Run the Race — Eyes on Jesus Preschool Lesson
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: “Run the race, looking to Jesus!”
The letter to the Hebrews told about many heroes who trusted God. Noah, Abraham, Moses, Rahab, and many more. They all trusted God, and God kept his word.
Then the letter said this. These heroes are like “so great a cloud of witnesses” all around us. A witness is someone who saw something and can tell about it. They show us that trusting God is good.
Next the letter talks about a race. Life with God is like a long race. Have you ever run a race? Ready, set, go! Run in place as fast as you can!
A runner does not carry a heavy bag. That would slow him down. So the letter says, “lay aside every weight.” That means: put down what holds you back.
The letter also talks about sin. Sin is when we do wrong things that make God sad. Sin can trip us up, like a string tangled around our feet. Oops! So we lay it aside too.
“Let’s run with perseverance the race that is set before us.” Perseverance means not giving up. Keep going, keep going! Run the race, looking to Jesus!
Where does a runner look? Not behind him. He looks ahead, to the finish line! The letter says we look to Jesus, “the author and perfecter of faith.” Jesus starts our faith, and he makes it complete.
Jesus ran his race all the way. “For the joy that was set before him,” he went to the cross. He died for us. But God raised him up again! Run the race, looking to Jesus!
Now Jesus “has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” He is with God, his Father, in heaven. He finished his race.
People were mean to Jesus. But he did not give up. When we get tired, we can think of Jesus. The letter says, “consider him... that you don’t grow weary.” Consider means think about. Weary means very tired.
Then the letter says that God is like a good father. A good father teaches his children, because he loves them. Sometimes learning is hard. But later it brings peace, like good fruit. Run the race, looking to Jesus!
The letter says this too. “Lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees.” Feeble means weak and wobbly. Can you lift your tired hands up high? Hooray!
The letter says, “make straight paths for your feet.” A straight path helps you run without falling. Can you walk a straight line, one foot after the other?
The heroes in the cloud ran their race long ago. Noah kept building. Abraham kept walking. Now it is our turn to run.
Every runner gets tired sometimes. But we do not run alone. Jesus is ahead of us. And the heroes of faith are all around us.
Jesus finished his race. He is with God now, and he never leaves you alone. Run the race, looking to Jesus!
3. Talk together (3 min)
- What helps you keep going when something is hard?
- Who are the people who cheer you on, like the great cloud of heroes?
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 yourself running a race, with Jesus at the finish line.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“Let’s run with perseverance the race that is set before us” — Hebrews 12:1 (let’s run → run in place; with perseverance → keep running, don’t stop; the race → point far ahead)
Dear Jesus, thank you that you ran your race all the way for us. Help me keep looking to you. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: Keep your eyes on Jesus
Memory verse: “Let's run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith.” — Hebrews 12:1–2 · WEB
The Bible story
A wise letter cheers us on like runners in a great race, telling us to drop what slows us down and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, our kind Helper.
Talk about it
- What did the writer send to God's tired people? — A letter
- What big picture did the letter use to help people? — A giant race
- What surrounds us in this race, Hebrews says? — A great cloud of witnesses
- Who are these witnesses? — Heroes of faith like Abraham
- What should runners throw off, the letter said? — Things that hold them back
- Where should we keep our eyes during the race? — On Jesus
Where is Jesus in this story?
This story points straight to Jesus, our loving Leader. He did not just watch the race from far away; He ran it first, all the way to the cross and out of the tomb, because He loved us. Jesus never gave up on us, and now He waits at the finish line with open arms. When we feel weak, He shares His own strength, so we can keep running toward God's rescuing love.
What God wants to tell us
God shows us that life is a bit like a race. Some days feel long and tiring, and we might want to stop. But we are never alone! A great cloud of God's faithful friends shows us the way, and best of all, Jesus runs right beside us. When we keep our eyes on Him instead of our worries, He gives us strength to take the next step. God does not ask us to be the fastest. He simply asks us to keep going with Him, and He promises to help us reach the finish line.
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for cheering me on and never leaving me alone. When my day feels long and hard, please help me keep my eyes on Jesus and take one more brave step. Thank You that Jesus never gave up on me. Help me run my race with a happy heart until the very end. Amen.
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