Walking in faith
Children's sermon
Object:
a long, narrow board
He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?" (v. 40)
Good morning, boys and girls. Today, we want to test your faith. How many of you can describe the word, "faith"? (let them answer) "Faith" is a pretty hard word to explain, isn't it? Everyone tells us to have faith but not very many people know what faith is when they are asked to explain it. Where does faith come from? (let them answer) That's right, faith comes from God. Faith is something you can't see.
Today, we are going to do some faith building. I brought along with me a very long and narrow board. What I want someone to do is walk on this board without falling off of it. Do I have a volunteer? (select one child) We will start at this end and the only thing you have to do is walk to the other end and I will know that you have faith. Do you understand? Walk from this end to the other end and I will know that you have faith in yourself. (help the child get started; you may want to try several volunteers) Pretty hard, isn't it? (let them answer) Isn't there anyone here that has enough faith in himself or herself to walk from this end to the other end without falling off of the board? (let them answer)
Do you remember the story about Jesus falling asleep in a boat on the Sea of Galilee? All of the disciples were also on the boat when a terrible windstorm came up and began to fill the boat with water. The disciples didn't know what to do. They were bailing out the water with everything they had, including their hands, but the water just kept coming in, until they were standing with water up to their ankles. The wind was making a lot of noise. It was nighttime and this only made it worse. Soon the water was up around their knees and they were soaking wet from head to toe. There was only one thing left to do, and that was to yell loud enough that Jesus would hear the commotion and wake up. When Jesus was awake, he stood up, looked around, and asked the wind to be calm and the storm to go away. Then he asked the disciples why they were so afraid. He also wanted to know if they had any faith. The disciples were amazed that even the wind and the water obeyed Jesus.
Life is very often like being in a storm or walking on a narrow board. We can't make it alone, we need God to help us. Pretend for a moment that my hands and arms are like God. (take a volunteer, put him/her on the board, and then assist the child as he/she walks down the board without falling off) These hands and arms are like faith that comes from God and helps us every day of our lives. We can't do it alone but with God's help we will make it. Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls. Today, we want to test your faith. How many of you can describe the word, "faith"? (let them answer) "Faith" is a pretty hard word to explain, isn't it? Everyone tells us to have faith but not very many people know what faith is when they are asked to explain it. Where does faith come from? (let them answer) That's right, faith comes from God. Faith is something you can't see.
Today, we are going to do some faith building. I brought along with me a very long and narrow board. What I want someone to do is walk on this board without falling off of it. Do I have a volunteer? (select one child) We will start at this end and the only thing you have to do is walk to the other end and I will know that you have faith. Do you understand? Walk from this end to the other end and I will know that you have faith in yourself. (help the child get started; you may want to try several volunteers) Pretty hard, isn't it? (let them answer) Isn't there anyone here that has enough faith in himself or herself to walk from this end to the other end without falling off of the board? (let them answer)
Do you remember the story about Jesus falling asleep in a boat on the Sea of Galilee? All of the disciples were also on the boat when a terrible windstorm came up and began to fill the boat with water. The disciples didn't know what to do. They were bailing out the water with everything they had, including their hands, but the water just kept coming in, until they were standing with water up to their ankles. The wind was making a lot of noise. It was nighttime and this only made it worse. Soon the water was up around their knees and they were soaking wet from head to toe. There was only one thing left to do, and that was to yell loud enough that Jesus would hear the commotion and wake up. When Jesus was awake, he stood up, looked around, and asked the wind to be calm and the storm to go away. Then he asked the disciples why they were so afraid. He also wanted to know if they had any faith. The disciples were amazed that even the wind and the water obeyed Jesus.
Life is very often like being in a storm or walking on a narrow board. We can't make it alone, we need God to help us. Pretend for a moment that my hands and arms are like God. (take a volunteer, put him/her on the board, and then assist the child as he/she walks down the board without falling off) These hands and arms are like faith that comes from God and helps us every day of our lives. We can't do it alone but with God's help we will make it. Amen.
