This lesson teaches children that God wants us to be honest when we do something wrong, and that He provides a way to make things right. It works well for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including the activities.
Big Idea
When we do wrong, we can be honest about it, and God gives us a way to make things right with Him.
Memory Verse
Leviticus 5:5
It shall be, when he is guilty of one of these, he shall confess that in which he has sinned…
(WEB)
Have children stand up and hold both hands out in front of them, palms up, like they are carrying something heavy. Then they slowly bring their hands down and tap their chest twice. As they say the verse, they can show that they are owning up to what they did.
The Story: Leviticus 5 for Kids
God gave His people a set of rules to help them live well together and to stay close to Him. Some of these rules were about what to do when someone did something wrong. Sometimes a person did wrong without even realizing it. Other times they knew about a wrong thing but kept quiet about it.
Moses was the leader who passed on God’s words to the people. God told Moses that if a person heard someone asking for information about a wrong thing and didn’t speak up, that person had done wrong too. Think about a friend who sees a classmate break a toy and says nothing. God wanted His people to be honest and speak up when they knew the truth.
The people also learned that some things made a person unclean, like touching certain animals or things that were not allowed. A person might not even know they had touched something unclean. But when they found out, God said they needed to deal with it and bring an offering. God told them to bring a lamb or a goat, or if they were poor, two small birds, or even a little flour. This was a way to show that they were sorry and wanted to come back to God.
The priest played an important part. He took the offering, and he made things right for the person before God. The people were not alone in their mistakes, and God was ready to forgive them. They learned that God cares about every person, rich or poor, and that anyone could bring an offering.
God said the rules were about being honest and taking responsibility for mistakes. The people were told to confess what they had done wrong. Confessing means saying out loud what we did, instead of hiding it or pretending it didn’t happen.
In the end, God showed His people that He wants them to be truthful and to come back to Him when they mess up. He wants them to know that forgiveness is possible, and that He loves to give it.
Read It Together
Leviticus 5:6
And he shall bring his trespass offering to the LORD for his sin which he has sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin.
(WEB)
Show children that after confessing, the person brought an offering to the Lord, and the priest made things right. Explain that this shows God’s way of making things right after we have done wrong.
Leviticus 5:10
He shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the ordinance; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin which he has sinned, and he shall be forgiven.
(WEB)
Point out the word forgiven at the end of this verse. Remind children that God wants to forgive His people when they come to Him honestly and sincerely.
Talk About It
- What is one thing you could do if you saw someone do something wrong and needed to tell the truth?
- Why do you think God wanted the people to speak up when they knew something was wrong?
- How did God make a way for even poor people to bring an offering?
- What does it feel like to tell the truth about something you did wrong?
- How can you show God that you are sorry when you have made a mistake?
Activity Ideas
Honest Hearts Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and scissors. Ask each child to draw a big heart on their paper and cut it out. Inside the heart, they can write or draw one thing they could be honest about this week. Let them take the heart home and put it somewhere they will see it every day as a reminder.
Confess and Carry Game
You will need a small bag of dry beans or a soft ball. Have children stand in a circle. Pass the bag around while the music plays, and when the music stops, the child holding the bag names one kind thing they could do to be honest. Then they pass it on again. This game helps children practice owning up to things in a fun way.
Family Honesty Jar
You will need an empty jar, paper slips, and a pen. Place the jar in a common spot at home. Whenever a family member tells the truth about something they did, they write it on a slip, fold it, and drop it in the jar. At the end of the week, read a few of the notes together and thank God for helping everyone be honest.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God takes sin seriously, and that He also provides a way for people to be forgiven. The offerings pointed toward the need for a sacrifice to make things right, and Christians see that need fulfilled in Jesus. The passage also shows that God cares about honesty, including the honesty of people who wronged something without meaning to.
Be careful not to overstate the details of the sacrifices to children, since the rules about offerings are very specific to ancient Israel. Focus on the simple truth that God wants us to be honest and that He forgives us when we come to Him sincerely.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You that You always want us to be honest with You. Help us to tell the truth when we do wrong, and help us to say sorry. Thank You that You forgive us and make things right. Help us to trust You every day. Amen.
