Clothed With Power
Children's sermon
The Big Influence of Small Things
Children's Sermons
Exegetical Aim: The need to have God's power in our life.
Prop: A bulletproof vest and a bullet. If there is a police officer in the congregation, ask him/her to demonstrate the vest along with his other equipment. Also ask him to bring a bullet that has been stopped by the vest and a regular bullet to help explain the equipment. Allow time for the children to ask questions.
Lesson: As the children are approaching the altar, put on the vest. Good morning. (response) As you were coming up here I was putting on a special piece of clothing. Do you know what kind of clothing this is? (bulletproof vest) Who wears this kind of clothing? (police) What is this? (a bullet) Now, why would police need to wear this kind of protection? (response) Do you mean to tell me that if a bullet hold up the unused bullet is traveling through the air at hundreds of miles-per-hour, this vest would stop it? (response) How is this thin little vest going to do that? How can a simple piece of clothing have that much power? (response) Hold up the collapsed bullet. Does anyone know what this is? (response) This is a bullet that was fired at the vest. The vest stopped it, and what happened to the bullet? (smashed)
Application: This vest is more powerful than a speeding bullet because it is designed for dangerous situations. What an important piece of clothing! There is another piece of clothing that is important to you and me. Jesus told his disciples that he would clothe them with power from on high. He gave them a vest that was so powerful nothing in the entire world would go through it. No speeding bullet, no army, no danger on earth, he said, is more powerful. And you are wearing it right now. Do you know what it is? (response) Jesus said we are clothed with the power of the Holy Spirit. Why is the Holy Spirit so powerful? (response) Here is why: It's possible for me to get hurt somehow and die, but nothing can hurt me so badly as to take my soul. My soul, who I am, belongs to God, and no one can take that away. You have the most powerful bulletproof vest that was ever made.
Let's Pray: Lord, you have put a powerful vest on these children. You have clothed them with your Holy Spirit and nothing in this world will harm their soul. Amen.
* * * * *
Ascension
Ephesians 1:15-23
The Hope Of His Calling
Exegetical Aim: Being hopeful.
Props: An empty drink can and a piece of pretty jewelry.
Lesson: Do you know what it means to be hopeful? (response) Being hopeful means that you really, really, really want something really, really good to happen. Such as we hope for our favorite teams to win the game, or we hope that we can see someone we haven't seen in a long time.
Let's try an experiment. I'm going to call a couple of you and give you something. Call out one child to come forward. Bring out the empty can. Act as though you drink the last drop, and crush the can and hand it to the child. Thanks, if you can throw that away for me after church I'd appreciate it. Call the other child. Hand the second child the nice jewelry. Would it be a nice thing if I gave that to you? (response) Yes, it would because it looks very pretty. Tell me, was it a nice thing that I gave to the other person? (response) No. It really wasn't very nice of me. Ask all of the children Which of these two are going to be more hopeful when I call them again? In other words, which one will trust that if I call them again it will be a good thing? (the one with the jewelry) The one with the jewelry has more to hope for because I have already given him/her something nice.
Application: The Bible says that we have a lot of hope when God calls us because of everything good he's already done. If God is willing to save us from our sins, think of how much more God is going to give us in his kingdom. So always know that God would never give you a crushed can. God has a very special treasure in heaven for us, better than anything we have now. When he calls, you can be hopeful of his call.
Let's Pray: Thank you, God, that we can have hope in you because of your love for us. Amen.
?
Prop: A bulletproof vest and a bullet. If there is a police officer in the congregation, ask him/her to demonstrate the vest along with his other equipment. Also ask him to bring a bullet that has been stopped by the vest and a regular bullet to help explain the equipment. Allow time for the children to ask questions.
Lesson: As the children are approaching the altar, put on the vest. Good morning. (response) As you were coming up here I was putting on a special piece of clothing. Do you know what kind of clothing this is? (bulletproof vest) Who wears this kind of clothing? (police) What is this? (a bullet) Now, why would police need to wear this kind of protection? (response) Do you mean to tell me that if a bullet hold up the unused bullet is traveling through the air at hundreds of miles-per-hour, this vest would stop it? (response) How is this thin little vest going to do that? How can a simple piece of clothing have that much power? (response) Hold up the collapsed bullet. Does anyone know what this is? (response) This is a bullet that was fired at the vest. The vest stopped it, and what happened to the bullet? (smashed)
Application: This vest is more powerful than a speeding bullet because it is designed for dangerous situations. What an important piece of clothing! There is another piece of clothing that is important to you and me. Jesus told his disciples that he would clothe them with power from on high. He gave them a vest that was so powerful nothing in the entire world would go through it. No speeding bullet, no army, no danger on earth, he said, is more powerful. And you are wearing it right now. Do you know what it is? (response) Jesus said we are clothed with the power of the Holy Spirit. Why is the Holy Spirit so powerful? (response) Here is why: It's possible for me to get hurt somehow and die, but nothing can hurt me so badly as to take my soul. My soul, who I am, belongs to God, and no one can take that away. You have the most powerful bulletproof vest that was ever made.
Let's Pray: Lord, you have put a powerful vest on these children. You have clothed them with your Holy Spirit and nothing in this world will harm their soul. Amen.
* * * * *
Ascension
Ephesians 1:15-23
The Hope Of His Calling
Exegetical Aim: Being hopeful.
Props: An empty drink can and a piece of pretty jewelry.
Lesson: Do you know what it means to be hopeful? (response) Being hopeful means that you really, really, really want something really, really good to happen. Such as we hope for our favorite teams to win the game, or we hope that we can see someone we haven't seen in a long time.
Let's try an experiment. I'm going to call a couple of you and give you something. Call out one child to come forward. Bring out the empty can. Act as though you drink the last drop, and crush the can and hand it to the child. Thanks, if you can throw that away for me after church I'd appreciate it. Call the other child. Hand the second child the nice jewelry. Would it be a nice thing if I gave that to you? (response) Yes, it would because it looks very pretty. Tell me, was it a nice thing that I gave to the other person? (response) No. It really wasn't very nice of me. Ask all of the children Which of these two are going to be more hopeful when I call them again? In other words, which one will trust that if I call them again it will be a good thing? (the one with the jewelry) The one with the jewelry has more to hope for because I have already given him/her something nice.
Application: The Bible says that we have a lot of hope when God calls us because of everything good he's already done. If God is willing to save us from our sins, think of how much more God is going to give us in his kingdom. So always know that God would never give you a crushed can. God has a very special treasure in heaven for us, better than anything we have now. When he calls, you can be hopeful of his call.
Let's Pray: Thank you, God, that we can have hope in you because of your love for us. Amen.
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