Beatitudes Sunday School Lesson
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 Jesus’ name,
Amen
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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 today’s story.
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SKIT
MEET THE BEATI-DUDES
ITEMS NEEDED:
Surfer costumes
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:
2M
CHARACTERS:
Kyle and Maverick - The Beati-dudes
Kyle and Maverick enter.
KYLE: What’s up party people?
MAVERICK: Time for a surf party!
KYLE: What’s up, guys? My name’s Kyle.
MAVERICK: And my name’s Maverick!
KYLE: That’s his real name! No joke!
MAVERICK: And we are…
KYLE/MAVERICK: The Beati-dudes!
KYLE: We’re gonna be rockin’ the beach with you guys all summer long, and while we do, we’re 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 it’s 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 ain’t my way!’
KYLE: Dude, I don’t think he said dude.
MAVERICK: He would have if the word had been invented.
KYLE: You’re probably right.
MAVERICK: Jesus gave us the Beatitudes to show us that real blessings come from putting other people first.
KYLE: That’s 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, he’s gonna unload a whole wave of blessings on us!
MAVERICK: It’s not easy following the Beatitudes. It means you gotta help other people instead of yourselves. It means when someone picks on you, you can’t pick back. That’s hard stuff, dude.
KYLE: But I think you’ll agree, it’s 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, you’re 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, you’re 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 there’s 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 I’m not talking about a crummy free cereal toy!
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LARGE GROUP GAME
DUCK POND
ITEMS NEEDED:
A small tub of water
A number of rubber ducks
INSTRUCTIONS:
Mark one duck with the word “WIN” on 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.
WHAT’S THE POINT?
If we follow the Beatitudes, we will be blessed.
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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:
It’s 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, we’re going to look at a passage of Scripture that has a similar message for us. It’s the first message Jesus ever preached, and it’s 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 can’t let anyone or anything get in our way. As Daddy Warbucks once said, “You don’t have to be nice to the people you meet on the way up if you don’t plan on coming back down again!”
Many people in Jesus’ time 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 can’t have mercy. You can’t 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 “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.
Just as the attitudes are not worldly attitudes, the blessings Jesus promises are not worldly either. Jesus is referring to blessings that don’t 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 Jesus’ name,
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 today’s 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
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 today’s 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,
AmenÂ
For your convenience, you can also download the entire PDF version of this Beatitudes Children's Ministry Lesson (just click the link).Â
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:Â
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 CommentaryÂ
The Beatitudes: Sunday School Lesson and Commentary
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