Joyful Moments in Christ

A Sunday School Lesson: Luke 10:21-24

A Sunday School Lesson: Luke 10:21-24 - Jesus Rejoices in the Father’s Plan

Jesus Rejoices in the Father’s Plan

This Sunday School lesson is intended for upper elementary students. All lessons on this website are protected by copyright, but you can use them for free in small groups or Sunday School classes. You may share a link to this page, but please do not copy these pages and put them on other websites.

The Big Idea

True joy comes from knowing God through Jesus, who reveals the Father to us.

Lesson Objectives

  1. Students will learn that Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and gave thanks to the Father.
  2. Students will understand that God reveals his truth to the humble, not just to the wise and powerful.
  3. Students will see that only Jesus can reveal who God truly is.
  4. Students will recognize the blessing of seeing and hearing God’s promises fulfilled in Christ.

Class Setting Notes

  1. Recommended for upper elementary Sunday School.
  2. Lesson length: 40-50 minutes. Can be shortened or extended based on activities selected.

Opening Activity

  1. Ask students: Can you remember a time when you felt very happy and wanted to thank someone? What happened?
  2. Invite a few students to share their stories.
  3. Explain that today we will learn about a time when Jesus was filled with joy and thanked God.

This activity helps introduce the theme of joy and gratitude in Jesus’ prayer.

Bible Reading

Ask the class to read Luke 10:21-24 aloud together or have one person read it.

Additional Reading: Choosing the Right Bible Translation

Suggested prompts:

As the class reads aloud, consider asking some of these prompts:

  1. Listen for how Jesus feels at the beginning of the passage.
  2. Notice who Jesus thanks and why he thanks him.
  3. Pay attention to what Jesus says about the Father and the Son.
  4. Think about what makes the disciples especially blessed.
  5. Remember who longed to see and hear what the disciples experienced.

Teacher Background Notes

  1. These verses come right after the seventy-two disciples return from their mission, rejoicing that even demons submitted in Jesus’ name.
  2. Jesus responds with his own joy, rooted not in power but in God’s gracious plan of salvation.
  3. In the Bible, prophets and kings longed to see the fulfillment of God’s promises, but they only had glimpses. The disciples now witnessed them in Jesus.
  4. The Father and the Son share perfect knowledge of one another, and only Jesus can reveal the Father to others.
  5. This passage highlights God’s delight in revealing truth to the humble rather than the proud.

Theological Insights

  1. Joy flows from the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
  2. God’s wisdom often overturns human expectations, revealing truth to the lowly and humble.
  3. Jesus alone reveals the Father, showing that salvation is found in him.
  4. Believers are richly blessed to live in the time of fulfillment, seeing God’s promises realized in Jesus.

Discussion Questions

Understanding the Text

  1. How did Jesus feel at the beginning of this passage?
  2. Who did Jesus thank, and why?
  3. What did Jesus say about who knows the Father?
  4. How do people come to know the Father?
  5. Why did Jesus say the disciples were blessed?

Personal Reflection and Application

  1. Why do you think God delights to reveal his truth to humble people?
  2. How does it encourage you to know that Jesus helps us know God?
  3. What good things has God shown you that make you thankful?
  4. How can we rejoice like Jesus, even when others may not understand God’s truth?

Suggested Activities

Joy Overflowing

  1. Give each student a balloon and markers.
  2. Ask them to write or draw something God has done that gives them joy.
  3. As the balloons fill with air, remind them that joy grows when we thank God for what he has shown us.

This activity helps children connect joy with gratitude to God.

Hidden and Revealed

  1. Hide a small object in the classroom.
  2. Give the children clues until someone finds it.
  3. Explain that in the same way, God reveals his truth to those who trust him, not to those who think they already know everything.

 This activity helps illustrate God’s choice to reveal truth to the humble.

Then and Now

  1. Make two columns on the board: “Prophets and Kings” and “Disciples.”
  2. Write what the prophets and kings longed to see (God’s promises) and what the disciples saw (Jesus, God’s Son).
  3. Discuss how blessed we are to know Jesus today. 

This activity helps children see the privilege of living after Jesus has come.

Memory Verse

Bible verse from Luke 10:21 about God’s gracious will.

In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.”

Luke 10:21 (ESV)

Closing Prayer

Father,
Thank you for showing your truth to us through Jesus. Give us joy in knowing you and help us to be humble and thankful for your love. Teach us each day to see the blessings you have given in Christ.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

A Sunday School Lesson: Luke 10:21-24 - Jesus Rejoices in the Father’s Plan
Bible verse from Luke 10:21 about God’s gracious will.

The ESL Version

I also create materials for adult English Language Learners (ELLs) and ESL students. You can find my ELL Bible Study based on Luke 10:21-24 here:

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English Standard Version (ESV): Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.

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