Use this Children’s Sermon message and Sunday School lesson to teach kids how “faithfulness” is a Fruit of the Spirit. We have just shared some new Bible crafts on Faithfulness to accompany this lesson pan. You may also enjoy our comprehensive 9-Week Curriculum on the Fruit of the Spirit for Kids.
Are You Faithful? The Fruit of the Spirit Part 7: Faithfulness Children’s Sermon and Sunday School Lesson for Kids
Main Objective: Faithfulness is an important part of our lives, but we don’t always discuss it a lot with young children. This message aims to define and describe faithfulness, both in how we can demonstrate it and how God shows the best kind of faithfulness. A sports loyalty is used to illustrate one meaning of faithfulness, and the story of Noah offers a Biblical example.
Law/Gospel Theme: It’s important to be faithful in our relationships and commitments, and to communicate to children why they should be faithful and dedicated in all we do. But it is not just up to us to be faithful. As people, we are naturally inclined to fail despite our best efforts. But God is faithful and always will be. He keeps His promises and loves us, no matter who we are and what we do. Because of His faithfulness and His spirit, we can strive to be faithful, as well.
Note: This is the seventh in a series of lessons on the fruit of the spirit. The focus this week is on faithfulness, with discussion of the story of Noah to demonstrate the faithfulness of God and the faith in God that we should have.
Optional Materials: Sports items (jerseys, hats, flags, decorations, etc.) from at least two different teams.
Bible Passage: Genesis 6-9; Psalm 86:15
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, demonstrating lack of allegiance to one team…Consider wearing items from two different teams, or wave decorations for rival teams. You might even get “into character” by confusing cheers for the teams.
Hello, children of God!
You might notice something strange about the items I have today. If you know a little about sports, you’ll recognize that these things represent rival teams. I wouldn’t be a faithful fan if I wore one thing from one team, and had something else from a different team. And I wouldn’t be very loyal if I switched based on which team was doing better. A faithful fan would be devoted to one team, cheering for them no matter what.
Well, what does that word mean, anyway? What is it to be faithful? What do you think. Allow for responses. We might use it in a variety of ways to describe how we are towards things or people. At the core, faithfulness refers to being loyal, devoted, trustworthy, and committed. We might say this about how we are with teams, or even with stores or brands. We say we’re faithful to a sport or a hobby if we practice it every day and devote ourselves to it. We can be faithful to a country or school. We want to be faithful in relationships, too. A faithful spouse is committed to one person and devoted to loving that person. A faithful friend sticks by someone and loves them through various circumstances.
What do you think is the most important kind of faithfulness that we can show? How about faithfulness in…faith? We want, most importantly of all, to be faithful to God. How can we do that? Well, we can read His word and strive to do what it says. We pray and come to church to learn more about Him. And we rely on the Lord for strength. We might not bow to wooden idols, but sometimes we don’t put God first in our lives, and we turn to other things to find happiness and ability. Being faithful means recognizing that He is the only one who truly helps us.
And the great thing is that God is faithful, too! Even though we mess up and don’t always act as faithful to Him as we should, He still loves us and is devoted to us. And God keeps His promises. Whatever He says, He will do. This makes me think of the story of Noah. You’ve probably heard of Noah, right? The guy with the big ark? Noah is a great example of faithfulness on both ends of things. Noah was faithful to God during a time when many people were not. In fact, most people were acting wicked, and God decided to wipe them out with a flood and start over. But Noah was still loyal to the Lord, recognizing Him as the one true God. So God told Noah to build a boat to rescue himself, his family, and two of every animal. And Noah obeyed. He hadn’t seen the rain yet, and he probably got some ridicule from people for building this enormous ship, but he believed God and did what God told him to do. God was faithful, too. After the rain and the water settled down, when Noah and his family were back on dry ground, God made a promise that He would never again destroy all living things with a flood. And God has kept that promise! We might have flooding in certain places, but certainly nowhere near enough to wipe out humanity. God is faithful to His promises.
Can you think of anything else God promised? Well, He told us He would send a savior to rescue us from sin and death. And did He do it? Of course! Jesus has come, and will come again. We can always rely on God. His timing and methods are sometimes not exactly what we think we want, but He will do what He says He’ll do, and will provide for us out of His great love. That’s a powerful and comforting truth. Through God’s spirit, and because of His love, we can show faithfulness to one another. We’ll make mistakes, but we know that He forgives them, and will give us the ability to show that we are loyal and trustworthy, through His strength.
Let’s say a prayer now, thanking God for His faithfulness and asking for His help in being faithful.
Prayer:
(Have kids repeat each line)
Dear God,
Thank you for beb ing faithful to us
And keeping all of your promises.
Please help us to be loyal to our commitments
And faithful to you.
Thank you for your love
We love you, God!
In Jesus name, Amen!
Bible Verses/story to Reference:
But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. -Psalm 86:15
Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks. For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive. Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and for them.”Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him. -Genesis 6:11-22
Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, “Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.” -Gensis 9:8-17
Are You Faithful? Sunday School Lesson on Faithfulness
Lesson focus: This lesson focuses on the meaning of faithfulness. It’s important for kids to understand and value being loyal and devoted, whether to friends, commitments, or most importantly, to God. This lesson reminds us that God is faithful, and that through His spirit, we can be faithful, too.
This lesson is the seventh in a nine-week series on the Fruit of the Spirit. It considers what it means to be faithful and why it’s important to be faithful to others and to God. The story of Noah provides a Biblical example of faithfulness (displayed by both Noah and the Lord).
Passage: Genesis 6-9 (especially 6:11-22 and 9:8-17); Psalm 86:15
Target Audience: Kindergarten-6th grade
Optional Materials Needed: Items or pictures that represent “good” things; balloons; band-aids; Bibles.
Lesson Opening: This lesson focuses on goodness, and how we can aspire to that as a spiritual fruit. These potential openers highlight goodness in general, and also tie in with the story of the Good Samaritan. Here are some activities to get kids thinking (select the best ones for your audience and age group):
- Bone, Bone, Dog Game: Play this game like duck, duck, goose, but swap the words for “bone, bone, dog” and have the dog chase the bone around the circle. Talk about how dogs are known for being faithful companions, and we will talk about what it means to be faithful.
- Discuss some Biblical friendships (David and Jonathan, Ruth and Naomi, etc.) and how they demonstrate faithfulness. Consider principles kids can apply for being a loyal and faithful friend.
- Encourage kids to think about promises that we make (wedding vows, scout pledges, job commitments, contracts, etc.). Why is it important to stay faithful to things that we devote ourselves to?
- Read the Dr. Seuss classic Horton Hears a Who, and talk about what it means to be faithful.
- Rainbow Swirl Experiment: Place several Skittles in a small plate, pie tin, or bowl. Have students predict what will happen if water is poured over the candies, and then observe the results (a rainbow combination of colors should appear). Talk about what rainbows are and what they mean.
Explain that there is a range of things that we can prove faithful to. Faithfulness is another part of the fruit of the spirit, and God can help us to be faithful because He is the very best example of faithfulness that we have.
Bible Lesson: Begin the lesson with a general verse or two describing God’s faithfulness, and then move onto a story that demonstrates faithfulness. The account of Noah is given as an example here, but others could apply, as well. For the story, encourage children to get involved by acting out the action in the story as you read or describe it.
But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. -Psalm 86:15
This verse gives a beautiful and comforting picture of who and how God is. He is not vengeful or quick to be angry, but full of grace and mercy. His love and faithfulness abound, meaning there is a lot of love and faithfulness that He shows. God is and always will be faithful and He does what He promises!
Ask: What does it mean for us that God is faithful and steadfast? How is this a comfort when we are waiting on prayers to be answered?
The Faith of Noah
Go through the story of Noah, using as much detail as needed based on what the audience already knows of the Genesis events. Use the suggested passages or more/less depending on needs.
Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks. For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. -Genesis 6:11-17
Noah was a man of faith, during a time when a lot of people were not obeying or even recognizing God. He trusted in the Lord and did the right thing, and God chose Noah and His family to be rescued from the destruction that would come. God gave Noah specific instructions to create the vessel that would house them and the animals.
Note: it can be difficult to explain to kids why God would bring such destruction. Of course, He didn’t make a mistake when He created people, but mankind had gone so far astray that He decided to start over. God is merciful and loving, but He is also just, and there is punishment for evil. Also point out that when we have natural disasters today, it doesn’t mean people are being punished. God is in control and allows things like hurricanes and fires to happen, but He doesn’t direct them at certain people.
Ask: What would you do if God asked you to do this? How would you feel?
But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive. Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and for them.” Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him. -Genesis 6:18-22
It’s important to see Noah’s reaction here. The Bible doesn’t tell us exactly how he felt, but he didn’t doubt or question God’s instructions. “He did all that God commanded him.” Noah demonstrated faithfulness by trusting in the Lord without understanding the full outcome. He was committed to doing what God told him and built the ark according to the instructions given. There was probably criticism and questions from other people, but he finished the job.
Ask: Have your parents ever told you to do something that you didn’t fully understand? What are some hard things you’ve had to do?
Describe what happened next (reading the next chapters or just discussing or reading from a story book). The rains came, and the floods covered the Earth. Inside the ark, Noah and the animals were safe, along with his family. When at last the waters receded and they could exit onto dry land, God made a promise to Noah (and to all of us).
Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, “Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.” -Gensis 9:8-17
God promised never again to flood the earth and destroy it. He pur a rainbow in the sky as a sign of that promise, a commitment to all people. In the Bible, those special promises are called covenants, and God is faithful to His covenants. He keeps all of His promises. Never again has a flood destroyed everything on Earth, and we can rest assured that it never will! We can trust in God’s promises. Of course, the greatest promise that He kept is sending His son, Jesus, who rescues us from destruction, just like the ark rescued Noah!
Ask: How can we remember that God keeps His promises? Does this story change the way you think about rainbows?
Review questions about the lesson:
- How can we show faithfulness to others in our lives?
- How can we show faithfulness to God?
- What are some examples we have of God’s faithfulness?
Close with prayer, thanking God for His faithfulness, and asking for His help to show faithfulness to others around us.
