“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” 1 Corinthians 6:12
Learning our Different Sins
Memory Verse: “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” – Luke 12:15
Guarding our Greed and Gluttony
Ages 3-5
Objective:
At the end of the session, students will be able to:
- Identify when one is greedy or gluttonous
- Overcome greedy and gluttonous behavior, and honor God in all areas of our lives.
Lesson:
This verse is said by Jesus right before telling a story that explains the dangers of greed and gluttony.
Jesus starts off this story by explaining that once there was a very rich farmer who had a big farm. He always got lots of golden wheat and big, juicy fruits. As each year went by, he grew more and more food, so much so that he didn’t have enough space to store it all!!
One day, the farmer looked at his barns and thought, “Oh no! My barns are too small. I need bigger ones so that I can store all the food for myself. Then, I won’t have to work anymore and I can just relax all the time!”
So, the farmer tore down his old barns and built giant new ones. He filled them up with his crops, thinking about how rich he was. He didn’t think about giving food to the hungry or sharing with his neighbors. He only cared about keeping everything for himself.
But that very night, God spoke to the farmer and said, “You are being foolish! You have saved up so many things for yourself, but you forgot the most important thing—you forgot to love and help others! You cannot take all your things with you when you go to heaven.”
When hearing from God, the farmer suddenly felt very sad. He had spent all his time collecting food and treasures, but he had never shared, helped others, or thanked God. After this, he realized that his riches did not make him truly happy—only love, kindness, and sharing could do that.
Jesus told this story to remind us that life is not about having lots of stuff. The most important things in life are loving others, being kind, and sharing what we have.
Comprehension/discussion questions:
- What did the rich farmer do when he had too much food?
- What lesson was Jesus trying to teach us in this story?
- Can you think of a time when you wanted to keep something all for yourself? How did it feel?
- What are some things we can share with others besides food or toys?
- What is one thing you can do this week to be generous?
Activity:
Treasure Hunt for What Matters
- Supplies:
- Sheet with treasure chest
- Crayons
- Stickers
- Directions
- Give each child a sheet with a treasure chest
- Inside the chest, tell them to write or draw things that make life truly special (family, friends, kindness, sharing, love)
- Lesson learned
- The things that they drew are the treasuries that make us truly rich – not just money or things
- We need to focus on the things that actually matter instead of focusing on superficial things.
Greedy Hands
- Materials:
- A jar, bottle, or container with a narrow opening
- Small objects (e.g., a ball, toy, candy, coin, or rock) that fit inside the container
- Directions
- Place the small object inside the container. Make sure participants can fit their hands inside when open but struggle to remove them when holding the object.
- Ask the kids to reach in and grab the object, then pull their hand out while still holding it.
- Show the kids that they can only take out their hand when released and not with a clenched hand
- Lesson learned
- Holding onto bad habits, grudges, or unnecessary possessions can block you from moving on.
- Greed prevents logical decision-making
Music & Song: “Give It Away”
- Teach the kids a simple song about sharing and contentment.
- Example (tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It”):
If you have a little extra, give it away! (clap, clap)
If you see someone who’s hungry, share today! (clap, clap)
‘Cause when we give, we grow, and God wants us to know,
That love is more than money, every day! (clap, clap)
Group Game: “Sharing Relay”
- Materials:
- Small baskets, toy food items (or paper cutouts of food – https://www.supplyme.com/products/paper-food-cutouts-a3325 ), a box labeled “Neighbors in Need”
- Instructions:
- Divide kids into two teams.
- Each team takes turns grabbing one food item from their basket and running to the “Neighbors in Need” box to drop it off.
- Emphasize that the goal is not to collect the most but to give the most!
- Afterward, discuss how giving can make us feel joyful.
How Much is Enough?
- Materials:
- A small cup, a large cup, water
- Instructions:
- Give each child a small cup and fill it with rice or water.
- Then, ask if they’d like a bigger cup to collect more.
- Keep filling until the cup overflows.
- Explain: “Sometimes, when we keep wanting more, we don’t realize that we already have enough!”
“Generosity Chain” Craft
- Materials:
- Colored paper strips, markers, tape or glue
- Instructions:
- Each child writes one way they can be generous on a paper strip.
- Link the strips together to form a “Generosity Chain” and hang it up as a reminder of the lesson.
Sorting Needs vs. Wants
- Materials
- A basket with cut-out pictures of different items (e.g., food, toys, water, a big mansion, designer clothes, medicine). Two boxes labeled “Needs” and “Wants.”
- Instructions:
- Have children sort items into the correct boxes.
- Discuss why some things are necessary while others are just extra.
- Reinforce that being thankful for what we have is more important than always wanting more.
Mystery Box: “What Truly Satisfies?”
- Materials:
- A closed box with something soft inside (A stuffed heart, or a small cross)
- Instructions:
- Tell kids the box is full of something more valuable than money.
- Let them feel inside but not see.
- Ask: “What do you think is inside?”
- Reveal the item (symbolizing love, kindness, or God’s presence) and explain that these are what truly make us happy.
“Blessing Basket” Challenge (Take-home Activity)
- Materials:
- Small bag or box labeled “Blessing Basket”
- Instructions:
- Encourage kids to find one thing at home they can give to someone in need (a toy, food, a kind note).
- The next time they meet, ask how it felt to give something away.
Extras:
Quick Youtube Videos:
Coloring Sheet:
https://mywonderstudio.com/en/level-1/coloring-page-the-parables-of-jesus-the-rich-fool
Closing prayer:
Dear God,
Thank You for teaching us today about the rich man who saved up treasures for himself but forgot about You. Help us to remember that loving You and sharing with others is more important than having lots of things.
Please fill our hearts with kindness, sharing, and joy. Help us to trust You and not to worry about having more and more. Thank You for always taking care of us and giving us everything we need.
Amen.