This lesson teaches children that everyone has done wrong, and that God makes us right with himself through faith in Jesus, not by being perfect. It works well for children aged 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including the story, the verses and the activity.
Big Idea
Everybody has done wrong, but God gives us a gift of forgiveness because of Jesus. We can’t earn it, and we don’t have to.
Memory Verse
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God…
(WEB)
Put one hand over your heart, then open it wide like a gift box for the words “fall short.” Say the verse together twice, lifting your hand each time you reach “glory of God.” Children remember best when their bodies help their voices.
The Story: Romans 3 for Kids
A man named Paul was writing a letter to his friends in the city of Rome. Some of them were Jewish, and they were proud that God had given their people special laws and promises. Paul wanted them to understand something important about God’s faithfulness. He told them that God always keeps his promises, even when people do not.
Paul asked a big question. If people are unfaithful, does that mean God is unfaithful too? He answered with a firm no. God is always true, and people are the ones who sometimes lie or do wrong. Paul said, “Let God be found true, but every man a liar.” Paul wanted his friends to see that nobody is good enough on their own.
Then Paul looked at everyone, not just the Jewish people. He explained that people from every nation have turned away from God. No one is perfect, and no one can make themselves right with God just by following rules. The law of Moses showed people where they went wrong, but it could not fix the problem inside their hearts.
But Paul had wonderful news. God chose to make people right with himself as a free gift. Paul said we are “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Jesus gave his life as a sacrifice so that people who trust him could be forgiven. This is good news for everyone, whether they grew up knowing the law or not.
Paul ended by saying that boasting is shut out. People cannot brag about how good they are, because God’s gift comes through faith. Paul wanted his friends to rest in God’s grace instead of trying to earn it. Everyone who believes in Jesus is made right with God.
Read It Together
Romans 3:4
May it never be! Yes, let God be found true, but every man a liar. As it is written, “That you might be justified in your words, and might prevail when you come into judgment.”
(WEB)
Point out that God always tells the truth, even when people do not. Ask children what it means that God is faithful, and remind them that they can trust him every day.
Romans 3:10-12
10 As it is written, “There is no one righteous; no, not one. 11 There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God. 12 They have all turned away. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not so much as one.”
(WEB)
Show children that Paul describes how all people have turned away from God. Explain that this is not meant to make us feel bad, but to help us see why we need Jesus.
Romans 3:24-25
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God sent to be an atoning sacrifice, through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in God’s forbearance…
(WEB)
Point to the words “freely” and “grace.” Explain that God gives forgiveness as a gift, and that Jesus is the way God makes it possible for us to be right with him.
Talk About It
- What is one thing you have done that you wish you could take back?
- How do you feel when someone forgives you for something you did wrong?
- Why do you think God wants to forgive us, even when we make mistakes?
- What did Jesus do so that we could be forgiven?
- How can you show thankfulness to God for his gift of forgiveness?
Activity Ideas
Gift Box Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a small box or an envelope. Ask each child to draw a gift box on the paper and write the word “Forgiveness” on the lid. Inside the box, have them draw a heart or a cross to show that God’s gift comes through Jesus. Talk together about how a gift is something we receive, not something we earn.
Balloon Toss Game
You will need one balloon for each small group of children. Have the group toss the balloon back and forth, and every time someone drops it, they say, “Everyone has fallen short, but Jesus helps us up.” Then they pick the balloon up and keep playing. This game helps children feel the difference between falling down and getting back up with help.
Take-Home Forgiveness Jar
You will need a clean jar, paper slips, and a pen or pencil. Give each child a few slips and ask them to write one way they would like to be forgiven or one way they can forgive someone this week. They can place the slips in the jar at home. Encourage the family to pray over the jar together once a week, thanking God for his grace.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this passage teaches that every person falls short of God’s standard, whether they are Jewish or Gentile, religious or not. Paul is clear that no one can be justified by works of the law, but everyone can be justified freely by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. The chapter stresses God’s faithfulness and his justice together, showing that he is both righteous and the one who makes others righteous.
When teaching children, avoid overstating the idea of sin as something that makes God love us less. Children may take away the idea that they must be perfect to be loved. Instead, emphasize that God’s love is already given, and that his forgiveness is a gift they can receive with thankful hearts, even as they keep learning and growing.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you that you always tell the truth and always keep your promises. We know we have all done wrong, and we cannot make ourselves good enough. Thank you for sending Jesus so that we can be forgiven. Help us to receive your gift with thankful hearts and to share your love with others. Amen.
