FREE Labor Day Sunday School Lesson that you can use at your church this Labor Day weekend.  Labor Day is always on a Monday so it makes for a great opportunity to use this lesson the Sunday before. Labor Day gives you a great chance to teach kids the importance of both working and resting. This lesson will help you teach all of the kids in your Sunday School that work isn't always easy or fun, but we should still do it with a good attitude. Take advantage of this FREE Labor Day Sunday School lesson and use it in your Kids Church, Children's Ministry, or Sunday School this Labor Day weekend. 

Labor Day Sunday School Lesson For Kids:

BOTTOM LINE: 

We need to do all work as if working for the Lord 

OBJECTIVE: 

Kids will learn why we need to do work as if we were working for God. 

KEY PASSAGE:  

Colossians 3:23-24, Work for the Lord. 

MEMORY VERSE: 

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” - Colossians 3:23 (NIV)

“Work at everything you do with all your heart. Work as if you were working for the Lord, not for human masters.” - Colossians 3:23 (NIrV)

SUMMARY: 

Work isn’t always easy, but it doesn’t have to be a drag. God wants us to work as if we are working for him. Work can be a chance to praise God with our actions and share the good news of Jesus with others. 

OBJECT LESSON:

Five Dollar Bill 

Who wants to make five bucks today? 
 
I want to do a little test to see what five bucks means to you. How many of you would...
 
Make your bed for five bucks? 
 
Clean your room for five bucks? 
 
Vacuum the whole house for five bucks? 
 
Cut the grass for five bucks? 
 
Vacuum the whole church for five bucks? 
 
Seems like everyone would clean their room for five dollars, but fewer of you would do a larger job for the same amount. We'd all like to make a bunch of money for doing very little, but the reality is most of the time we do a lot for very little - if anything at all. Work is exciting when there are big dollars attached, but it's downright dreadful when you don't get anything out of it. 
 
No matter what you get or don't get for your work, it's important that we do all work as if we were working for the Lord. Jesus has already given us far more than we could ever earn - forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Working for the Lord is a small sacrifice compared to what Jesus gave for us. 

What's more, when we do work for the Lord, we have a tremendous opportunity to be a witness for Christ. When people see a child or an adult doing menial work with a smile, they notice the difference Christ can make in their lives. It's a great way to show people why they need Jesus without even saying a word. 

Work isn't always fun. It usually isn't. But it never has to be a chore. Remember what Jesus did for you and make your work a thank you gift for his amazing love.  

LARGE GROUP LESSON

INTRO
Imagine a world where nobody had to work. All those awful chores you have to do - cleaning your room, folding laundry, washing dishes - none of that would exist. What a dreamland that would be for kids!
 
It wouldn't be just a dreamland for you. You think your parents enjoy keeping the house clean? No way! They would no longer have to work either. Toilets wouldn't be scrubbed, clothes would never washed, and the lawn would never get cut. Actually, that doesn't sound so great, does it? All that dust and mess would pile up after a while, and it would make the house a difficult place to live.
 
Of course if this were truly a world without work, you wouldn't have a house either. Didn't think about that, did you? If no one had to work, there would be no houses built, no roads laid, no churches or schools built either. We'd be living out in the elements, guarding our stuff at all times because there would be no law enforcement to keep people from stealing your stuff!
 
Work is necessary. If there was no work, we'd have no food, no clothes, no homes, no schools, no churches, no movie theaters, no malls, no amusement parks - you get the idea. Work is how we make a living. It's how we provide for our families. And because of work, we can also spend money on things we need and things we enjoy.
 
Knowing all the benefits of work doesn't make it any easier or any more fun. Work can be tedious, dreary, hard, and worst of all - boring! But no matter what kind of work we do, God has specific instructions for Christians on how we are to do that work.

READ Colossians 3:23-24

MAIN POINT
One of the key reasons for work that I already mentioned is that work is how we make money. We give our time and effort, and the person we work for gives us something in exchange - money, insurance, retirement savings, and so on.
 
If you are a Christian, you have already received something far more valuable than money or insurance or even retirement. Jesus gave you forgiveness of sins. He also gave you eternal life. You could work every day, hour, and minute the rest of your life and never earn those two gifts. Jesus paid the price, and he gave it to you. When we work for the Lord, we show our gratitude for what Jesus did. We'll never be able to pay him back, but our cheerful effort can be a wonderful thank you gift back.
 
What's more, working for the Lord can also help us to share that gift with others. When co-workers see us smiling and joyful, they know there's something different in us. Working for the Lord shows others the difference Christ can make in a heart. It's not just a way of thanking God; it’s a way to invite others to have a relationship with Christ.

DRIVE IT HOME
This week we will all have opportunities to work for God. You will go to school and be given work. You will come home afternoon and find work to do. Some of you have work to do at practice for sports or music, and some may even have opportunities to make money. These are all great opportunities to apply what we’ve learned today and do our work for the Lord!
 
Whatever your workweek looks like, start praying now that God will give you a cheerful heart. Ask God to teach you how to work for him - to do your best without complaint, and to go the extra mile. Tell God you want your work to be a thank you for all he has done, and ask God to use you to share his gift with others.
 
Work isn't easy, but it doesn't have to be dreadful. Give your work to God. Work for him, and not just for people. Show God your gratitude, and let your joy be seen your actions!

CLOSE WITH A SIMPLE PRAYER
Dear God,

Forgive us for the times we have a bad attitude about work. Teach us to work as if we are working for you.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen

MEMORY VERSE: 

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” - Colossians 3:23 (NIV)

“Work at everything you do with all your heart. Work as if you were working for the Lord, not for human masters.” - Colossians 3:23 (NIrV)

LARGE GROUP MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY: 

Choose three kids from the audience. Have each one “sing” the memory verse in a different musical style - country, hip hop, oldies, opera, etc. 

SMALL GROUP MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY: 

Give all the kids a Bible.  Then after you read the verse, give them the reference and see who can find it first in their Bible.

LARGE GROUP GAME:

VACUUMAN

ITEMS NEEDED: 

Skittles

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Set two dozen Skittles on the floor in two parallel lines. The Skittles should be one or two feet apart from each other and go in two straight lines.

Choose two teams of two. One team member will be the vacuum. Their job is to move forward down the line of Skittles on their hands, picking them up one by one, as the second team member holds their feet up and propels them down the line. The first team to pick up all the Skittles is the winner.

VARIATION: 

Use fewer candies for the younger kids and space them closer together.

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (K-2ND)

ICEBREAKER:

What is your least favorite chore at home? 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

What kind of chores do you have to do at home? 

What other kinds of work do you do at school, practice, etc? 

Do you always enjoy work, or is work sometimes hard? 

Read Colossians 3:23-24

How does God want us to work? 

What can we do to give us a better attitude about work?

SIMPLE PRAYER:

Thank you for work, and the opportunities work gives us. Help us to do everything that we do for you. 

In Jesus’ name, 

Amen

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (3RD-5TH) 

ICEBREAKER:

What is your least favorite chore at home? 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

What kind of “work” do you do in a week at home, school, etc? 

What’s the one thing that usually causes you to have a bad attitude about work? 

Read Colossians 3:23-24

Why does God want us to work for Him? 

How can working for God be a witness to others? 

How can we improve our attitude about work?

SIMPLE PRAYER:

Dear God,

Thank you for work, and the opportunities work gives us. Help us to do everything that we do for you. 

In Jesus’ name, 

Amen

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

You can also find additional Labor Day Sunday School Lesson Ideas from these websites:

Labor Day Sunday School Lesson "Work" Bible Lesson for Kids

Labor Day Sunday School Lesson - Church House Collection

Quick Kids Sunday School Lesson: Labor Day

Labor Day Sunday School Lesson - Children's Ministry

Labor Day lesson for Sunday school or children's church. - Pinterest