Safe in his hands
Children's sermon
Object:
None
Good morning! Jesus tells us some wonderful things in the
Gospel. He says that his sheep will hear his voice and follow him,
that they will never be lost and nobody can take them away from
him. Now, who are his sheep? (Let them answer.) Yes, that's right.
We are his sheep! You and I! Doesn't it make you feel good that we
are safe in his hands and nobody can drag us away from him? (Let
them answer.)
Okay, let me show you what Jesus is saying to us. Let me be
Jesus for a moment and __________ (pick a child who will let you
hold him or her firmly) can come to me. Now, as I hold __________
firmly, I want __________ (pick a small child who will not pull
too hard) to try to take him/her away from me. You see, __________
can't take __________ away from me because I am holding him/her
firmly. That's how Jesus holds onto us and keeps us safe.
But, look what happens if __________ decides to leave me.
(Let the child leave without holding on to him or her.) You see,
there is no problem for __________ to leave if he/she wants to. We
can walk away from Jesus. He won't hold on to us if we want to
leave, but he won't let anybody take us away from him as long as
we want to be his child. Do all of you want to stay with Jesus and
be his children? (Let them answer.) Good! As long as you don't
leave him, he won't leave you!
Dear Jesus: Thank you so much for holding us and keeping us safe.
Amen.
Gospel. He says that his sheep will hear his voice and follow him,
that they will never be lost and nobody can take them away from
him. Now, who are his sheep? (Let them answer.) Yes, that's right.
We are his sheep! You and I! Doesn't it make you feel good that we
are safe in his hands and nobody can drag us away from him? (Let
them answer.)
Okay, let me show you what Jesus is saying to us. Let me be
Jesus for a moment and __________ (pick a child who will let you
hold him or her firmly) can come to me. Now, as I hold __________
firmly, I want __________ (pick a small child who will not pull
too hard) to try to take him/her away from me. You see, __________
can't take __________ away from me because I am holding him/her
firmly. That's how Jesus holds onto us and keeps us safe.
But, look what happens if __________ decides to leave me.
(Let the child leave without holding on to him or her.) You see,
there is no problem for __________ to leave if he/she wants to. We
can walk away from Jesus. He won't hold on to us if we want to
leave, but he won't let anybody take us away from him as long as
we want to be his child. Do all of you want to stay with Jesus and
be his children? (Let them answer.) Good! As long as you don't
leave him, he won't leave you!
Dear Jesus: Thank you so much for holding us and keeping us safe.
Amen.
