Not of the World
Children's sermon
Object:
a glass of water, small bottle of food coloring
First Thoughts: Ever since the church began, there has been an ongoing struggle with the question of how the faithful should interact with the world. Some groups have interpreted the scripture to believe that the church should separate from the world as much as possible -- creating closed communities and special clothes to set them apart. Other groups have so minimized the difference between the church and the world that a bystander probably couldn't even tell the difference. Likely Jesus' instructions -- to be in the world but not of the world -- lead us somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. It's a tension we all struggle with. How do we see it played out in our lives? How do we imagine the church should live out this calling? Pray about your own experience with being in the world but not of the world, and carry your reflection to your time with the children.
Teaching As A Team:
(Leader 1 has the water and food coloring.)
Leader 2: What do you have there, (name)?
Leader 1: I have something to show you. See here, I've got a big glass of water and a tiny bottle of red food coloring.
Leader 2: What are you going to do with it?
Leader 1: I'm going to show you something special. How much food coloring do you think it would take to turn this whole glass red?
Leader 2: Well, it is a pretty big glass and there's a lot more water than coloring. I'm really not sure you have enough to make a difference.
Leader 1: Okay, watch. (put 1-2 drops in water) See?
Leader 2: Wow! You only put in two drops but all the water is turning red!
Leader 1: That's right. It's pretty powerful stuff, huh? I brought it in to help us understand the scripture passage today. Jesus told the disciples that they were to be in the world but not of the world.
Leader 2: What does that mean?
Leader 1: Jesus wanted his friends to be part of the world. He wanted them to know people and to care for people. But he also wanted them to be different than all the other people around them.
Leader 2: Different how?
Leader 1: Jesus wanted them to be loving and kind, forgiving and merciful -- even if other people weren't. So you know what it means to be in the world but not of the world?
Leader 2: What?
Leader 1: We're like that food coloring. The food coloring is in the water, but the water doesn't change the food coloring. The food coloring changes the water! When we're in the world, sharing God's love, we're changing the world and making it more colorful.
Leader 2: It didn't take much of that coloring to make a difference, did it?
Leader 1: Nope, a little of God's love goes a long way!
Teaching On Your Own: See what I have here? I've got something to show you. It is a big glass of water and a tiny bottle of red food coloring. How much food coloring do you think it would take to turn this whole glass red? It's a pretty big glass and there's a lot more water than coloring. Maybe I don't have enough to really make a difference. What do you think? Let's try. (put 1-2 drops in water) Look at that! I only put in two drops but all the water is turning red! It's pretty powerful stuff, huh? I brought it in to help us understand the scripture passage today. Jesus told the disciples that they were to be in the world but not of the world. What do you think that means? Jesus wanted his friends to be part of the world. He wanted them to know people and to care for people. But he also wanted them to be different than all the other people around them. Jesus wanted them to be loving and kind, forgiving and merciful -- even if other people weren't. So you know what it means to be in the world but not of the world? We're like that food coloring. The food coloring is in the water, but the water doesn't change the food coloring. The food coloring changes the water! When we're in the world, sharing God's love, we're changing the world and making it more colorful. It didn't take much of that coloring to make a difference, did it? A little of God's love goes a long way!
Closing Prayer: God, use us to make the world a more beautiful and loving place. We want to be part of the change you're bringing to the world. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Activity: To reinforce this lesson in a home or classroom environment, spend some time inviting the children to think about how they can be in the world but not part of the world. How does their belief in Christ make them different from others? How do they stand out? Give the children a chance to reflect on what it's like to be different. It can be difficult, right? Jesus was asking us to do something hard -- to be loving when others are not, to be forgiving when others are unkind, to share when others are being greedy. We need help in staying true to our faith. That's why it's important for us to be together as a church, to encourage each other that what we're doing is the right thing even if it's also the hard thing. And, maybe most important, to remember that what we're doing is really making a difference. To help illustrate this point further, give each child a white carnation in its own vase. In the bottom of the vase, pour some water and add a drop or two of blue or green food coloring. Ask the children what they think will happen when the flower soaks up the water. Invite them to reflect on what this teaches us about the world -- just as the flower will change colors based on what's in the water, the world will change based on what's in our hearts and lives. Allow the children to take the flowers home and report back what happens. If you'd rather, you can also just provide one carnation, which can remain in the classroom. (You might need to get an extra carnation later in the week, in case the first one doesn't make it to the next Sunday.)
Teaching As A Team:
(Leader 1 has the water and food coloring.)
Leader 2: What do you have there, (name)?
Leader 1: I have something to show you. See here, I've got a big glass of water and a tiny bottle of red food coloring.
Leader 2: What are you going to do with it?
Leader 1: I'm going to show you something special. How much food coloring do you think it would take to turn this whole glass red?
Leader 2: Well, it is a pretty big glass and there's a lot more water than coloring. I'm really not sure you have enough to make a difference.
Leader 1: Okay, watch. (put 1-2 drops in water) See?
Leader 2: Wow! You only put in two drops but all the water is turning red!
Leader 1: That's right. It's pretty powerful stuff, huh? I brought it in to help us understand the scripture passage today. Jesus told the disciples that they were to be in the world but not of the world.
Leader 2: What does that mean?
Leader 1: Jesus wanted his friends to be part of the world. He wanted them to know people and to care for people. But he also wanted them to be different than all the other people around them.
Leader 2: Different how?
Leader 1: Jesus wanted them to be loving and kind, forgiving and merciful -- even if other people weren't. So you know what it means to be in the world but not of the world?
Leader 2: What?
Leader 1: We're like that food coloring. The food coloring is in the water, but the water doesn't change the food coloring. The food coloring changes the water! When we're in the world, sharing God's love, we're changing the world and making it more colorful.
Leader 2: It didn't take much of that coloring to make a difference, did it?
Leader 1: Nope, a little of God's love goes a long way!
Teaching On Your Own: See what I have here? I've got something to show you. It is a big glass of water and a tiny bottle of red food coloring. How much food coloring do you think it would take to turn this whole glass red? It's a pretty big glass and there's a lot more water than coloring. Maybe I don't have enough to really make a difference. What do you think? Let's try. (put 1-2 drops in water) Look at that! I only put in two drops but all the water is turning red! It's pretty powerful stuff, huh? I brought it in to help us understand the scripture passage today. Jesus told the disciples that they were to be in the world but not of the world. What do you think that means? Jesus wanted his friends to be part of the world. He wanted them to know people and to care for people. But he also wanted them to be different than all the other people around them. Jesus wanted them to be loving and kind, forgiving and merciful -- even if other people weren't. So you know what it means to be in the world but not of the world? We're like that food coloring. The food coloring is in the water, but the water doesn't change the food coloring. The food coloring changes the water! When we're in the world, sharing God's love, we're changing the world and making it more colorful. It didn't take much of that coloring to make a difference, did it? A little of God's love goes a long way!
Closing Prayer: God, use us to make the world a more beautiful and loving place. We want to be part of the change you're bringing to the world. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Activity: To reinforce this lesson in a home or classroom environment, spend some time inviting the children to think about how they can be in the world but not part of the world. How does their belief in Christ make them different from others? How do they stand out? Give the children a chance to reflect on what it's like to be different. It can be difficult, right? Jesus was asking us to do something hard -- to be loving when others are not, to be forgiving when others are unkind, to share when others are being greedy. We need help in staying true to our faith. That's why it's important for us to be together as a church, to encourage each other that what we're doing is the right thing even if it's also the hard thing. And, maybe most important, to remember that what we're doing is really making a difference. To help illustrate this point further, give each child a white carnation in its own vase. In the bottom of the vase, pour some water and add a drop or two of blue or green food coloring. Ask the children what they think will happen when the flower soaks up the water. Invite them to reflect on what this teaches us about the world -- just as the flower will change colors based on what's in the water, the world will change based on what's in our hearts and lives. Allow the children to take the flowers home and report back what happens. If you'd rather, you can also just provide one carnation, which can remain in the classroom. (You might need to get an extra carnation later in the week, in case the first one doesn't make it to the next Sunday.)
