Joyful Moments in Christ

Filling Your Heart with the Light of Christ

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

Jesus teaches that we must fill our hearts with his word and his light so that there is no room for evil.

Lesson Objectives

1. Students will learn that a heart must be filled with the word of God to stay protected from evil.
2. Students will understand that true happiness comes from obeying God, not just knowing about him.
3. Students will recognize that Jesus is greater than any other teacher or prophet in history.
4. Students will identify how to keep their spiritual eyes focused on things that bring light to their lives.

Class Setting Notes

1. Recommended for upper elementary Sunday School.
2. Lesson length: 45 to 60 minutes. Can be shortened or extended based on activities selected.

Opening Activity

1. Place an empty, clear glass on a table in front of the students.
2. Tell the students that this glass represents a person’s heart.
3. Show the students a pitcher of clean water and a small container of dirt or dark food coloring.
4. Explain that if the glass stays empty, it is easy for dirt to fall inside.
5. Fill the glass to the very top with the clean water.
6. Show that when the glass is totally full of water, there is no room for the dirt to be added.

This activity helps introduce the idea that our hearts need to be full of good things from God so that evil cannot find a place to live.

Bible Reading

Ask the class to read Luke 11:24-36 aloud together or have one person read it.

• Very Easy: Easy-to-Read Version: Luke 11:24-36 (ERV)
• Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 11:24-36 (NIRV)
• Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 11:24-36 (GNT)
• Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 11:24-36 (NLT)
• Hard: New International Version: Luke 11:24-36 (NIV)
• Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 11:24-36 (ESV)

Additional Reading: Choosing the Right Bible Translation

Suggested prompts:

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

1. Listen for what happens when an evil spirit finds a house that is empty.
2. Notice how Jesus defines what it means to be truly blessed or happy.
3. Think about why the people of Nineveh were able to change their hearts.
4. Watch what happens when a lamp is placed on a lampstand.
5. Pay attention to how our eyes act like a window for the light to enter our bodies.

Teacher Background Notes

1. In this passage, Jesus uses the imagery of a house to describe the spiritual state of a person. A house that is clean, but empty, is vulnerable.
2. The mention of Jonah refers to his three days in the belly of a great fish, which pointed toward the death and resurrection of Jesus.
3. Nineveh was a gentile city that repented, which Jesus used to show that even outsiders often responded to God’s word better than some who were close to the temple.
4. The Queen of the South refers to the Queen of Sheba who traveled a great distance to find wisdom, showing that seeking God requires effort and a soft heart.
5. Light and darkness are common biblical themes used to show the difference between holiness and sin.

Theological Insights

1. Human beings cannot stay spiritually neutral; our hearts will either be filled with the things of God or the things of the world.
2. Grace is not just about removing bad things, but about being filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit and the word of God.
3. Jesus is the ultimate sign of God’s love, and his resurrection is the proof that he has authority over all things.
4. Obedience is the natural result of a heart that truly loves God and hears his voice.
5. The eye represents the heart’s focus; what we choose to look at and value will determine our spiritual health.

Discussion Questions

Understanding the Text

1. What does the evil spirit do when it finds its old home empty and clean?
2. Why did Jesus say that the people who obey God’s word are the ones who are truly blessed?
3. Who was greater than King Solomon and Jonah, and why did the people have trouble seeing that?
4. Where should a lamp be placed so that everyone can see the light?

Personal Reflection and Application

1. What are some good things from the Bible that you can use to fill your heart this week?
2. Why do you think it is easier to just listen to a lesson than it is to actually obey what it says?
3. How can you tell if your heart is full of light or full of darkness?
4. What is one way you can show the light of Jesus to a friend who might be going through a hard time?

Suggested Activities

The Light Station

1. Give each student a small candle or a battery operated tea light.
2. Have the students create a small decorative stand for their light using craft sticks or paper.
3. Talk about how we should not hide our faith, but let it be seen by others.

This activity helps students remember that their lives are meant to shine like a lamp on a stand.

Filling the Heart Art

1. Provide a large paper cutout of a heart for each student.
2. Ask the students to write or draw verses and promises from God inside the heart.
3. Encourage them to fill every bit of white space so the heart looks completely full.

This activity shows how we can fill our minds with scripture to stay strong against temptation.

Jonah’s Sign Review

1. Hide a small picture of a fish or Jonah somewhere in the room.
2. Have the students search for it and, once found, have them explain what the sign of Jonah means.
3. Discuss how Jesus is the greatest sign God ever sent to us.

This activity reinforces the biblical history mentioned in the passage and connects it to the gospel.

Memory Verse

Closing Prayer

Father,
Thank you for filling our hearts with the light of Jesus so we do not have to live in darkness. Help us to hear your word and obey it every day so we can be a light to the world.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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 11:24-36 here:

• ELL Bible Study: Luke 11:24-36 — Evil Spirits, True Happiness, and Light

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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.