Fall
Children's sermon
Object:
a dead leaf
I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. (vv. 23-24)
Good morning, boys and girls! How are you today? (allow answers) Can any of you tell me what season we are in right now? (allow answers) We are in the season of autumn, which we also call "fall." What happens in the fall? (allow answers) In the fall, the weather starts getting colder. As it gets colder, tree leaves die and fall to the ground. It is the end of the summer. It is the end of the growing season. It is the beginning of winter, when the world appears to be dead and cold. So although fall can be a beautiful season with bright colored trees and crisp, cool air, it is also a sad season. We are watching our summer fade and die.
We watch the earth die every fall and we watch it be born again every spring. So although it is sad when the leaves fall, we know that it will only be temporary and that in a few months the leaves will come back and the trees will be green again.
Leaves are not the only things that die. Everything dies eventually. Animals. Plants. Even people. Do any of you know someone who has died? (allow answers) Sometimes people we love die. What happens when people we love die? (allow answers) There is a lot of crying and sadness. We have a funeral. Who can tell me what a funeral is? (allow answers) A funeral is when we celebrate the life of the person who has died. We remember what they were like and we have a ceremony to bury them with respect and honor.
People are not like leaves. When people die, they will not grow back in a few months and be just the same as they were. When people die, they leave a hole in our hearts that will never be exactly filled. Although that is very sad, we have some hope. Because although they will not grow back like a new leaf in the world that we know, we have faith that they will be born again in another place. Do you know where that place is? (allow answers) That place is heaven! We believe that when someone dies, they leave this earth and go to their heavenly rest. We believe that they will have a life and a future in the heaven where God lives and Jesus reigns.
So although a funeral is sad for the people who are left behind -- we would rather have them stay here with us for as long as they can! -- it is in some way a celebration. They are going somewhere wonderful, where it will be spring all of the time, where they don't need to worry about being cold or hungry or lonely ever again. Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls! How are you today? (allow answers) Can any of you tell me what season we are in right now? (allow answers) We are in the season of autumn, which we also call "fall." What happens in the fall? (allow answers) In the fall, the weather starts getting colder. As it gets colder, tree leaves die and fall to the ground. It is the end of the summer. It is the end of the growing season. It is the beginning of winter, when the world appears to be dead and cold. So although fall can be a beautiful season with bright colored trees and crisp, cool air, it is also a sad season. We are watching our summer fade and die.
We watch the earth die every fall and we watch it be born again every spring. So although it is sad when the leaves fall, we know that it will only be temporary and that in a few months the leaves will come back and the trees will be green again.
Leaves are not the only things that die. Everything dies eventually. Animals. Plants. Even people. Do any of you know someone who has died? (allow answers) Sometimes people we love die. What happens when people we love die? (allow answers) There is a lot of crying and sadness. We have a funeral. Who can tell me what a funeral is? (allow answers) A funeral is when we celebrate the life of the person who has died. We remember what they were like and we have a ceremony to bury them with respect and honor.
People are not like leaves. When people die, they will not grow back in a few months and be just the same as they were. When people die, they leave a hole in our hearts that will never be exactly filled. Although that is very sad, we have some hope. Because although they will not grow back like a new leaf in the world that we know, we have faith that they will be born again in another place. Do you know where that place is? (allow answers) That place is heaven! We believe that when someone dies, they leave this earth and go to their heavenly rest. We believe that they will have a life and a future in the heaven where God lives and Jesus reigns.
So although a funeral is sad for the people who are left behind -- we would rather have them stay here with us for as long as they can! -- it is in some way a celebration. They are going somewhere wonderful, where it will be spring all of the time, where they don't need to worry about being cold or hungry or lonely ever again. Amen.
