Open up!
Children's sermon
Object:
a can opener
Good morning, boys and girls. When you wake up in the morning, what do your eyes do? (let them answer) Very good, they open! When you want to speak to a friend, what does your mouth do? (let them answer) It opens also, doesn't it? When someone wants to give you a piece of candy, what do your hands do? (let them answer) Right again, your hands open!
We open a lot of things, don't we? I have a can of beans that I want to eat with my hot dogs. What do I need to open the can? (let them answer) Very good, I need this can opener.
Opening things can be fun. How many of you like to open birthday presents or Christmas presents? (let them answer) Everyone likes to do that, don't we?
One of Jesus' favorite things to do was to heal people. We read in the Bible today about a deaf man who also had trouble speaking. When Jesus came near to their town, some of the man's friends brought their deaf friend who could hardly talk to Jesus. They asked Jesus to heal him so that he could hear and speak. Do you know what Jesus did? (let them answer) You are right; Jesus did heal him.
Jesus put his fingers in the man's ears and then he touched his tongue. And at the same time Jesus was touching the man in his ears and on his tongue he shouted, "Ephphatha." Can you say that word? (let them answer) Let's say it together.
Do you know what Ephphatha means? (let them answer) It is a Hebrew word that means "Be opened." When Jesus said, "Ephphatha," he was praying that God would open the deaf man's ears so he could hear and release his tongue so that he could speak. Guess what happened? You're right. The deaf man could hear and speak.
Today you have learned a very important word. Ephphatha means to be opened. It was a word that Jesus used to help heal a man of deafness.
But you could use it for other things. In the morning when you get up, you can say Ephphatha and your eyes will open. That's a good time to say a prayer and thank God for watching over you while you slept. Or, you may need to open a can of beans! You can say Ephphatha to show that you know that God is the one who provides the food we eat.
This is a word that you do not want to forget. Next Sunday I will ask you if remember the Hebrew word that means "be opened."
We open a lot of things, don't we? I have a can of beans that I want to eat with my hot dogs. What do I need to open the can? (let them answer) Very good, I need this can opener.
Opening things can be fun. How many of you like to open birthday presents or Christmas presents? (let them answer) Everyone likes to do that, don't we?
One of Jesus' favorite things to do was to heal people. We read in the Bible today about a deaf man who also had trouble speaking. When Jesus came near to their town, some of the man's friends brought their deaf friend who could hardly talk to Jesus. They asked Jesus to heal him so that he could hear and speak. Do you know what Jesus did? (let them answer) You are right; Jesus did heal him.
Jesus put his fingers in the man's ears and then he touched his tongue. And at the same time Jesus was touching the man in his ears and on his tongue he shouted, "Ephphatha." Can you say that word? (let them answer) Let's say it together.
Do you know what Ephphatha means? (let them answer) It is a Hebrew word that means "Be opened." When Jesus said, "Ephphatha," he was praying that God would open the deaf man's ears so he could hear and release his tongue so that he could speak. Guess what happened? You're right. The deaf man could hear and speak.
Today you have learned a very important word. Ephphatha means to be opened. It was a word that Jesus used to help heal a man of deafness.
But you could use it for other things. In the morning when you get up, you can say Ephphatha and your eyes will open. That's a good time to say a prayer and thank God for watching over you while you slept. Or, you may need to open a can of beans! You can say Ephphatha to show that you know that God is the one who provides the food we eat.
This is a word that you do not want to forget. Next Sunday I will ask you if remember the Hebrew word that means "be opened."
