Bible Lesson: Wise & Foolish Builders

Here’s a fun lesson you can use to teach your students about the wise and foolish builders from Matthew 7:24-27. Say the following words as you have the children do the motions in parentheses. Hold your Bible open as you tell the story. Explain that this is a true story from God’s Word, the Bible.

Jesus told first about a wise man. This man built his house on solid rock. Then one night, a storm came up. The rain poured down. (Lead the children in rain motions. Have them rub their legs, snap their fingers, and then pat their knees faster and faster to imitate the sound of rain and a growing storm. Finally, have them stomp their feet while patting their legs.) The wind howled. (Have the children say, “oooo.”) The water outside began to rise. (Have the children slowly raise their hands.) But the man’s house was safe from the storm, because it was built on a rock.

Another man foolishly built his house on the sand. Then the storm came up. The rain poured down. (Lead the children in rain motions. Have them rub their legs, snap their fingers, and then pat their knees faster and faster to imitate the sound of rain and a growing storm. Finally, have them stomp their feet while patting their legs.) The wind howled. (Have the children say, “oooo.”) The water outside began to rise. (Have the children slowly raise their hands.) The flood washed away the sand under the house. The house groaned and creaked and then fell apart. Down it came with a great CRASH!

Jesus said, “People who hear what I say and obey Me are like the wise builder. When problems come, they will be safe. But people who hear Me without obeying what I say will be like the foolish man. When problems come, they will be like the man whose house fell down with a CRASH.”

(Sing the following words to the tune of THIS OLD MAN.)

This wise man, he built well

      (pretend to hammer);

He built well up on a rock;

      When the rains came down

And the floods came up

      (lower and raise hands),

This man’s house stood firm and strong

      (raise fists & make muscles with arms).

Foolish man, he built wrong

      (pretend to hammer);

He built wrong up on the sand;

      When the rains came down

And the floods came up

      (lower and raise hands),

This man’s house came tumbling down

      (fall down).

  

The Bible says that Jesus is like a solid Rock. (Read I Corinthians 10:4.) When we obey Jesus, we will be safe even when troubles come.