Login / Signup

Free Access

God's House Is Special

Children's sermon
The Giant Book Of Children's Sermons
Matthew To Revelation
Object: some items that appear to be for sale with prices marked on them


Good morning, boys and girls. I am certainly glad that you came to church this morning because I am looking for customers. I have some of the most wonderful things for sale today, and I hope that you have brought your money with you so that you can buy whatever you like.

First of all, I have this lovely sweater. It was made by a wonderful knitter who took lots of time and loving care to make it for a person just like you. This sweater is only $11.99 and I hope you will choose it. I also have delightful stocking caps to go with the sweater. Since we are going into spring and the winter is over, these stocking caps are on sale today. If you buy them now you can save money for next year. These hats are a special buy, and you can have one for only $1.39. That is a real bargain. What else do I have with me today? I have beautiful jewelry that I would be willing to sell at the right price. Would anyone like to make an offer for my jewelry? (let them answer)

What do you think of this? Is this what you expected to find when you came to church this morning? (let them answer) When was the last time you came to church and found yourself shopping in a store? (let them answer) It doesn't seem right, does it? What's wrong with selling clothes, jewelry, or anything else in church? (let them answer)

That's right; this is God's house and it is not a place to do business. Jesus found people selling animals and other things in the temple when he was in Jerusalem, and he drove them out of the temple telling them that God's house was not a store. It is a place to worship and pray and not to make bargains.

There is nothing wrong with buying and selling in a store. That is where it should be done. But we should never buy and sell in God's house. This is a special place where we can share our lives with God. We come here to listen to God's word, to sing hymns of praise, to pray quietly with God, and to tell him of our problems and ask for his help. We can't do that if we are selling and buying.

Jesus actually took off his belt when he went into the temple to pray and waved it in the air and told the people to take their goods and leave the temple. Jesus was very angry with what he found in the temple. We need always to remember what God's house is meant to be and make sure that we are here to worship and not here to do anything else.

The next time you hear about a special bargain I hope it is in the store and not in God's house.
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Advent 3
30 – Sermons
120+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Advent 4
32 – Sermons
120+ – Illustrations / Stories
18 – Children's Sermons / Resources
10 – Worship Resources
18 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Christmas!
24 – Sermons
100+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

SermonStudio

Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson
Pastor: Advent God: We praise and thank you for the word of promise spoken long ago by your prophet Isaiah; as he bore the good news of the birth of Immanuel–so may we be bearers of the good news that Immanuel comes to be with us. God of love:

Cong: Hear our prayer.
Richard A. Jensen
Our Matthew text for this week comes from the first chapter of Matthew. Matthew's telling of the Jesus' story is certainly unique. Matthew tells of the early years of our Savior stressing that his name is Jesus and Emmanuel; that wise sages from the East attend his birth; that Joseph and Mary escape to Egypt because of Herod's wrath. No other Gospel includes these realities.
John N. Brittain
I am so old that I can actually remember when there was a difference between the number of "shopping days" until Christmas and the number of calendar days. They always ran a little box with that magical number on the front page of the Cleveland Press, itself now a faded memory. (For those of you under a certain age, this was because in the day most stores were not open for business on Sunday. Can you believe it?) I am, however, not too old to recall worries that the central message of Christmas was being overshadowed by commercialism and consumerism.
Stephen M. Crotts
Some years ago I was in a London theater watching a Harold Pinter play. The drama was not very good really. I was getting bored. Then right in the middle of the play the theater manager walked on stage, excused himself, and made an announcement. The actors stared. The audience looked shocked. Me? I thought it was all part of the play. Such interruptions are rare in a theater. But nonetheless, the stage manager felt that it was necessary this time. His announcement was nothing trivial like, "Some owner has left his car lights on." Nor was it a terrifying message like, "Fire! Fire!
Beverly S. Bailey
Hymns
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (UM211, PH9, LBW34, CBH172, NCH116)
The God Of Abraham Praise (UM116, PH488, NCH24)
O Hear Our Cry, O Lord (PH206)
Hail To The Lord's Anointed (UM203)
Blessed Be The God Of Israel (UM209)
Emmanuel, Emmanuel (UM204)
People Look East (PH12, UM202)
Savior Of The Nations, Come (LBW28, CBH178, PH14, UM214)
The Virgin Mary Had A Baby Boy (CBH202)
Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus (PH1, 2,UM196, NCH122)

Anthem

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Prayers usually include these concerns and may follow this sequence:

The Church of Christ

Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority

The local community

Those who suffer

The communion of saints


These responses may be used:


Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer

Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:
Just before the first Christmas, an angel appeared to Joseph to tell him that Jesus would also be called "Emmanuel", meaning "God With Us." Let us listen to the guidance of the angels today as we prepare to receive God With Us once again.

Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, fill me with the awe of Christmas.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, fill me with the mystery of Christmas.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, fill me with Emmanuel -- God with us.
Lord, have mercy.

StoryShare

Argile Smith
C. David Mckirachan
Scott Dalgarno
Stan Purdum
Contents
What's Up This Week
"Samantha" by Argile Smith
"I'm Pregnant" by C. David McKirachan
"You'd Better Watch out..." by C. David McKirachan
"Terribly Vulnerable to Joy" by Scott Dalgarno
"The Great Christmas-Tree Battle" by Stan Purdum


What's Up This Week
Keith Hewitt
Contents
"The Cell" by Keith Hewitt
"Angels Among Us" by Constance Berg
"The Perfect Imperfect Pageant" by Gregory L. Tolle


* * * * * * * * *

Emphasis Preaching Journal

If you are an "Advent purist," one who refuses to preach Advent sermons that lapse into the Christmas season, this day -- December 24 -- presents a challenge! Fortunately, the texts for the day give you the freedom to "stand on the edge" between the two seasons. The lessons from Isaiah and Matthew are so full of the promise of the One who is to come that you cannot help but shout, "It's all about Jesus!" We like to move along linear time lines, from event to event. In the Advent season that has meant a steady mounting of theme upon theme as we prepare for the glorious message of Christmas.
Over the years, I grow more cynical about Christmas and just about everything that goes along with it. I have not become a scrooge, although the advancing years have made me more careful with my pennies. It is not that I cannot be moved by the lights, the music, and the fellowship of the holidays. I have not become an insensitive, unfeeling clod. My problem is that the language and the images and the music seem to have fallen short in expressing what must have been the feelings of the real human beings going through the events recounted in this story.

David Kalas
Schuyler Rhodes
The apostle Paul begins his letter to the Romans by identifying himself as one who was "set apart for the gospel of God." The underlying Greek word, which we traditionally translate "gospel," is euaggelion.

The "eu" prefix is familiar to us. We know it from English words like euphemism, eulogy, and euphoria. In biblical Greek, as in our contemporary usage of the prefix, "eu" means "good."

CSSPlus

What an exciting day this is! Today is the day before Christmas and tonight is Christmas Eve! People have different ways of doing things. Some people open their presents on Christmas Eve. How many of you do that? (Let them answer.) Others open their presents on Christmas Day. Which of you will open your presents tomorrow? (Let them answer.) Some open gifts on other days. Would any of you like to share another time when you open presents? (Give them the opportunity to answer.)

Why do you suppose we open gifts at this time of the year? (Let them answer.)
Teachers and Parents: It is good for children to learn to
respect the name of Jesus because of all that he has done and
continues to do for all of us. If they realize what the name
means, who the man was, and what he did for all of us, they will
be much less likely to abuse the name or use it in casual ways
that cause offense.

* Read Philippians 2:10 and explain that we will play a game
based on this text, which tells us that every knee should bend at
the name of Jesus. Count the children who will play, and put
Good morning! In the Gospel reading we heard that an angel
appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him that he was to name
the baby who would be born to Mary "Jesus." (Show them the card
with Jesus written on it.) Now why do you think the angel told
him to use that name? Why didn't he want the baby to be named
Fred or Harry or Bob? (Let them answer.)

It has to do with the meaning of the name "Jesus." Does
anybody know what the name means? (Let them answer.) The name

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL