In this lesson, children learn that God saved us as a gift of His kindness, not because we earned it. This lesson is for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God loves us so much that He made us alive with Jesus, and we can never earn it. It is a gift from Him, and we get to live for Him because of it.
Memory Verse
Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God…
(WEB)
Have children cup both hands together in front of their chest, then slowly open them like a gift box. As they open their hands, have them say “God gives a gift!” together. Repeat the verse with the motion three times.
The Story: Ephesians 2 for Kids
Long ago, the followers of Jesus in the city of Ephesus received a letter from a man named Paul. Paul wanted them to remember who they used to be. Before they knew Jesus, they lived in ways that pleased themselves and did not please God. Paul said they were like people who were asleep and could not wake up on their own.
But then Paul told them the best news. God is rich in mercy, which means He has a huge heart full of kindness. God loved them even when they were far from Him. So God made them alive together with Jesus, and He raised them up to sit with Him in the heavenly places.
Paul made sure everyone understood one important thing. We do not save ourselves. Paul wrote that the gift of being saved comes through faith, and it is a gift from God, not something we could earn by being good enough. Nobody can brag about a gift they did not make for themselves.
Paul also explained that God made us for a purpose. We are His workmanship, which means we are like a beautiful piece of art He made. God planned good things for us to do. Paul told the believers, “Remember that God brought you near.” Once they were far off, but now they were close to God.
Paul then talked about Jesus being our peace. Jesus broke down the walls that kept people apart, so that everyone could come to God together. He made one family out of people who used to be strangers. Now we are fellow citizens and members of God’s household.
Finally, Paul compared the church to a building. Jesus is the cornerstone, the most important stone that holds everything together. Every believer is a stone in a holy temple where God lives by His Spirit.
Read It Together
Ephesians 2:4-5
4 But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)…
(WEB)
Point out that God acted first. Ask children to notice that the word “But” marks a turn from sad to happy. Explain that God was rich in mercy even when we were far from Him.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.
(WEB)
Show children that God made them on purpose, like a painter making a masterpiece. Point out the words “good works,” and explain that God prepared good things for us to do before we even did them.
Ephesians 2:19-20
19 So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, 20 being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone…
(WEB)
Talk about belonging to God’s family. Explain that we are no longer strangers, and that Jesus is the cornerstone holding everything together. Ask children who they can welcome into their family.
Talk About It
- What is a gift you received that you did not earn, and how did it make you feel?
- How do you think God felt when He made us alive with Jesus?
- Why is it good that we cannot brag about being saved?
- What good thing do you think God planned for you to do this week?
- How can we make someone who feels like a stranger feel like part of our family?
Activity Ideas
Gift Box Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and tape. Ask each child to draw a big gift box on their paper and write “God’s Gift” on the lid. Inside the box, they can draw a picture of something God has given them, like their family, a sunny day, or a friend. Tape the drawings on the wall so the class can see God’s generous gifts together.
Build the Cornerstone Game
You will need a pile of empty cereal boxes or building blocks. Set the blocks in a stack and call one block the cornerstone. Have children take turns adding blocks around the cornerstone while saying one thing God has built in their lives. When the tower is done, point out how the cornerstone holds everything together, just as Jesus holds His church together.
Take-Home Kindness Jar
You will need a clean jar, paper slips, and a pen. Have children write one kind thing they can do for someone each day and place it in the jar. Encourage the family to read one slip together at dinner each week. Explain that kindness is one way we show that God’s gift lives in us.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Ephesians 2 is a reminder that salvation begins with God’s mercy and love, not with human effort. Paul moves from our death in sin to our new life in Christ, and then to the unity of Jews and Gentiles in one household of God. It is a passage about grace, belonging, and purpose together.
When teaching children, avoid overstating how much they can understand about complex ideas like the “middle wall of partition” or the “law of commandments.” Keep the focus on God’s love, the gift of being saved, and the joy of being part of His family. Let children ask questions, and be honest when you do not know an answer.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for loving us even when we were far away from You. Thank You for the gift of being saved through Jesus, and for making us part of Your family. Help us to do the good things You planned for us today. Amen.
