Now you see it, now you don't
Children's sermon
Object:
a bright light or desk lamp
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you have ever seen a movie and the movie stops, but the bright light stays on? (wait for a show of hands) While the bright light stays on, sometimes people make shapes with their hands. We call them shadow pictures. (plug in the lamp) Let's see if we can make some shadow pictures. (demonstrate and let them take turns, depending on the time available) Some people can make rabbits and some can make dogs. It's fun to make shadow pictures. Where are the pictures when I turn the lamp off? (turn the lamp off and let them answer) Can we still make the pictures? (let them answer) The pictures are still there, but you can only see them if you look at the person's hands and what they are doing. The light is what makes the shadow. Does the shadow look exactly the same as the person's hands? (turn the lamp on and off to demonstrate) No, it looks a little different. Usually a shadow is a little bigger.
I need a volunteer to stand up for me. (choose a child to stand up) Now I'd like to see what we can do with shadows. (shine the lamp in different positions to demonstrate the different sizes of shadows) Look at what we can do with shadows! We can make a shadow longer, or shorter, or wider, or smaller, depending on where we put the light. What happens to the shadow if we turn off the light? (let them answer) It disappears! Is the person still there? (let them answer) Yes, of course, the person doesn't disappear!
Our lesson today has a special message about recognizing Jesus even though Jesus isn't here to see. Jesus told his friends over and over who he was, but sometimes it took something special to figure it out. We can't see shadows unless we have a very bright light. Sometimes the sun is bright enough to make shadows of objects or people. We have a shadow from the day we are born, but we have to have the correct light to be able to see it.
We have that special light to remind us that Jesus is always with us and has been from the beginning of time. That special light is called love and it is always with us whether or not we can see it.
