Use this children’s Sunday School lesson to teach kids to obey the Lord both in word and in action.
Needed: Bibles , Uno cards or Go Fish! cards or playing cards
Intro Game: Listening to God
Have students line up at one side of the room. The teacher gives instructions, saying “God Says” as in “Simon Says.” Make the motions as you say the instruction. Every once in a while, do something and give the instruction without saying “God says” first. Anyone who does something without the teacher having said, “God says” is out. You can also give an instruction that doesn’t match your motion to catch kids off guard. Students who are out wait there until the end of the round and then, join back in. The last student in the game becomes the new leader.
Lesson
Ask students, What are some chores that your parents tell you to do?
What would happen if your parents told you to do a chore and you said no?
What would happen if your parents told you to do a chore and you said you would do it, but then, you didn’t do it?
(Read Matthew 21:28-30.)
“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
“‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.”
So, the first son said he wouldn’t do the chore, but then, he did it. The second son said he would do the chore, but then, he didn’t. Which son do you think did the right thing in the end? (The son who did the chore.)
The second son, the one who said he would do the chore but then, didn’t, is like some people who tell God that they’ll listen to Him and do the right things but then, just keep doing the wrong things. They say they’ll listen to God, but they don’t do what He says.
The first son, the one who said he wouldn’t do the chore, but then, did it, is like people who say they don’t believe in God but then, decide later that they do want to believe in God and they start doing what God told them.
God likes it when people who didn’t believe in Him start believing in Him and doing the right things. But God doesn’t like it when people do believe in God but won’t do what He tells them.
So, let’s all do our best to believe in God and listen to Him. Let’s say we’ll listen and also do what He says. Then, we’ll make God happy.
Game: Fast Reflexes
Lay out a deck of game cards on a table, face up. The cards could be regular playing cards, UNO cards, Go Fish! cards, etc.
Students gather around the table. You’ll call out a type of card (a number, color, shape, etc.). The last student to reach out and touch that type of card is out.
The last student in the game wins and becomes the caller for the next round.
Remind students that when God tells us to do something, we need to obey Him immediately, just like they need to be quick to play this game.
Game: Listening to God
Play the intro game again and remind students that we need to both believe in God and do what He says.
Closing Prayer
Father God, help us to be obedient to You as our Heavenly Father. You made us and You are our good King, our Heavenly Father. Help us listen to You. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
You can also find this lesson for Kindle or in print in my book, The Parables and Teachings of Jesus Vol. 2.