Free Bible lesson for kids · Ministry in Galilee
The Beatitudes
Jesus went up on a mountain and taught His disciples what it means to be blessed: the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart and the peacemakers.
- Bible passage
- Matthew 5:1–16 · Luke 6:20–23
- Big idea
- God blesses those who know they need Him.
- Memory verse
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 5:16 (KJV)- Ages
- Preschool to preteen (3 to 12), with tips for each age
- Time
- About 45 minutes
- Included, free
- Animated story film, coloring page, class sheet, teacher guide, questions and answers, a game
The story
When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up into a mountain, sat down and taught His disciples (Matthew 5:1–2). He said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). He also called blessed those who mourn, the meek, and those who hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matthew 5:4–6). The merciful, the pure in heart and the peacemakers are blessed too (Matthew 5:7–9).
Even people treated badly for Jesus’ sake are blessed, for their reward in heaven is great (Matthew 5:10–12). Jesus told His followers, “Ye are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). A candle is not hidden under a basket but set on a candlestick to light the house (Matthew 5:15). So Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
Read it in the Bible: Matthew 5:1–16 (KJV)
1And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 3Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 13Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Read it in the Bible: Luke 6:20–23 (KJV)
20And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. 21Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. 22Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. 23Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
Questions to ask
Where did Jesus teach this sermon?
On a mountain.
Name one group Jesus called blessed.
The poor in spirit, they that mourn, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers…
Why should we let our light shine?
So people see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.
What this story teaches
- God’s kingdom belongs to the poor in spirit who need Him (Matthew 5:3).
- God comforts those who are sad (Matthew 5:4).
- People who show mercy will receive mercy (Matthew 5:7).
- Peacemakers shall be called the children of God (Matthew 5:9).
- Our good works should point people to God (Matthew 5:16).
Jesus Brings God’s Blessing
We cannot earn God’s blessing by being good enough. God blesses us with all spiritual blessings in Christ.
Ephesians 1:3
A 45-minute lesson plan
| 5 min | Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Ask God to help us shine His light. |
|---|---|
| 10 min | The story. Play the story film: each verse appears on screen in the King James Version while the scene plays. Pause to ask what happens next. |
| 10 min | Talk about it. Ask the three questions below. Then ask: “God blesses those who know they need Him.” What does that mean for us? |
| 5 min | Memory verse. Say Matthew 5:16 together, covering one word at a time until the children can say it alone. |
| 10 min | Activity. Younger children color the coloring page while you retell the story; older children do the class sheet (memory-verse fill-in, word search and questions). |
| 5 min | Pray and send home. Pray together and send the sheet home so families can talk about the first question this week. |
- Preschool: keep it short and physical. Act out the story, use a simple prop, and repeat the big idea in one sentence.
- Elementary: let children find the passage in their own Bibles. Ask “who, what, where” questions first, then “why.”
- Preteens: read the verses before and after the passage, and ask how this story fits the whole story of the Bible.
Game time
For kids · game · indoors · about 10 minutes
Blessed Stops
You need: Paper plates labeled meek, merciful, peacemaker, pure in heart, hungry for right; music
- Lay the plates in a circle on the floor. Kids walk around them while the music plays.
- When the music stops, everyone steps onto a plate. The leader picks a plate and that child shows what it looks like: a peacemaker helping two friends make up, for example.
- Nobody is out. Start the music again.
Jesus taught us what it really means to be blessed, and “Ye are the light of the world.”
For youth group · activity · indoors · about 10 minutes
Salt and Light Cards
You need: Cards with kind acts on them (eat lunch with someone alone, encourage a teacher, help at home without being asked)
- Everyone draws a card and keeps it secret.
- Do it this week.
- Next week, share what happened.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Pray
Ask God to help us shine His light.