Big Rocks
Children's sermon
Children's Sermons A To Z
Exegetical Aim: We must fill our lives with the important things first or the smaller things will overtake us.
Props: One-gallon wide-mouthed mason jar (a pickle jar would be great), a dozen fist-sized rocks, a container of gravel, a container of sand, and a container of water. I suggest you try the illustration once before doing it in front of the children. You must hide the various elements to make this illustration effective.
Lesson: Okay, time for a quiz. Put the one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar in the middle of them. Carefully place the dozen fist-sized rocks, one at a time, into the jar.
When the jar is full and no more rocks will fit inside: Is this jar full? (yes) Really? As you dump in the gravel, shake the jar causing the pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.
There we go! Is the jar full? (response) If some say, "No," say, Good! If all say, "Yes," say, Really? Bring out the container of sand. Pour the sand in between the cracks; fill the jar so that all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel are filled. Some shaking may be required. Ask the question once more, Is this jar full? (no) You hope they are onto you now and will answer negatively Good! With the pitcher of water, fill the jar to the brim. Now is it full? (no) Yes, it is! It is now full. What is the point of this illustration? (response) Give them time and several attempts at the answer.
Here is the actual point of the illustration: What this teaches us is: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all.
Application: What are the big rocks in your life? (response) Here is a big rock: Spending time praying and reading the Bible. Can you think of another? (response) Here is another big rock: Spending time with your brother or sister or your mom or dad or your grandparents. Or reading a book. Can you think of any other big rocks? (response) Maybe doing something at church. Teaching others. Doing your homework. Remember to put the BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all.
So, tonight when you are saying your prayers, think about what we did this morning, and ask yourself this question: What are the "big rocks" in my life? Then, put those in your jar.
Let's Pray: Lord, we want to be sure to do the most important things first, to put the big rocks in before we put the sand in. Help us to do just that. Amen.
If you are using this on Father's Day, you can talk about how fathers make their children their first priority.
* * * * * * *
Proper 7
Galatians 3:23-29
Belonging To Christ
Exegetical Aim: To show that once we belong to Christ, there is no distinction among us.
Props: Some sort of strong bag or carrier (duffel bag, athletic bag, and so forth), and a football, a basketball, and a soccer ball.
Lesson: Today I brought my bag to show you. This is my bag, and the things inside are mine. There are some different things inside, but they are all mine because they are in my bag. Would you like to see what is inside? (response) As I bring them out, you tell me what they are, okay? (response) Here goes. What is this? (football) How did you know it was a football? (response) Oh, because of the way it was shaped, and because of the lacing, and because it is brown. I see. Okay, here's the next one. What is this? (basketball) How did you know it was a basketball? Follow the same pattern for the soccer ball. Now I'm going to put these back in my bag and zip it up. Now, whose bag is this? (yours) That's right; it is my bag. So the things inside belong to whom? (you) Right. Even though the things are different, it doesn't matter what they look like once they are in my bag. They belong to me, and people know not to take them.
Application: I have one more question. Whose are you? (response) Saint Paul said that you and I belong to Christ. And because you and I belong to Christ, it doesn't matter if we are a boy or a girl, or an American, an Asian, an African, or a European. If we belong to Christ, all that matters is that we are his, and he will not let anyone take us. No matter where we go in life, and no matter what happens, we belong to Christ. So just like this bag and its contents are mine, to whom do you belong? (Christ)
Let's Pray: Thank you, Father, that we belong to Christ, and that no one can take us. Amen.
?
Props: One-gallon wide-mouthed mason jar (a pickle jar would be great), a dozen fist-sized rocks, a container of gravel, a container of sand, and a container of water. I suggest you try the illustration once before doing it in front of the children. You must hide the various elements to make this illustration effective.
Lesson: Okay, time for a quiz. Put the one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar in the middle of them. Carefully place the dozen fist-sized rocks, one at a time, into the jar.
When the jar is full and no more rocks will fit inside: Is this jar full? (yes) Really? As you dump in the gravel, shake the jar causing the pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.
There we go! Is the jar full? (response) If some say, "No," say, Good! If all say, "Yes," say, Really? Bring out the container of sand. Pour the sand in between the cracks; fill the jar so that all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel are filled. Some shaking may be required. Ask the question once more, Is this jar full? (no) You hope they are onto you now and will answer negatively Good! With the pitcher of water, fill the jar to the brim. Now is it full? (no) Yes, it is! It is now full. What is the point of this illustration? (response) Give them time and several attempts at the answer.
Here is the actual point of the illustration: What this teaches us is: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all.
Application: What are the big rocks in your life? (response) Here is a big rock: Spending time praying and reading the Bible. Can you think of another? (response) Here is another big rock: Spending time with your brother or sister or your mom or dad or your grandparents. Or reading a book. Can you think of any other big rocks? (response) Maybe doing something at church. Teaching others. Doing your homework. Remember to put the BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all.
So, tonight when you are saying your prayers, think about what we did this morning, and ask yourself this question: What are the "big rocks" in my life? Then, put those in your jar.
Let's Pray: Lord, we want to be sure to do the most important things first, to put the big rocks in before we put the sand in. Help us to do just that. Amen.
If you are using this on Father's Day, you can talk about how fathers make their children their first priority.
* * * * * * *
Proper 7
Galatians 3:23-29
Belonging To Christ
Exegetical Aim: To show that once we belong to Christ, there is no distinction among us.
Props: Some sort of strong bag or carrier (duffel bag, athletic bag, and so forth), and a football, a basketball, and a soccer ball.
Lesson: Today I brought my bag to show you. This is my bag, and the things inside are mine. There are some different things inside, but they are all mine because they are in my bag. Would you like to see what is inside? (response) As I bring them out, you tell me what they are, okay? (response) Here goes. What is this? (football) How did you know it was a football? (response) Oh, because of the way it was shaped, and because of the lacing, and because it is brown. I see. Okay, here's the next one. What is this? (basketball) How did you know it was a basketball? Follow the same pattern for the soccer ball. Now I'm going to put these back in my bag and zip it up. Now, whose bag is this? (yours) That's right; it is my bag. So the things inside belong to whom? (you) Right. Even though the things are different, it doesn't matter what they look like once they are in my bag. They belong to me, and people know not to take them.
Application: I have one more question. Whose are you? (response) Saint Paul said that you and I belong to Christ. And because you and I belong to Christ, it doesn't matter if we are a boy or a girl, or an American, an Asian, an African, or a European. If we belong to Christ, all that matters is that we are his, and he will not let anyone take us. No matter where we go in life, and no matter what happens, we belong to Christ. So just like this bag and its contents are mine, to whom do you belong? (Christ)
Let's Pray: Thank you, Father, that we belong to Christ, and that no one can take us. Amen.
?
