VBS Curriculum: Kingdom Come (The Lord’s Prayer)
This Kingdom Come VBS theme or children’s ministry Bible curriculum is based on the Lord’s Prayer. We work through five sessions, breaking down each principle in that prayer.
This resource was designed as a camp curriculum for 8-12 years of age but can also serve as a VBS theme, a 5-week Sunday morning children’s ministry teaching series, Sunday School curriculum, Backyard Bible club, or kids’ sports camp curriculum.
- (DAY 1) Our Good Father in Heaven
- (DAY 2) Thy Kingdom Come
- (DAY 3) Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread
- (DAY 4) Forgive Us Our Sins
- (DAY 5) Lead Us Not Into Temptation.
Includes:
- Lesson Guides (5 Sessions)
- Inductive Bible Study Questions
- Group & Team Building Activities
- Object Lessons & Illustrations
- Craft Ideas & Music Playlist (*Links)
- Printable Booklet for Handouts (Talk Sheets)
- Logo Files & 4K Media Graphics
- T-Shirt Logo Design
*Contents does not include craft supplies or music audio files, only the craft ideas with links to suggested materials as well as a short playlist of ideal songs to go with each daily lesson theme.
SUMMARY
During the times of Jesus’ earthly ministry, people had many differing views on how to pray depending on their culture or learned traditions. Prayer was a pillar of Jewish piety. Public prayer, said aloud in the morning, afternoon, and evening, was very common. At the set time of prayer, pious Jews would stop what they were doing and pray, some discreetly, but others with pretentious display.
Pagans used “heaped up empty phrases” while repeating the names of their gods or the same words over and over without thinking (1 Kings 18:26; Acts 19:34).
Jesus taught His followers that prayer wasn’t about some magical formula, mindless phrases, mechanical repetition, or being heard by God because our petitions are loud enough. And Jesus certainly didn’t explicitly forbid public prayer, as He Himself often prayed publicly. Rather, Jesus condemned the act of praying publicly with the intention of being seen by others and seeking praise, highlighting the importance of sincerity and a humble heart when praying in public.
Many people misunderstand the Lord’s Prayer to be a prayer we are supposed to recite word for word. Some people treat the Lord’s Prayer as a ritual, as if the words themselves have some specific power or influence with God. The Bible teaches the opposite. God is far more interested in our hearts when we pray than He is in our words. In prayer, we are to pour out our hearts to God (Philippians 4:6-7), not simply recite memorized words to God. So, why did Jesus give His disciples a model for prayer?
The Lord’s Prayer is a prayer Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4. It could also be called “the Model Prayer,” since Jesus was using this prayer as a pattern for His disciples to follow. It isn’t about a ritual, but more about an example of how to find the heart of God in prayer. It helps us talk to God and understand what’s important to Him. The Lord’s Prayer should be understood as an example, or a pattern, of how to pray. It gives us the “ingredients” that should go into prayer.
This model prayer teaches us a lot about how to connect with God and how to live as His followers. Here’s a breakdown of some of the key lessons we can learn from it:
This model of prayer underscores the unique relationship Christian believers have with God as their “Father” (Rom. 8:14–17; Gal. 4:4–7). “Our Father in heaven” is teaching us whom to address our prayers to—the Father. The Greek word for “Father” (patēr) would have been “Abba” in Aramaic, the everyday language spoken by Jesus. The idea of praying to God as “Our Father” conveys the authority, warmth, and intimacy of a loving father’s care, while “in heaven” reminds believers of God’s sovereign rule over all things. The theme of “heavenly Father” is found throughout the Old Testament (Deut. 14:1; 32:6; Ps. 103:13; Jer. 3:4; 31:9; Hos. 11:1). Jesus’ disciples are invited into the intimacy of God the Son with his Father.
“Hallowed be your name” is telling us to worship God, and to praise Him for who He is. We are to respect and honor God’s name. It reminds us that God is holy and deserving of our reverence. We want to impart upon kids the importance of using the Lord’s name with reverence, as they respect God’s power and authority.
The phrase “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” is a reminder to us that we are to pray for God’s plan in our lives and the world. We want God’s ways of kindness, peace, and justice to spread everywhere. We are to pray for God’s will to be done, not for our own selfish desires to succeed.
We are encouraged to ask God for the things we need in “give us today our daily bread.” This reminds us to trust God for our needs, big and small. God provides for us every day, whether it’s food, shelter, or anything else we need to live.
“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” reminds us to confess our sins to God and to turn from them, and also to forgive others as God has forgiven us. A Christ-centered faith understands that forgiveness is essential in our relationship with God and others. Just as God forgives us, we are called to forgive others, no matter how hard it may be.
The conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” is a plea for help in achieving victory over sin and a request for protection from the attacks of the devil. It reminds us we need God’s help to make good, Christ-honoring choices in our lives. We can’t make wise choices on our own. We need God’s help to avoid things that are wrong and to stay safe from harm.
“For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever” informs our prayers to always seek God’s glory. We learn that God is the King, and He has all power and glory forever. Everything belongs to Him, and we are to honor Him in all things..