Use this children’s Sunday School lesson to teach kids about how much Jesus loves us.
Needed: Bibles, drawing paper and crayons or colored pencils
Intro Game: The Life of Jesus Relay
Divide students into two or more teams. When you say, “Go!” the first student on each team will perform the first leg of the relay race, traveling to the other side of your play area and back to their team. The second student on each team then does the second leg, and so on until that team completes the last leg. The first team to complete all legs of the race wins.
Leg 1. Crying. Cry like a baby to show Jesus was born as a baby.
Leg 2. Crawl. Crawl like a baby to show that Jesus had to crawl when he was little.
Leg 3. Slow Walk. Walk slowly like a one-year-old to show that Jesus had to learn to walk.
Leg 4. Run. Run like a child, as Jesus did when He was a boy.
Leg 5. Hammer the Ground. Hit the ground like you’re a man hammering nails to show that Jesus learned how to be a carpenter.
Leg 6. Spin. Spin around saying, “You’re healed! You’re healed!” to show that Jesus helped all the people around Him.
Leg 7. Crucifix Run. Run with your arms outstretched to the sides to show that Jesus was crucified on a cross.
Leg 8. Backward Walk. Walk backward with your arms crossed over your chest to show that Jesus died.
Leg 9. Skip. Skip, yelling, “Ta-da!” to show that Jesus came back to life.
Leg 10. Hop. Hop to show that Jesus went up into the air and back to Heaven.
Lesson
How many of you have ever been to a wedding?
Are people happy when they get married or sad? (Happy.)
Everyone, make a happy face.
(Read Matthew 9:14-15.)
“Then John’s disciples came and asked Him, ‘How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?’
“Jesus answered, ‘How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while He is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.’”
Jesus is saying that when He came down from Heaven when He was born, it was like He was getting married. That’s because He loves us so much.
Everyone, put a hand over your heart for Jesus’ love.
Jesus loves us even more than a husband and wife love each other.
But then, Jesus died on the cross. How do you think Jesus’ followers felt when He died? (Sad.)
Everyone, make a sad face for Jesus dying.
Why did Jesus die on the cross? (To forgive us for our sins so that we could be saved.)
And why did Jesus want to save us? (Because He loves us.)
Everyone, put a hand over your heart for Jesus’ love.
But then, three days later, God raised Jesus from the dead, and everyone was happy again.
Everyone, make a happy face for Jesus coming back to life.
But then, 40 days after that, it was time for Jesus to go back up to Heaven, and everyone was sad because they couldn’t see Jesus anymore.
Everyone, make a sad face for Jesus going away.
But Jesus said that someday, He will come back to Earth and will live with us forever because He loves us. Everyone, put your hand over your heart for Jesus’ love.
Then, we will all be happy… Everyone, make a happy face… and we will never die or get sick or have anything bad happen to us ever again.
Craft: Love Letter from Jesus
Give students drawing supplies and ask them to write a letter from Jesus to themselves. Have them imagine what they think Jesus might say to them. If the students are too young to write, have them a picture of them and Jesus together.
Game: The Life of Jesus Relay
Play the intro game again and remind students that Jesus came because He loves us.
Closing Prayer
Jesus, we thank You for loving us so much that You came to die on the cross for us. We know that You will come back one day to be with us forever.
You can also find this lesson for Kindle or in print in my book, The Parables and Teachings of Jesus Vol. 1.