This lesson teaches children that Jesus wants us to be humble servants, not people who show off how holy we look. It works well for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
Jesus wants us to be real on the inside, to serve others with humble hearts, and to never pretend to be better than we are.
Memory Verse
Matthew 23:11
But he who is greatest among you will be your servant.
(WEB)
Have children stand tall with arms stretched wide, then slowly bend forward and gently pat their knees as they say the verse together. Going down low helps them remember that being a servant means being willing to bend down and help.
The Story: Matthew 23 for Kids
Jesus was teaching a crowd of people and his friends, the disciples. Some of the leaders in that time were called scribes and Pharisees. They knew a lot about God’s laws, and people looked up to them. But Jesus noticed something sad. These leaders liked to be noticed. They wore big, fancy clothes so everyone could see how important they were.
They loved the best seats at dinner parties and in the synagogue, the place where people gathered to worship. They wanted people to call them “Rabbi,” which means teacher. Jesus told his friends not to act that way. He said that God is the only true Father, and that everyone who follows him is a brother or sister.
Jesus taught something surprising. He said the one who is greatest should be the one who serves everyone else. He said that people who lift themselves up will be brought low, and people who humble themselves will be lifted up by God.
Then Jesus spoke strongly to the leaders who were pretending. He said they looked clean and holy on the outside, but inside their hearts were full of unkind things. He compared them to freshly painted tombs that look pretty but hold dead bones inside. Jesus wanted them to be clean on the inside, too.
Jesus loved the city of Jerusalem very much. He said he longed to gather the people close, like a mother hen tucks her chicks under her wings to keep them safe. Even though the people did not always listen, Jesus still wanted them near to him.
Read It Together
Matthew 23:12
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
(WEB)
Point out the two opposite pictures in this verse: lifting yourself up and humbling yourself. Ask children which path looks more like Jesus, and why God might choose to honor the humble.
Matthew 23:27
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
(WEB)
Show children how a painted tomb looks nice from far away but is not clean inside. Explain that God cares about our hearts as much as how we look on the outside.
Matthew 23:37
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!
(WEB)
Point out that Jesus speaks with tender feelings here, like a hen caring for her chicks. Help children see that Jesus loves people and wants to keep them safe.
Talk About It
- What is one way you could help someone this week without wanting anyone to notice?
- Why do you think Jesus did not want people to call the leaders “Rabbi” like a big title?
- How does it feel to be around someone who is kind inside and out?
- What does it look like to be clean on the inside, like a heart that loves God?
- When Jesus said he wanted to gather people like a hen with her chicks, what made him feel that way?
Activity Ideas
Painted Heart Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a big heart, then color the outside with bright colors and the inside with small, kind words or pictures of people they could help. Talk about how the inside matters most to God.
Servant Relay Game
Set up a short course with cups, a bowl, and a spoon. Teams take turns carrying water or small toys from one side of the room to the other, using only one hand as if they are serving someone who needs help. Afterward, ask the team what it felt like to serve someone without being praised.
Take-Home Kindness Jar
Give each child an empty jar and some paper slips. Each time they do something kind for someone at home without being asked, they write it on a slip and drop it in the jar. At the end of the week, read the notes together and thank God for the helpful hearts in your family.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter is a serious warning against religious pride and hypocrisy. Jesus was not condemning the Pharisees as people, but calling them to real faithfulness, justice, mercy, and humility before God. Adults can reflect on whether their own devotion is about appearances or about a genuine heart for others.
When teaching children, avoid overstating how harsh Jesus sounds in the woe passages. Keep the focus on his love for Jerusalem and the message that God looks at the heart, so children do not come away fearing that they must perform perfectly.
A Prayer to Close
Father, thank you for loving us and wanting our hearts to be clean and kind. Help us to serve others humbly and not to show off. Teach us to be like Jesus, who came to serve. Keep us close to you like a chick under its mother’s wings. Amen.
