This lesson teaches children that God loves people from every nation and welcomes everyone who trusts Jesus, and that is a truth a child can say back in one breath. It works well for ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including the story, the discussion and one activity.
Big Idea
God loves everybody, and nobody is too different for God to welcome. Peter learned that God does not play favorites, so we should not either.
Memory Verse
Acts 10:34
Peter opened his mouth and said, “Truly I perceive that God doesn’t show favoritism…
(WEB)
Put one hand on your heart and then spread both arms wide, like you are hugging the whole world. Say the verse together while you move your arms, then repeat it once more with bigger arms.
The Story: Acts 10 for Kids
Long ago there was a Roman soldier named Cornelius. He was a good man who prayed to God and helped poor people. One afternoon, while he was praying, an angel appeared to him in a bright vision. The angel said, “Cornelius, God has heard your prayers and remembers your kindness.” Then the angel told him to send men to a town called Joppa to find a man named Peter.
Cornelius quickly obeyed. He sent two servants and a faithful soldier to Joppa. The next day, as they came close to the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He was hungry, and while lunch was being made, he fell into a kind of dream. He saw a large sheet coming down from the sky, full of all kinds of animals. A voice said, “Get up, Peter, and eat!” Peter said, “No, Lord, I have never eaten anything unclean!” The voice answered, “Do not call unclean what God has made clean.” This happened three times, and then the sheet went back up into heaven.
While Peter was still wondering what the dream meant, the men from Cornelius arrived at the gate. The Spirit told Peter, “Three men are looking for you. Go with them, because I sent them.” So Peter went down and welcomed them into the house. The next day he traveled with them to Caesarea, where Cornelius had gathered his family and friends to wait. When Cornelius saw Peter, he fell at his feet. Peter helped him up and said, “Stand up! I am only a man too.”
Peter then told everyone about Jesus, who healed people and did good things, and who died and rose again. He said that everyone who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness. While Peter was still talking, the Holy Spirit came upon everyone who was listening, and they began to praise God in other languages. Peter said, “Can anyone stop these people from being baptized? They have the Holy Spirit just like we do.” So they were baptized in the name of Jesus, and they stayed with Peter for several days.
Read It Together
Acts 10:2
A devout man, and one who feared God with all his house, who gave gifts for the needy generously to the people, and always prayed to God.
(WEB)
Point out that Cornelius was not a Jew by birth, yet the text calls him devout and says he prayed to God always. Ask children what they notice about how Cornelius lived, and remind them that God saw his prayers and kindness.
Acts 10:28
He said to them, “You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I shouldn’t call any man unholy or unclean.
(WEB)
Show children that Peter admitted God had changed how he saw other people. Explain that Peter had grown up thinking some people were not welcome, and that God had to teach him something new.
Acts 10:44-46
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word. 45 They of the circumcision who believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in other languages and magnifying God. Then Peter answered…
(WEB)
Point out that the Holy Spirit came on the people who heard the message, and that the listeners praised God. Explain that this shows God’s gift was given to people who were not expected to receive it.
Talk About It
- Why do you think God showed Peter the big sheet full of animals?
- How did Cornelius show that he loved God before he met Peter?
- Who is someone at school or at church that people sometimes leave out, and what could we do to include them?
- What did Peter say he had learned about God’s love?
- How does it feel to know that Jesus welcomes everyone, including you?
Activity Ideas
Paper Plate Animal Sheet Drawing
You will need paper plates, crayons or markers, and a piece of string. Let each child draw animals from the story on their plate, such as a lion, a bird, and a snake, then tie the plates together along the string to make a hanging sheet. As you hang it up, remind children that God made every animal and called none of them unclean, just as he welcomes every person.
Passing the Welcome Game
Gather the children in a circle and give one child a small object, like a soft ball. Play gentle music and have children pass the object around. When the music stops, the child holding it names someone who might feel left out, and everyone says together, “God loves you too.” This helps children practice noticing people the way Peter learned to.
Take-Home Welcome Card
Give each child a folded index card and a pencil. Ask them to write or draw one person they would like to invite to play or sit with this week. Encourage them to bring the card home and show it to a parent, so the lesson continues at home and the family can talk about who might be welcomed next.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that the good news of Jesus was meant for all nations, not only for one group. God prepared both Peter and Cornelius, and the Spirit fell on the Gentile listeners just as it had on the first believers, which convinced the early church that everyone who trusts Christ belongs in the family of God.
Avoid overstating to children that God’s love depends on how good they are or how well they behave, since the story emphasizes God’s welcome and grace rather than rewards. Also avoid suggesting that Peter’s dream was about food, because the text makes clear that its meaning was about people.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you that you love every person in the world. Help us to see others the way you see them, and to make room for everyone at our table and in our hearts. Thank you for Jesus, who welcomes us all. Amen.
