Lesson 4: The unmerciful servant.
Passage: Matthew 18:21-35 - When Peter asked Jesus if he should forgive someone who wrongs him seven times, Jesus answers that he should not forgive only seven times, but seventy-seven. Jesus then tells a story about a servant who owed the king a large sum of money. When the servant was unable to pay the king back and begged for extra time, the king took pity on him and completely forgave the servant’s debt. However, the servant immediately went and found a fellow servant who owed him a smaller amount of money, and demanded payment. When that servant couldn’t pay and begged for extra time, the first servant did not take pity on him but threw his fellow servant in jail until he could pay back what he owed. When the king heard of this he was indignant. He called the first servant to him, and told him that he had changed his mind and would throw the servant in jail until he could pay back everything he owed.
Big Idea: Forgiving others as God forgives us.
For Teachers:
Lesson plan.
-
Welcome Activity: — All Leaders
Have one leader greet the children with the iPad roster outside the classroom door. Check-in the children in your classroom as they arrive.
Have another leader invite the children in to sit in a circle on the circle time rug. Introduce yourselves, and use this time to get to know the names of the kids in your classroom.
Leader: “Good morning friends! It’s so nice to see you! We are glad you are here today! We are going to start by playing a game today.”
Warm Up Activity: What’s Missing? Game
Place objects in the middle of your circle time area on a sheet. Ask everyone to close their eyes, then remove one. When they open their eyes, have them guess what’s missing.
Once a child guesses correctly, restart the game removing a new object.
Preliminary Discussion — Bible Story Leader
Today's story is all about forgiveness. Have you ever had to forgive someone for something wrong they did to you?
Was it easy or hard to forgive them?
What if someone kept doing the same thing over and over again… Would it be hard to keep forgiving them many times?
Let’s watch our video to find out more…
Video Lesson — Play video: Secret Library: The parable of the unforgiving servant.
Follow Up Discussion — Bible Story Leader
What happened in today’s video?
How do you think that God wants us to treat each other?
Leader: Alright friends I think we should get up and move around a bit before our craft can everybody stand up?
Body Break Activity: — Freeze Dance
Select Freeze Dance video from Lesson Activity’s Playlist
After the song finishes head to the craft tables for the activity.
Activity: Torn paper glue bottle craft
Kids will tear tissue paper and construction paper into small pieces to use and then glue them on their worksheet.
If a child is not interested in the activity, allow them to move to free play.
Dismissal: Dismiss children manually with Roster iPad and make sure each child leaves with their caregiver. Check parents pick up stickers to see that they match with the code listed on the iPad.
-
Welcome Activity: — All Leaders
Have one leader greet the children with the iPad roster and Check-in the children as they arrive.
Have another leader invite the children in to have a seat. Introduce yourselves, and use this time to get to know the names of the kids in your classroom.
Warm Up Activity: What’s Missing? Game
Place objects in the middle of your circle time area on a sheet. Ask everyone to close their eyes, then remove one. When they open their eyes, have them guess what’s missing.
Once a child guesses correctly, restart the game removing a new object.
Preliminary Discussion —Bible Story Leader
Today we’ll be talking about another one of Jesus’ stories and what important lesson we can learn from it.
This story is all about forgiveness. Have you ever had to forgive someone for something wrong they did to you? Was it easy or hard to forgive them?
What if someone kept doing the same thing over and over again… Would it be hard to keep forgiving them so many times?
Now, We are going to watch a video about today’s story. If you would like a fidget to help you focus our leaders will pass around a basket of fidgets to use. Can you give a thumbs up when you are ready?
Play Video: Secret Library: The parable of the unmerciful servant from lesson playlist
Leader: Good Listening friends! I have a couple questions for you about the video:
Follow Up Discussion — Bible Story Leader
What did the king in the story say when the servant couldn’t pay back the money that he owed?
What do you think is the lesson we learn about God from this story?
What do you think is the lesson we can learn from this story?
Activity: Torn Paper glue bottle craft
Have a leader collect the fidget’s before moving to the tables
Have a leader explain the craft using an example and demonstrate how it works.
Kids will tear paper into small pieces and decorate their printed worksheet by gluing the pieces on the page.
Dismissal: Dismiss children manually with Roster iPad and make sure each child leaves with their caregiver. Check parents pick up stickers to see that they match with the code listed on the iPad.
-
Welcome — All Leaders
Welcome the kids to class, ask how their week was.
Using the roster iPad manually check-in the kids who are in the classroom.
Use this time to get to know the names of the kids in your classroom.
A basket of fidget toys will be available, pass around fidgets to help kids focus during the lesson.
Warm Up Activity: Parable Trivia
The leader will be provided with trivia questions about today’s parable. Kids will have access to bibles in the classroom and can use them to answer the trivia questions found in Matthew 18:21-35.
Preliminary Discussion — Bible Story Leader
Today’s story is all about forgiveness… Have you ever had to forgive someone for something wrong they did to you? Was it easy or hard to forgive?
If you already forgave someone many times and they kept doing the same things over and over again, do you think you’d still be willing to forgive them? Why or why not?
Let’s watch our video to find out more about the story…
Video Lesson — Play video: Secret Library: The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
Follow Up Discussion — Bible Story Leader
What’s something that we can learn about God from the story?
Craft Activity: Torn Paper/ Glue craft
Kids will tear coloured paper into small pieces and glue them to the paper glue bottle printable.
Provide an example of a completed craft for reference.
Return any fidgets to basket before dismissal.
Dismissal: Dismiss children manually with Roster iPad and make sure each child leaves with their caregiver. Check parents pick up stickers to see that they match with the code listed on the iPad.
-
Welcome Activity: — All Leaders
Have one leader greet the children with the iPad roster outside the classroom door. Check-in the children in your classroom as they arrive.
Have another leader invite the children in to sit in a circle on the circle time rug. Introduce yourselves, and use this time to get to know the names of the kids in your classroom.
Leader: “Good morning friends! It’s so nice to see you! We are glad you are here today! We are going to start by playing a game today.”
Warm Up Activity: What’s Missing? Game
Place objects in the middle of your circle time area on a sheet. Ask everyone to close their eyes, then remove one. When they open their eyes, have them guess what’s missing.
Once a child guesses correctly, restart the game removing a new object.
Preliminary Discussion — Bible Story Leader
Today's story is all about forgiveness. Have you ever had to forgive someone for something wrong they did to you?
Was it easy or hard to forgive them?
What if someone kept doing the same thing over and over again… Would it be hard to keep forgiving them many times?
Let’s watch our video to find out more…
Video Lesson — Play video: Secret Library: The parable of the unforgiving servant.
Follow Up Discussion — Bible Story Leader
What happened in today’s video?
How do you think that God wants us to treat each other?
Leader: Alright friends I think we should get up and move around a bit before our craft can everybody stand up?
Body Break Activity: — Freeze Dance
Select Freeze Dance video from Lesson Activity’s Playlist
After the song finishes head to the craft tables for the activity.
Activity: Torn paper glue bottle craft
Kids will tear tissue paper and construction paper into small pieces to use and then glue them on their worksheet.
If a child is not interested in the activity, allow them to move to free play.
Dismissal: Dismiss children manually with Roster iPad and make sure each child leaves with their caregiver. Check parents pick up stickers to see that they match with the code listed on the iPad.
-
Welcome Activity: — All Leaders
Have one leader greet the children with the iPad roster and Check-in the children as they arrive.
Have another leader invite the children in to have a seat. Introduce yourselves, and use this time to get to know the names of the kids in your classroom.
Warm Up Activity: What’s Missing? Game
Place objects in the middle of your circle time area on a sheet. Ask everyone to close their eyes, then remove one. When they open their eyes, have them guess what’s missing.
Once a child guesses correctly, restart the game removing a new object.
Preliminary Discussion —Bible Story Leader
Today we’ll be talking about another one of Jesus’ stories and what important lesson we can learn from it.
This story is all about forgiveness. Have you ever had to forgive someone for something wrong they did to you? Was it easy or hard to forgive them?
What if someone kept doing the same thing over and over again… Would it be hard to keep forgiving them so many times?
Now, We are going to watch a video about today’s story. If you would like a fidget to help you focus our leaders will pass around a basket of fidgets to use. Can you give a thumbs up when you are ready?
Play Video: Secret Library: The parable of the unmerciful servant from lesson playlist
Leader: Good Listening friends! I have a couple questions for you about the video:
Follow Up Discussion — Bible Story Leader
What did the king in the story say when the servant couldn’t pay back the money that he owed?
What do you think is the lesson we learn about God from this story?
What do you think is the lesson we can learn from this story?
Activity: Torn Paper glue bottle craft
Have a leader collect the fidget’s before moving to the tables
Have a leader explain the craft using an example and demonstrate how it works.
Kids will tear paper into small pieces and decorate their printed worksheet by gluing the pieces on the page.
Dismissal: Dismiss children manually with Roster iPad and make sure each child leaves with their caregiver. Check parents pick up stickers to see that they match with the code listed on the iPad.
-
Welcome — All Leaders
Welcome the kids to class, ask how their week was.
Using the roster iPad manually check-in the kids who are in the classroom.
Use this time to get to know the names of the kids in your classroom.
A basket of fidget toys will be available, pass around fidgets to help kids focus during the lesson.
Warm Up Activity: Parable Trivia
The leader will be provided with trivia questions about today’s parable. Kids will have access to bibles in the classroom and can use them to answer the trivia questions found in Matthew 18:21-35.
Preliminary Discussion — Bible Story Leader
Today’s story is all about forgiveness… Have you ever had to forgive someone for something wrong they did to you? Was it easy or hard to forgive?
If you already forgave someone many times and they kept doing the same things over and over again, do you think you’d still be willing to forgive them? Why or why not?
Let’s watch our video to find out more about the story…
Video Lesson — Play video: Secret Library: The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
Follow Up Discussion — Bible Story Leader
What’s something that we can learn about God from the story?
Craft Activity: Torn Paper/ Glue craft
Kids will tear coloured paper into small pieces and glue them to the paper glue bottle printable.
Provide an example of a completed craft for reference.
Return any fidgets to basket before dismissal.
Dismissal: Dismiss children manually with Roster iPad and make sure each child leaves with their caregiver. Check parents pick up stickers to see that they match with the code listed on the iPad.
For Parents:
Follow-up questions.
-
What was the story you learned about in class today?
What do you think the story teaches us about what God is like?
What do you think the story teaches us about what we should do when other people do wrong to us?
Do you think it’s easy or hard to forgive others who hurt you? Why?
What are some things you can remember or do when you are having a hard time forgiving others?
-
What was the story you learned about in class today?
Which character in the story is an example of what God is like? What can we learn about God from that character?
What do you think the story teaches us about what we should do when other people do wrong to us?
Have you ever had to ask someone for forgiveness when you made a mistake or did something wrong? Has someone ever asked you for forgiveness?
What are some things you can remember or do when you are having a hard time forgiving others?
-
What was the story you learned about in class today?
What do you think the story can teach us about God?
Why do you think God expects us to forgive others no matter how many times they do wrong to us? Have you ever had to do that?
What do you think it means to forgive someone while still having boundaries for how they can treat you?
What are some helpful things to remember when you are struggling to forgive someone for the wrong they did to you?
