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Matthew 23 · Preschool

Jesus Cares Like a Mother Hen

Name Date

Color the picture. Point to the mother hen, her little chicks and the city.

Can you find these in the picture? Circle each one!

Bible Verse

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!

Matthew 23:37 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read part of the verse: as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. Say: Jesus wants to keep us close and safe, like a mother hen!

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.

Matthew 23 · Kindergarten

Be a Servant

Name Date

Trace the Words

Trace each word with your pencil.

SERVE
HUMBLE
HELP
LOVE
But he who is greatest among you will be your servant.

Matthew 23:11 (WEB)

Match the Pictures

Draw a line from each word to its picture.

HEN
HELP
TEMPLE
HEART

Mini Maze

Help find the way through the maze.

Draw It

Draw your favorite part of the story: Be a Servant.

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for this Bible story. Help me to . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • Jesus wants us to be humble. What does humble mean?
  • How can you be real and not fake?

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.

Matthew 23 · Grade 1

Jesus Wants Real Love

Name Date

Trace the Words

Trace the words and the verse.

SERVANT
HUMBLE
HEART
GATHER
But he who is greatest among you will be your servant.

Matthew 23:11 (WEB)

Match the Pictures

Draw a line from each sentence to its picture.

The greatest serves others.
God looks at the heart.
Clean the inside of the cup.
A hen gathers her chicks.
Jesus loved Jerusalem.

Put the Story in Order

Write the number 1 to 5 in each circle to show the right order.

Clean the inside of the cup.

Jesus loved Jerusalem.

The greatest serves others.

A hen gathers her chicks.

Jesus warned leaders who did not do what they taught.

Draw your favorite part of the story: Be a Servant.

Memory Verse

“But he who is greatest among you will be your servant.”

Matthew 23:11 (WEB)

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for this Bible story. Help me to . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • Jesus wants us to be humble. What does humble mean?
  • How does Jesus care for you?
  • What would you like to say to God about this story?

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.

Matthew 23 · Grade 2

Like a Mother Hen

Name Date

Read the Story

Jesus taught the people. He said some leaders did things just so others would see them.

Jesus said, "he who is greatest among you will be your servant." God wants us to help others.

Jesus loved the people of Jerusalem. He wanted to gather them close, like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.

Memory Verse

“But he who is greatest among you will be your servant.”

Matthew 23:11 (WEB)

Show What You Know

Circle the right answer, or write it on the lines.

  1. Why did some leaders do things?

  2. Who is greatest, according to Jesus?

    JerusalemThe one who servesHelp others

  3. What does God want us to do?

    So others would see themA hen with her chicksHelp others

  4. What city did Jesus love?

    A hen with her chicksJerusalemThe one who serves

  5. What animal did Jesus talk about?

Word Search

Find and circle each word. Words go across and down.

JIGBTDYLESENJUCKYSSYRSGVEHEEJGUINLURALSASDCMVHOKETAEBAEVRCRHLLNLEWWRVEETPYNHTPERM
  • JERUSALEM
  • SERVANT
  • HUMBLE
  • INSIDE
  • GATHER
  • SERVE
  • HELP
  • LOVE

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for this Bible story. Help me to . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • Jesus warned about acting good on the outside only. How can we be good inside too?
  • How can you be fair and kind?

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.

Matthew 23 · Grade 3

Clean on the Inside

Name Date

Read the Story

Jesus spoke to the crowds about some leaders called scribes and Pharisees. He said to do what they teach from God's law, but not to copy what they do, because they did not live by it. They did good things just so people would see them and praise them.

Jesus said the greatest among them must be a servant. "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Jesus warned the leaders. They cleaned the outside of a cup but left the inside dirty. They looked good on the outside, but their hearts were not right with God.

Jesus was sad over Jerusalem. He said He had wanted to gather the people like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but they would not come.

Memory Verse

“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

Matthew 23:12 (WEB)

Answer the Questions

  1. Why did Jesus say not to copy the leaders?

  2. Why did the leaders do good things?

  3. What will happen to those who humble themselves?

  4. What did Jesus mean about the cup?

  5. How did Jesus feel about Jerusalem?

Put the Story in Order

Write what happened in each box.

1
2
3
4
5

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for this Bible story. Help me to . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • How can you be good inside too?
  • How can you be fair and kind every day?

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.

Matthew 23 · Grade 4

Inside and Out

Name Date

Read and Think

In Matthew 23, Jesus speaks strong words about the scribes and Pharisees. They sat in Moses' seat, teaching God's law, so the people should listen to that teaching. But they did not practice what they preached. They put heavy burdens on others and did their good deeds to be seen, loving the best seats and important titles.

Jesus taught His followers a different way. They have one Teacher, the Christ, and one Father in heaven. "He who is greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

Then Jesus spoke seven woes, or warnings. The leaders gave a tenth of tiny spices but neglected justice, mercy and faith. They cleaned the outside of the cup but left the inside full of greed. They were like tombs painted white outside but full of death within. Jesus ended with sorrow, longing to gather Jerusalem's children as a hen gathers her chicks, but they were not willing.

Show What You Know

  1. Why did Jesus tell the people to listen to the leaders' teaching but not follow their example?

  2. Name two things the leaders loved.

  3. What more important matters did the leaders neglect?

  4. How did Jesus feel about Jerusalem at the end of the chapter?

Think About It

  1. Why do you think Jesus was so serious about hypocrisy?

  2. How can you make sure your good deeds come from a clean heart and not from wanting to be seen?

Memory Verse

“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

Matthew 23:12 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for this Bible story. Help me to . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • How can you be the same person at home and in public?
  • Jesus wept over Jerusalem. What does His sadness show about His heart for people?

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.

Matthew 23 · Grade 5

Woes and Tears

Name Date

Read and Think

Matthew 23 is Jesus' final public teaching in the temple. He acknowledges that the scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. But He exposes the gap between their words and their lives. Their religion had become a performance: broad phylacteries, long fringes, places of honor and titles like Rabbi. In His Kingdom, there is one Teacher, one Father and one Master, and all disciples are brothers.

The seven woes are not angry insults but solemn prophetic warnings, like those of Isaiah. Jesus condemns shutting others out of the Kingdom, misleading converts, twisting rules about oaths, majoring on minor matters while ignoring justice, mercy and faithfulness. He also condemns appearing righteous while being full of hypocrisy inside. The images of straining out a gnat but swallowing a camel and of whitewashed tombs are vivid and memorable.

The chapter ends not with anger but with grief. Jesus, the Son, speaks as God speaks: "How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!" Judgment is coming on the city that rejected the prophets. Yet Jesus holds out hope: they will see Him again when they say, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"

Show What You Know

  1. What gap did Jesus expose in the religious leaders?

  2. What are the woes, and what are they like?

  3. What does straining out a gnat but swallowing a camel mean?

  4. How does the hen image show Jesus' heart?

  5. What hope does Jesus hold out at the end of the chapter?

Crossword

645321

Across

  1. A hen gathers these under her wings.
  2. The city Jesus loved.

Down

  1. Those who are ____ will be lifted up.
  2. The greatest among you will be your ____.
  3. She gathers her chicks.
  4. Jesus said the leaders were like a ____ clean only outside.

Think About It

  1. Why is it important that Jesus' warnings end with tears rather than anger?

  2. Where do you see a gnat-and-camel problem in the way people practice religion today, or in your own life?

Memory Verse

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!

Matthew 23:37 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for this Bible story. Help me to . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • What is hypocrisy, and how can we avoid it?
  • Jesus wept over Jerusalem. What does His sadness show about His heart for people?
  • Jesus said the humble will be lifted up and the proud brought low. How could you encourage a friend who feels unnoticed?

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.