Love Your Enemies Preschool Sunday School Lesson (Free, Ages 3–6)
Preschool lesson (ages 3–6, 20 minutes)
1. Welcome (3 min)
Sit in a circle, greet every child by name and show one thing from the story to touch.
2. The little story (5 min)
Teach the refrain first: “The sun shines on everyone.”
Jesus sat on a mountain. Many people came to listen. Jesus taught them how God’s children live. First he told them some old sayings. Then he told them something new.
People had heard an old saying. “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” That meant: If someone hurts you, you may hurt them back, just the same.
But Jesus said, “Don’t resist him who is evil.” That means: Don’t hit back. Don’t pay back mean with mean.
In those days, soldiers from far away ruled the land. A soldier could make a man carry his heavy bag for one mile. A mile is a long, long walk. Jesus said, “Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.” Compels means makes you. One mile – and then one more! Can you march in place? Step, step, step!
Jesus said, “Give to him who asks you.” If someone asks, give. And Jesus said, “Don’t turn away him who desires to borrow from you.” To borrow means to use something and give it back later.
People had heard another old saying. “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” An enemy is someone who is against you. Maybe someone who is mean to you.
Then Jesus said something new. “But I tell you, love your enemies.” Love them? Yes! The sun shines on everyone.
Jesus said, “Bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you. And pray for those who mistreat you.” To bless means to wish someone good things. To curse means to wish someone bad things. Mistreat means to treat someone badly.
Why? Jesus said, “That you may be children of your Father who is in heaven.” Our Father in heaven is like that. He is good to everyone. And his children can be like him.
Jesus said, “He makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good.” Can you lift your arms slowly, like the sun coming up? The sun shines on good people. It shines on bad people too. The sun shines on everyone.
And God “sends rain on the just and the unjust.” Just means fair and good. Unjust means not fair. Pitter, patter! Wiggle your fingers like rain. The rain falls on everyone’s fields. Everyone’s plants can grow. God does not say: Rain only for the good people! The sun shines on everyone.
Jesus asked, “If you love those who love you, what reward do you have?” Loving our friends is easy. Jesus said even the tax collectors do that. Tax collectors were men that many people did not like.
Jesus asked, “If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others?” To greet means to say hello. Saying hello to a friend is easy. Saying hello to someone who is not nice to you? That is new!
Our Father in heaven is kind to all people. Every morning his sun comes up again – for everyone, and for you. The sun shines on everyone.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- What could you do for someone who was unkind to you?
- Why do you think God lets the sun shine on everyone?
4. Move (3 min)
Refrain Freeze: move around the room; when you say the refrain, everyone freezes and says it together.
5. Make (4 min)
Draw the sun shining and the rain falling on everyone.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“But I tell you, love your enemies” — Matthew 5:44 (But I tell you → point to your ear; love → hug yourself; your enemies → open your arms wide to everyone)
Dear God, thank you that you are kind to everyone. Please help me to love people who are unkind to me. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: Love is Stronger Than Anger
Memory verse: “But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you.” — Matthew 5:44 · WEB
The Bible story
On a sunny hillside, Jesus shares a surprising secret: how to love even the people who are unkind, and let God's warm love shine on everyone.
Talk about it
- Where did Jesus go to teach the crowd? — Up on a mountainside
- People had heard, "Love your neighbor and hate your…" what? — Enemy
- What did Jesus most want to teach them about here? — Love
- People already knew it was easy to love whom? — Their friends
- What surprising thing did Jesus tell them to do? — Love your enemies
- Who is an "enemy"? — Someone who is unkind to you
Where is Jesus in this story?
Jesus did not only teach us to love our enemies, He showed us how. Even when people were unkind to Him on the cross, He prayed, "Father, forgive them." That is God's rescuing love, so big and so brave that it reaches every single person, and Jesus can fill our hearts with that same love too.
What God wants to tell us
Jesus shows us that God's love is big enough to reach everyone, even the people who are hard to like. We do not have to shout back when someone is unkind. Instead we can pray for them, do a kind thing, and let God's love shine through us like sunshine. It takes courage, but every time we choose kindness, we help make the world a warmer, brighter place, just the way God dreams it can be.
Prayer
Loving God, thank You for loving everyone, even me on my grumpy days. Please help me to be kind to people who are unkind, and to pray for them instead of shouting. Fill my heart with Your big, brave love. Amen.
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