Our FREE Pearl of Great Price Sunday School Lesson is here! Teach kids that Jesus is the greatest treasure we can possess. And by the end of this lesson, kids will state that Jesus is the greatest treasure they can ever possibly receive. This lesson is great for every Children's Ministry, Kids Church, and Sunday School!  If you take the top off of an Oreo you are left with a big white circle. That circle can remind us of the parable Jesus told about a big white pearl.  In that parable, Jesus shows us we should ask Jesus into our hearts, and make him our number one priority. God knows we can never pay the price for our sins, so he sent Jesus to pay the price for us. Now, all we have to do is believe in Jesus, and we can receive the greatest treasure in all the world! Is God going to ask you to give up some things? Sure he will. God wants to take away everything in our lives that keep us away from Him. But when we consider what God has given us, we will realize there is no price we could ever pay to equal that gift. God wants us to know that the kingdom of Heaven is worth any price we must pay. It’s worth more than money, more than popularity, more than power. God wants us to have the kingdom of Heaven. And he wants us all to be willing to do anything to receive it. Take a look at our Bible Cookies 6-Week Children's Ministry Curriculum. And, if you like this lesson we have over 100 more free Sunday School Lessons for Kids!

Noah Sunday School Lesson For Kids:

BOTTOM LINE:

Jesus is the greatest treasure we can possess.

OBJECTIVE:

Kids will state that Jesus is the greatest treasure they can possess.

KEY PASSAGE:

Matthew 13:45-46, The Parable of the Pearl

MEMORY VERSE:

“Apply your heart to what you are taught.  Listen carefully to words of knowledge.” Proverbs 23:12 (NIRV)

SUMMARY:

If you take the top off of an Oreo you are left with a big white circle. That circle can remind us of the parable Jesus told about a big white pearl.  In that parable, Jesus shows us we should ask Jesus into our hearts, and make him our number one priority.

SIMPLE PRAYER:

Dear God,

Thank you for giving us a way to get to Heaven.

In Jesus’name,

Amen

 

MEMORY VERSE

“Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.” Proverbs 23:12 (NIV)

“Apply your heart to what you are taught. Listen carefully to words of knowledge.” Proverbs 23:12 (NIRV)

LARGE GROUP:

Have the kids read the verse together. Read it normally, then in a whisper, then really, really loud!

SMALL GROUP:

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.

 

SKIT

 

IRRESISTIBLE OREOS

ITEMS NEEDED:

A camera, a tripod

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:

1M, 1W

CHARACTERS:

Chloe and Dale - Monster hunters

Dale sits on stage, setting up the camera on a tripod. Chloe runs on stage and crouches down beside him, behind the camera.

CHLOE: Are we set?

DALE: All set!

CHLOE: This is it, Dale! We’re really doing it! We are monster hunters!

DALE: You bet we are!

CHLOE: We’re going to catch them all!

DALE: The Pokemon?

CHLOE: No, Dale, the monsters! The monsters!

DALE: Oh, right, the monsters.

CHLOE: We’re gonna be the first to find Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, Ogo Pogo, Chupacabra!

DALE: Elvis!

CHLOE: But first, we’re going to find the most elusive one of them all – the Cookie Monster!

DALE: You think he’s really gonna take the bait?

CHLOE: Of course he is! Those are Oreo cookies out there, Dale!

DALE: True, true. No one can resist an Oreo, Dale.

CHLOE: No one!

DALE: With that white, creamy center, so perfectly round. Shaped just like a pearl.

CHLOE: Stop it, you’re making me hungry!

DALE: Yes, sir, that Oreo is just like the pearl of priceless value. When the man saw the pearl, he sold everything he had to get it.

CHLOE: He did?

DALE: Of course he did! Because nothing could compare to that pearl!

CHLOE: And nothing compares to an Oreo.

DALE: Or Jesus!

CHLOE: I should have eaten before we came. They look so good out there!

DALE: You know, Jesus could have told that same parable about an Oreo. When a hungry man saw the Oreo, with it’s two chocolate cookies and creamy white center, he—

CHLOE: I gotta have one!!

Chloe runs off stage.

DALE: Chloe! Look out! I see the—

Sound of a monster growling off stage. Chloe screams.

DALE: Wow! He really is real!

OBJECT LESSON

 

ITEMS NEEDED:

Oreos

Each week during this series, the object lesson will be about that week’s special cookie. If you like, you can let the kids enjoy the cookie of the week as a snack during or after your object lesson.

If you ask most people, the best part of a cupcake is the frosting on top. Ask most people what the best part of an ice cream sundae is, and they’ll tell you it’s the cherry on top. But the best part of an Oreo is not right on top! It’s right in the middle.

You can eat the best part of an Oreo first, and most people do, but you’ll have to do a little work. You need to carefully unscrew the top cookie from the creamy center, being careful not to break it. Then you can enjoy the creamy center all by itself.

Jesus told a parable about a pearl of priceless value. When a man saw the pearl, he gave away everything to have the one thing he wanted most.

I don’t think any of us would trade all we have for an Oreo, but the rich, creamy center with its white color and round shape can remind us what a treasure we have in Jesus. God wants all of us to have the gift of Heaven, and if we give our hearts to Jesus, we can have the pearl of priceless value.

Next time you open an Oreo, remember the gift that Jesus has offered us. Thank God for sending his son Jesus –and by all means, enjoy your cookie!

LARGE GROUP GAME

 

CREAM STICKS

ITEMS NEEDED:

Chopsticks

An Oreo

INSTRUCTIONS:

Choose one player for this game. Give them a plate with an Oreo on it and a pair of chopsticks. The player has 60 seconds to eat the cream out of the Oreo using only the chopsticks to touch the cookie. They cannot use their hands! If they can complete the challenge before time expires, they win a prize.

VARIATION:

Make this a two or three player race instead of a 60 second challenge.

WHAT’S THE POINT?

God wants us to pursue Jesus like the pearl of priceless treasure.

 

LARGE GROUP LESSON

BOTTOM LINE:

Make God your first priority.

OBJECTIVE:

Kids will state that Jesus is the greatest treasure they can possess.

KEY PASSAGE:

Matthew 13:45-46, The Parable of the Pearl

INTRO:

I don’t think there’s a kid in this country who doesn’t love a cookie. Kids learn to love cookies before they can even say the word, “cookie.” Cookies are a small treat that can be a dessert, a snack, or part of a bigger dessert. They come in all sizes and all varieties, from chocolate to sugar to oatmeal to sandwich cookies. Cookies may vary but they all have a few things in common: they are small, they are sweet, and they are full of good stuff!

That same definition can be applied to the stories Jesus taught in the Gospels. Jesus didn’t give sermons like you’re used to hearing in church. When he taught people about following God, he told them stories called parables. Parables are stories that rarely, if ever, actually mention God, but within these short and sweet stories is a whole lot of goodness that can make us better Christians and better people.

For the next six weeks, we’ll be studying six of Jesus’most famous parables. Each one of these stories is short, each one has a sweet message, and each one is full of truth to help us grow in our faith.

Today’s theme is Oreos, one of the most popular cookies in the world. Oreos come in a number of varieties, but nothing beats the original: two chocolate cookies sandwiched together around a sweet, white, creamy center. There’s no wrong way to eat an Oreo, but most people prefer to unscrew the top of the cookie and eat the round, creamy center first.

The creamy center of an Oreo, round and white, resembles a pearl. Pearls are highly prized around the world and can be quite valuable - far more valuable than a simple Oreo. Today’s parable is about a pearl, and that pearl represents something far more valuable than any cookie or any pearl.

READ MATTHEW 13:45-46

MAIN POINT:

The man in this story found a pearl that he wanted so badly, he gave up everything else he had to acquire that pearl. If we’re to take the story literally, this man sold his house, his clothes, his business, everything he had, all so he could get his hands on that pearl.

I can’t imagine anyone giving up everything they had for a pearl, much less an Oreo, but Jesus isn’t talking about gemstones. He’s talking about himself.

Jesus is the pearl. He is the gateway to receive the kingdom of Heaven. Jesus wants us all to go to Heaven, and if we give our hearts to Jesus, we will have him and Heaven too. Jesus already paid the price for our sins. It’s up to us to receive it!  

DRIVE IT HOME:

The parable of the pearl could easily sum up the message of the entire Bible. The Bible teaches us that there is a God who loves us and wants us to love him back. It tells us that we were separated from God by sin. It also tells us that Jesus came to die for our sins so he could be our Savior.

The Bible also tells us that there is nothing we can do on our own to have our sins forgiven. We can give everything we have away to the poor. We could go to church every week. We could pray every day and do good deeds. Even that would not be enough.

God knows we can never pay the price for our sins, so he sent Jesus to pay the price for us. Now all we have to do is believe in Jesus, and we can receive the greatest treasure in all the world!

Is God going to ask you to give up some things? Sure he will. God wants to take away everything in our lives that keeps us away from Him. But when we consider what God has given us, we will realize there is no price we could ever pay to equal that gift. God wants us to know that the kingdom of Heaven is worth any price we must pay. It’s worth more than money, more than popularity, more than power. God wants us to have the kingdom of Heaven. And he wants us all to be willing to do anything to receive it.

Next time you crack open an Oreo to eat that creamy center, take a moment to look at the round, white shape inside. Remember the pearl of priceless value, and remember what God has given us through Jesus. Let’s thank God for sending Jesus to be our Savior.

CLOSE WITH A SIMPLE PRAYER:

Dear God,

Thank you for giving us Jesus.

In Jesus’name,

Amen

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (K-2ND)

ICEBREAKER:

How do you eat an Oreo?

MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY:

Proverbs 23:12

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.

SMALL GROUP GAME/ACTIVITY:

Play a game of musical chairs. See who can win the prize by claiming the last available chair.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Read Matthew 13:45-46

What is a parable?

What did the man in the parable do to get the pearl?

What does the pearl represent?

What is the greatest treasure we could ever receive?

How can we receive the kingdom of God?

SIMPLE PRAYER:

Dear God,

Thank you for sending Jesus to give us the kingdom of God.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

 

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (3RD-5TH)

ICEBREAKER:

How do you eat an Oreo?

MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY:

Proverbs 23:12

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.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Read Matthew 13:45-46

What is a parable?

Why did Jesus teach using parables?

What does the pearl represent?

Why is Jesus the greatest gift we could ever receive?

How can we receive the kingdom of God?

DIG DEEPER:

Can you think of another illustration, besides the pearl and the Oreo, we could use to share this message with other people?

SIMPLE PRAYER:

Dear God,

Thank you for sending Jesus to give us the kingdom of God.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

 

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

Here's a video from Christian Kids TV that you might find helpful to go along with your Sunday School Lesson on The Pearl of Great Price.

Take a look at the links below for other ideas for teaching a Pearl of Great Price Sunday School Lesson:

Lesson: The Pearl of Great Price - Sunday School Sources

The Price Is Right - Children's Sermons from Sermons4Kids.com

Parables of a Hidden Treasure and a Valuable Pearl – Mission Bible

Bible Lesson: The Greatest Treasure from Matthew 13:44