Table of Contents
Sermon on the Mount
I can be happy when I live the way Jesus taught.
Matthew CHAPTER 5 Jesus preaches the Sermon on the Mount—Its teachings replace and transcend some aspects of the law of Moses—All are commanded to be perfect like their Father in Heaven.
Luke CHAPTER 6 Jesus heals on the Sabbath—He chooses the Twelve Apostles—He pronounces blessings upon the obedient and woes upon the wicked. Sermon on the Mount
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 5; Luke 6” As you read Matthew 5:3–12, what words and phrases stand out to you? How will these teachings bless the lives of the children you teach?
Explain that the beginning of Jesus’s sermon includes what is known as the “Beatitudes.” Beatitude means to be blessed or happy. In these verses, Jesus identified attributes that He and His Father possess that lead to true happiness in this life and in the life to come. Developing these attributes will help you become more like Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
- Create a chart on the board with two columns labeled Blessed are … and Blessing. Invite the children to search Matthew 5:3–12 looking for the qualities of those Jesus said would be blessed and the blessings He promised them. Then fill in the chart with what they find. Discuss with the children what each quality and corresponding blessing mean.
Lesson 34: Jesus Teaches the Beatitudes (Click on link for instructions and printouts for this activity.)
- Write each quality from these verses on a card and its corresponding blessing on a card. For example, one card would say “meek,” and another would say “inherit the earth” (verse 5). Let the children match the qualities and the blessings. Ask the children to pick one of the qualities in these verses that they want to develop.
Friend March 2019 “Sermon on the Mount” The scriptures teach us about a special talk (or “sermon”) that Jesus gave called the Sermon on the Mount. Look up the scriptures below and match them with what Jesus taught.
Friend April 2004 “If I Choose to Obey, I’ll Be Happy All Day!” In the Sermon on the Mount (see Matt. 5; 3 Ne. 12) Jesus taught us how to live so we can be happy. Some of these teachings are known as the Beatitudes. Beatitude means “happiness” or “blessing.” To make a Beatitude Book, glue page 29 onto a sheet of paper. Cut on the solid lines. Glue the second strip to the tab on the first strip. Fold back and forth on the dotted lines.
Friend March 1984 link includes instructions
Friend February 2023 “Scripture Toss” Put this page on the ground. Take turns tossing a beanbag onto the paper. When the beanbag lands on a square, read that scripture verse. If someone has already read that verse, tell what it means to you. Or you can tell how you can do what it teaches.
Friend February 2023 “How to Have Joy” When we follow Jesus Christ, we are blessed even in hard times. Read what Jesus promised us in Matthew 5 and fill in the blanks.
Friend February 2023 “Come, Follow Me Activities for Little Ones”Tell your little ones that we are happy when we choose the right like Jesus did. Hang up a paper with a smiley face drawn on it. Add a smiley face each time your little ones make a “happy” choice.
Liahona February 2023 “Building on the Teachings of Jesus Christ”
In Matthew 5, the Savior teaches His disciples a higher law to live by so they can become like Him.
- Read the beatitudes in Matthew 5:1–12. Talk about each characteristic and the promise that goes with it.
- Write each person’s name on a separate sheet of paper.
- Give each person a paper, making sure they don’t get one with their own name written on it.
- Have everyone draw a picture of a time when the person on their paper exemplified one of the beatitudes. Write a sentence about it. For example, “Hannah is a peacemaker because she shared with her sister.”
- Look up the blessing associated with that beatitude and write it at the bottom of the page.
- Take turns sharing what was written.
Discussion: How does living the way Jesus Christ taught bring us lasting happiness? How can Heavenly Father and the Savior help us develop these characteristics?
I can be a peacemaker.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 5; Luke 6” The children you teach can have a powerful influence at home as they treat others with love and kindness.
“Lesson 22: Blessed Are the Peacemakers,” Primary 2: Choose the Right A Explain that a peacemaker is someone who helps others be happy instead of angry. Peace means calmness and happiness. Explain that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are peacemakers, and each of us can also be a peacemaker.
Give each child a paper face. Have the children sing or say the words to “Smiles” with you, turning the faces to frowns or smiles as suggested by the words.
Ask the children to turn their paper faces to show how they think the people in the below pictures feel.
- Why do you think all these people feel happy?
Ask the children to turn the faces to show how they think family members would feel if they were arguing and fighting.
- Why does arguing and fighting make family members sad?
Have the children turn their paper faces to the sad face and each tell something that would make a family sad. Then have the children turn their paper faces to the happy face and tell things that make their families happy.
- Do you like it better when your family is happy or when your family is sad?
Collect the faces so they won’t distract the children. Return them at the end of class so the children can take them home.
- Read Matthew 5:9 to the children, and explain that peacemakers make any place peaceful, no matter where they are. Write on strips of paper some examples of contentious situations the children might face (for example, siblings fighting over a toy). Invite each child to pick a strip of paper. As you read each scenario, ask the children to share how they could be a peacemaker in that situation. Or share a few fictional scenarios, and help the children identify whether or not the people involved are being peacemakers.
“Lesson 22: Blessed Are the Peacemakers,” Primary 2: Choose the Right A Describe some situations to the children and help them think of and act out the way a peacemaker would act in each situation. Help the children think of ways everyone involved in the situation can be happy. Use the situations below or create some of your own:
- You are quietly looking at a book when your sister comes over and grabs the book out of your hands because she wants to read it.
- How would you like to be treated?
- What will you say or do if you are a peacemaker?
- You go to the kitchen to get one of your favorite cookies. Your brother runs to the cookie jar, takes the last cookie, and eats it. You are angry.
- How would you like to be treated?
- What will you say or do if you are a peacemaker?
- You and your friend are drawing pictures. She teases you for coloring a tree purple. Your feelings are hurt, and you think of a mean name to call her.
- How would you like to be treated?
- What will you say or do if you are a peacemaker?
- “Matt and Mandy” (October 1994 Friend)
For the Strength of Youth January 2023 “Being a Peacemaker: Your New SUPERPOWER”
Bright Idea Poster: “Blessed are the peacemakers”(October 2010 Friend)
- Invite a few of the children’s parents to visit your class and share examples of times when their children were peacemakers in the home.
I can be a peacemaker.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 5; Luke 6” Jesus taught that peacemakers will be called the children of God. How can you inspire the children to be peacemakers?
Explain that a peacemaker is someone who helps others be happy instead of angry. Peace means calmness and happiness. Explain that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are peacemakers, and each of us can also be a peacemaker.
- Invite a child to read Matthew 5:9 aloud. What is a peacemaker? What are ways we can be peacemakers with our families and friends? (For some ideas, see verses 21–24, 38–47.)
- Ask each child to think of a situation that would need the help of a peacemaker. What would a peacemaker do in the situation?
- “Matt and Mandy” (October 1994 Friend)
For the Strength of Youth January 2023 “Being a Peacemaker: Your New SUPERPOWER”
- Invite the children to share times when they showed love for someone, even if that person was different from them or was difficult to love.
Friend April 2015 “Flowers and Friends” A girl in Jenny’s class keeps demanding Jenny’s flowers that other classmates can only take if Jenny is talking. Jenny prays about it and tries to be a friend to the girl.
Friend May 2019 “Choose to Be Kind” A girl pushed her way to the front of the line at the bus stop and sat where Samuel and his friend, Mike, had planned on sitting. This started an argument, but Samuel chooses to be kind instead of right, and figures out a solution.
Jesus wants me to be a light to others.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 5; Luke 6” Little children can have a powerful influence for good on others. How can you inspire them to let their light shine?
- Show the children several items that give light, and show a picture of children. Read Matthew 5:14–16, and tell the children that their good examples can be like a light for others to see. How can we use our light to bring others to God?
- Shine a flashlight around the room, and invite the children to follow the light with their eyes. Use the light to lead their eyes to a picture of the Savior. How does light help us? How can we be a light to the world? Cover the flashlight. What happens if we don’t share our light or if we hide it?
Friend April 2018 “A High-Five Example”Students in a special needs class we’re trying to give Lily’s classmates high fives as they walked by, but nobody did it until Lily gave them all high fives then everyone behind her did it.
Friend March 2011″Daniel’s Example of Prayer” Daniel sets an example for his grandparents who aren’t members of the church.
Friend March 2011 “Being a Good Example”
Latter Day Kids “I Can Be a Peacemaker” Lesson ideas
- Hide a flashlight in the room, and turn off the lights. Let the children try to find it. Review Matthew 5:15, and talk about why we shouldn’t hide our light.
- Help the children find and color the hidden candles in this week’s activity page.
- Sing with the children a song about being a light for others, such as “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam,” “Shine On,” or “I Am like a Star” (Children’s Songbook, 60–61, 144, 163).
My example can light the way for others to follow Jesus.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 5; Luke 6” Many of the children you teach have made baptismal covenants. Think about how the Savior’s words in Matthew 5:14–16 relate to their covenants. What messages might the Lord have in this passage for the children in your class?
Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 5; Luke 6”
To help your family understand what it means to be “the light of the world,” you could explore some of the sources of light in your home, your neighborhood, and the world. It might be helpful to show what happens when you hide a light. What did Jesus mean when He said, “Ye are the light of the world”? (Matthew 5:14). Who has been like a light for our family? How can we be a light to others? (see 3 Nephi 18:16, 24–25).
- Help the children memorize Matthew 5:16. Write the verse on the board. Read it together several times, erasing a few words each time. (Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.)
- Invite the children to draw things they can do to be a light to others.
Friend November 2015 “Be a Shining Light” Ways we can become examples so our lights will shine.
Friend April 2017 “Be a Light” Color in the sun as you figure out someone to do certain things for as a true friend such as loving, forgiving, encouraging, etc.
- Talk about how being a light to others helps us fulfill our baptismal covenants (see Mosiah 18:8–10).
When we are baptized we promise to follow Jesus and keep the commandments. When we do these things we are being a light (an example) for others to follow.
Friend February 2021 “Bright Idea”
- Sing a song about sharing light with others, such as “Shine On” (Children’s Songbook, 144). How can we share the Savior’s light?
- Ask the children to draw things that give us light. Read Matthew 5:14–16. Ask them why Jesus wants us to be a light to the world.
Jesus is the light of the world. He shows us the way to happiness and eternal life. Because of his great love for all people, Jesus wants us to be a light to others to help them gain happiness in this life and eternal happiness.
- Invite two children to face each other, and ask one to try to make the other smile without touching him or her. Talk about the power the children have to bring happiness to others.
Your example of doing good things can help others see the way to lasting happiness.
Lesson 38: Peace among the Nephites
When we live the gospel, we treat each other with love and kindness, and as a result we enjoy greater peace and happiness in our lives.
Print and cutout the words and faces . Show the children the words. Have them put the words they associate with happiness under the smiley face and words they associate with unhappiness under the sad face. Explain that after Jesus visited the Nephites, they lived his teachings and lived in happiness. According to 4 Nephi 1:16 there never was a happier people.
- Fairness/Every man did deal justly one with another.
- Sharing/They had all things common among them. (There were no poor.)What does it mean that the people had “all things common among them”? Each person gave the extra he produced (crops, flocks, etc), and this extra was used for those who were in need of help.
- Healing/All manner of miracles did they work. (Read 4 Nephi 1:5) The miracles included healing the lame, the blind, the deaf, and raising the dead.)
- Peace/There were no contentions, strifes, or tumults in the land. (Meaning there was no fighting, arguing, riots, or war.)
- Charity/The love of God … did dwell in the hearts of the people.
- Goodwill/There were no envyings. (There was no jealousy. There was only gladness that others were blessed.)
- Honesty/There were no … lyings.
- Safety/There were no robbers or murderers.
- Virtue/There were no whoredoms nor any manner of lasciviousness (crude behavior). (The people were chaste and clean.)
- Unity/ There were no divisions of race or class. (There was no manner of “ites.” The people were no longer divided into Nephites and Lamanites but were united.)
After nearly 200 years sin slowly started creeping into the land again. As the people let wickedness into their lives, it spread
The choices they made resulted in misery and unhappiness for many people. The words under the sad face is what occurred.
If we are good examples to the people that are around us we can help people gain happiness in this life and in the life to come.
Friend February 2023 “Twelve Smiley Stickers” Antonio brings happiness to others as he serves them. He realizes he feels happy as well.
Jesus Christ wants me to love everyone.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 5; Luke 6” Younger children can begin now to practice showing love, even when they are treated unfairly by peers or siblings. As you read Matthew 5:44–45, consider how the Savior’s teachings apply to the children you teach.
- Restate Matthew 5:44 using words and situations the children will understand and relate to. Ask the children to share times when they showed love for someone even though it was hard. How did these experiences make them feel?
Friend April 2015 “Flowers and Friends” A girl in Jenny’s class keeps demanding Jenny’s flowers that other classmates can only take if Jenny is talking. Jenny prays about it and tries to be a friend to the girl.
Friend January 2018 “A Friend for Mr. Maurice” Carter’s neighbor, Mr. Maurice, seems mean. Carter’s father tells him that Jesus taught that we are to love everyone. Carter tries to be kind and help Mr. Maurice and finds out Mr. Maurice is easier to love than expected.
- As a class, sing a song about loving others, such as “Love One Another” (Children’s Songbook, 136–37). What do we learn from this song about loving others?
- Give the children paper hearts labeled with the words “I will show my love for everyone.” Ask them to decorate the hearts and hang them in their homes as a reminder to love others.
Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 5; Luke 6” As your family reads the Savior’s words in these verses, you might talk about who, specifically, you feel you could love, bless, and pray for. How can we increase our love for them?
Additional Resources
The Red Crystal “Matthew 5, Luke 6”
Be Ye Therefore Perfect
Liahona February 2023 “Does Heavenly Father Really Expect Us to Be Perfect?” Activity: Perfection Puzzle”
During His Sermon on the Mount, the Savior taught, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). But how is this possible?
- Come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, Moro. 10:32.
- Continue in patience until ye are perfected, D&C 67:13.
- These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus, D&C 76:69.
As a family, create a simple puzzle by cutting a sheet of paper into several puzzle pieces. Before assembling the puzzle, remove one piece so that the puzzle will be incomplete upon assembly. Give each family member the remaining puzzle pieces and have them label the pieces with things they can do to work toward perfection.
When the pieces are labeled, assemble the puzzle without the piece you removed at the beginning. Once the puzzle is assembled, reveal the final piece. Before placing it, discuss ways that the members of the Godhead help us improve and write some of these down on the final piece.
Through the redeeming power of Jesus Christ and His Atonement, we can become perfect eventually.3
Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 5; Luke 6”
How can you help class members see that the Savior’s command to be “perfect” (Matthew 5:48) means, as President Russell M. Nelson explained, to be “complete” or “finished”? (“Perfection Pending,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 86–88). You could cut a picture of Jesus into a puzzle, and invite class members to write on the back of each piece a teaching from Matthew 5 that they feel inspired to apply to their life. Let them work together to complete the puzzle. How does Jesus Christ’s Atonement help us become “complete” or “finished”? (see Bible Dictionary, “Grace”).
Discuss this statement from Elder Joseph Fielding Smith about perfection: “[Perfection] will not come all at once, but line upon line, precept upon precept, example upon example, and even then not as long as we live in this mortal life. … But here we lay the foundation … to prepare us for that perfection. It is our duty to be better today than we were yesterday, and better tomorrow than we are today” (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:18).
Salt of the Earth
Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 5; Luke 6”
Eat together some food seasoned with salt and the same food without salt. What difference do we notice? What does it mean to be “the salt of the earth”? How can we do this?
“Lesson 10: The Sermon on the Mount,” Primary 7: New Testament Unless this lesson is on fast Sunday, prepare a food that usually is prepared with salt, such as popcorn, rice, pasta, and so on. Leave the salt out and ask each child to taste the food. (Check with parents for allergies.) Add a small amount of salt and let the children taste the food again. Point out that a very small amount of salt can make a big difference. A small number of righteous people can also make a big difference. Have the children discuss how they can make a difference by living righteously.
- Salt of the Earth (3 Nephi 12:13) What does salt do? It enhances flavor. (Optional: Show an example of this with some cooked pasta.)
- Someone who influences and enhances people’s lives for good. Just as salt enhances food and makes it taste better, we should influence people for good. Why wouldn’t you want to use the contaminated salt? (The dirt would give the food a bad flavor, and it could be unsafe to ingest.) Explain that through contamination, salt loses its desirable taste and flavor. If we contaminate our lives with the dirt and evil of the world, then we could become a negative influence on others, and we could cause great spiritual harm.
- How can we be a good influence and example to others?
New Testament Seminary Student Manual (2023) “Matthew 5; Luke 6”
Take a moment to ponder in your heart how you, as the salt of the earth, help bring out the best in those around you. Also consider what temptations you face and how you can keep yourself pure. If you have allowed any impurities into your life, they can be removed through the gift of repentance available through Jesus Christ.
City on a Hill
New Testament Seminary Student Manual (2023) “Matthew 5; Luke 6”
- How can following Jesus Christ be hard to hide, like a city on a hill?
- Anciently, cities were built on hilltops to provide protection from potential attacks. How can living the gospel boldly provide protection from bad influences?
- What does this metaphor teach you about how the Savior expects you, as His disciples, to live?
Come Follow Me with Living Scriptures “Blessed are the Peacemakers” Lesson ideas
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