This lesson teaches children that Jesus welcomes humble hearts, cares for every child who belongs to him, and asks us to forgive others the way God forgives us. It suits children aged 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including the story, the verses, and the activity.
Big Idea
God loves every child very much, and because he has forgiven us, we can forgive our friends and family too. Being great in God’s family means being humble and kind, not being the most important.
Memory Verse
Matthew 18:4
Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
(WEB)
Teach the children to cup both hands together, then slowly lower them as they say the verse, showing how humbling yourself means becoming small and gentle. Repeat it three times with the motion, then try it once with eyes closed.
The Story: Matthew 18 for Kids
One day the disciples came to Jesus and asked him a question. They wanted to know who would be the greatest in God’s kingdom. They thought it might be the one who was the strongest or the most important. Jesus had a surprising answer for them.
Jesus called a little child over to stand in the middle of the group. The child may have been shy, but Jesus wanted everyone to look at him. Then Jesus told the disciples that they must become like little children if they wanted to enter God’s kingdom. He said that the person who is humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom.
Jesus also told a story about a sheep. A shepherd had one hundred sheep, and one of them wandered away. The shepherd left the other ninety-nine and went looking for the lost one. When he found it, he was so happy. Jesus said that God is like that shepherd, and he does not want even one of his little ones to be lost.
Then Peter asked Jesus a question about forgiveness. He wondered how many times he had to forgive someone who hurt him. Maybe seven times was enough? Jesus said that we should forgive many more times than that, not just seven, but seventy times seven.
Jesus told a story about a servant who owed his king a huge amount of money. The king felt sorry for him and forgave the whole debt. But that same servant then found a friend who owed him a small amount, and he would not forgive him. He threw his friend into prison. When the king heard about it, he was very upset. He said, “You should have forgiven your friend, just as I forgave you.”
Jesus ended by saying that God wants us to forgive each other from our hearts, just as he has forgiven us.
Read It Together
Matthew 18:12-13
12 “What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray? 13 If he finds it, most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.
(WEB)
Point out that the shepherd does not give up on the one lost sheep. Ask the children to notice how happy the shepherd is when he finds it, and remind them that God is like that shepherd, glad when we come back to him.
Matthew 18:21-22
21 Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.
(WEB)
Help the children see that Peter asked a fair question, but Jesus answered with a much bigger number than Peter expected. Explain that Jesus is teaching us that forgiveness should not be counted or limited.
Matthew 18:32-33
32 Then his lord called him in, and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me. 33 Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’
(WEB)
Ask the children to listen for the king’s question to the servant. Point out that the king expects the servant to show mercy, because the king had already shown mercy to him first.
Talk About It
- What do you think it means to be humble like a little child?
- How do you feel when someone says sorry to you and means it?
- Why do you think the shepherd went looking for just one lost sheep?
- What is something that makes it hard to forgive a friend?
- How can we remember that God has forgiven us when we need to forgive someone else?
Activity Ideas
Lost Sheep Craft
You will need cotton balls, paper plates, glue, and markers. Have each child glue cotton balls onto a paper plate to make a sheep, then draw a face and a small shepherd’s crook on the side. Ask them to make one sheep sitting apart from the rest, and talk about how the shepherd searched for it. Let them take it home as a reminder that God always looks for us.
Shepherd Hide and Seek
You will need a few small toys or stuffed animals and a room you can safely use. Hide the toys around the room while one child waits outside, then call them back in to find the missing ones. Each time they find one, cheer loudly and say, “Just like the shepherd, we never give up on the lost!” Let every child take a turn being the shepherd.
Forgiveness Jar at Home
You will need an empty jar, paper, and a pencil. Ask each family member to write down something they forgive someone else for, fold the paper, and place it in the jar. Read a few notes together at dinner and pray that God helps everyone forgive from the heart. Keep the jar in the kitchen as a gentle, ongoing reminder of this week’s lesson.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that greatness in God’s kingdom looks like humility, care for the vulnerable, and a willingness to pursue those who wander off. It also teaches that forgiveness is not optional for those who have received God’s mercy, because the forgiveness we extend flows from the forgiveness we have been given.
With children, avoid overstating the warnings about stumbling and the strong images of cutting off hands or plucking out eyes. Jesus used these as vivid exaggerations to show how seriously sin should be taken, and children can easily become frightened by them. Focus instead on God’s love, his care for the little ones, and his call to forgive.
A Prayer to Close
Father, thank you for loving us and for caring for every child who belongs to you. Help us to be humble and kind, like the little child Jesus held up for everyone to see. Teach us to forgive our friends and family, just as you have forgiven us. Keep us close to you always. Amen.
