We as Christians can sometimes get a bit uppity — a bit arrogant; looking down upon those who don’t believe or don’t know Jesus. We know Christianity is correct. We know we have the right answer. Unfortunately, sometimes we share or live that out in a way that is not winsome, but rather haughty.
The Israelites sometimes got into that same quandary. They knew that they were God’s elect people — His chosen and holy Nation. And they were quick to let that be known to others. But they forgot the reason. They thought they must have been chosen because they were better than others; superior in some way.
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations.
Deuteronomy 7:9
Our text for today dispels that error. God tells us in Deuteronomy 7:7, “It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set His love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all people.” Instead, He tells the real reason: it is because He loved them and was keeping the oath that He swore to their fathers. In other words, God chose them for His own reasons, out of His own love, and not because of who they were, what they had done, or how superior they were.
The same is true for us. Jesus tells us that we did not choose Him, but He chose us (John 15:16). In other words, we are saved because of God, not because we are somehow superior. We are God’s holy people — set aside and consecrated by Him, for Him and His purposes. We are His treasured possession, not because of any superior aspect of ourselves or because we’re better than anyone else, but because He has chosen us for His own purposes and His own reasons.
Our scripture also says that He “keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments” (Deuteronomy 7:9). Yet, He does this after He has kept His covenant and steadfast love for us through Jesus. In other words, through His love, His works, His death, and His resurrection — through His love, mercy, and forgiveness — He has chosen us. He has saved us.
And now, we get to return that love and keep His commandments in joy. We cannot earn our place as the chosen; we are given that place out of God’s love. Now we get to love Him and keep His commandments out of sheer response — out of steadfast love for His mercy and grace. We are His treasured possession, as He has shown us through the work, the death, the resurrection, and the ascension of Jesus. He has shown us to be His treasured possession, and our only response, our only privilege as His holy people, is to love Him and keep His commandments.
How awesome is that?!
Thank you, Lord!
“Gracious Lord, we are amazed that we are Your holy, treasured possession through faith in Jesus Christ, who showed His steadfast love on the cross and through the empty tomb. Grant us, Lord, to respond in kind, with steadfast love and by keeping Your commandments. For we know that You are God, and we worship and praise You now and forever! In Jesus’ name, amen!”
Join us for a new 5-week BridgeKidz series from The Sunday School Store, beginning July 12, 2026!
THE BIG IDEA
God equips us for a new school year. In Jesus we learn courage, dignity, kindness, perseverance, and bold leadership.
MEMORY VERSE
1 Timothy 4:12 “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers…”
THEME HOOK
“Homeroom at Church.” Each week begins with a Gear Check station where kids are introduced to the gear of the week.
GOSPEL CONNECTION
Jesus welcomes us into God’s family and gives the Spirit to shape our character. He sends us into school to shine for Him—doing what’s right, honoring God with our choices, serving others, and standing firm.
FIVE-WEEK LESSON OVERVIEW
WEEK 1
Gear Check: God Helps His People
Bible Story
Judges 4
Key Discovery
God can use ordinary people and ordinary tools for His good plans.
I Can Always
Offer my skills to God and choose courage.
WEEK 2
Good Trouble: Queen Vashti Says No
Bible Story
Esther 1
Key Discovery
Dignity and courage matter—sometimes loving God means saying “no” to wrong.
I Can Always
Honor God with respectful, brave choices.
WEEK 3
Pack Kindness: Tabitha’s Sewing Ministry
Bible Story
Acts 9:36–43
Key Discovery
Kindness leaves a legacy that points people to Jesus.
I Can Always
Use my hands to help and encourage others.
WEEK 4
Don’t Fear the Test
Bible Story
James 1:2-4
Key Discovery
God uses trials to grow strong faith and character.
I Can Always
Ask God for help and keep going with joy.
WEEK 5
Backpack Blessing Sunday: Timothy’s Call-Up
Bible Story
1 Timothy 4:12
Key Discovery
Young believers can lead by example—in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.
I Can Always
Live like Jesus at school and let others see Him in me.
We can follow Jesus’ example and live like He did.
MEMORY VERSE
John 14:6b (NIrV)
“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life.’”
LESSON
SCRIPTURE
OBJECTIVE
01 — Jesus Was Born Jesus came to earth as a baby born to parents who were so poor that he had to be born in a barn for animals. Because Jesus is God’s son, he deserved to be born in the nicest palace to the richest family. But by choosing to let his son be born in a barn, God showed us that it doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve done, God loves you and sent Jesus for you.
Luke 2:1-20 The Birth of Jesus
Little ones will learn that “Jesus could have done anything, but he chose to be a little kid just like me because he loves me”
02 — Jesus Studied God’s Word Jesus set an example for us by studying God’s Word. Even though he was the son of God, he still studied God’s word to learn what it says and obeyed what God taught him.
Luke 2:41-52 The Boy Jesus in the Temple
Little ones will learn that “I can study the Bible, just like Jesus did.”
03 — Jesus Was Obedient John the Baptist told other people about the coming Savior. When Jesus came to him to be baptized, John knew that the Savior arrived. Little ones will learn that Jesus set an example for us by being obedient to God when he was baptized. Jesus taught us that we show God we love Him when we obey Him.
Matthew 3:1-17 The Baptism of Jesus
Little ones will learn that “when I obey God, I’m showing that I love God.”
04 — Jesus Never Sinned Every single one of us has sinned at some point when we were tempted. As the Son of God, Jesus is the only person in history who lived a perfect life without sin. With Jesus’ help, we can resist temptation too.
Luke 4:1-13 The Temptation of Jesus.
Little ones will learn that “Jesus never did anything wrong, and he can help us to make right choices.”
05 — Jesus Called His Disciples When Jesus began his ministry, he asked 12 men to be his disciples and to follow in his footsteps and learn from his teaching and his actions. Even today Jesus wants us to be his disciples and commit to following him by obeying what he has taught us in the Bible.
Mark 1:14-20 Calling the First Disciples
Little ones will learn that “I can follow Jesus, by obeying the Bible.”
06 — Jesus Preached Jesus gave many sermons during his ministry, teaching people a different way to live and telling them that we could never do enough good things to go to heaven, but that God loves us and will forgive our sins if we will believe in Jesus as our Savior. In this sermon, Jesus shows how those who believe in Jesus can be a light to the world.
Matthew 5:13-16 The Sermon on the Mount Salt and Light
Little ones will learn that “when I tell people that Jesus loves them, I’m helping make their life brighter, like a light in a dark room.”
07 — Jesus Calmed a Storm When a storm threatened to sink the small boat that Jesus and the disciples were sailing in, Jesus commanded the storm to stop. And it did! We can trust Jesus with any problem, because He is powerful. Little ones will name something that they want to ask and trust God to help them with.
Mark 4:35-41 Jesus Calms the Storm
Little ones will learn that “I can ask God for help when I’m afraid.”
08 — Jesus Healed Because of his great love and compassion, Jesus healed many people that He encountered during his time on earth. One of them was a man who did not have the ability to walk. Little ones will learn that Jesus loves us and cares about each of us.
Luke 5:17-26 Jesus Heals a Paralytic
Little ones will learn that “I can ask God for help when I’m in need or someone I know needs help.”
09 — Jesus Came To Bring Peace When Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time, he rode on a donkey. The donkey was a symbol of a king who came in peace. Jesus showed us that he came in peace to let the world know how much God loves us.
Matthew 21:1-11 The Triumphal Entry
Little ones will name one way that knowing Jesus loves them gives them peace right now.
10 — Jesus Paid the Price for Sin Jesus was arrested even though he had done nothing wrong. He was sentenced to die a very painful death on the cross. We have all sinned and don’t deserve to be in Heaven with God. Jesus was the only person who never sinned and deserved to go to heaven without dying, but he chose to die in this way to pay the price for our sin so we could go to heaven too. Little ones will thank Jesus for dying for their sin.
Matthew 26:47-56, Luke 23:32-47 Jesus Arrest and Crucifixion
Little ones will learn that “Jesus took the punishment for every time I’ve made a bad choice.”
11 — Jesus Rose from the Dead! Jesus died for our sins, but on the third day He was raised back to life in power! Because Jesus paid the price for our sin and has power over sin and death, we can live forever with him in heaven.
John 20:1-23 The Resurrection
Little ones will learn that “I can trust Jesus to be my friend forever.”
12 —Jesus Will Return Jesus told his followers that he would be coming back to earth, but that their job and our job until then was to tell people how much God loves them, and to make new disciples of Jesus. Jesus wants us to share the good news of Jesus with other people so that when he returns to earth there will be many more people who believe that He is the Savior.
Matthew 28:16-20 The Great Commission
Little ones will name 1 person they are going to tell about Jesus this week.
