Bill And Bert Bell
Children's sermon
The Giant Book Of Children's Sermons
Matthew To Revelation
Object: two bells, only one of them having a clapper
Good morning, boys and girls. I brought along with me today two things that look alike but are as different as they can be. (display the two bells) What do we call these two things? (let them answer) Bells; we call them bells. And what do you do with bells? (let them answer) That's right; we ring them. We ring them when we want to get someone's attention. We ring them in school and at church. It used to be that every church had a big bell and it would ring at certain times to tell people that it was time to come and worship. Some mothers ring a bell so that their children know it is time to come home and eat lunch or dinner. Of course bells only have one note, don't they? (let them answer)
Today, I brought two bells. One bell I call Bill and the other bell I call Bert. This is Bill and this is Bert. (identify the bells) They both have a special place in my house. I use Bill all of the time. Would you like to hear what Bill sounds like? (let them answer; then ring Bill Bell) Pretty sound, isn't it? I really like Bill. Would you like to hear Bert? (let them answer; then pretend to ring the bell without the clapper several times) How do you like Bert's sound? (let them answer) Not much of a sound, is it? What do you suppose is the trouble with Bert? (let them answer) That's right; Bert is missing something pretty important, isn't he? (let them answer) The missing part we call a clapper. If a bell is going to ring, it must have a clapper.
People are not all the same either, are they? (let them answer) The Bible teaches us that some people seem a lot different than others. I like to think that Christians are people with clappers. And the clapper is Jesus Christ. He makes us ring. He forgives us our sin and teaches us truth and makes us free. Jesus shows us what God is really like and we learn the real kind of love that only God can give to us.
People without Jesus are like bells without clappers. They are missing something important. Sometimes we simply need to share Jesus with them and they change from Bert to Bill. But some people don't want to hear about Jesus. They tell us to go away. They don't know how beautiful life can be when they have Jesus in their heart. They are lonely without God; they do not have the joy that God puts in hearts. They are like a bell without a clapper.
So the next time you look at a bell, you can tell the difference if it plays or it doesn't play because you will find the clapper. If it has a clapper, you will thank God for making you a Christian with all of your joy. If it doesn't have a clapper, then you will think about how hard life is for people without Jesus. For now, I want to tell you to keep on ringing. Share the love of Jesus with everyone and make all of the people you know be like Bill Bell.
Good morning, boys and girls. I brought along with me today two things that look alike but are as different as they can be. (display the two bells) What do we call these two things? (let them answer) Bells; we call them bells. And what do you do with bells? (let them answer) That's right; we ring them. We ring them when we want to get someone's attention. We ring them in school and at church. It used to be that every church had a big bell and it would ring at certain times to tell people that it was time to come and worship. Some mothers ring a bell so that their children know it is time to come home and eat lunch or dinner. Of course bells only have one note, don't they? (let them answer)
Today, I brought two bells. One bell I call Bill and the other bell I call Bert. This is Bill and this is Bert. (identify the bells) They both have a special place in my house. I use Bill all of the time. Would you like to hear what Bill sounds like? (let them answer; then ring Bill Bell) Pretty sound, isn't it? I really like Bill. Would you like to hear Bert? (let them answer; then pretend to ring the bell without the clapper several times) How do you like Bert's sound? (let them answer) Not much of a sound, is it? What do you suppose is the trouble with Bert? (let them answer) That's right; Bert is missing something pretty important, isn't he? (let them answer) The missing part we call a clapper. If a bell is going to ring, it must have a clapper.
People are not all the same either, are they? (let them answer) The Bible teaches us that some people seem a lot different than others. I like to think that Christians are people with clappers. And the clapper is Jesus Christ. He makes us ring. He forgives us our sin and teaches us truth and makes us free. Jesus shows us what God is really like and we learn the real kind of love that only God can give to us.
People without Jesus are like bells without clappers. They are missing something important. Sometimes we simply need to share Jesus with them and they change from Bert to Bill. But some people don't want to hear about Jesus. They tell us to go away. They don't know how beautiful life can be when they have Jesus in their heart. They are lonely without God; they do not have the joy that God puts in hearts. They are like a bell without a clapper.
So the next time you look at a bell, you can tell the difference if it plays or it doesn't play because you will find the clapper. If it has a clapper, you will thank God for making you a Christian with all of your joy. If it doesn't have a clapper, then you will think about how hard life is for people without Jesus. For now, I want to tell you to keep on ringing. Share the love of Jesus with everyone and make all of the people you know be like Bill Bell.
