Lesson Objective: The lesson here uses unexpected combinations to illustrate what can happen when we love our enemies. This message focuses on Christ’s challenging instructions admonishing us to love others. We are called to not only care for people that we like, but to pray even for those who might be unkind to us. It seems contradictory, but loving our enemies has power to change our hearts as well as theirs. An odd food mixture demonstrates how even salty things can become “sweet”, and so can tough people!
Law/Gospel Theme: God wants us to love others with the same love He has for us. It might seem challenging to consider being kind to those who mistreat us, and it is challenging. However, we do not do this on our own merit or power. As we pray and care for other people in the same way we wish to be cared for, we recognize that we are demonstrating Christ’s love. None of us is deserving of grace, but God cares for us despite our sins. We should pass on the love and mercy that we have been shown.
Use this simple Bible object lesson on the Golden Rule to teach kids what it means to “Do Unto Others” from Luke 6:27-38 in your Sunday School or Children’s Church Ministry.
Optional Materials: Examples of strange combinations, including an odd salty/sweet food combination.
Bible Passage: Luke 6:27-38
More Lesson Ideas on the Golden Rule “Do Unto Others”
- Watch the video demonstration of this children’s sermon lesson and Sunday School craft ideas
- Compare our full Luke 6:27-38 Sunday School Lesson on Loving Your Enemies
- Compare another Kids Bible lesson on the Golden Rule
- Don’t miss our Bible Trivia Questions & Answers for children
- Kids 4 Kindness is a 4-part Sunday School lesson curriculum that shows children what it means to be kind and live out the golden rule in real life.
- Learn more about the Golden Rule for Christians on MinistryAnswers.com
Children’s Sermon Lesson (Luke 6:27-38) The Golden Rule
Greet children, and have examples of “unexpected combinations” to share…
Hello, children of God! Have you ever seen or done something that was unexpected? Or perhaps you’ve seen things that did not seem to go together. (Hold up pictures or representations of items as you describe. For the food example, you likely want to have actual food). For instance, maybe you have worn plaid pants with polka dots! I don’t see anything wrong with that, but I guess some people don’t like that combination…Or maybe you have seen a cat and a dog that were close friends. You wouldn’t expect them to get along together, but sometimes they do. Well, how about food combinations? So I have here some vanilla frosting (feel free to use another item). What might you expect me to put this frosting on? Maybe a cookie, or a cupcake? Well, what if I put this frosting on…a pretzel? Or a cracker? That might seem strange…but maybe I’ll give it a try (taste the combination). Hey, that’s not too bad! When I put the frosting on the cracker, it transforms it. The sweet frosting makes the salty cracker pretty sweet!
You know, love can do the same thing, making something sweeter. In the Bible, Jesus talks about some unexpected combinations that can cause us to feel a little confused. Jesus told people that we should love our enemies, and pray for people who hurt us! That doesn’t sound fun at all, does it? What does this mean? Well, God wants us to be kind to others, even those who are not very kind to us. Anyone can love someone who loves them in return. But when we are able to be nice to people who aren’t so nice to us, that truly demonstrates the love that God has for us. Jesus died for us when we did nothing to deserve it, when we were still sinners. So we should show that kind of love for others around us.
Now, this doesn’t mean we should never stand up for ourselves, and just let people beat us up all the time. It is important to have boundaries, and there might be people who we don’t want to hang around with too much. However, we can still pray for those people! Sometimes we need to keep a little distance, and handle with care and prayer. We can act kindly and graciously, and pray for others, especially since we don’t know what they might be going through.
When we do this, when we exhibit kindness to those who aren’t so kind, and when we pray for others and offer a smile where others frown, it can have a remarkable impact. Those “opposite actions” can change people! Sort of like spreading frosting on a cracker, our kindness can sweeten even the cruelest of “salty people.” It might not seem like the natural or expected response, but it can be more powerful than acting mean in return. There may still be times when others don’t change, and that’s okay. God recognizes all that we do, and He will and already has given us all we need. We remember the grace He has given us through Jesus, and pass that on to those around us. And if we have a hard time showing love to certain people, we can ask God to help us with that, as well! He is always there to bless us and be with us, and will grant us aid to love others.
Let’s pray and ask for God’s help in loving others:
Prayer:
(Have kids repeat each line)
Dear God,
Please help us to love others
Whether they are kind to us or not
Help us to treat people with care and prayer
Thank you for loving us
Even when we don’t deserve it
We love you, God!
In Jesus name, Amen!
Bible Verses/story to Reference:
“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” –Luke 6:27-38 ESV