Special gifts
Children's sermon
Object:
an empty wrapped box
For it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for
his good pleasure. (v. 13)
Good morning, boys and girls! Look what I have this morning -- a present! (hold up the wrapped box) This is a very special present. It's from God. Our Bible verse today says that God is working in each one of us, and it is God who allows us to do the things we can do. God has given us our talents -- like somebody might give you a gift -- so that we can use them to praise God. No two of God's gifts are the same! Did you ever have a relative give you and one of your brothers or sisters or cousins exactly the same thing for Christmas or a birthday? (allow answers) Sometimes it's fun to get the same thing as somebody else, but God doesn't do that. He has given each of us our own special gifts and he wants us to use those special gifts to do special things for him. What special gifts do you have? (allow answers) Some of us are good at playing music. Some of us are good at coloring or drawing or making crafts. Some of us are good at sports. What are other things that people can be good at? (allow answers) That's right. People can be good at working with computers or training dogs or building things.
With all those different gifts, how can we give back to God? If you like to draw pictures, how can you use that gift to give praise to God? (allow answers) You can draw pictures about the Bible to hang in your Sunday school room or on the refrigerator at home. What about if you like to grow flowers? (allow answers) We could grow flowers to put on the altar, or grow flowers in the yard around the church. How about if we like to play sports? We could be recreation leaders at Bible school, couldn't we? What's another gift God could give someone? (allow answers) How could they use that gift to praise God?
God has given people these gifts and many more. But just like the present I have here, you may not know what gifts God has given you. That's okay, too! Keep trying new things to help at church or to praise God, and God will find a way to use your talents. What are some things you could try to find the gifts God gave you? (allow answers) Good answers! We could try singing in the choir, reading the scripture at church, or bringing friends with us to Sunday school. This week, I want you to try and do something for God -- you could color a picture about God, rake the leaves out of your neighbor's yard to love your neighbor like Jesus told us to, or help your mom and dad around the house to honor your parents like the Ten Commandments say. God's gifts to you are more precious than anything that could come wrapped in this box -- it's your job to thank God by using the talents he gave you. Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls! Look what I have this morning -- a present! (hold up the wrapped box) This is a very special present. It's from God. Our Bible verse today says that God is working in each one of us, and it is God who allows us to do the things we can do. God has given us our talents -- like somebody might give you a gift -- so that we can use them to praise God. No two of God's gifts are the same! Did you ever have a relative give you and one of your brothers or sisters or cousins exactly the same thing for Christmas or a birthday? (allow answers) Sometimes it's fun to get the same thing as somebody else, but God doesn't do that. He has given each of us our own special gifts and he wants us to use those special gifts to do special things for him. What special gifts do you have? (allow answers) Some of us are good at playing music. Some of us are good at coloring or drawing or making crafts. Some of us are good at sports. What are other things that people can be good at? (allow answers) That's right. People can be good at working with computers or training dogs or building things.
With all those different gifts, how can we give back to God? If you like to draw pictures, how can you use that gift to give praise to God? (allow answers) You can draw pictures about the Bible to hang in your Sunday school room or on the refrigerator at home. What about if you like to grow flowers? (allow answers) We could grow flowers to put on the altar, or grow flowers in the yard around the church. How about if we like to play sports? We could be recreation leaders at Bible school, couldn't we? What's another gift God could give someone? (allow answers) How could they use that gift to praise God?
God has given people these gifts and many more. But just like the present I have here, you may not know what gifts God has given you. That's okay, too! Keep trying new things to help at church or to praise God, and God will find a way to use your talents. What are some things you could try to find the gifts God gave you? (allow answers) Good answers! We could try singing in the choir, reading the scripture at church, or bringing friends with us to Sunday school. This week, I want you to try and do something for God -- you could color a picture about God, rake the leaves out of your neighbor's yard to love your neighbor like Jesus told us to, or help your mom and dad around the house to honor your parents like the Ten Commandments say. God's gifts to you are more precious than anything that could come wrapped in this box -- it's your job to thank God by using the talents he gave you. Amen.
