Memory Verse: “Ask and it will be given to
you, seek and you will find.” (Matthew 7:7)
Key Facts
Author: Mathew, one of Jesus’
disciples.
Purpose: Matthew shows that Jesus is the
Messiah promised in Old Testament.
Time: 6 B.C. and A.D.30
Location:
Important
People: Jesus
Lesson #1: The Beatitudes.
Matthew 5:3-10
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will
be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit
the earth.
Blessed
are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be
shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they
will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will
be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted
because of righteousness, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.”
1.
Take
each line; help the kids to define it; provide examples; discuss the outcome of
each when we apply it to our lives.
Ex: Who
are the “poor in spirit”? Answer – those who are humble. Discuss what “humble” is and how we can apply
it. If God gives us a talent, we do not
want to tell others how great we are.
Let your talent speak for itself.
Summary: Pray that God will stamp these
lessons in our hearts.
Lesson #2: Love your enemies.
Matthew 5:43-48
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love
your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But
I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you
may be sons of your Father in haven. He
causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the
righteous and the unrighteous. If you
love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are
you doing more than others? Do not even
pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore,
as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Questions:
1.
Who
are your enemies? (allow the kids to talk about people they struggle with in
their lives)
2.
Why
is it hard to love your enemy? (talk about the difference in the emotions of
hate and love)
3.
How
can we love our enemies? (provide concrete examples for the kids: pray for
them, be nice even when you do not feel like it, be polite)
4.
Why
is it not enough just to love those who love us? (believers and non-believers
to this; Christians are called to be different)
5.
Be
perfect. Can we ever achieve this? (No – but we are called to try out best to
be Christ-like).
Summary: This may be the most difficult
thing that we are asked to do as Christians. Everyone struggles with this –
even adults. Ask kids to pray for someone that they are struggling with.
Lesson #3: Golden Rule. Matthew
7:7-12
“Ask and it will be
given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to
you. For everyone who asks receives; he
who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which of you, if his son asks for bread,
will give him a stone? Or if he asks for
a fish, will give him a snake? If you
then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much
more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would
have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
Questions:
1.
Verse
7 talks about the promise. Verse 8 talks about the results. Spend some time talking about what we should
ask for (provide examples of good requests vs. selfish requests).
2.
Get
responses from kids on what their reaction would be if their parent gave them a
stone for food. Discuss God’s love and
work as provider.
3.
What
gifts has God given each child? (let them go around and think about what
talents each has)
4.
Read
verse 12 – the Golden Rule. Spend time
discussing what it means and how the kids can apply it to their lives.
Summary: God is waiting for us to ask
for his help and his blessings.
Lesson #4: Parable of the Talents. Matthew 25:14-30
“Again, it will be like a man going on a
journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another
two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents
went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained
two more. But the man who had received
the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s
money.
After a long time the master of those
servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents
brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he
said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents.
See, I have gained five more.’
‘His master replied, ‘Well done, good and
faithful servant! You have been faithful
with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
The man with the two talents also came,
‘Master,’ he said, ’you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two
more,’
His
master replied, ’Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful
with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
‘Then the man who had received the one
talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting
where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your
talent in the ground. See, here is hat
belongs to you.’
‘His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy
servant! So you knew that I harvest
where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on
deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back
with interest.
Take the talent from him and give it to
the one who has the ten talents. For
everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will
be taken from him. And throw that
worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and
gnashing of teeth.’”
Questions:
1.
Review
what “talents” are. Talk about your own
talents and let the kids talk about their talents.
2.
Read
about servant #1 (vs. 19). He doubled the talents given to him. What was the response of the master? (vs. 21).
3.
Read
about servant #2 (vs. 22). He doubled
his talents. What was the response of
the master? (vs. 23).
4.
Read
about servant #3 (vs. 24). What was his master’s response? (v. 26-28).
5.
How
can we develop the talents God has given each child? Let each child talk about how they can
develop their talents and use them for God’s purpose.
Summary: Acknowledge the talents God has
given you as gifts from God and develop them for his purpose.
Lesson #5: The Resurrection. Matthew 28:1-10
“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first
day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an
angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the
stone and sat on it. His appearance was
like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they
shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be
afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he
said. Come and see the place where he
lay. Then go quickly and tell his
disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into
So the women hurried away from the tomb,
afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. ‘Greetings,’ he
said. They came to him, clasped his feet
and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to
them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to
Questions:
1.
Review
the events leading up to the resurrection (crucifixion, death, burial in the
tomb). Talk about what the resurrection was and why it is the core of
Christianity.
2.
Read
vs. 3. Why do you think his clothes were
“white as snow”? (symbol of purity)
3.
Who
discovered that Jesus had risen from the dead (Mary Magdalene and another Mary;
vs. 1).
4.
What
was their reaction to seeing Jesus alive? (vs. 5 – they were afraid). How would
you have reacted?
5.
Discuss
the implications of the resurrection.
·
Jesus
is in heaven.
·
Jesus
can live in our hearts.
·
Allows
the Holy Spirit to dwell in us.
·
Allows
for a relationship with the living Jesus.
·
Jesus
is our direct-link to God – no longer do we need a mediator to talk to God.
6.
Talk to the kids about accepting Jesus into their hearts.
Summary: Thank the Lord that he now can
live in our hearts and walk with us through the challenges that we face
everyday.
