Colossians 2 teaches children that Jesus has everything we need, so we do not have to follow rules made up by people to be close to God. This lesson suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
Jesus is the most important one, and we belong to him. Nothing else can take that away from us.
Memory Verse
Colossians 2:6
As therefore you received Christ Jesus, the Lord, walk in him…
(WEB)
Have children stand up tall with their arms stretched out wide, then bend their knees and reach their hands down to the floor. Ask them to say “Walk in him” as they take a step forward. Repeat it three times together so the words and the motion stay connected.
The Story: Colossians 2 for Kids
A man named Paul wrote a letter to the friends in the city of Colossae. He had never met most of them face to face, but he loved them very much and prayed for them every day. He wanted their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love.
Paul knew that some people were trying to trick the Christians there. These people said that you had to follow special rules about what you ate and drank, and about certain holy days, to be right with God. Paul told the friends, “Don’t let anyone fool you with clever words.” He wanted them to remember who was really in charge.
Paul explained that Jesus is God, and that all of God’s fullness lives in him. When people trust Jesus, they are made new. Paul reminded them that they were baptized, which showed that they had died with Jesus and had been raised up with him to new life. Their sins were forgiven because Jesus paid for them on the cross.
Paul also told them that the rules people invented could not make anyone holier. He said, “Those rules look wise, but they cannot really help you.” Only Jesus can make us strong and clean on the inside. So Paul told his friends to keep holding on to Jesus and to keep growing in him.
Read It Together
Colossians 2:9-10
9 For in him all the fullness of the Deity dwells bodily, 10 and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power…
(WEB)
Point out that Jesus has all the fullness of God, and that when we belong to him, we are made complete. Ask children what they think it means to be “complete” and let them guess in their own words before you explain.
Colossians 2:13-14
13 You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us; and he has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross…
(WEB)
Show children that God forgave our wrongs and took away the record of what we owed. Explain that Jesus took our debt to the cross so we could be free. Let them repeat the word “forgiven” together and talk about how it feels to be forgiven.
Colossians 2:16-17
16 Let no one therefore judge you in eating, or in drinking, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day, 17 which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ’s.
(WEB)
Explain that the rules about food and special days were like a shadow, and Jesus is the real thing that the shadow pointed to. Use a flashlight and a hand to make a shadow on the wall, then show how the real hand is the thing that matters. Remind children that no one should make them feel bad about their faith.
Talk About It
- What is one thing that Jesus has given you that you are thankful for?
- Why do you think Paul wanted his friends to know that Jesus was enough?
- What are some ways people try to make us feel that we must do more to please God?
- How can you remind yourself that you belong to Jesus when you feel worried or left out?
- What does it mean to keep growing in Jesus, and what helps you grow?
Activity Ideas
Build a Strong House Drawing
Give each child a sheet of paper, crayons, and a pencil. Ask them to draw a house with a strong foundation at the bottom and write or draw the word “Jesus” on the foundation. Talk about how a house built on a solid base stays standing, just as a life rooted in Christ stays strong. Let children decorate the rest of the house with things that remind them of God’s care.
Follow the Leader Movement Game
Choose one child to be the leader and have everyone follow every movement they make, such as walking, clapping, or stretching. Then say that Jesus is our true leader and we follow him. Switch leaders a few times, and end by asking children who they most want to follow and why. This helps them picture walking in Jesus.
Take-Home Thankfulness Card
Give each child an index card and a pen or marker. Ask them to write or draw three things that they are thankful Jesus has given them. Encourage them to place the card on the kitchen table or by their bed, and to read it aloud at dinner or bedtime. This gives the family a simple way to remember together that Jesus is enough.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Colossians 2 is a warning against adding human rules to the gospel as if they were required to be right with God. Paul insists that Christ is fully God, that believers are united with him in his death and resurrection, and that forgiveness comes entirely through him. Rules about food, days, and religious practices may have their place, but they cannot save or make anyone spiritually complete.
With children, avoid suggesting that the rules and practices of faith are unimportant or that they should never take part in church life. Focus instead on the truth that Jesus is the center, and that our love for him shapes everything we do.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you that Jesus is enough for us. Help us to hold on to him every day and to grow strong in his love. Thank you for forgiving us and making us new. We love you and want to follow Jesus all our lives. Amen.
