Discovering Jesus: Eee - pif - on - eee
Children's sermon
Object:
Flashlight, placard imprinted "Eee - pif - on - eee"
“On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage.” (V. 11a)
Children of our heavenly Father,
How are you this bright morning? I am so glad to see you. I have a story from Matthew’s gospel to talk to you about. Remember when the wise men discovered Jesus soon after he was born? The wise men had followed a certain star in the east. The light of that star guided them. They searched and searched until they made the amazing discovery of this newborn king. Their discovery is something called an eee-pif-on-eee!
Let’s say this funny word. (repeat the word with the children several times)
(flash the flashlight on and off)
(presenter demonstrates the meaning of epiphany)
When an epiphany happens, it’s like this: You go to a dark place and then turn on a light like this -- you don’t see something and now you do! Epiphany! (flash light)
Or you go into a dark room and switch on the light and suddenly you see everything!
Epiphany! In your studies you don’t get a math problem, for example, and then suddenly you do. That’s an epiphany! Whenever you learn. That’s an epiphany! A light goes on in your mind. And you say, “Aha, I get it!” I understand it. (flash flashlight)
Are there things in life you don’t understand? Like why does a brother or sister behave the way they do? Why do my parents make me do things?
But then, when you get older, you get an epiphany! You understand why.
When a person sees Jesus as Savior for the first time, that is an epiphany!
When Jesus comes to you and you understand his word, that’s an epiphany!
When the wise men experienced their amazing epiphany of finding Jesus, they knelt and gave thanks, while giving the baby Jesus, gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
That's what you and I do after an epiphany – we say, “thank you, God.”
Prayer: Jesus, as the star guided the wise men to you, so guide us by the light of the Holy Spirit that we may see you more clearly, and more wonderfully. Amen.
Children of our heavenly Father,
How are you this bright morning? I am so glad to see you. I have a story from Matthew’s gospel to talk to you about. Remember when the wise men discovered Jesus soon after he was born? The wise men had followed a certain star in the east. The light of that star guided them. They searched and searched until they made the amazing discovery of this newborn king. Their discovery is something called an eee-pif-on-eee!
Let’s say this funny word. (repeat the word with the children several times)
(flash the flashlight on and off)
(presenter demonstrates the meaning of epiphany)
When an epiphany happens, it’s like this: You go to a dark place and then turn on a light like this -- you don’t see something and now you do! Epiphany! (flash light)
Or you go into a dark room and switch on the light and suddenly you see everything!
Epiphany! In your studies you don’t get a math problem, for example, and then suddenly you do. That’s an epiphany! Whenever you learn. That’s an epiphany! A light goes on in your mind. And you say, “Aha, I get it!” I understand it. (flash flashlight)
Are there things in life you don’t understand? Like why does a brother or sister behave the way they do? Why do my parents make me do things?
But then, when you get older, you get an epiphany! You understand why.
When a person sees Jesus as Savior for the first time, that is an epiphany!
When Jesus comes to you and you understand his word, that’s an epiphany!
When the wise men experienced their amazing epiphany of finding Jesus, they knelt and gave thanks, while giving the baby Jesus, gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
That's what you and I do after an epiphany – we say, “thank you, God.”
Prayer: Jesus, as the star guided the wise men to you, so guide us by the light of the Holy Spirit that we may see you more clearly, and more wonderfully. Amen.
