Hi Kids!
Today, we’re going to hear the story of one of Jesus’ most famous sermons; the Sermon on the Mount! One day, Jesus stood on a mountainside in front of thousands of people. There, Jesus began to describe God’s kingdom to them. Watch the story below from Crossroads Kids’ Club to learn what Jesus said to the people gathered there on the mount.
Jesus gave this particular sermon at the beginning of his ministry to announce to the people that a new kingdom had arrived; the kingdom of God. Back then, people believed the only way to usher in a new kingdom was through money, violence, and force. Jesus wanted to make clear to the people that the kingdom of God is nothing like any kingdom they would find on earth. It did not matter how much money you had or how much force you could use; it simply was not the way to gain admittance to the kingdom of God. Instead, he tells people that the poor, the righteous, the merciful, the humble, and the peacemakers would be favored by God and would get to join Him in heaven. This is a reflection of our God who is merciful and loving, and God wants his children to be just like him. In fact, God’s only son, Jesus, was also merciful and loving. This is why it’s important for us as God’s children to have love and compassion for one other. This is the “key” to the gates of God’s kingdom and why Jesus gave this sermon on that mountain; to offer people a chance to get to know God as he does.
From today’s story, we learn from Jesus that if we are loving, merciful, and compassionate to others, God will favor and bless us. In other words, we must be pure in heart to be a part of God’s kingdom. Today’s activity focuses on just that. Below you will find a coloring page of a verse taken from the Sermon on the Mount, “The pure in heart are blessed, for they will see God” – Matthew 5:8. Download/print the pdf below to get started.