Use this children’s Sunday School lesson to teach kids what really matters.
Needed: Bibles, a six-sided die, a worn-out piece of clothing, something rusty, something broken, Treasures in Heaven Relay cards, drawing paper, crayons or colored pencils
Intro Game: Where are Your Treasures?
Students take turns rolling a die, or you can give them all a die and let them roll simultaneously. Each student will roll 10 times, earning or losing points based on the following die rolls.
As students roll, announce the following:
On a 1, they won a lot of money and earn 1 point.
On a 2, they won a brand new car and earn a 1 point.
On a 3, someone stole all their money and they lose 1 point.
On a 4, their car broke down and they lose 1 point.
On a 5, they lost something they really liked and lose 1 point.
On a 6, they did something nice for someone else and earn 2 points.
Play a couple of times if time allows.
Lesson
Show students your worn-out piece of clothing and ask, Does this look new?
Is this a good piece of clothing?
What’s wrong with it?
This piece of clothing got too old. It’s no good anymore.
(Show your rusty item.)
What about this? Does this look nice?
What happened to it?
Okay, so this isn’t good anymore.
(Show your broken item.) And this isn’t any good anymore either. (Explain what it is and how it broke.)
So, none of this stuff I brought in is any good anymore. I would have brought in my (fill in the blank with something that was stolen from you once), but somebody stole that. (Tell the story of the item being stolen.)
What’s one thing that you really liked but then it broke or got stolen or lost?
It seems that things don’t last very well, do they? Everything gets worn out, or rusty, or broken, or stolen, or lost. You know, this all kind of reminds me of what Jesus said once.
(Read Matthew 6:19-21.)
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Jesus is telling us that we shouldn’t want too many things while we’re here in this world because everything wears out or gets destroyed or stolen or lost. We can never keep what we have here. And we certainly can’t take any of our things with us when we die.
So, the things in this world won’t last. But what will last are the good things that we do for God and for other people. Jesus says that our good things will last forever and that when we get to Heaven, He will reward us for all the good things that we do.
So, let’s remember to always think about doing good things instead of thinking about all the things that we want.
Game: Treasures in Heaven Relay
Divide students into two or more teams. All teams line up one side of the play area. On the other side is a stack of cards with pictures on them. Some of the cards depict Treasures in Heaven. The rest depict Treasures on Earth.
Start a timer for 2-3 minutes, depending on the size of your play area. When you say “Go!” the first student from each team runs to where the game cards are and selects something they think is a Treasure in Heaven. They run back to their team and give the card to their teammates.
If a team-member selects an item that the rest of them think is a Treasure on Earth, they have to run back and get something else.
The game is over when the timer goes off. The team with the most Treasures in Heaven cards wins.
Play again as long as time allows.
Treasures in Heaven card ideas include: a Bible, a church, a cross, praying hands, Baptism, Communion, someone helping another person, friends, family
Treasures on Earth cards include: coins, bills, a house, a person working, a car, video games
Craft: Creating Treasures
Give students drawing supplies and say, Remember that Jesus said everything in this world eventually goes away, but the good things we do last forever. Let’s all draw a picture of something that we can do for God or for someone that you know this week.
When students are finished, ask for volunteers to share what they drew.
Closing Prayer
Jesus, we thank You that our forever home is with You. Help us to do good things here on earth that will last forever, and help us not to want the things of this world too much.
You can also find this lesson for Kindle or in print in my book, Jesus Teaches on the Mountain.