Luke 16 teaches children that God cares about faithfulness in small things and that they cannot serve God and money at the same time. This lesson suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach, including the story, the discussion, and one activity.
Big Idea
God notices how we handle the small things we are given, and we can trust Him to care for us when we choose Him over money.
Memory Verse
Luke 16:10
He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much. He who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.
(WEB)
Hold your hands out in front of you, cupped like you are holding something small. Then open them wide and say the verse together. Each time you say “little,” lift your cupped hands a little higher, and each time you say “much,” stretch your arms out wide.
The Story: Luke 16 for Kids
Jesus told his friends a story about a rich man who had a helper to take care of all his money and fields. One day the rich man heard that his helper was wasting his things. He called the helper in and said, “Show me what you have done, because you cannot be my helper anymore.”
The helper began to worry. He thought, “I am too weak to dig and I am too ashamed to beg. What will I do?” Then he had an idea. He called the people who owed his master money. To the first man he said, “Write down that you only owe half.” To the second man he said, “Write down that you owe a little less.”
When the rich man saw what his helper had done, he praised him for being clever. Jesus said that people in the world are often very smart about getting what they want. But then Jesus said something important. He said that if we are faithful with small things, God will trust us with bigger things, and that we cannot serve both God and money.
Later, Jesus told a story about a rich man who wore fine clothes and ate big dinners every day. At his gate sat a poor beggar named Lazarus, who was covered in sores and hungry. Lazarus had nothing, but the rich man did not help him. Then both men died. Lazarus was carried to a place of comfort next to Father Abraham, but the rich man was in torment.
The rich man cried out to Abraham, “Please send Lazarus to give me a little water!” Abraham gently answered that the rich man had received good things in his life while Lazarus had suffered, and that there was a great gap between them now. Jesus showed that taking care of people who are poor matters to God.
Read It Together
Luke 16:13
No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You aren’t able to serve God and Mammon.”
(WEB)
Point out the word “no servant” and ask children to name things that try to pull their hearts away from God. Explain that serving God means letting Him be the one we love most and listen to most.
Luke 16:19-21
19 “Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. 20 A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was taken to his gate, full of sores, 21 and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
(WEB)
Show children how the rich man and Lazarus are described. Point out that the rich man could see Lazarus at his gate every day. Talk about how we can notice and help people who are sad, hungry, or left out.
Luke 16:31
“He said to him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.’”
(WEB)
Explain that God has already spoken to us through His Word, the Bible. Encourage children that listening to God’s words, and not waiting for something spectacular, is how we grow close to Him.
Talk About It
- What is one small thing God has given you that you can take good care of this week?
- How can you show that you love God more than any toy, game, or money?
- Why do you think the rich man did not help Lazarus when he was sitting right outside his door?
- What is one way you could be kind to someone who has less than you?
- When you read the Bible, what helps you remember what God wants you to do?
Activity Ideas
Coin Jar Craft
You will need an empty jar, paper, markers, and a few coins. Let children decorate the jar with the words “Faithful with little” and a drawing of a heart. Explain that the coins are small gifts, and when they put even a little in the jar for someone in need, they are being faithful with what God has given them. Talk about where the money could go, like a food pantry or a church mission.
Cup and Bean Game
You will need a bowl of dried beans, a few paper cups, and a bucket or box. Set the cups in a row and have children try to move beans from one cup to another with a spoon, one bean at a time. Each time they move a bean carefully, cheer for faithfulness. Explain that doing small things well prepares us for bigger things God wants us to do.
Take-Home Faithfulness Card
You will need index cards, crayons, and a pen. Ask each child to draw one small job they can do faithfully at home this week, like making their bed or feeding a pet. Write the job on the card along with the verse. Encourage them to bring the card back and share how it went, and celebrate every little act of faithfulness they describe.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter is a serious warning about how we use money. Jesus shows that how we treat small amounts and how we treat the people around us reveals what we truly love. The story of the rich man and Lazarus reminds us that God sees the needs of the poor and holds us responsible for responding with compassion.
Avoid suggesting to children that being faithful guarantees they will get rich or that obeying God means they will always be rewarded with things. Keep the focus on loving God, caring for others, and trusting Him with what we have, not on earning blessings through good behavior.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you for giving us little things and big things every day. Help us be faithful with what you give us, and help us love you more than anything else. Show us who needs our kindness, and make our hearts ready to help. We trust you to take care of us. Amen.
