In this lesson, children learn one simple truth: God has given everyone who belongs to Jesus many blessings, and they are not earned. This lesson is for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God loves us, chose us, and has given us wonderful gifts through Jesus, so we belong to him and can always count on him.
Memory Verse
Ephesians 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ…
(WEB)
Teach the children to place both hands on their chest, then lift them up toward the sky with open palms as they say the verse together. Repeat it three times, getting a little louder each time, so the words feel like a happy song.
The Story: Ephesians 1 for Kids
Long ago, a man named Paul wrote a letter to the friends of Jesus who lived in the city of Ephesus. Paul was a missionary who traveled to many cities to tell people about Jesus. He loved these believers very much, and he wanted them to know how special they were to God.
Paul wrote that God had blessed his people with every good gift in Christ. God had chosen them before the world was even made. He wanted them to be holy and loved, and he made them his own children through Jesus. Paul said, “God gave us his favor freely in the One he loves.”
Paul also explained that Jesus paid for our wrongs with his own blood. Through Jesus, God forgave every wrong thing people had done. This forgiveness came from God’s great kindness, and it was not something anyone could earn.
Paul told the believers that God had sealed them with his Holy Spirit. The Spirit is like a promise that God will keep his word and bring his people home to him. Paul said that the Spirit is a pledge, a sign that God’s promises are true.
Paul kept praying for these friends. He asked God to give them wisdom and to open the eyes of their hearts, so they could understand how much God loves them. Paul wanted them to see the hope God gives and the great power that raised Jesus from the dead.
Paul ended by saying that God placed Jesus far above every power and name, and gave him to be the head of the church. The church is Christ’s body, and Jesus fills everything with his presence.
Read It Together
Ephesians 1:4-5
4 Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love; 5 having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire…
(WEB)
Point out the word “chose.” Explain that God picked his people out of love, not because they were perfect. Ask the children to say, “God chose me,” and let them know that God’s love for them began before they were born.
Ephesians 1:7
In whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace…
(WEB)
Show the children how forgiveness works, using a simple example like erasing a chalkboard. Explain that Jesus cleans away our wrongs through his love. Let them practice saying the word “forgiveness” together.
Ephesians 1:13-14
13 In him you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.
(WEB)
Talk about the Holy Spirit as a sign of God’s promise, like a special seal on a letter. Explain that the Spirit helps believers know they belong to God. Invite the children to name one way they can tell God is with them.
Talk About It
- What is one blessing you think God has given you, and how can you thank him for it?
- Why do you think God chose us before the world was made?
- How does it feel to know that Jesus forgives the wrong things we do?
- What would you like to ask God about his promises to his children?
- How can you show your friends that God loves them too?
Activity Ideas
Blessing Hearts Craft
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and scissors. Have each child trace and cut out a large heart, then write or draw one blessing God has given them on it. Encourage them to decorate their heart with bright colors. Hang the hearts in the classroom as a reminder of God’s gifts.
Chosen Team Game
Gather the children in a open space and explain that you are going to choose team members, just as God chose his people. Pick a child and say, “I choose you because I love you.” Let each child take a turn being chosen, and talk about how being picked out with love feels good. End by reminding them that God chose each of them first.
Forgiveness Jar at Home
You will need a clear jar, paper, and a pencil. Ask your child to write or draw something they feel sorry for on a small slip of paper, then fold it and place it in the jar. Explain that when we ask Jesus for forgiveness, he takes these wrongs away. Read a verse together and then tear up the papers together to show that God’s forgiveness is complete.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Ephesians 1 reminds us that every believer’s salvation rests on God’s gracious choice and his work through Christ, not on human merit. The chapter also shows that the Holy Spirit seals and guarantees our inheritance, giving believers assurance that God will finish what he has begun. Paul’s prayer for wisdom and understanding reminds us to keep asking God to help us grow in knowing him.
When teaching children, avoid overstating how much a child can understand about predestination or the mechanics of God’s choosing. Instead, focus on the simple, certain truth that God loves them and has made them his own. Let the mystery remain in God’s hands, and keep the emphasis on his love and faithfulness.
A Prayer to Close
Dear Jesus, thank you for choosing us and loving us before the world began. Thank you for forgiving our wrongs and sealing us with your Holy Spirit. Help us remember every blessing you give us, and help us share your love with our friends and family. Amen.
