Curriculum

Let Your Light Shine

Let Your Light Shine Go to Curriculum multi-week pack

Bible Background

What Kids Will Learn

Jesus encouraged His followers to love God and others well. He wants us to be effective at sharing the good news with others and noticeable when we’re shining His light in our homes and communities.

Scripture Summary

The Sermon on the Mount was the longest recorded sermon Jesus preached. Large crowds of people followed Him and wanted to hear what He had to say. His teachings were so different than the legalistic teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees. On the mountainside, He taught about loving God and others well and serving with a genuine heart.

Jesus often taught using parables, or earthly stories with heavenly meanings. He also used metaphors in order to help His listeners understand. Here He compared a Christian’s life with that of salt or light. Without flavor, seasonings have no meaning. It is the same way with followers of Christ. If they are no different than non-believers and have no effect on their neighbors, they are useless.

Similarly, Jesus called His followers the light of the world. With Jesus, we are to shine for all to see. And, we cannot hide the light. We’re not undercover for Jesus and should resist the temptation to go along with the crowd or be silent when we should speak against injustice.

The law of the Old Testament was intended to help people love God and follow His top commandment. But the law was often abused and distorted by religious leaders. Jesus came to change all of that. The good news is not just an eternity in heaven but a lifetime of abundant life and love.

Why Is This Important

Jesus wants a personal relationship with you, me, and the kids in our classrooms. But He doesn’t want trite answers and shallow behavior that looks good only on the outside. He desires a genuine and heartfelt response to His love that reaches others.

Teacher Devotion

Scripture

“And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.” (Titus 2:7)

I was a rule-follower in school. I wouldn’t go so far as to admit to being a teacher’s pet or a goodie-goodie, but doing the right thing was important to me. At times, a teacher would notice and use my behavior as an example to the class.

But I didn’t want to stand out. I just wanted to do the right thing. There are times that I want to shy away from Paul’s encouragement to Titus (and all of us) to be an example. That’s a whole lot of pressure. And I had the misconception that in order to be an example, I needed to stand up on my chair during class, stand on a street corner in the evenings, and stand on a crate in the grocery store loudly proclaiming the good news.

While Jesus wants us to share the good news, I now realize that’s not quite what He had in mind.

James Bryan Smith wrote Rich Mullins: A Devotional Biography: An Arrow Pointing to Heaven. Rich is understandably quoted numerous times throughout the book. Though, one quote stood out to me. “When does faithfulness to Jesus call us to lay aside our biases and when does it call us to stand by them?” asked Rich.

I’ve pondered my answer to this question many times. While I’d often prefer a quick formula in order to answer this question correctly regardless of the circumstance, that’s not how God or life works. There are times we are to lay aside our biases. And there are times we are to stand firmly beside our biases. God, through the Holy Spirit, is the One who guides us to the right choice for the moment.

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for being my guide today. I want to depend on You to show me how to be an example to others. Please help me shine for You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Get the full Sunday school lesson plan

  • Bible Memory Verse
  • Interactive Bible Experience
  • Animated video with companion questions

Bible Memory Verse

You’ll Need: Flashlight

“In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:16)

Gather the children in a circle. Dim the lights.

Hold the flashlight. SAY: When we believe in Jesus, it’s like He plugs us into God’s power. Turn on the flashlight. And then we can shine our lights so others can become friends with Jesus, too!

Make a circle motion of the light on the ceiling as you quote the Bible memory verse. Encourage kids to repeat after you.

Turn off the flashlight, and pass the flashlight to the child on your left. Invite that child to say, “I believe in Jesus,” and then turn on the flashlight. With the light on, he or she will repeat the memory verse after you and quickly shine the flashlight around the room. Repeat with each child.

Turn on the lights and encourage kids to share their memory verse with their families.

Interactive Bible Experience

You’ll Need: Bible

SHINE YOUR LIGHT!

Gather children in the middle of the room with a clear path to two opposing walls. Read aloud Matthew 5:13-16.

SAY: Who wants to shine their light to the world? (Pause.) Let’s think about what it might mean for kids to shine their lights. We’ll play a game to help us think about it.

Say the following statements, and let children choose. Have children return to the center after each choice:

  • If you think shining your light is keeping your love for Jesus a secret, go to that wall ( point to one wall). If you think shining your light means telling people about your love for Jesus, go to that wall ( point to the opposite wall).
  • If you think shining your light means singing a praise song, go to that wall ( point to one wall). If you think shining your light means never singing to Jesus, go to that wall ( point to the opposite wall).
  • If you think shining your light is sharing a Bible story with a friend, go to that wall ( point to one wall). If you think shining your light means telling a story about a scary monster, go to that wall ( point to the opposite wall).
  • If you think shining your light is sharing a snack with a friend who is hungry, go to that wall ( point to one wall). If you think shining your light means keeping your snacks all to yourself, go to that wall ( point to the opposite wall).
  • If you think shining your light is welcoming a lonely kid to play with you on the playground, go to that wall ( point to one wall). If you think shining your light means leaving someone out, go to that wall ( point to the opposite wall).
  • If you think shining your light is saying a prayer for a sad friend, go to that wall ( point to one wall). If you think shining your light means ignoring a sad friend, go to that wall ( point to the opposite wall).

ASK:

  • What’s a way you can shine your light this week?
  • Who is someone you think might need to hear about Jesus’ love this week?

SAY: These are all things that you can do at home or school to shine your light for Jesus this week!

Snack

Torch Snacks

You’ll Need: Cheetos, Ice cream cones, Image of a torch

Help kids make “Torch Snacks” like this:

  • Show kids the image of the torch. Explain how a torch can light a room.
  • Explain that kids are going to make torch snacks.
  • Give each child some Cheetos and an ice cream cone.
  • Show kids how to place the Cheetos in the ice cream cones to make them look like torches.
  • Enjoy.

Game

Shine Game

You’ll Need: Flashlight, Music

Play the “Shine Game” like this:

  • Have kids make a standing circle.
  • Turn on some music, and have the children walk in the circle in one direction.
  • Place the flashlight on a counter where it will shine on one part of the circle, and as kids walk, they’ll be walking through the beam of light.
  • Explain that when the music stops, if they’re in the light, they’ll do something to shine their light, such as give someone a hug or high- five, or tell someone, “Jesus loves you!”
  • Then the music will start again.
  • Repeat.

AFTERWARD, ASK:

  • What was it like to shine your light in this game?
  • Why do you want to shine your light?

SAY: God will help you shine your light for Him, so let’s stay close to Him so we’re ready to shine our lights all the time.

Craft

A Torch to Shine Around

You’ll Need: Card stock, Crayons, Red, yellow, and/ or orange tissue paper, Tape

Get Ready: Make a craft ahead of time to show kids.

Help kids make the craft as follows:

  • Show kids the torch craft they’ll be making.
  • Invite kids to decorate the cardstock.
  • As they finish, help them roll their cardstock and tape it into a tube.
  • Show kids how to stuff tissue paper in one end of their tubes to make it look like fire.
  • Have kids hold their torches high and repeat, “Let your light shine!”

Remind kids to shine bright for Jesus and to help others see who God is.

Prayer

Light-Up Prayer

You’ll Need: Flashlight

Have kids sit in a circle. Turn off the lights. Pass the flashlight around and kids will each pray, asking God to help them shine for Him this week.