Jesus Finds Shorty
Children's sermon
Object:
Pretend lost item like bag of treats, a ring, watch, or book, etc.
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (v. 10)
Good morning precious children,
I hope you are awake and alert. I have a tasty talk and a tasty treat to share with you.
It’s really a tasty story and a tasty surprise.
Now where is that surprise bag? (feign it, giving the appearance you have lost it)
Now if I could only find it. Oh well, maybe later.
I want you to meet Shorty. Oh his real name was Zacchaeus, but he was short – sooo short he had to climb a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus coming down the path.
Shorty was a hated tax collector. No one in Jesus’ day liked tax collectors.
Tax collectors collected taxes for the disliked Roman rulers.
But when Jesus saw Shorty up that tree, he told him to come down, so Jesus could stay with him in his home in Jericho. Shocked, Shorty (Zacchaeus whose name in Hebrew means “pure” or the “righteous”) climbed down the sycamore tree.
Jesus and Shorty went to Shorty’s home.
Because Jesus had found him, Shorty, whose name is Zacchaeus, blurted out, “half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore four-fold.” Jesus then told everybody, “Salvation has come.” Zacchaeus has been found. He was lost, but now, no longer, he has been now found. Jesus made it clear that his mission was to find lost people.
The “Jesus’ way” for us too is to go to those who are rejected, disliked, and pushed away.
Have you ever had a puppy or kitty get lost? (children answer) Has anyone in your family gotten lost? (children answer) Have you ever been lost?(children answer)
Jesus is the finder of lost people. How happy it is to be found.
Now let’s see if we can find my surprise bag. (all look around the area) Oh, here it is. The lost is found! (applaud Enjoy. (share treats in surprise bag)
Prayer: We are glad Shorty got found. Lord Jesus when we stray or get lost please find us and keep us safe now and forever. Amen.
Good morning precious children,
I hope you are awake and alert. I have a tasty talk and a tasty treat to share with you.
It’s really a tasty story and a tasty surprise.
Now where is that surprise bag? (feign it, giving the appearance you have lost it)
Now if I could only find it. Oh well, maybe later.
I want you to meet Shorty. Oh his real name was Zacchaeus, but he was short – sooo short he had to climb a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus coming down the path.
Shorty was a hated tax collector. No one in Jesus’ day liked tax collectors.
Tax collectors collected taxes for the disliked Roman rulers.
But when Jesus saw Shorty up that tree, he told him to come down, so Jesus could stay with him in his home in Jericho. Shocked, Shorty (Zacchaeus whose name in Hebrew means “pure” or the “righteous”) climbed down the sycamore tree.
Jesus and Shorty went to Shorty’s home.
Because Jesus had found him, Shorty, whose name is Zacchaeus, blurted out, “half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore four-fold.” Jesus then told everybody, “Salvation has come.” Zacchaeus has been found. He was lost, but now, no longer, he has been now found. Jesus made it clear that his mission was to find lost people.
The “Jesus’ way” for us too is to go to those who are rejected, disliked, and pushed away.
Have you ever had a puppy or kitty get lost? (children answer) Has anyone in your family gotten lost? (children answer) Have you ever been lost?(children answer)
Jesus is the finder of lost people. How happy it is to be found.
Now let’s see if we can find my surprise bag. (all look around the area) Oh, here it is. The lost is found! (applaud Enjoy. (share treats in surprise bag)
Prayer: We are glad Shorty got found. Lord Jesus when we stray or get lost please find us and keep us safe now and forever. Amen.
