In this lesson, children learn that the apostle Paul trusted God even when he was hurt, tired, and in danger, and that God takes care of his people in every situation. This lesson suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
Following Jesus can be hard, but God is always with us and always takes care of us. Paul kept going because he trusted God to be faithful, even when life was scary.
Memory Verse
2 Corinthians 11:2
For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I married you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
(WEB)
Teach the children to cup their hands together in front of their chest, like they are holding a gift. As they say the verse, have them lift their cupped hands up toward the sky. Each time they repeat it, the motion helps them remember that they belong to Jesus.
The Story: 2 Corinthians 11 for Kids
Paul was a missionary who traveled far from home to tell people about Jesus. He loved the friends he had made in the city of Corinth. He wanted them to stay close to Jesus and not follow people who told them lies about him.
Some people had come to Corinth pretending to be teachers of God. Paul called them false apostles, because they were not telling the truth. Paul said that he wanted the Corinthians to remain pure and faithful, like a bride who is loyal to her husband.
Paul did not have an easy life. He was beaten with rods, he was stoned, and he was shipwrecked more than once. He was often hungry, cold, and tired. He also worried every day about the churches he had started. Still, he kept traveling and kept preaching about Jesus.
One time, the people in Damascus wanted to catch Paul. His friends helped him escape. They put him in a basket and lowered him through a window in the wall. Paul did not stop, even though he was scared. He knew God was still with him.
Paul told his friends that he would boast only about the things that showed his weakness. He wanted people to see that God gives strength to those who are weak. Paul said, in simple words, that God knows the truth and that God would always take care of him.
Read It Together
2 Corinthians 11:9
When I was present with you and was in need, I wasn’t a burden on anyone, for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my need. In everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and I will continue to do so.
(WEB)
Point out that Paul’s friends helped him when he needed food and a place to stay. Explain that God often takes care of us through the kindness of other people. Ask the children who has helped them recently.
2 Corinthians 11:23-27
23 Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I am more so; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths often. 24 Five times from the Jews I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I suffered shipwreck. I have been a night and a day in the deep. 26 I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers; 27 in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.
(WEB)
Show the children that Paul went through many hard things because he loved Jesus. Explain that these verses describe real trouble, but Paul kept trusting God. Let them know that they can also trust God when things are hard.
2 Corinthians 11:30-31
30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, he who is blessed forever more, knows that I don’t lie.
(WEB)
Point out that Paul was willing to say he was weak. Explain that admitting we need help is a brave thing, and God is never surprised by our weakness. Remind the children that God knows the truth about each of us.
Talk About It
- What did Paul do when people tried to hurt him?
- Why do you think Paul worried about the friends he had made in Corinth?
- How did Paul’s friends help him escape from Damascus?
- What is one hard thing you have faced, and how did God help you through it?
- Why do you think Paul was not afraid to say he was weak?
Activity Ideas
Paper Basket Craft
You will need paper, scissors, glue, and crayons. Have each child draw a picture of Paul in a basket going over a wall. Let them color it and glue it onto a folded paper card. Talk together about how God helped Paul escape, and let them take the card home.
Stand Strong Game
Ask the children to stand in a circle. Tell them that you will name a hard thing Paul faced, such as a storm or a long walk. When you say it, they must stand on one foot and hold their arms out like they are balancing. Then say, “God gives strength,” and they can put both feet down. Play a few rounds and talk about how God helps us stand.
Thank You Jar
You will need a jar, paper strips, and a pencil. Place the jar in a visible spot and give each child a few strips of paper. Ask them to write or draw one way God has taken care of them. Each week, read a few notes together and thank God for his care.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that Paul’s ministry was marked by real suffering and dependence on God. He boasted of his weakness not to seek praise but to show that God’s power is made known through human frailty. The chapter also warns the church to remain faithful to the true Jesus and to watch for teachers who twist the gospel.
Avoid overstating to children that faithful people will always be spared from danger. Paul suffered greatly, and the lesson is that God is with us in hard times, not that hard times will never come.
A Prayer to Close
Father, thank you for taking care of us when we are scared or tired. Help us to trust you like Paul did, even when things are hard. Please help us to stay close to Jesus and to remember that you are always with us. Amen.
