Deep Water
Children's sermon
Object:
a diving mask
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you like to go swimming? (wait for a show of hands) Swimming is really fun. Sometimes you swim in a pool indoor;, sometimes the pool is outdoors. Some of you swim in a small lake, some in a large lake, and some in the ocean. There are lots of places to swim. How many of you like to jump off a diving board or raft? (wait for a show of hands) Some of you do. Do you remember the very first time you jumped off all by yourself without a life jacket? (let them answer) How many of you were scared? (wait for a show of hands) It's very scary to do anything for the very first time. I think it's especially scary to go underwater and worry if you're going to come up. The deeper the water is, the harder it is to see where you are! How many of you open your eyes underwater? (wait for a show of hands) Sometimes it stings a little, but it is easier to see if you can keep your eyes open. It's not quite so scary. Have you ever worn a diving mask like this one? (let them answer) What can you tell me about a diving mask? (let them answer) You put it on and then you can see underwater. It's like having special underwater glasses.
Our lesson today is about a time when Jesus' friends were fishing. They had been fishing all night and they hadn't caught any fish. They were putting their nets away and Jesus told them to let down their nets into very deep water. They were very tired, but they thought they'd try again. So they did. Do you know what happened? (let them answer) They caught so many fish that their nets started to tear and to break. They had to call more friends to help them because they had so many fish.
Do you think if they were under the water with a diving mask they would have seen all those fish? (let them answer) Yes, they probably would have. But Jesus told them to do something, and they really didn't want to because they couldn't see all the fish and they were very tired. But they did it anyway and they caught more fish than they had ever expected.
Sometimes it's very hard for people to do things when they can't see how things are going to turn out. We don't like to try things for the first time. It feels too scary. Jesus told his disciples to try anyway even when they were tired and scared. That's what we need to remember. Even when we can't see the way, God can!
Our lesson today is about a time when Jesus' friends were fishing. They had been fishing all night and they hadn't caught any fish. They were putting their nets away and Jesus told them to let down their nets into very deep water. They were very tired, but they thought they'd try again. So they did. Do you know what happened? (let them answer) They caught so many fish that their nets started to tear and to break. They had to call more friends to help them because they had so many fish.
Do you think if they were under the water with a diving mask they would have seen all those fish? (let them answer) Yes, they probably would have. But Jesus told them to do something, and they really didn't want to because they couldn't see all the fish and they were very tired. But they did it anyway and they caught more fish than they had ever expected.
Sometimes it's very hard for people to do things when they can't see how things are going to turn out. We don't like to try things for the first time. It feels too scary. Jesus told his disciples to try anyway even when they were tired and scared. That's what we need to remember. Even when we can't see the way, God can!
