Amazed!
Children's sermon
Objects: There are two pieces for this message; a simple magic trick and a badge or certificate you can print out and give to each child.
The Badge: Print the “Amazing” picture badge-size or certificate-size for each child and let them add their names and decorate it as they choose.
Click here to download
The Magic Trick: Practice this a time or two before doing it with the children! Begin by holding up a piece of 8.5 x 11 paper and telling the children you are going to walk right through the piece of paper. Have fun with their comments. When you are ready, use scissors to carefully cut along the lines of the template and then open-up the huge circle that is created. Hold it up and step through it to show that you can walk right through the piece of paper. The more dramatic you make it and ham it up the more fun it will be.
Click here to download
NOTE: I have put the word “AMAZING” in quotes to remind myself to keep stressing that word to make it more memorable during the message.
* * *
Can anyone tell me what this is? (Hold up the piece of paper and let them respond.) Yes, a piece of paper. (Turn it around and show both sides and flip it around a bit.) It is just a normal piece of paper, isn’t it? (Let them respond.) Well, I am going to show you something “AMAZING!” I am going to stand up and walk right through the middle of this piece of paper; right through the middle of it. (Let them respond.) Do you think I can do that? (Let them respond and play with their responses.)Well, okay, here we go.
(Do the magic trick.)
Ta da! (Take a bow.)Wasn’t that “AMAZING”? (Let them respond.)Well, okay, no, it wasn’t “AMAZING” was it? I just kind of tricked you, didn’t I? It might have been fun, or even a surprise, but it wasn’t “AMAZING”. Not like the “AMAZING” thing Jesus did in the story today.
Jesus was in the Synagogue one day. The Synagogue was where they all went to worship God, just like when we go to church. Jesus was teaching a lesson when someone new walked in the door. They were yelling and acting so strange everyone believed there was some kind of evil spirit inside the man that was causing the trouble. Then the sick man started yelling at Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” Do you know what happened next? (Let them respond.) Well, the story says that the man shook a bit, yelled one more time, and then it all stopped. Whatever was hurting the man was gone, just like that.
And the Bible says that all of the people who saw it were “AMAZED!” It wasn’t a trick, like I just did, but it really happened. Jesus really changed things and made the man better just by saying those words. That’s pretty “AMAZING” huh? (Let them respond.)
We use that word “AMAZING” a lot, don’t we? I heard someone say they had just seen an “AMAZING” new movie the other day. Someone else said they had just heard about an “AMAZING” new game they wanted to play. I’ll be you use the word “AMAZING” too sometimes, don’t you? (Let them respond.)
But you know what? I don’t think most of us really understand what the word “AMAZING” actually means, and why it is such a great word to use to describe God. Being “AMAZED” doesn’t mean we are just surprised about something, or that we thought something was really cool, or really good, or anything like that. God is a lot more than surprising, or cool, or good. Let’s see if I can help us understand what it means when the story says the people were “AMAZED” and when we say that God is “AMAZING”.
Have you ever been in a big thunderstorm? You know, when the lighting is flashing and the thunder is rolling, and maybe the wind is blowing, and rain is falling? (Let them respond.) Well, was there ever a time when one of those big thunder-boomers was so big and so loud that it almost made you jump right up in the air because it was so big, and so loud, and so much of a surprise? (Let them respond.)Yeah, that’s kind of what it means to be “AMAZED”. In fact, another word people use for “AMAZED” is the word “Thunderstruck”. It is like the big storm when something happens that is so surprising, and so big, and so different, that it just kind of gets inside you and makes you say, “WOW!” That’s what it means to be “AMAZED”, and that’s how the people in the synagogue felt when Jesus spoke those words and healed the sick man.
God isn’t just surprising, or cool, or good, but God is absolutely “AMAZING!” And, before we go, I want to show you how you can be “AMAZING” too, just like Jesus was “AMAZING”.
Jesus spoke words in the Synagogue and made something “AMAZING” happen, and so can we. Every time you tell someone you love them, something “AMAZING” happens. And every time you say “Thank You” to someone, something “AMAZING” happens. And every time you say something to help someone, just because you can help them, something “AMAZING” happens.
It happens inside them and inside us at the same time. Your words change things. Your words make things better. Your words do “AMAZING” things. And when you use your words to do those “AMAZING” things, that makes you pretty “AMAZING”, too.
And now, I want to give you something to help you remember the “AMAZING” power that you have. (Give the badges or certificates.) This is your official badge/certificate as an “AMAZING” Superhero who has the power to use your words to be “AMAZING”! I hope they will help you will remember how powerful your words are and remember to always be careful how you use them.
Let’s say a prayer to ask God to help us remember just how “AMAZING” God is and ask God to help us remember to use our words to help other people.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for reminding us how much you love us. Please help us remember to use our “AMAZINGLY” powerful words to help the people around us know that we love them just like Jesus loves us. Amen.
The Badge: Print the “Amazing” picture badge-size or certificate-size for each child and let them add their names and decorate it as they choose.
Click here to download
The Magic Trick: Practice this a time or two before doing it with the children! Begin by holding up a piece of 8.5 x 11 paper and telling the children you are going to walk right through the piece of paper. Have fun with their comments. When you are ready, use scissors to carefully cut along the lines of the template and then open-up the huge circle that is created. Hold it up and step through it to show that you can walk right through the piece of paper. The more dramatic you make it and ham it up the more fun it will be.
Click here to download
NOTE: I have put the word “AMAZING” in quotes to remind myself to keep stressing that word to make it more memorable during the message.
* * *
Can anyone tell me what this is? (Hold up the piece of paper and let them respond.) Yes, a piece of paper. (Turn it around and show both sides and flip it around a bit.) It is just a normal piece of paper, isn’t it? (Let them respond.) Well, I am going to show you something “AMAZING!” I am going to stand up and walk right through the middle of this piece of paper; right through the middle of it. (Let them respond.) Do you think I can do that? (Let them respond and play with their responses.)Well, okay, here we go.
(Do the magic trick.)
Ta da! (Take a bow.)Wasn’t that “AMAZING”? (Let them respond.)Well, okay, no, it wasn’t “AMAZING” was it? I just kind of tricked you, didn’t I? It might have been fun, or even a surprise, but it wasn’t “AMAZING”. Not like the “AMAZING” thing Jesus did in the story today.
Jesus was in the Synagogue one day. The Synagogue was where they all went to worship God, just like when we go to church. Jesus was teaching a lesson when someone new walked in the door. They were yelling and acting so strange everyone believed there was some kind of evil spirit inside the man that was causing the trouble. Then the sick man started yelling at Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” Do you know what happened next? (Let them respond.) Well, the story says that the man shook a bit, yelled one more time, and then it all stopped. Whatever was hurting the man was gone, just like that.
And the Bible says that all of the people who saw it were “AMAZED!” It wasn’t a trick, like I just did, but it really happened. Jesus really changed things and made the man better just by saying those words. That’s pretty “AMAZING” huh? (Let them respond.)
We use that word “AMAZING” a lot, don’t we? I heard someone say they had just seen an “AMAZING” new movie the other day. Someone else said they had just heard about an “AMAZING” new game they wanted to play. I’ll be you use the word “AMAZING” too sometimes, don’t you? (Let them respond.)
But you know what? I don’t think most of us really understand what the word “AMAZING” actually means, and why it is such a great word to use to describe God. Being “AMAZED” doesn’t mean we are just surprised about something, or that we thought something was really cool, or really good, or anything like that. God is a lot more than surprising, or cool, or good. Let’s see if I can help us understand what it means when the story says the people were “AMAZED” and when we say that God is “AMAZING”.
Have you ever been in a big thunderstorm? You know, when the lighting is flashing and the thunder is rolling, and maybe the wind is blowing, and rain is falling? (Let them respond.) Well, was there ever a time when one of those big thunder-boomers was so big and so loud that it almost made you jump right up in the air because it was so big, and so loud, and so much of a surprise? (Let them respond.)Yeah, that’s kind of what it means to be “AMAZED”. In fact, another word people use for “AMAZED” is the word “Thunderstruck”. It is like the big storm when something happens that is so surprising, and so big, and so different, that it just kind of gets inside you and makes you say, “WOW!” That’s what it means to be “AMAZED”, and that’s how the people in the synagogue felt when Jesus spoke those words and healed the sick man.
God isn’t just surprising, or cool, or good, but God is absolutely “AMAZING!” And, before we go, I want to show you how you can be “AMAZING” too, just like Jesus was “AMAZING”.
Jesus spoke words in the Synagogue and made something “AMAZING” happen, and so can we. Every time you tell someone you love them, something “AMAZING” happens. And every time you say “Thank You” to someone, something “AMAZING” happens. And every time you say something to help someone, just because you can help them, something “AMAZING” happens.
It happens inside them and inside us at the same time. Your words change things. Your words make things better. Your words do “AMAZING” things. And when you use your words to do those “AMAZING” things, that makes you pretty “AMAZING”, too.
And now, I want to give you something to help you remember the “AMAZING” power that you have. (Give the badges or certificates.) This is your official badge/certificate as an “AMAZING” Superhero who has the power to use your words to be “AMAZING”! I hope they will help you will remember how powerful your words are and remember to always be careful how you use them.
Let’s say a prayer to ask God to help us remember just how “AMAZING” God is and ask God to help us remember to use our words to help other people.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for reminding us how much you love us. Please help us remember to use our “AMAZINGLY” powerful words to help the people around us know that we love them just like Jesus loves us. Amen.
