In this lesson, children learn that God tells the truth and that he wants his people to listen and live rightly. Kids aged about 5 to 11 can follow along in 20 to 30 minutes, using a simple story, a short memory verse, and a few activities.
Big Idea
God always tells us the truth, so we should listen to him and do what is right. When God speaks, he means what he says.
Memory Verse
Amos 3:7
Surely the Lord the LORD will do nothing, unless he reveals his secret to his servants the prophets.
(WEB)
Teach the children to cup their hands by their ears, then open them wide like a book as they say the words. This helps them remember that God shares his true words with his people.
The Story: Amos 3 for Kids
Long ago, God chose a prophet named Amos to speak to the people of Israel. Amos was a shepherd and a farmer, not a fancy speaker. But God gave him a message, and Amos had to deliver it, even though it was not the news people wanted to hear.
God reminded the people of Israel that he had rescued them out of Egypt and had chosen them as his own family. Because they had turned away from doing right, God said he would correct them for their sins. Amos made sure everyone heard this word from the Lord.
Amos used pictures from everyday life to help people understand. He asked whether two people could walk together unless they had agreed to go the same way. He said a lion does not roar unless it has caught something. These questions taught the people that things do not happen by accident.
Amos said that a trumpet sounds to warn a city, and the people become afraid. He said that when something bad happens, God is never far away. God does nothing in secret, and he shares what he is going to do with his prophets. Amos, who had heard God’s voice, could not keep quiet.
Amos told the people of Israel that they did not know how to do what is right. They were keeping stolen goods in their fine houses while others were treated unfairly. God said that their strong walls and fancy homes would not protect them from the trouble that was coming.
Read It Together
Amos 3:1-2
1 Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up out of the land of Egypt, saying: 2 “I have only chosen you of all the families of the earth. Therefore I will punish you for all of your sins.”
(WEB)
Point out that God speaks to his people and reminds them that he chose them. Ask the children what it means to be chosen, and why God’s word should matter to them.
Amos 3:3-4
3 Do two walk together, unless they have agreed? 4 Will a lion roar in the thicket, when he has no prey? Does a young lion cry out of his den, if he has caught nothing?
(WEB)
Show the children how Amos asks simple questions about walking together and about a lion roaring. Explain that Amos wanted people to think about cause and effect, and to notice that God is at work in the world.
Amos 3:10
“Indeed they don’t know to do right,” says the LORD, “Who hoard plunder and loot in their palaces.”
(WEB)
Point out that the people did not know how to do right. Explain that doing right means being honest and kind, and that God cares when people hoard things while others are hurting.
Talk About It
- What is one thing God told the people of Israel in this chapter?
- Why do you think Amos used pictures like a lion roaring to explain his message?
- How can you tell when someone is telling you the truth?
- What does it look like to do what is right at home or at school?
- How can you listen carefully when God’s word is read to you?
Activity Ideas
Lion and Shepherd Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask the children to draw a shepherd rescuing a sheep from a lion, or simply draw a lion roaring. Talk together about how God watches over his people like a shepherd watches over his flock, and invite each child to explain their picture to the group.
Listen and Move Game
You will need a small bell, a whistle, or a kitchen spoon and pot. Explain that a trumpet warns people when danger is near. Have the children move around the room, then freeze and listen when you sound the signal. Remind them that God’s word is a call to listen and to do what is right.
Truth Jar at Home
You will need a jar, paper slips, and a pen. Each day for a week, invite the family to write one true and kind thing they did, or one way they chose to do right, and drop it in the jar. At the end of the week, read the slips together and thank God for helping everyone be honest and kind.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God speaks truthfully and that his judgment on sin is serious. Amos reminds God’s people that privilege does not excuse injustice, and that God’s word calls for honest and caring lives. The passage also shows that God shares his purposes with his prophets, which is why Scripture matters so much.
Be careful not to make the lesson about fear or punishment alone. Children should hear that God is faithful, that he tells the truth, and that he invites his people to listen and return to him.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, thank you for speaking to us through your word. Help us listen carefully, tell the truth, and do what is right every day. Thank you that you are faithful and good to your people. Amen.
