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A wonderful present!

Children's sermon
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
First Sunday of Advent - B
Object: 
A Christmas present (inside have a note that says "EVERYTHING")
Today we begin the Advent season. It's a season of looking forward to a certain holiday ---- a special day. Does anybody know what day I'm talking about? (Let them answer.) You feel like I do ---- you look forward to Christmas! Christmas is that wonderful day when we exchange gifts. It's a time for family and friends and giving and receiving presents. I brought with me a present that is special because it is from a very important person. Would you like for me to open it? Let's do it! (Open the gift.)

It looks like there is not much inside this present. But I see there is a note inside. Let's just see what this note says. (Read it.) It says just one word: "Everything." That may seem like a strange gift. But when I tell you who gave me this gift, I think you will understand.

You see, this gift is from God! I wrote the note and put it inside the gift because I know that everything ---- EVERYTHING ---- is from God anyway! The air that I breathe is from God. This congregation is a gift from God. YOU are a gift from God. The food I eat, the clothes I wear ---- EVERYTHING is from God! Even my body and my mind are gifts from God. What a wonderful, thoughtful God we have who gives us all that we need and so much more!

There is one great gift that is above all others. That gift is the gift of God's own son Jesus. Jesus is God's gift to the world ---- to you and me. Jesus comes to us at Christmastime to remind us that he also is God's gift. In fact, we give gifts to each other to help us remember that the greatest gift in the world ---- Jesus ---- is from God.

As we get ready for Christmas and think of buying or making Christmas gifts for others, think about how EVERYTHING we have is from God. Think of how the best gift ---- Jesus ---- is from God. That's why we give to others and others give to us. It helps us remember how giving our God is!

Dearest giving God: Thank you for everything ---- especially Jesus. Amen.
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