Opening:

Balloon Darts
Playing a game of balloon darts helps the child to understand what anger can cost. Inflate balloons and write words such as “friendship,” “trust” and “compassion” on each balloon. Tape the valves of the balloons to a piece of cardboard and prop it against a wall. Write the word “grudge” (explain to them what grudge means – a persistent feeling of ill will or resentment resulting from a past insult or injury) on the dart the children will use. As they toss the dart at the balloons, they see what grudges can cost them as they systematically pop the balloons on the board.

Bible Story

To be a child of God, it means that your sins have been forgiven. God is full of mercy, so much so that He sent His son to come and die for our sins (The sin we were born with, the sin we committed until our salvation and even after). Whenever we sin, we ought to go back to His throne of mercy and ask for His mercy and He is faithful, because He always forgives us.

We have received mercy therefore we are required to show mercy to those who wrong us. Mercy means having the willingness to forgive or help someone whenever you have the ability or power to do so. In today’s story we are going to learn how Jesus taught about mercy, and called upon us to have mercy.

One day Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Jesus then told a parable about the  unmerciful servant. A parable is a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus in the Gospels.

He said:
“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

“At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, cancelled the debt and let him go. “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

“His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” Jesus taught that just as we have been shown mercy, like the unmerciful servant was shown mercy, we too should be merciful to others. If we show mercy and forgive those who wrong us, then indeed we are children of God. God always wants us to forgive and not to hold grudges. This one is simple to understand but difficult to do. We might be upset with our friends or family, but we should not stay mad. We should allow our hearts to forgive. In turn, Jesus will forgive us.

Application: 

Is there someone you are still angry at, pray to God to help you to forgive them, and then approach them to tell them you have forgiven them.