Knee-bending faith
Children's sermon
Object:
a folding chair
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you brought a friend today? (let them answer; then introduce yourself to new children) I want everyone who brought a friend to know that you are one of Jesus' disciples. You are like Peter or John or any of Jesus' followers who introduced someone to Jesus.
Now I want to introduce you to Charley the Chair. (show the chair, folded) Charley is a funny kind of chair because he doesn't want anyone to sit on him. He wants to stand up like this on two legs instead of sitting down on four legs. He thinks he is too good to have someone sit on him. Every time I bring Charley out and open him up like this (open up the chair), he whines and cries and tells me how unhappy I have made him. I tell Charlie that he is a chair and chairs are supposed to be sat on, but he says he is too proud and doesn't want anyone to sit on him. Charley is worthless. He just stands all day in the closet and does nothing.
Some people are like Charley. They do not love Jesus and even when they hear the name of Jesus they ignore it. They think they don't need God. They want to think and act for themselves and they are too proud to ask God to forgive them, even when they know they have done wrong.
Paul said when we hear the name of Jesus we should bend our knees and praise God with prayer and love. Do you know what happens when you bend your knees? (let them answer) That's right; you kneel. What do people do when they kneel? (let them answer) That's right; they pray and they thank God for being such a great and wonderful God and they ask for God's forgiveness.
Let's try to bend our knees. (have everyone including yourself bend their knees) Very good! While we are here, let's pray. (say a brief prayer)
See how much better you feel than Charley the Chair. Charley is such a grouch. (put your hand to your ear) Did you hear what Charley said? (let them guess) No, listen very carefully. (listen very intently to the chair)
Oh my! Charley says that no one told him about Jesus and how we were to bend and praise God. Charley wants to be a chair. He wants to bend his legs and be a seat and praise God and thank God for being so wonderful.
This was a great day. We not only brought our friends but we helped Charlie the Chair come close to God.
Prayer: Help us all be close to you, O Lord. Amen.
Now I want to introduce you to Charley the Chair. (show the chair, folded) Charley is a funny kind of chair because he doesn't want anyone to sit on him. He wants to stand up like this on two legs instead of sitting down on four legs. He thinks he is too good to have someone sit on him. Every time I bring Charley out and open him up like this (open up the chair), he whines and cries and tells me how unhappy I have made him. I tell Charlie that he is a chair and chairs are supposed to be sat on, but he says he is too proud and doesn't want anyone to sit on him. Charley is worthless. He just stands all day in the closet and does nothing.
Some people are like Charley. They do not love Jesus and even when they hear the name of Jesus they ignore it. They think they don't need God. They want to think and act for themselves and they are too proud to ask God to forgive them, even when they know they have done wrong.
Paul said when we hear the name of Jesus we should bend our knees and praise God with prayer and love. Do you know what happens when you bend your knees? (let them answer) That's right; you kneel. What do people do when they kneel? (let them answer) That's right; they pray and they thank God for being such a great and wonderful God and they ask for God's forgiveness.
Let's try to bend our knees. (have everyone including yourself bend their knees) Very good! While we are here, let's pray. (say a brief prayer)
See how much better you feel than Charley the Chair. Charley is such a grouch. (put your hand to your ear) Did you hear what Charley said? (let them guess) No, listen very carefully. (listen very intently to the chair)
Oh my! Charley says that no one told him about Jesus and how we were to bend and praise God. Charley wants to be a chair. He wants to bend his legs and be a seat and praise God and thank God for being so wonderful.
This was a great day. We not only brought our friends but we helped Charlie the Chair come close to God.
Prayer: Help us all be close to you, O Lord. Amen.
