2025-06-08 Zealous
Introduction
Imagine for a moment a soldier on a mission—prepared, focused, and ready. The soldier doesn't go into battle lazily or halfheartedly. He's all in with no thought of turning back until he reaches his goal. Zeal drives him forward with purpose and determination.
"Zeal" isn't a word we use often in everyday conversation. When it is used, it's sometimes in a negative sense. People can be put off by someone who seems too passionate or intense. We might even be alarmed by zealots who pursue destructive purposes with fanatical devotion.
But when applied to God and His perfect purposes, how wonderful that He is zealous! To see God's zeal in action, look at Jesus' passionate pursuit of sinners. His zeal to save us took Him down a path of selfless humility through unimaginable pain and suffering. Yet He never wavered. Jesus pursued His goal with His whole heart until it was accomplished!
In this lesson, we'll help children understand that God is zealous—He acts with His whole heart to accomplish His purposes. We'll explore how Jesus demonstrated this zealous love by choosing the difficult path that led to our salvation rather than taking the easy way out.
Before Service
Ensure parents take their child to the restroom before bringing them to the children's area and use the QR code to sign in their child before the service.
Praise and Worship (15 mins)
Parents: The parent and child scheduled for this week will lead us in singing on Sunday. Please take time to practice the songs together at home, helping your child feel confident and joyful as they prepare to lead.
Prayer and Offering (5 mins)
Parents: Please encourage your children to bring an offering to church. You may help your child prepare by setting aside a coin for them to bring on Sunday. This is a great opportunity to teach them about giving to God with a thankful heart and trusting Him to provide.
What is Offering?
Offering is when we give something to God to show our love and thankfulness. In church, we often give money as an offering, but we can also give our time, talents, and kindness to God and others.
Why Do We Make an Offering?
1️⃣ To Thank God – Everything we have comes from God! Giving back is a way to say, “Thank You, God!”
The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 9:7,
2️⃣ To Trust God – When we give, we show that we trust God to take care of us.
3️⃣ To Help Others – Offerings help the church teach about Jesus, help people in need, and share God’s love.
"God loves a cheerful giver!" That means God is happy when we give with a joyful heart!
Prayer for Offering
Dear God, thank You for giving us everything we need. We want to give back to You with joyful hearts. Please use our offering to help others and share Your love. Help us to always trust You. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Review Verse from Last Week
Psalm 145:8 (NIV) —"The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love."
“The LORD”
(Point upward)
“is gracious and compassionate”
(Open hands like giving a gift)
“slow to anger”
(Shake head slowly)
“and rich in love.”
(Cross arms over chest)
Supplies Needed
- Bible - Open to Isaiah 42:13 and Luke 19:30, 35-38
- Blessing Box containing:
- A piece of candy
- A wash pail and scrub brush
- Reward visual (picture showing vacation, new bike, money, etc.)
- Visual aids:
- Z-Zealous visual - Large letter "Z" for "Zealous"
- Ten Plagues visual (from previous lessons)
- Palm Leaf visual (or real palm leaves)
- Triumphal Entry visual
- Crown visual (or inexpensive costume crown)
- Sin visual
- Props:
- Large chair covered with cloth (to represent a throne)
- Jewelry box (placed on a small table or stand)
- Pail with crumpled paper/trash (to represent sin)
- Cloths to cover the throne, jewelry box, and garbage
- Memory Verse - Isaiah 42:13 written on a slide or posterboard
- Craft supplies - "Z" worksheets, crayons, markers
- Game materials - Bible event cards and matching picture cards
Additional Scripture References
- Isaiah 42:13 (NIV) - "The LORD goes out like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his zeal; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes."
- Luke 19:30, 35-38a (NIV) - Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem
- Hebrews 12:2b (NIV) - "For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Bible Story (10 min): God is Zealous
Introduction (1 min)
(Take out a piece of candy and a scrub brush with a pail from the Blessing Box.)
Boys and girls, I have a question for you. If I gave you a choice between these two things—eating this piece of candy OR scrubbing the floor with this brush—which would you choose?
(Let children vote by raising hands. Most will likely choose candy.)
Now, what if I told you that if you choose to scrub the floor, you would get a special reward: a vacation trip anywhere you want to go, a new bike, five new games, $100, AND all the candy you want! Now which would you choose?
(Take a vote again. Show the Reward visual.)
Sometimes people choose to do a harder thing because in the end, it gives a better and greater reward! And if the reward is something we really want, we'll work very hard to get it—with great eagerness and energy. We'll do it "wholeheartedly"!
Story Telling (5 min) - God's Zeal in Action
What about God? When He decides to do something, do you think He goes about it with great eagerness and energy? Does He do things wholeheartedly?
For example, when the people of Israel were slaves in Egypt, did God want them to be free? Did He decide to act and free them? Did He do it in a "ho-hum" lazy kind of way? No!
(Show the Ten Plagues visual.)
God acted wholeheartedly with great eagerness and energy to free His people. God acted wholeheartedly to defeat the Egyptian armies and Pharaoh.
There's a special word the Bible uses to mean that God acts wholeheartedly with great eagerness and energy to bring about His plans. It's a word that begins with the letter "Z".
(Have the children turn to Isaiah 42:13 in their Bibles. Read it aloud.)
"The LORD goes out like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his zeal; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes."
What word begins with the letter Z in this verse? That's right—zeal! God acts like a mighty soldier going out to battle. He acts with ZEAL—with His whole heart, never in a "ho-hum" or lazy way.
(Show the Z-Zealous visual.)
God is zealous. He acts with His whole heart.
As much as God was zealous to free the people of Israel from Egypt, there is something He is even more zealous about. Let me tell you about a time when Jesus showed His zeal.
(Begin telling the story of Jesus entering Jerusalem.)
Jesus had spent three years telling people about who God is and what He is like. During that time, Jesus worked many miracles: healing the sick and blind, feeding 5,000 hungry people, and even making dead people come to life again! Now, Jesus had an important mission, and to do it, He had to enter the city of Jerusalem.
Before entering Jerusalem, Jesus gave two of His disciples a special job to do. He told them:
(Read from Luke 19:30, 35-36.)
"Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here... And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road."
(Show the Palm Leaf visual and Triumphal Entry visual.)
Other people in the crowd cut palm leaves and laid them on the road too. As Jesus came near, all His followers began to rejoice and praise God with loud voices for all the mighty works they had seen, saying:
(Have the children say this part together:)
"Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!"
(Uncover the throne chair and crown visual.)
The people believed that Jesus was the promised King of Israel. In Jerusalem, there was a palace, a throne, and a crown. They thought Jesus had come to Jerusalem to sit on the throne, wear a crown, and be the king they had been expecting.
But Jesus was on a different kind of mission.
(Uncover the garbage pail/trash and jewelry box.)
This jewelry box reminds us that God is glorious—He shows His greatness and worth. Is there anything or anyone greater or more valuable than God? No! But do we always act like we treasure and love God most of all? No, we don't.
That's why this pile of dirty, stinky garbage is here—to remind us of what sin is like. And God feels anger toward sin. He is right to punish sin.
(Place the Sin visual on the pile of trash.)
When Jesus entered Jerusalem that day, it was a little like the people in the crowd were holding out a piece of candy for Him—"Jesus, come and sit on this nice throne and wear this beautiful crown."
But just like how many of you changed your mind about wanting the easy-to-get candy when you knew there was a better reward for doing the hard work of scrubbing, Jesus knew something similar. While it would have been easier and more fun for Jesus to go sit on a throne, wear a crown, and be treated like a king, there was a reward that was much, much more important to Him—the greatest reward of all.
(Point to the jewelry box.)
Jesus was going to show the glory of God by saving His sinful people. That is the greatest reward of all! So, do you think Jesus would go about doing it in a "ho-hum" or bored kind of way?
(Show the Z-Zealous visual again.)
No! Jesus is God, and He is zealous. He is zealous to show the glory of God by saving sinners like you and me. But to do it, He had to do the hardest, most painful job of all—He had to go and die on a cross. And He would do it with zeal—acting with His whole heart.
Wrap-up & Discussion (4 min)
(Sit with the children in a circle or relaxed posture.)
What special word did we learn about God today? That's right—God is zealous. He acts with His whole heart.
Just like a good soldier who goes into battle with great energy and determination, God does everything with His whole heart. He never gives up. He never gets lazy or bored.
When God decided to save His people from Egypt, He did it with zeal! When Jesus came to save us from our sins, He did it with zeal! Even when it was hard—even when it meant dying on a cross—Jesus was zealous to do what would bring glory to God and save people from their sins.
God is zealous for things that matter most—His glory and His people. He loves you with His whole heart and acts with great energy and determination to take care of you.
Ask a few gentle, reflective questions:
- If a soldier isn't zealous about winning a battle, what might happen? (He might lose, give up easily, or not try his hardest)
- Why do you think it's good that God is zealous instead of lazy or half-hearted?
- What does it tell you about Jesus that He was zealous to save people, even when it meant dying on a cross?
- What are some things you feel zealous about—things you pursue with your whole heart?
(Bring it together with this summary.)
When we know that God is zealous, it gives us great comfort. It means God will never give up on His plans or His people. He pursues what He loves with His whole heart!
The most amazing thing is that God is zealous for YOU. Just like a soldier charges into battle with determination and energy, God is zealous to bring you close to Him and make you part of His family. He wants you to know Him and love Him.
Remember, God always acts with His whole heart. He never does anything halfway or with a bored attitude. And nothing can stop God from accomplishing what He has planned!
Memorizing Verse: Isaiah 42:13
Isaiah 42:13 (NIV)
"The LORD goes out like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his zeal; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes."
"Now let's learn a special Bible verse that tells us about God's zeal. Listen carefully as I say it."
(Read slowly and clearly, pointing to the words if displayed):
💡 Break It Down & Explain
Let's say it together—repeat after me!
(Say in short phrases and have kids echo):
- "The LORD goes out" (march in place)
- "like a mighty man," (flex muscles)
- "like a man of war" (stand at attention like a soldier)
- "he stirs up his zeal;" (make stirring motion)
- "he cries out," (cup hands around mouth)
- "he shouts aloud," (raise hands up)
- "he shows himself mighty" (flex muscles again)
- "against his foes." (make a pushing away motion)
(Say it again a little faster as a group.)
Now let's talk about what this means.
- "The LORD goes out like a mighty man" - God is strong and powerful, like a warrior!
- "He stirs up his zeal" - God gets excited and determined about what He's doing.
- "He cries out, he shouts aloud" - God doesn't act quietly or half-heartedly.
- "He shows himself mighty against his foes" - God will always win against His enemies!
Craft & Game (10 mins)
Craft (5 min)
Download and print the letter "Z" worksheet for children.
(Hold up a large printed letter "Z" and say cheerfully):
Now we're going to do a fun craft to help us remember that God is zealous. 'Z' stands for Zealous!
(Hand out a copy of the large 'Z' on paper to each child, along with crayons, markers, or stickers.)
I want you to decorate your letter "Z" to remind you that God acts with His whole heart. You could draw a soldier, a crown, or Jesus riding into Jerusalem!
(While kids draw, walk around and chat with them individually, prompting reflection)
- What does it mean that God is zealous?
- Why do you think God is like a soldier going into battle?
- What was Jesus zealous about?
- Can you think of a time when you were zealous about something—when you really, really wanted something?
- How does it make you feel to know that God acts with His whole heart to take care of you?
(After 4–5 minutes, invite kids to share their art aloud if time allows.)
These are beautiful! Each 'Z' reminds us that God is zealous—He acts with His whole heart!
Game (5 min)
Setup (before class):
- Prepare 12 Bible event cards that describe times when God acted with zeal
- Prepare 12 matching picture cards that illustrate each event
- Tape the Bible event cards on the wall
- Place the picture cards in a gift bag
(Gather the group and explain):
Let's play a game called God's Zealous Actions! On the wall are cards that tell about times in the Bible when God acted with zeal—with His whole heart. In this bag are pictures that match each event.
When it's your turn, you'll pick a picture from the bag and try to match it with the right Bible event on the wall. We'll talk about how God showed His zeal in each event!
(Let children take turns matching the pictures to the Bible events.)
Great job! All these stories show how God acts with His whole heart. He is zealous about everything He does!
Response Song
Optional Activity: Memory Verse Game
Materials needed (if time allows):
- Choose a Memory Verse Review Game from your curriculum resources
If we have some extra time, we're going to play a fun game to help us remember our verse about God's zeal!
Closing Prayer & Snack Time (10 mins)
Dear God,
Thank You for being zealous.
Thank You for acting with Your whole heart.
Thank You for not giving up when things get hard.
Thank You for Jesus, who was zealous to save us,
even when it meant dying on the cross.
Help us to be zealous for the things that matter to You.
Help us to love You with our whole hearts,
just as You love us with Your whole heart.
Thank You that we can trust You because You never do anything halfway.Now, let us thank You for the snack we’re about to enjoy.
We fold our hands.
We bow our heads.
We thank You, God,
for this daily bread.
Amen.