Good vision
Children's sermon
Object:
Binoculars or telescope
Good morning! With these binoculars I can see things far off and see them as if they were up close. These help me see more than my eyes can usually see.
Many years ago there were some people in the temple where Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus. They also could see more than most eyes could see. They didn't have binoculars, but they had God's spirit that helped them see beyond the present. They could see into the future! Can you imagine that? What if we had something that could help us see into the future? (Let them answer.) These people in the temple could see into the future and they told Mary and Joseph about Jesus. They told about what he would be when he grew up to be a man.
Does anybody know the name of the two people who were in the temple the day Mary and Joseph brought Jesus? (Let them answer.) The man's name was Simeon and the woman's name was Anna. Simeon and Anna were prophets who could see how God would use Jesus in the future to bring people to God. God had given them the special gift of being able to see the future.
I cannot see into the future like Simeon and Anna, but I can look through my binoculars of faith and see some things about you. (Take the binoculars and look at each child. If there are too many children and it might be time--consuming to do this for each child, stand off and look at the whole group of children.) When I look through the eyes of my faith and see the future, I see that God is always with you. I see that you have been called by God and that God knows each of you by name. I see that God has a special purpose for each of you. I see that God loves you very, very much.
It is a wonderful thing to be a child of God. I am thankful that each of you know God and that your future is in God's hands. Sometime when you think you are alone, just remember that God is with you. Sometime when you are not sure about what might happen in the future, just remember that God is there in your future. I know that is true. I have seen it myself. God is with you.
Dear God: Thank you for keeping us and loving us forever. Amen.
Many years ago there were some people in the temple where Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus. They also could see more than most eyes could see. They didn't have binoculars, but they had God's spirit that helped them see beyond the present. They could see into the future! Can you imagine that? What if we had something that could help us see into the future? (Let them answer.) These people in the temple could see into the future and they told Mary and Joseph about Jesus. They told about what he would be when he grew up to be a man.
Does anybody know the name of the two people who were in the temple the day Mary and Joseph brought Jesus? (Let them answer.) The man's name was Simeon and the woman's name was Anna. Simeon and Anna were prophets who could see how God would use Jesus in the future to bring people to God. God had given them the special gift of being able to see the future.
I cannot see into the future like Simeon and Anna, but I can look through my binoculars of faith and see some things about you. (Take the binoculars and look at each child. If there are too many children and it might be time--consuming to do this for each child, stand off and look at the whole group of children.) When I look through the eyes of my faith and see the future, I see that God is always with you. I see that you have been called by God and that God knows each of you by name. I see that God has a special purpose for each of you. I see that God loves you very, very much.
It is a wonderful thing to be a child of God. I am thankful that each of you know God and that your future is in God's hands. Sometime when you think you are alone, just remember that God is with you. Sometime when you are not sure about what might happen in the future, just remember that God is there in your future. I know that is true. I have seen it myself. God is with you.
Dear God: Thank you for keeping us and loving us forever. Amen.
