole in the face (a hole punch will do this neatly, don’t worry about having holes on both sides). Slip a picture into the envelope and give it to the children to identify. The children can move the picture about but not open the envelope
Link to : The impure spirit recognised Jesus
Under 7’s
Any size group
No Setup time
Noisy game
Can be seated
Play the traditional game of ‘Simon says’ where the child copies the direction as long as ‘Simon’ gave it. Use the term ‘authority’ in place of the name Simon.
Link to : other teachers told people about God, but Jesus had authority to his teaching.
Ages 7+
Small group
No Setup time
Quiet game
Can be seated
A simple storytelling activity where you start a story and stop in the middle of a sentence, the next person then needs to complete your sentence and let their next sentence be interrupted. With younger children, you can give each child 7 words each.
Link to : the man interrupting the gathering with his message instead of Jesus’ teachings.
| The ‘Be Quiet!’ or ‘unclean spirit’ passage is a story about a character who shouts out. This lends itself well to puppetry! The kids will be having full blown conversations with this craft. I can imaging it won’t just be Jesus who is tempted to shout ‘Be Quiet!’ after a while, but making a story memorable by engaging with it is the aim of bible crafts! |  |
This story is one of those encounters that is really hard to explain away. There is no reason why a man with a mental illness would recognise Jesus as God. All the same, it is apparent that Jesus does not want whatever is possessing the man to keep shouting. It’s not time yet for the penny to drop among many of his followers yet! Jesus sees a man who needs help and heals the affliction, releasing the man’s mind and in the process releasing his mouth too!
This retold version of the Bible passage is supplied for inspiration, feel free to omit or embellish to give it your personal voice.
Main Passage : Mark 1:21-28
The time had come. Jesus was ready to begin teaching.
Off Jesus went to the synagogue (the church for the Jewish people), and when it was time for people to speak, he began preaching. The listeners were amazed. Nobody had ever preached like this before. Jesus didn’t tell them all the different viewpoints or mess about with long-winded traditions; he spoke simply, with authority.
But not everyone and everything was happy to see Jesus. A man entered the synagogue who was being controlled by an impure* spirit. When the spirit saw Jesus, he knew exactly who Jesus really was.
The spirit inside the man made him call out:
“What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth?”
What a question! What did Jesus want? Before him he saw a man who was in pain, a man who was being controlled, a troubled man. What do you think God’s heart of love for mankind wanted to do for this man and the spirit who tortured him?
“Have you come to destroy us?” The spirit yelled.
“I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
Well that was too much from this spirit – Jesus had only just started teaching people. They weren’t ready to recognise that he was The Son of God, the Messiah, the Holy One.
“Be quiet!” said Jesus in a firm voice.
“Come out of him!”
The poor man was shaken so hard as the spirit shrieked and cried out that he fell to the floor. When Jesus reached the man, the spirit had gone. The man was free. The man looked at Jesus without words to thank him. How long had he been imprisoned by the spirit? Jesus had healed him, freed him, given him a chance at life again.
The people were all amazed. Who was this man who taught with authority, who ordered the spirits? Soon everyone had heard of Jesus from Nazareth. Before long, whenever Jesus spoke, a crowd would gather.
*substitute ‘evil’, ‘bad’, or ‘demonic’ if you prefer.
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