Forgiving Again and Again

Opening Question

Ask: 'Have you ever had to say sorry to someone more than once? Or has someone had to say sorry to you more than once?'

Expected answers: Kids might share about siblings, friends at school, or parents. They may say things like 'My brother said sorry for breaking my toy' or 'I had to say sorry for being mean.'

If off-topic: Gently redirect — 'That's interesting! Today we're talking about what happens when someone does something wrong and needs to be forgiven. Let's think about times we've had to forgive someone.'

Time estimate: 2-3 minutes

Scripture Focus

Read together (or have a volunteer read):

Then Peter came up and said to him, 'Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?' Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.'

— Matthew 18:21-22

Ask: 'Peter thought forgiving someone seven times was a lot. What did Jesus say?'

Expected answers: 'Seventy-seven times!' or 'A really big number!' Some may try to do the math.

Leader note: Affirm their answers and explain: 'Jesus picked a number so big that Peter couldn't keep count. Jesus was saying we should forgive people over and over — we shouldn't stop forgiving!'

Time estimate: 3-4 minutes

Why Do We Forgive So Much?

Ask: 'Why do you think Jesus wants us to keep forgiving people, even when it's hard?'

Expected answers: Kids may say 'Because Jesus forgives us' or 'Because God loves us' or 'Because it's the right thing to do.'

If they struggle: Prompt them — 'Think about all the times God forgives us when we do wrong things. Does He stop after seven times?'

Leader note: Emphasize this key point from the sermon: 'God forgives us again and again through Jesus. Because God forgives us so much, He wants us to forgive others the same way. We can't keep a list and say —okay, that's enough forgiveness!— We keep forgiving because God keeps forgiving us.'

Time estimate: 4-5 minutes

Activity: Act It Out

Instructions: Have two kids act out a short scene. One kid 'borrows' the other's toy and breaks it. The first kid says sorry. Then it happens again the next day. And again. Each time, the other kid has to decide: will I forgive?

After acting: Ask the group — 'Was it easy or hard to keep forgiving? How do you think the kid who kept forgiving felt?'

Expected responses: 'It was hard!' 'I would get mad!' 'Maybe tired of it happening.'

Leader note: Affirm their honesty. Say something like: 'You're right, it IS hard! That's why we need God's help. When we ask God to help us forgive, He gives us the strength to do it — even when we don't feel like it. Forgiveness is a superpower that comes from God!'

Time estimate: 5-6 minutes

Closing Prayer Prompt

Say: 'Let's thank God for forgiving us so many times, and let's ask Him to help us forgive others the way He forgives us.'

Pray together (or invite a child to pray).

Time estimate: 1-2 minutes