Jesus Prays for Peter
Luke 22:31–32
Our true story comes from a part of the Bible called the Gospel of Luke. Luke loved Jesus and wanted others to know and love Jesus, too. And the word gospel means “good news!”
Jesus had a friend named Peter. Peter was one of Jesus' disciples. He traveled with Jesus, listened to Jesus teach, and learned many things from Him. Jesus loved Peter very much.
One day, Jesus knew that Peter was going to have a difficult time. Peter would be afraid, and he would make some wrong choices.
Jesus cared about His friend. So, Jesus did something very special. Jesus prayed for Peter.
Jesus told him, “I have prayed for you.”
Jesus talked with God about His friend Peter. Jesus asked God to help Peter keep trusting Him, even when things became difficult.
Jesus knew that Peter would make mistakes. But Jesus also knew that Peter could come back and keep following Him.
Jesus wanted Peter to become strong in his faith. Then Peter could help Jesus' other friends become strong, too.
Jesus showed us something important about prayer. We don't have to pray only for ourselves. We can pray for other people, too!
If someone in our family is sick, we can say, “God, please help them.”
If a friend is sad, we can say, “God, please take care of my friend.”
If someone is afraid, we can ask God to help that person feel safe.
We can pray for our families, our friends, our teachers, and people we don't even know.
When we care about someone, we can talk with God about that person.
Jesus prayed for His friend Peter. We can pray for other people, too.
Key Takeaway for Preschoolers
We can pray for other people because we love and care about them. God hears us when we pray.
Dear God,
Thank You for loving us and for giving us people to love. Jesus prayed for His friend Peter. Help us remember that we can pray for other people, too. Please take care of our families and our friends. Help people who are sick, sad, afraid, or having a hard time. Help us notice when someone needs our love and care. Thank You for hearing us when we pray. We love You, God.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Bible Verse: “With God all things are possible.” — Matthew 19:26b, BSB
Paraphrase: “God can do anything.”
Activities
These activities help preschoolers engage with the story through movement, crafts, music, and storytelling, making the lesson fun and memorable.
1. Who Can We Pray For?
Objective: To help children understand that they can pray for many different people.
Materials: Picture cards showing different people, such as a family, friend, teacher, doctor, church member, child who is sick, child who is sad, or community helper, Small basket or bag
Activity: Place the picture cards in a basket. Invite each child to choose one. Look at the picture together and ask, “Who is this?” or “What might this person need?” Help the children turn the picture into a very simple prayer:
“God, please help my family.”
“God, please take care of my friend.”
“God, please help people who are sick.”
“God, please help our teachers.”
After each prayer, invite everyone to say: “We can pray for others!”
For toddlers, simply naming someone and saying, “God, please help _____,” is enough.
Talk About It: “Jesus loved His friend Peter. Jesus knew Peter was going to have a hard time, so Jesus prayed for him. When someone needs help, we can talk with God about that person, too.”
2. Prayer Circle
Objective: To help children experience praying for one another as an expression of friendship and care.
Materials: A soft ball, beanbag, or small stuffed animal
Activity: Have the children sit in a circle. Explain that Jesus prayed for His friend Peter because He loved and cared about him.
Give one child the soft object. Invite the child to gently pass it to another child in the circle. When the second child receives it, the teacher says a very brief prayer for that child: “Dear God, thank You for Sarah. Please help Sarah and take care of her. Amen.” Then that child passes the object to someone else. Continue until every child has been included.
For a larger class, the teacher may simply say: “Thank You, God, for _____.” Be sure that every child receives a prayer, so no one feels left out. Finish by saying together: “Thank You, God, for our friends!”
Talk About It: “How did it feel to hear someone pray for you? Jesus told Peter, ‘I have prayed for you.’ We can pray for our friends because we love and care about them.”
3. I Can Pray for You (Musical Activity)
Tune: Mary Had a Little Lamb (Public Domain)
Objective: To reinforce through music that children can pray for other people.
Materials: None
Activity: Have the children stand or sit in a circle. Teach the song slowly, adding simple motions. Point gently toward friends for “pray for you,” fold or loosely hold hands for “when I pray,” place hands over the heart for “care for you,” and point upward for “God.”
Song Lyrics:
I can pray for you today,
You today, you today.
I can pray for you today.
God will hear my prayer.
I can pray when you need help,
You need help, you need help.
I can pray when you need help.
God will hear my prayer.
God loves you and I do, too,
I do, too, I do, too.
God loves you and I do, too.
I can pray for you.
Encourage the children to sing gently rather than loudly so that the activity retains the feeling of caring for one another.
Talk About It: “Jesus prayed for Peter because Peter was His friend and Jesus cared about him. We can pray for people we care about, too. Who is someone you would like to pray for today?”
4. My Prayer-for-Others Heart
Objective: To give children a visual reminder of people for whom they can pray.
Materials: Large paper hearts prepared ahead of time, Crayons or washable markers, Optional family or friend stickers, Optional glue sticks and simple precut paper people
Activity: Give each child a large paper heart.
Ask: “Who are some people you love and care about?”
Children may name parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, teachers, church members, or others. Invite the children to draw one or more of these people inside their hearts. Toddlers may simply color the heart while the teacher talks with them about people they love. As each child works, help turn the child's answer into a simple prayer:
“God, please take care of Grandma.”
“God, please help my friend.”
“Thank You, God, for my family.”
When the pictures are finished, children who wish to share can show their hearts and name someone they want to pray for.
Finish with a brief group prayer: “Dear God, thank You for all the people we love. Please help them and take care of them. Amen.”
Talk About It: “Jesus cared about Peter and prayed for him. When we care about someone, we can talk with God about that person. Praying for someone is one way we can show love.”
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Story illustrations are the copyright of James M. Thomas. All rights reserved.
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