"All About Love" Sunday School Lesson from Matthew

22:34-46
ministry-to-children.com/all-about-love-lectionary-lesson-from-matthew-2234-46

October 22, 2014

This free Bible lesson is based on Matthew 22:34-46 where Jesus teaches about “The
Greatest Commandment.” It is designed for children’s church or Sunday School. Please
modify as best fits your ministry.

If your church follows the Revised Common Lectionary, this teaching plan would
correspond to Year A – 20th Sunday After Pentecost, Gospel Reading – Matthew 22:34-46.

Opening Activity – All About Love – Love Messages

In this variation of Telephone, the kids will send messages 3 different ways.

1. Phone Call – Have the kids sit in a circle and very quietly whisper one of the
following messages in one child’s ear. Instruct them to quietly pass that message
along until it comes back to you. Invite the final recipient to say it out loud to see if
the message changed.
1. I love to show love to the people I love.
2. You love me and I love you, but who’s going to love the kangaroo?
3. L.O.V.E. that spells love for you and me.
2. Text Message – Have kids line up in a single file line all facing the same direction
(break up into groups of 5-8 if you have a large group). Give the last person in line
one of the following words, and have them spell that word on the back of the person
standing in front of them using their finger. See how long it takes to send out the
correct message.
1. Heart
2. Love
3. Jesus
4. Kind
5. Hugs
3. No Words – Give a volunteer one of the following songs to hum or whistle and see if
any of the kids can figure it out.
1. Jesus Loves the Little Children
2. I Love You, You Love Me (the “Barney” song)
3. Jesus Loves Me
4. His Banner Over Me is Love
5. Skidamarink

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Lesson – All About Love
Before we get started, there are a few actions you need to know. When I say ‘LOVE’ I need
you to cross your arms over your chest like your giving yourself a great big hug. When I
say ‘HEART’ I need you to make a heart shape with your hands. When I say ‘SOUL’ I need
you to point both thumbs at your chest. When I say ‘MIND’ I need you to put your hands
on your head. And when I say ‘NEIGHBOR’ I need you to point at anyone else in the room.
Now let’s get started.
The Bible has a lot to say about LOVE. It tells you God LOVES you. It tells you that God
wants you to LOVE him. It tells you to LOVE your NEIGHBOR.
There is so much in the Bible about LOVE that some people call it a LOVE letter.
A long time ago when Jesus was on earth, people thought the Bible was just about rules.
Do this. Don’t do that. Say this. Wear that. Go here. Worship there.
Rule after rule after rule.
There was a little bit about LOVE, but there were so many rules that was all people cared
about.
But LOVE was all Jesus cared about. He came here to show each one of us just how much
He LOVES us. He LOVES us so much that even died for our sins so we can live with Him
forever and always.
There were a whole bunch of people who really liked Jesus’ message of LOVE, but there
were also a bunch of people who really liked the rules. They thought following the rules
was all that mattered, but they forgot that everyone makes mistakes sometimes and
disobeys those rules. And then what?!? Is that it? One broken rule and it’s all over?
No way! Jesus came so that even when we make mistakes, He can save us. It’s such an
amazing way to show just how much He LOVES us.
One day the rule followers wanted to know what Jesus thought was the most important one
of all. If we could only ever follow one single rule, which one would it be? They expected
Jesus to say one of the 10 Commandments; like obeying your parents, or keeping the
Sabbath a day only for God. But Jesus had an even better one. The best rule of all, and it’s
all bout LOVE.
Jesus said, “LOVE the Lord your God with all your HEART and with all your SOUL and
with all your MIND. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it:
LOVE your NEIGHBOR as yourself.All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two
commandments.” – Matthew 22:37-40 NIV
Jesus turned all of those rules into just two simple ones. LOVE God. And LOVE others.
When you keep the Sabbath as a day for Jesus, that’s a way of loving Him. And when you
obey your parents, that’s a way of loving them. Every single rule can fit into one of those
two. It was so simple.
Now what do you think it means to LOVE God with all your HEART, SOUL, and MIND? It
really just means that you LOVE Him completely. So you can’t just say you LOVE God, or
just put money in the offering, or just listen to the sermon; you need to LOVE God all the
time and in every way.

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And thankfully, Jesus LOVES us so much that forgives us when we forget to LOVE Him
and our NEIGHBORS like we should. Which is great news, because everyone could use a
little more LOVE.
Activity A – All About Love – Bible Verse Challenge
Supplies – Bibles
Verse – Matthew 22:37
Pass out Bibles to students. Bibles should be closed and sitting on the table face up in front
of each child. When you say go, have the kids look up this week’s Bible verse. As each child
finds the verse, have them stick one finger on the verse and quietly raise their other hand.
The first one to find the verse gets to read it to the rest of the class.
Help younger kids and new kids find the verse by following these steps.

1. Look in the Table of Contents for the book you are looking for. Make an effort to
show them if it is found in the Old Testament or New Testament to help them in the
future. Then open the Bible to the page number listed in the Table of Contents.
2. Show them the large numbers in the text, known as the chapters. Flip through pages
until you find the large chapter number you are looking for.
3. Then scan through the text with them pointing out the smaller verse numbers until
the correct number is found.

Activity B – All About Love

Supplies – large piece of poster paper, tape, writing/drawing utensils
Lay out two large pieces of paper and ask volunteers to lay down one their backs so you can
trace them. Once you have a basic outline tape them to the wall (just off the ground), and
write “Loving God” on the first one, and “Loving Others” on the second one. Then ask a
volunteer to come forward and draw/color each of the following body parts while you
come up with ways that you can use them to show love. Then see if they can think of
another body part they can use to show love.

Ears (example: listening when others are talking, listening in church)

Eyes (example: paying attention to others needs, reading the Bible)
Nose & Mouth (example: singing hymns and praise music, speaking kind words)
Mind (example: learning about Jesus, thinking of new ways to help)
Heart (example: praying to God, telling your parents you love them)
Hands (example: holding the door, cleaning up the sanctuary)
Feet (example: going on mission trips, walking with someone to their car)

Optional – Coloring Page

Download our free Love God coloring page

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Closing Prayer – All About Love
Ask for a volunteer to pray for the class before leaving,
and encourage them to tell God they love Him, and ask
Him to help them show that love to others.
For more inspiration, don’t miss these related ideas
from our website:

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 “The Greatest
Commandment” Bible Craft
Ideas on Matthew 22:34-46
Just Love! Craft Ideas for “The Greatest Commandment”
This week’s Gospel lesson focuses on the importance of
making the main thing the main thing. When asked about the “most important”
commandment, Jesus emphasized the simplest of explanations: love God, and love others. As
we communicate this to students, here are a few crafts to remember how essential it is to love
one another. A couple of wear-able features keep in mind loving God with all we have, and a
game incorporation adds to the craft-worthy fun!
Additional Suggestions:
• Create a hanging collage or mobile of sorts with hearts and strings.
• Make a wind sock/streamer with a large heart in the center.
• Using a long sheet of paper, make a heart-shaped envelope for prayer requests.
Verses or Captions to Consider…
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all
your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall
love your neighbor as yourself. -Matthew 22:37-39
Aim for the Heart… Love Wins!
Love God with all your mind!
The Greatest Commandment… LOVE
Everything hangs on Love!

Copyright © Ministry-To-Children.com
Permission granted for any non-profit use. Written by Kristin Schmidt.
 Craft one: “Hide it in your Heart Necklace”
You will need:
• Scissors
• Construction paper
• String/ribbon
• Markers or decorating materials
• Hole punch

Procedure:
1. Cut out several hearts
from paper, in varying
sizes and colors.
2. Write out the Bible
verse, placing a few
words on each heart.
3. Punch a hole in each
heart.
4. String the hearts through
a ribbon or pipe cleaner
to create a necklace or
decoration. Wear or
hang it to remember the
verse and message it conveys!

Copyright © Ministry-To-Children.com
Permission granted for any non-profit use. Written by Kristin Schmidt.
 Craft Two: “Love with all Your Mind”
Headband
You will need:
• Scissors
• Construction paper or
cardstock
• Glue and/or tape
• Decorative materials
(markers, crayons, stickers)
• String, pipe cleaner, etc.
(optional)
• Hole Punch
• Stapler
Procedure:
1. Cut strips of paper out, and
attach them together to be long
enough for a headband.
2. Write a verse or caption on the
headband. Staple together to
secure.
3. Cut out several hearts to
decorate the headband.
4. Attach the hearts to the
headband using twisted pipe
cleaners or ribbons.
5. Add extra decorations (stickers,
glitter, etc.) if desired. Wear and
remember to love God “with all your mind”!

Copyright © Ministry-To-Children.com
Permission granted for any non-profit use. Written by Kristin Schmidt.
 Craft Three: “Aim for Love” Target Game
You will need:
• Paper plates (large or small)
• Scissors
• Construction paper or cardstock
• Glue and/or tape
• Decorative materials (markers, crayons,
stickers)
• String, pipe cleaner, etc. (optional)
• “Ammunition” (pom-pom, balloon, etc.)
Procedure:
1. Design your “dart board”
on a small or large paper
plate.
2. Attach a paper heart (or a
few of them in different
sizes) to the plate.
3. Add extra decorations,
verses, and captions, if
desired.
4. Use a ribbon or pipe
cleaner to hang up the
“board”.
5. Gather small soft items to
throw at the board. Options
include pom-poms, cotton balls, pieces of paper, balloons, etc. Use a rubber band or popsicle
stick to launch items at the target in attempt to hit the smallest heart.

Copyright © Ministry-To-Children.com
Permission granted for any non-profit use. Written by Kristin Schmidt.
 These craft ideas were prepared by Kristin Schmidt, who serves
at the Epiphany Lutheran Church in Castle Rock, CO. She has
shared her teaching gifts through Ministry-To-Children since
2014 and now serves as our lead curriculum writer.
Kristin has a professional background in elementary and pre-
school education. A graduate of Biola University, she holds a
Master of Education and will receive the Master of Theology
degree from Concordia University, Irvine, California, in May
2020. Kristin grew up in southern California and lived the past 10 years in Georgia. She is a long-
distance runner and voracious reader.
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Copyright © Ministry-To-Children.com
Permission granted for any non-profit use. Written by Kristin Schmidt.