“Jesus, My Solid Rock”

Jesus is My Rock: A Thirty-Minute Object Lesson for Children's Ministry

Theme

Jesus is our firm foundation — the Rock on which we stand. (Matthew 7:24–25)

Preparation and Set Up

Paint Rocks - Presnt this object lesson while your students decorate river rocks with markers or Posco paint markers and then glue mini Jesus figurines to the top of their rocks. Before class, prepare river rocks by painting them with Patio paint using a variety of colors. If you are using Posco paint markers, you can use darker and lighter colors because the paint from the markers is opaque. Children with light-colored rocks can use the darker-colored markers, and children with dark-colored rocks can use the lighter-colored markers. If you are using regular markers, paint all the rocks with light to medium colors so the markers will show up. Prepare a few sample crafts similar to the ones pictured above to display in front of the room and give your children some decoration ideas.

Collect Items - Collect some items with different textures and consistency, such as a cotton ball, an ice cube, a fruit or vegetable, part of a plant, crinkled up tissue paper, a plastic spoon, a pinecone, and a soda cracker or other food. Make sure you have at least one item for each student. Place the items in an opaque shopping bag.

Print out Pictures of Famous Rocks - Find pictures of famous rock formations from the Internet and print them out. Here is a link - worldofstoneusa.com

Craft

This simple, yet meaningful craft, reminds children that Jesus is the firm foundation of our lives. Just as a rock stands firm through wind and rain, our faith in Jesus helps us stay steady when things around us change.

Materials:

Smooth River Rocks (One per student) - You can probably purchase a bucket full at your local landscaping business for very little.

Mini Jesus Figurines

Acrylic Patio Paints and Paint Brush

Posco Paint Markers, Permanent Sharpie Markers, or Crayola Washable Markers for Younger Children

Aleene's Tacky Glue

Directions:

1. Before class, paint the smooth river rocks with Patio paint and let them dry.

2. As you present the object lesson, let your students decorate their rocks with markers. Encourage them to write something about Jesus being their solid rock and to write one of the Bible verse references on the bottom or back of their rock displays.

Bible Connection

Scripture:

1. Have your students look up the following Bible verses in their Bibles and ask for volunteers to read them.

• "The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." Psalm 18:2
• "Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken." Psalm 62:2-6
• “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24

2. Present the bag filled with textured items. Have a student reach into the bag without looking inside and remove an item. Have that child describe the item. Ask questions such as, "Is it firm? Will it break easily? Will it last very long? etc." Give each student a chance to pull out an item and describe it.

3. Give each student a painted rock. Encourage them to feel the rocks and compare them to the other items. They may say things like, "It is hard and unbreakable." Also suggest, "They can be described as unchangeable, sturdy, dependable, steadfast, solid, strong, indestructible, immovable, and permanent, etc." Although rocks are not entirely like these things, when compared to other items, they are closer to these descriptions. The authors of these Bible verse uses a rock to describe God, who is all these things, and to describe a person who puts their faith in God and has a firm foundation in God's word.

Show your children the pictures of the famous rocks you printed out. Ask them if they recognized them. Share interesting facts about them emphasizing the words describing God above.

Hand out markers and mini Jesus figurines, and have your children decorate their rocks. Show them the rocks you created and encourage them to write a phrase about Jesus being our rock on their rocks. As they work, discuss the following:

Discussion Prompts:

1. Why do the authors of these Bible verses use a rock to describe the Lord or Jesus?

2. What does it mean to build your life on Jesus?

3. How can Jesus help us stand strong when life gets hard?

4. Think of a time when trusting Jesus helped you stay strong?

Reflection / Takeaway

Have each student hold their finished “Jesus Rock” and share one way they can trust Jesus this week.

Encourage them to take their rocks home and place them somewhere they’ll see them often as a reminder that faith in Jesus gives stability and strength.

Games

Game 1 - Wise or Foolish Rocks

Goal: Kids learn to recognize wise (rock) choices vs. foolish (sand) choices in everyday life — while getting active and having fun!

What you will need:

1. Painter’s tape or two large labeled signs: “ROCK” and “SAND”
2. Index cards or slips of paper
3. Marker
4. Optional: a small fan or paper towels to represent “storms”

Setup:

1. Clear a space in the room.
2. Mark two sides — one for “ROCK” and one for “SAND.” (You can tape the words to the wall or place them on the floor.)
3. Write various actions or choices on index cards. Some should show wise, godly behavior (ROCK), and others poor, unwise behavior (SAND).
   1. Praying before a test → ROCK
   2. Lying to a friend → SAND
   3. Helping someone in need → ROCK
   4. Ignoring what the Bible says → SAND
   5. Forgiving someone → ROCK
   6. Going to church → ROCK
   7. Following a bad crowd → SAND

How to Play:

1. Gather the kids in the middle of the room.
2. The leader reads a card aloud.
3. Kids quickly decide whether the action is a ROCK or SAND choice.
4. They run to that side of the room!
5. Once everyone has chosen, discuss why that action builds on a strong foundation (or not).

Optional: After each round, create a fun “storm” — wave a towel or turn on a small fan. The kids standing on “ROCK” stay firm; the ones on “SAND” have to pretend to wobble or “fall.”

Game 2 -“Build on the Rock Memory Relay”

This game ties fun, movement, and memory directly to the verse, helping kids internalize the lesson as they play.

Setup:

1. Write the verse in short segments on separate cards. For example: Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine / and puts them into practice / is like a wise man / who built his house on the rock. / The rain came down, the streams rose, / and the winds blew and beat against that house; / yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”
2. Mix the cards up.

How to Play (Relay Version):

1. Split the children into two or more teams.
2. Place the shuffled cards at a starting line.
3. One child from each team runs, picks up a card, and brings it to the “building area” to start assembling the verse in the correct order.
4. The next teammate repeats until all the cards are in place.
5. The first team to correctly assemble the verse wins!

Variation (For Indoors or Smaller Groups):

1. Spread the cards on the floor in random order.
2. Children take turns placing the cards in the correct sequence on a table or floor “rock foundation.”
3. After assembling, the group recites the verse aloud to reinforce their memory.

Game 3 - “Build Your Rock Foundation”

This game is hands-on, memorable, and directly tied to the Bible verse, reinforcing both memory and meaning.

Supplies:

• Small smooth rocks in different sizes. Place them so that the largest is on the bottom and stack the smaller ones on top, from largest to smallest. Write parts of the verse on the rocks, starting with the largest rock and ending with the smallest, making sure they can all be stacked on top of each other.
• Marker or chalk (to number or label rocks)
• Tape or a flat surface to build on
• Optional: index cards with phrases from the verse

How to Play:

Option 1: Verse Rock Tower (Active/Hands-On)

1. Give each child or team a pile of rocks.
2. Challenge them to build a tower in the correct order of the verse.
3. When they are finished, ask them what would have happened if they started with the smallest rock. Remind them that they wouldn't have had a firm foundation for their tower. Emphasize that Jesus is like the largest rock. He is our firm foundation. If we build on him, read his words, and put them into practice, we will prosper and experience peace in our lives.

Option 2: Foundation Challenge (Quick & Interactive)

1. Scatter the prepared piles of rocks on a table or floor.
2. Read a phrase from the verse aloud.
3. Kids search the pile for the rock with that phrase and place it on the floor. Keep reading parts of the verse until all the rocks are piled on top of each other to form a tower.
4. Once complete, review the verse together and emphasize: Jesus is the Rock that keeps us steady. Just like the rocks hold the tower, following Jesus’ words keeps our lives strong.

Reflection Questions:

1. Which rock do you think is the most important in building your life on Jesus?
2. What “storms” in life can Jesus help us stand through?
3. How can we “build” on Jesus’ words every day?

Closing Prayer

“Dear Jesus, thank You for being our Rock and our safe place. Help us to listen to Your words and do what You say. When life feels hard or scary, remind us that You are strong and You will never leave us. Amen.”