Philippians 3
Explanation and Bible story for toddlers and preschoolers (ages 3-6)
The Explanation
Long ago there was a man named Paul. Paul wrote a letter. He wrote it to friends who lived far away. In his letter Paul told something important.
Paul said: I used to think I was very special. I did lots of good things. I thought I was better than other people. But you know what? None of that really mattered.
Because then Paul met Jesus. And oh, what a joy that was! Jesus was more precious than anything else. More precious than gold. More precious than a big pile of toys. More precious than the very best treat.
Paul said: I want to know Jesus. That is what I want most of all.
What Does This Mean?
Paul was a bit like someone in a race. You know what a race is? You run and run and run. And at the end there is a beautiful prize.
Paul was running too. Not with his feet. But with his heart. He was running toward Jesus. He did not look back. He kept looking ahead. Come on, keep going, to Jesus!
And Paul was happy. So happy. Because Jesus was waiting for him.
The Common Thread
Jesus is the greatest treasure. Do you hear that? The very greatest.
Sometimes people think: I have to be really good. Then God will love me. But that is not how it works. God already loves you. Very much. Just the way you are.
Jesus came to earth for you. He wants to be your friend. He wants to hold your hand. Forever and ever.
That is why Paul was so glad. And that is why we can be glad too.
For You
Think of your very favorite toy. Do you have it in your head? Nice and clear?
Jesus is even more precious than that. Really.
You may know Jesus too. You may talk to Him. You may sing for Him. You may listen when someone reads from the Bible.
And do you know what is so nice? Jesus knows you. He knows your name. He knows what you like. He sees you when you laugh. He sees you when you cry. He is always with you.
Just like Paul, you may run to Jesus too. Not with your feet. But with your heart. Every day a little bit closer. Come on, we are going to Jesus!
And if you fall? Then Jesus helps you up. And you run further. Together.
Talk About It
What is the most precious thing you have?
Would you like to tell Jesus something? What would you say?
Praying Together
Dear Jesus,
You are so precious. More precious than everything. Thank You that You know me. Thank You that You love me. I want to walk with You. Every day.
Amen.
Questions about Philippians 3
Short answers for anyone reading about this for the first time.
What is Philippians 3 about?
What does Philippians 3 say?
What does Philippians 3 teach us about God?
What can toddlers learn from Philippians 3?
Why is Philippians 3 an important Bible story?
What others discovered
Notice what Paul leaves behind. Not only the sins that haunt him, but also the record he was proud of. Both can hold you in place. "One thing I do," he says, and a man who could have listed many things chooses one. What are you still carrying, shame or trophy, that keeps you from stretching forward?
Philippi was a Roman colony. Its people never moved to Rome. Rome came to them, shaping how they spoke, dressed, spent their days. So when Paul writes, "For our citizenship is in heaven," he isn't offering you an escape plan. He's telling you where your habits should come from. Someone watching your ordinary Tuesday should be able to guess where you're from.
Paul lists his credentials like a resume: "circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee." Everything a devout Jew could boast in, he had by birth and by choice.
And yet he called it loss. What are you still clinging to as proof that you belong to God? The things Paul stacked up were not sinful. They were simply not Christ. Sometimes our good things become the very things we must lay down to know Him.
Paul wants to be "found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith."
Notice the word "found." Paul imagines the moment someone looks for him and sees what he's wearing. All his religious achievements, his pedigree, his rule keeping, he counts as loss so he can be found wrapped in something he did not earn. What are you still hoping to be found in today?
Looking for something for slightly older children?
We also have dedicated versions for elementary age (7-12) and teens (12 and up).
Open in the Children's Bible tool
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