Beatitudes Sunday School Lesson

Beatitudes Sunday School Lesson
Here is our FREE Beatitudes Sunday School Lesson! By the end of this lesson, kids will learn what the beatitudes are and how the beatitudes can tell us how to live a blessed, godly life. This lesson is great for every Children's Ministry, Kids Church, and Sunday School! In his first sermon, called the Beatitudes, Jesus promised eight things to those who live a humble, obedient life. The name “Beatitude” comes from the Latin phrase for being blessed. Each Beatitude is a statement about being blessed. People who are humble are blessed. People who mourn are blessed. People who are persecuted are blessed. The word doesn’t have anything to do with our modern word “attitude,” but it’s a happy coincidence the words are so similar. The Beatitudes teach us how to have a new attitude, one that will honor God and be a blessing to others. When we choose to “be” these “attitudes,” God will bless us just as he promised. And, if you like this lesson we have over 100 more free Sunday School Lessons for Kids! Take a look at our Surfs Up 10-Week Children's Ministry Curriculum.

Triumphal Entry Sunday School Lesson for Kids:

BOTTOM LINE:

The Beatitudes tell us how we can live a blessed, godly life.

OBJECTIVE:

Kids will learn what the Beatitudes are.

KEY PASSAGE:

Matthew 5:1-12, Beatitudes

MEMORY VERSE:

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

SUMMARY:

In his first sermon, called the Beatitudes, Jesus promised eight things to those who live a humble, obedient life.

SIMPLE PRAYER:

Dear God,

Help us to learn to live the Beatitudes.

In Jesusname,

Amen

 

MEMORY VERSE

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

Be kind and tender to one another. Forgive one another, just as God forgave you because of what Christ has done.Ephesians 4:32 (NIrV)

LARGE GROUP:

Put the verse on the big screen and read it aloud with the kids.

SMALL GROUP:

Ask the kids what they think the writer was trying to say when he wrote these words. Then ask them how this verse is connected to todays story.

 

SKIT

MEET THE BEATI-DUDES

ITEMS NEEDED:

Surfer costumes

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:

2M

CHARACTERS:

Kyle and Maverick - The Beati-dudes

Kyle and Maverick enter.

KYLE: Whats up party people?

MAVERICK: Time for a surf party!

KYLE: Whats up, guys? My names Kyle.

MAVERICK: And my names Maverick!

KYLE: Thats his real name! No joke!

MAVERICK: And we are

KYLE/MAVERICK: The Beati-dudes!

KYLE: Were gonna be rockinthe beach with you guys all summer long, and while we do, were going to be talking about the most awesome, the most bodacious message Jesus ever taught us.

MAVERICK: It was the first message Jesus ever taught, and its called the Beatitudes.

KYLE: Do you get it? Do you get why we are the Beati-dudes?

MAVERICK: Because we totally wanna live our lives like that!

KYLE: You know a lot of people say if you wanna have a good life, you gotta be the best!

MAVERICK: You gotta go for the gold!

KYLE: You gotta grab the brass ring!

MAVERICK: But Jesus said, Yo, dudes, that aint my way!

KYLE: Dude, I dont think he said dude.

MAVERICK: He would have if the word had been invented.

KYLE: Youre probably right.

MAVERICK: Jesus gave us the Beatitudes to show us that real blessings come from putting other people first.

KYLE: Thats right. God wants us to be humble, kind, forgiving, and merciful.

MAVERICK: He wants us to think of God and others before we think of ourselves.

KYLE: And if we do all that, hes gonna unload a whole wave of blessings on us!

MAVERICK: Its not easy following the Beatitudes. It means you gotta help other people instead of yourselves. It means when someone picks on you, you cant pick back. Thats hard stuff, dude.

KYLE: But I think youll agree, its the right way to be.

MAVERICK: And the right thing to do.

KYLE: The Beatitudes are gonna give you a new attitude. And when you choose to use those attitudes, youre gonna make God happy and everyone you meet.

MAVERICK: So hang loose.

KYLE: Grab your boards and your Bibles.

MAVERICK: And get ready for the most righteous summer of your lives!

KYLE/MAVERICK: Later, dudes!!

Kyle and Maverick run off stage.

OBJECT LESSON

ITEMS NEEDED:

A cereal box with a free toy inside

How many of you have convinced your Mom and Dad to buy you a box of cereal like this? You could have gone for the regular box of cereal, the brand you always get and the one you love the most. But what made you want to persuade them to buy this one instead?

Three words: Free. Toy. Inside.

This cereal box has a promise. If you buy this cereal, youre going to get a prize. It could be one of several prizes, but make no mistake: buying this cereal will get you a prize.

The Beatitudes come with a prize of their own. They promise us the blessings that God has reserved for those who follow him. It may not mean earthly riches and treasures, and theres certainly no free toy in the Beatitudes, but they are blessings that will last for eternity.

This summer, make a commitment to learn the Beatitudes. Learn what they are, and learn how to live them out in your life. God will bless you richly for your obedience - and Im not talking about a crummy free cereal toy!

 

LARGE GROUP GAME

DUCK POND

ITEMS NEEDED:

A small tub of water

A number of rubber ducks

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mark one duck with the word WINon the bottom. Set all the ducks afloat in the water. Choose four kids to come up on stage. Each one will take a turn trying to find the duck that says, Win.The kid who finds the word WIN gets a prize.

VARIATION:

Instead of just giving prizes to individual kids, make it a team competition. Each kid gets one chance to pull a duck from the water. Players from each team will take turns pulling a duck. The first team to pull the WIN duck wins.

WHATS THE POINT?

If we follow the Beatitudes, we will be blessed.

 

LARGE GROUP LESSON

BOTTOM LINE:

The Beatitudes tell us how we can live a blessed, godly life.

OBJECTIVE:

Kids will learn what the Beatitudes are.

KEY PASSAGE:

Matthew 5:1-12, Beatitudes

INTRO:

Its summer time and millions of people are headed for the beach. Some are planning to sit in the sand, relax, and get a tan. Some will be taking buckets and shovels and building sandcastles on the shore. Some will venture out into the shallow water to swim. Some will put on gear and go snorkeling. And a few brave souls will take to the deep waters, surfboard in tow, for some real excitement.

Summer at the beach means surfing. For those who surf, it means trusting in your skills and your board to help you navigate waves that may go up over your head. Those who brave the waves know they can never be too proud, or else that wave will smack them down. You have to respect the wave. You have to fear the power of the ocean. If you humble yourself, you will be in for the ride of your life.

This summer, were going to look at a passage of Scripture that has a similar message for us. Its the first message Jesus ever preached, and its a message that comes with a promise. If you follow my words, you will be blessed!

Everyone wants to be blessed. We want to be blessed with money, with fame, with power, and with importance. The world teaches us that to get these things, we have to fight for them. We have to put ourselves first and step on others. We have to go for the gold, and we cant let anyone or anything get in our way. As Daddy Warbucks once said, You dont have to be nice to the people you meet on the way up if you dont plan on coming back down again!

Many people in Jesustime thought the same way. When Jesus taught the Beatitudes, he turned their understanding and our understanding of what it means to be blessed upside down!

READ MATTHEW 5:1-12

MAIN POINT:

I can only imagine the reaction of some people when they heard this message. What is this, opposite day? How can the humble inherit the Earth? How can people who are suffering be blessed? And how can anyone call it a blessing when people hurt you or put you down for what you believe?

The world thinks you need to be bold and tough to get ahead. You have to be ruthless. You have to claw and fight your way for everything you can get. You cant have mercy. You cant be humble. You have to win, win, win!

Jesus turns our definition of success upside down. He says blessings belong to those who put others first. People who are humble will receive an inheritance. And people who suffer for the name of Jesus are eternally blessed.

The Beatitudes are a new attitude. They are a new way of looking at the world. If we live by the Beatitudes, we will be blessed!

DRIVE IT HOME:

The name Beatitudecomes from the Latin phrase for being blessed. Each Beatitude is a statement about being blessed. People who are humble are blessed. People who mourn are blessed. People who are persecuted are blessed.

The word doesnt have anything to do with our modern word attitude,but its a happy coincidence the words are so similar. The Beatitudes teach us how to have a new attitude, one that will honor God and be a blessing to others. When we choose to bethese attitudes,God will bless us just as he promised.

Just as the attitudes are not worldly attitudes, the blessings Jesus promises are not worldly either. Jesus is referring to blessings that dont add up in a bank account. What price can you put on comfort? Or peace? And what price can you put on the Kingdom of Heaven?

The Beatitudes are our guide to living a life that pleases God. They show us how we can set ourselves apart by loving others and honoring Christ. If we live out the Beatitudes, we will not only be blessed, but we will share those blessings with others.

This summer, make a commitment to be here. Make a commitment to learn the Beatitudes. Make a commitment to have a new attitude for the next school year. Choose a life of godliness, and God will bless you greatly!

CLOSE WITH A SIMPLE PRAYER:

Dear God,

Help us to learn to live the Beatitudes.

In Jesusname,

Amen

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (K-2ND)

ICEBREAKER:

Have you ever been in the ocean?

MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY:

Ephesians 4:32

Ask the kids what they think the writer was trying to say when he wrote these words. Then ask them how this verse is connected to todays story.

SMALL GROUP GAME/ACTIVITY:

Kick summer off with a little beach party. Play some Beach Boys or Wipe Out and see who has the best dance moves.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Read Matthew 5:1-12

Who gave us the Beatitudes?

What are some of the Beatitudes?

Can a person receive these blessings by putting themselves first? Why or why not?

How do we get these blessings?

If someone asked you, how would you describe the Beatitudes? What are they?

SIMPLE PRAYER:

Dear God,

Teach us the Beatitudes so we can be blessed.

In Jesusname,

Amen

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (3RD-5TH)

ICEBREAKER:

Have you ever been in the ocean?

MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY:

Ephesians 4:32

Ask the kids what they think the writer was trying to say when he wrote these words. Then ask them how this verse is connected to todays story.

SMALL GROUP GAME/ACTIVITY:

Kick summer off with a little beach party. Play some Beach Boys or Wipe Out and see who has the best dance moves.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Read Matthew 5:1-12

Who gave us the Beatitudes?

What are some of the Beatitudes?

Can a person receive these blessings by putting themselves first? Why or why not?

How do we get these blessings?

If someone asked you, how would you describe the Beatitudes? What are they?

SIMPLE PRAYER:

Dear God,

Teach us the Beatitudes so we can be blessed.

In Jesus name,

Amen 

For your convenience, you can also download the entire PDF version of this Beatitudes Children's Ministry Lesson (just click the link). 

Here's a video from The Holy Tales that you might find helpful to go along with your Sunday School Lesson on the Beatitudes.

Take a look at the links below for other ideas for teaching a Beatitudes Sunday School Lesson: 

Beatitudes Lessons for Kids (Matthew 5:1-12) - Ministry-To-Children

Bible Lesson Plan - Sermon on the Mount (Beatitudes) - DLTK-Bible

The Beatitudes: Sunday School Lesson and Commentary 

The Beatitudes: Sunday School Lesson and Commentary