Login / Signup

Free Access

A Daze Of Days

Children's sermon
The Giant Book Of Children's Sermons
Matthew To Revelation
Object: 
a box of salt
(Appropriate for Advent)


Good morning, boys and girls. Do you know that today (or last Sunday) begins a new year in church? (let them answer) Everything starts over with the first day, the first week, and even the first month. It all seems fresh to us as we wait for Jesus to come into our hearts all over again. Have you ever wondered how many times Christians have done this? (let them answer) I wonder why God doesn't send Jesus so that we can be done with all of our waiting. Most of us are ready, aren't we? (let them answer) Doesn't everyone know about Jesus and love him as their Savior? (let them answer) The reason that God doesn't send Jesus is that he wants everyone to have a chance to receive Jesus as their Savior. That's what the Bible says. But you may think it is taking too long for Jesus to come.

I brought with me some salt this morning to help us learn something about our waiting for Jesus. There is a lot of salt in this one box, but we are going to pretend that every one of these pieces of salt is a day. Now the Bible says that one day is like a thousand years to God. A thousand years is a long time to us since none of us will ever live that long. But one day doesn't seem like a very long time since we have already lived many days. But the Bible says God has lived so long that time doesn't make much difference to him. If one of these pieces is a day and you would have to count out 365 of the pieces of salt for one year, then you would have to have 365,000 grains to make a thousand years. But if we counted out 365,000 of them we would not have all of the pieces of salt in this one box. And if you think of all the boxes of salt in one grocery store and then think of all of the grocery stores, then you see how little that one piece of salt is compared to all of the salt in the world.

One piece of salt in a box (put the piece back into the box) is not much, but it is important to that box just like one day is important to you. We may get tired of waiting, but God knows just the right time to send Jesus back to us so that everyone will have an opportunity to know Jesus as Savior. We must be patient and trust God since only he knows when it is just the right time.

The next time you put some salt on your food, you can think of what the Bible means when it says: one day is like a thousand years. Will you do that? God bless you.
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Easter 2
20 – Sermons
170+ – Illustrations / Stories
26 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
20 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 3
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 4
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
33 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: An orange and a lemon that are about the same size and shape, a knife, a cutting board, orange and yellow paint, and some paper towels. Prepare the fruit by painting the lemon orange, and the orange, yellow. The more alike they look, the better.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent! Let’s get started!

The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
George Reed
Katy Stenta
For May 11, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Wayne Brouwer
Tinkerbell is the delightful sprite in Peter Pan who drifts between the world of senses and the world of magic. She sprinkles “fairy dust” to make children fly; she sparkles around Peter Pan as a comrade adventurer.

Once, in one episode of a televised version of Peter Pan, Tin­kerbell ingested some poison. There was nothing to be seen of her, tiny thing that she was, other than the brightness of her little light. But with the poison, her light began to fade. Before our very eyes she grew dimmer, pulsing with a weakening glow.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Acts 9:36-43
Cryonics is an interesting and, if I’m honest, disturbing practice. You might be wondering, what is cryonics? The aim of cryonics, according to Dennis Kowalski, the president of the Cryonics Institute in Michigan, is to “keep bodies in a stable, preserved state until the necessary medical technology arrives.” As of June 1, 2024, there were about five hundred people who have tried to keep themselves preserved for future medical advances to revive.

StoryShare

Peter Andrew Smith
“Hello, Peter. Come on in to the office,” Pastor Carl held open the door for him. “Oh, don’t worry about your shoes.”

“They’re muddy and I really should take them off,” Peter said. “Besides if I don’t, I’ll be hearing my mother’s voice telling me to take them off before coming into your office.”

Pastor Carl smiled. “Fair enough.”

After a few moments, Peter took the offered seat across from Pastor Carl.

“So how are you finding our church?” Pastor Carl asked. “I know you mentioned we’re a bit more casual and smaller than you are used to.”

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:


Jesus said that he gives eternal life to those who follow him. As we worship God today, let us believe in his words so that we too may enjoy the Life that he offers.



Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes we leave you out of our lives.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we are disappointed because you don't answer prayers in the way that we wish.
Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we refuse to believe that you still act in our lives today.

SermonStudio

David E. Leininger
Women have always been uniquely important in the life of the church, whether or not men want to admit it. It started with Mary. Women were accorded special status during Jesus' ministry; in fact, it was probably women who were major financial supporters of the itinerant rabbi and his friends. Women were the first witnesses to the resurrection. This is not a feminist statement but a factual statement: from the first day to this day, if it were not for the women, there would be no church. It is that simple.

Donald Charles Lacy
History shows that people are invariably looking for Messiahs or Christs. There is that special person who is to come among them and, in a sense, do for them what they cannot do for themselves. Even for years after our Lord arose from the dead and ascended -- yes, and still at this moment -- people are looking.

Henry F. Woodruff
Now you can't even trust the police. When I was a child growing up in Texas, everyone knew how to spot the police cars: they were big old Ford Crown Victorias, painted black with white doors, sporting black wall tires with little moon hubcaps -- or, if they really wanted to be sneaky and fool you, they were big old Ford Crown Victorias painted gray, with whip antennas and license plates that read "City" on them. You could bet the farm on it. Now all that has changed. Police cars are all different makes and models and colors.
Clyde W. Wentzell
1. O my Good Shepherd, O Lord of my soul,
Keep me forever beneath your control.
In right paths lead me for your name’s sake.
All the best choices, Lord, help me to make.

2. When through dark valleys my walk is severe,
Keep me from evil, Lord, ever be near.
Your rod and staff, my discipline be,
O my Good Shepherd, keep watch over me.

3. You spread a table of bountiful store.
Rich are your mercies and love evermore.
Oil on the head, anointing most pure,
Flows in abundance as your love is sure.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL