God's Surprises!
Children's sermon
Object:
A day-planner, or a calendar of some type.
“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (vv. 25-28)
* * *
Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.)
Can anyone tell me what this is? (Show the day-planner.) It’s a day planner, or calendar, isn’t it? Do any of you use one of these? (Let them respond.) Or maybe someone else in your family uses one? (Let them respond.) We use these to plan things we want to do or to help us remember important things we need to do, don’t we? (Let them respond.) Every week, I can write all of my meetings on my calendar, and then when I look at it, I can see everything that is going to happen this week so I can be ready for them, right? (Let them respond.) But, sometimes, there are surprises, aren’t there? (Let them respond.) Sometimes, things come up that I didn’t have on my calendar, and my plans for the week change. Sometimes those surprises are good surprises, and sometimes they aren’t so good. Today’s story is about one of God’s really good surprises.
Are you ready for today’s story? (Let them respond.) Great!
One day Jesus was talking to a bunch of people who were very worried. There were a lot of scary things happening, and the people were really afraid of what was going to happen next. The people told him they were afraid when they got up every morning, because they didn’t know what bad thing might happen to them that day.
Some people thought that the bad things would happen today, some people thought the bad things would happen tomorrow, and some people thought the bad things would happen next week, next month, or next year. Some people was so afraid that some of them even fainted and fell down right there while they were talking. They must have been really scared, huh? (Let them respond.)
Have you ever been afraid or worried about something bad you thought might happen? (Let them respond.) Maybe you didn’t know when it was going to happen, and maybe you weren’t even sure what was going to happen, but you still worried about it a lot? (Let them respond.) Yeah, that has happened to me sometimes.
Well, the people in our story didn’t know what was going to happen, but they were sure it was going to be bad. So, they asked Jesus to tell them when the bad thing was going to happen.
And I think Jesus smiled.
He told them, “There are going to be a lot of things that will make you think something bad is going to happen. And there are a lot of people who are going to tell you that something bad is going to happen. And some people are even going to tell you when that bad thing is going to happen, and they will tell you to put that day on your calendar. But I tell you that God has a big surprise for all of you.”
If you love God, and do what God asks you to do, you don’t have to worry about things other people say to scare you. A lot of people say bad things are about to happen. Well, I tell you that God is about to do something that is going to surprise everyone. God is about to do something that is truly amazing! So don’t spend your time worrying and being afraid. Spend your time doing the things that God asks you to do; love each other and take care of each other. And get ready for God’s BIG SURPRISE!
Today is the beginning of the season we call Advent. It is the season we get ready to celebrate how God surprised everyone and showed us how much God loves us. I hope you will remember how much God loves you, and how much God wants us to love other people and do as much as we can to help take care of those other people.
Let’s have our prayer and ask God to help us remember to do the things God wants us to do to take care of each other.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for reminding us how much you love us. Please help us remember that you love all of the people you have created and help us let the people around us know that we love them just like Jesus loves us. Amen.
* * *
Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.)
Can anyone tell me what this is? (Show the day-planner.) It’s a day planner, or calendar, isn’t it? Do any of you use one of these? (Let them respond.) Or maybe someone else in your family uses one? (Let them respond.) We use these to plan things we want to do or to help us remember important things we need to do, don’t we? (Let them respond.) Every week, I can write all of my meetings on my calendar, and then when I look at it, I can see everything that is going to happen this week so I can be ready for them, right? (Let them respond.) But, sometimes, there are surprises, aren’t there? (Let them respond.) Sometimes, things come up that I didn’t have on my calendar, and my plans for the week change. Sometimes those surprises are good surprises, and sometimes they aren’t so good. Today’s story is about one of God’s really good surprises.
Are you ready for today’s story? (Let them respond.) Great!
One day Jesus was talking to a bunch of people who were very worried. There were a lot of scary things happening, and the people were really afraid of what was going to happen next. The people told him they were afraid when they got up every morning, because they didn’t know what bad thing might happen to them that day.
Some people thought that the bad things would happen today, some people thought the bad things would happen tomorrow, and some people thought the bad things would happen next week, next month, or next year. Some people was so afraid that some of them even fainted and fell down right there while they were talking. They must have been really scared, huh? (Let them respond.)
Have you ever been afraid or worried about something bad you thought might happen? (Let them respond.) Maybe you didn’t know when it was going to happen, and maybe you weren’t even sure what was going to happen, but you still worried about it a lot? (Let them respond.) Yeah, that has happened to me sometimes.
Well, the people in our story didn’t know what was going to happen, but they were sure it was going to be bad. So, they asked Jesus to tell them when the bad thing was going to happen.
And I think Jesus smiled.
He told them, “There are going to be a lot of things that will make you think something bad is going to happen. And there are a lot of people who are going to tell you that something bad is going to happen. And some people are even going to tell you when that bad thing is going to happen, and they will tell you to put that day on your calendar. But I tell you that God has a big surprise for all of you.”
If you love God, and do what God asks you to do, you don’t have to worry about things other people say to scare you. A lot of people say bad things are about to happen. Well, I tell you that God is about to do something that is going to surprise everyone. God is about to do something that is truly amazing! So don’t spend your time worrying and being afraid. Spend your time doing the things that God asks you to do; love each other and take care of each other. And get ready for God’s BIG SURPRISE!
Today is the beginning of the season we call Advent. It is the season we get ready to celebrate how God surprised everyone and showed us how much God loves us. I hope you will remember how much God loves you, and how much God wants us to love other people and do as much as we can to help take care of those other people.
Let’s have our prayer and ask God to help us remember to do the things God wants us to do to take care of each other.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for reminding us how much you love us. Please help us remember that you love all of the people you have created and help us let the people around us know that we love them just like Jesus loves us. Amen.
