This lesson teaches children that God gives everyone who trusts Jesus a life that lasts forever, and that loving God means keeping his commands. It suits children aged 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including the story, a memory verse, and an activity.
Big Idea
God loves us, Jesus is his Son, and anyone who believes in Jesus has life that never ends. Trusting God and doing what he says show that we belong to him.
Memory Verse
1 John 5:4
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: your faith.
(WEB)
Hold both hands up like a shield in front of your chest, then lift them high over your head like a winner. Say the words slowly while you move, so the picture stays in your mind.
The Story: 1 John 5 for Kids
A long time ago, a man named John wrote a letter to friends who loved Jesus. He wanted them to know something very important: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Everyone who believes this has been born again into God’s family. John said that when we love God, we also love the other children in his family.
John told them that loving God is not a hard job. God’s rules are not heavy or cruel. They are good gifts that help us live well. When we trust God, we can be strong even when the world feels scary or unfair. John said that our faith is the thing that helps us win against the world’s temptations.
Then John shared a wonderful promise. God gave us eternal life, and that life is found in his Son, Jesus. If you have Jesus, you have life. If you do not have Jesus, you do not have that life. John wrote the letter so that his friends would know they had eternal life, and so that they would keep on believing.
John also said that we can talk to God and ask him for things. When we pray and ask for what is good and right, God listens to us. Imagine a father who always hears his child’s voice from the other room. John said God hears us like that, every time we pray according to his will.
John ended his letter with a warm reminder. He called his readers “little children” and told them to keep themselves away from idols. An idol is anything we put in God’s place. John wanted them to keep their hearts close to the true God and to his Son, Jesus Christ.
Read It Together
1 John 5:3
For this is loving God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous.
(WEB)
Point out that God’s commands are not grievous, meaning they are not too heavy to carry. Ask the children to name one of God’s commands they can do this week, such as being kind or telling the truth.
1 John 5:11-12
11 The testimony is this, that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He who has the Son has the life. He who doesn’t have God’s Son doesn’t have the life.
(WEB)
Show the children that God’s gift of life comes through his Son. Explain that having Jesus means having life, and that this is a gift God gives freely to everyone who trusts him.
1 John 5:14-15
14 This is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us. 15 And if we know that he listens to us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.
(WEB)
Point out that God listens when we pray. Encourage the children to tell God one thing they want to ask him about today, and remind them that he hears every word.
Talk About It
- What do you think it means to be part of God’s family?
- Why do you think God’s rules are described as good gifts instead of heavy burdens?
- How can trusting Jesus help you when something feels scary?
- What is one thing you could ask God for in prayer, and why do you think he listens?
- What are some things that might take God’s place in our hearts, and how can we keep Jesus first?
Activity Ideas
Shield and Victory Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a large shield on one side of the paper and a small crown or star on the other side. Have them write or draw one thing they trust God to help them with, then talk about how faith protects and rewards us.
Follow the Leader Commands
You will need an open space and a few simple movement cues you can call out. Take turns being the leader, giving commands like “hop three times” or “touch your toes.” Explain that following God’s good commands is a little like following a kind leader who knows what is best for us.
Life Jar Keepsake
You will need a clear jar, small slips of paper, and a marker. Each child writes one way they can show love to God this week, then folds the slip and places it in the jar. Take the jar home as a reminder that God gives life and that we can live it out in everyday choices.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter ties together faith, love, obedience, and assurance. John teaches that true love for God shows up in keeping his commandments, and that believing in Jesus gives a settled confidence in eternal life. The chapter also shows that prayer is grounded in God’s will and that Christians are called to guard their hearts against idols.
With children, avoid overstating the idea of a “sin leading to death” or trying to explain every difficult phrase in the chapter. Keep the focus on the core truths: God’s love, Jesus as the Son of God, the gift of eternal life, and the promise that God hears our prayers.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you for loving us and for sending Jesus, your Son. Help us trust you and keep your good commands each day. Thank you for the gift of life that never ends, and for listening when we pray. Help us keep you first in our hearts. Amen.
