The Ten Commandments
Exodus 19:1-20:21; Exodus 31:18; Matthew 22:34-40 Old Testament PrincipleObedience
God rescued His people from slavery in Egypt. Then at Mount Sinai He gave them Ten Commandments, showing them how to love Him and love each other. God's rescue came first, and His good commands show the rescued how to live.
God rescued us before He asked anything of us, and His commands are good. Because He loves us first, we obey Him out of love.
- CreationGod made it
- FallWe broke it
- RedemptionJesus fixes it (this lesson)
- RestorationJesus makes it new
Memory verse
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me.”
Exodus 20:2-3 BSB
Christ Connection · Need
The Ten Commandments show God's perfect, loving way, and they also show that no one keeps them perfectly. Jesus said He came "not to abolish them, but to fulfill them" (Matthew 5:17). He kept God's law perfectly and died for our sins, so the law becomes "our guardian to lead us to Christ" (Galatians 3:24). Now God writes His law on our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33).
Matthew 5:17; Romans 8:3-4; Galatians 3:24
The Big Story · Redemption
Sin broke our love for God and for each other. God rescued His people and gave them His good law, which showed how much they needed a Savior. Jesus kept the law perfectly and died for us, and now His Spirit writes God's law on our hearts.
Teacher Guide
This version includes:
- Background and context for the passage
- Hidden in Plain Sight: the detail most people miss
- The Christ Connection: how this story points to Jesus
- A 45-minute class plan and prep checklist
- Object lesson: Rescue first
- Theo’s Workshop (build challenge): Stone tablets
- A skit to act out the story
- Review game: Two tablets sort
- Pronunciation help, tips for every age, song ideas and a note for parents
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
Preschool (ages 3–5)
God saves me. I obey Him.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 4-minute Bible story written for this age
- 3 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Love God, love others, Color the two tablets
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at home, at church
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
Free preview · Kindergarten – 2nd grade
God rescued His people from Egypt. Then He gave them the Ten Commandments to show them how to love Him and love each other. We obey God because He loved us first.
Memory verse
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. You shall have no other gods before Me.”
Adapted from Exodus 20:2-3
Start here
Ask, "What are some rules in your house?" Let kids share. Ask, "Why do your parents give you rules?" (To keep us safe, because they love us.) Say, "Today God gives His family ten rules. But first He tells them something important."
Bible story 6 min
God's people had been slaves in Egypt. God sent ten plagues, opened the Red Sea and set them free!
Three months later, they came to a tall mountain in the desert. It was called Mount Sinai.
God told Moses, "Tell the people: You saw what I did to Egypt. I carried you like an eagle carries her babies. You are My special treasure."
The rest of the story, discussion questions, songs, Live It and prayer are for members.
Try an activity
Ten-finger commandments 10 min
You’ll need: A marker, Two pieces of poster board
- Teach a hand motion for each commandment (finger pointing up for "one God," hands over heart for "honor parents," zipped lips for "don't lie").
- Say them in order with motions, holding up one finger at a time.
- Sort them onto the "Love God" and "Love others" posters.
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
3rd – 4th grade
After rescuing His people from Egypt, God met them at Mount Sinai and gave the Ten Commandments, first reminding them, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out." The commandments show how God's rescued people love Him and love others, and they point us to our need for Jesus.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 9-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 5 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Love God, love others, Roman numeral race
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at school, at home, online and on screens
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
5th – 6th grade
At Sinai, God gave the Ten Commandments to a people He had already rescued, grounding His law in grace. The law reveals God's holy, loving character and our failure to keep it, which points us to Jesus, who fulfilled the law and now writes it on our hearts by His Spirit.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 10-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 6 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Stone and heart, My heart check
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: online and on screens, with friends, at church
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
More lessons on Obedience
The same principle in other Bible stories.
Kings and ProphetsGod Calls Samuel1 Samuel 3:1-21When God's word was rare in Israel, God called the boy Samuel by name, and Samuel learned to say, "Speak, for Your servant is listening."Old TestamentObedience
Kings and ProphetsThe Walls of JerichoJoshua 6:1-27; Joshua 2:1-21God told Israel to march around Jericho for seven days, and when they trusted and obeyed, God made the walls fall down flat.Old TestamentObedience
Jesus the KingJesus Is BaptizedMatthew 3:1-17Jesus came to John to be baptized in the Jordan River, and God the Father said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," as the Spirit came down like a dove.New TestamentObedience
With Building BricksThe Wise and Foolish BuildersMatthew 7:24-29; Luke 6:46-49Jesus told about two builders. The wise one built on the rock and his house stood through the storm. Jesus says those who hear His words and do them are like the wise builder.New TestamentObedience
Seeing God's WorldGod’s Design for FamilyDeuteronomy 6:4-9; Ephesians 6:1-4; Psalm 68:5-6Before Israel entered the Promised Land, Moses told parents to love God with all their hearts and to talk about His words at home all day long. Later Paul wrote to children, "Obey your parents in the Lord." God designed the family, and families grow strong when they build on His Word.Old TestamentObedience
In the BeginningGod Calls MosesExodus 2:1-3:15; Exodus 4:1-17God saw His suffering people and came down to rescue them, and He called Moses to go, promising, "I will be with you."Old TestamentObedience