A Hearing Problem
Children's sermon
Children's Sermons A To Z
Exegetical Aim: To teach the children the importance of listening.
Props: Your ears and fingers.
Lesson: While the children are getting into their position, stick your index fingers in your ears. Give them a moment to wonder what you're doing. After five seconds or so a child may say something to you but even if they don't, take away your fingers and look at one of the children who did not speak and say, "Did you say something?" (no) "Oh, okay." Put your fingers back in your ears and ignore them again. Again the five seconds and the fingers out and say, "I'm sorry, did you say something?"
As you say the following words, put your fingers back into your ears and leave them there. This time look at the children: I'm sorry, children, but lately I've had trouble hearing. I just can't hear a thing. (response) If a child shouts at you, look directly at him, saying, What did you say? Speak up! I can't hear you. You say I've got fingers? Well, of course, I've got fingers. They're in my ears. Oh, that's what you've been trying to tell me - I've got my fingers in my ears. Yes, I know, but that's beside the point. My problem is I haven't been hearing too well lately. (response) Take my fingers out and I will hear better?
Take your fingers out and look at the children. Oh, well, that does help. Thank you very much! You know sometimes it's hard to talk to people because they don't hear you. And it's not because they have their hold your fingers up fingers in their ears; it's because they don't want to listen. Has your mom or dad ever said to you, "Now, listen to me carefully"? (response) The next time they tell you to listen very carefully, do it, because they are going to say something very important.
Application: God rarely comes to earth and says, "Now, listen carefully," but he did that once. And when he said, "Listen carefully," he looked at us and pointed to his Son Jesus and said, "Listen, very carefully to him." We must do that throughout our lives. Your moms must listen to him; your dads must listen to him; I must listen to him and you must listen. Listen to Jesus very carefully. He always has something very important to tell us.
Let's Pray: Jesus, we are listening. We open our ears so that we might hear your teachings. Amen.
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Transfiguration
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
Lifting The Veil
Exegetical Aim: To demonstrate that Jesus Christ shows us to God.
Props: A veil.
Lesson: How many of you have ever been to a wedding? At a wedding there are all sorts of neat things. What kind of things do you see or hear at a wedding? (response) Of course there are brides and grooms at weddings. The groom wears a nice suit or a tuxedo. And the bride wears a pretty dress. Many brides wear something on their faces. Do you know what it is called? (response) It is called a veil. Hold the veil up for the children to see. Here's one. I need a volunteer. Choose a girl who volunteers, and demonstrate how the veil is worn. Wow, that's really pretty. Let me ask you a question. Can you see very clearly now? (response) Lift the veil from over your eyes. Can you see better than when the veil was over your eyes? (response)
Application: The Apostle Paul teaches us something about Jesus, and he uses a veil to illustrate. He said that there are people who try to understand God without knowing Jesus Christ, and so they have a veil over their heads and are kept from understanding God. Place the veil back over the eyes of the girl. In other words, as hard as they try to see, they can't see clearly. But then Paul says, "Only through Christ is the veil taken away." Only in the life of Jesus do we see God clearly. If you want to know God fully, you must know Jesus, because he is the one who lifts the veil of our understanding. Lift the veil from the eyes of the girl. It is Jesus who lets us see God clearly. So the next time you are at a wedding and you see the veil over the bride's eyes, remember that it is Jesus Christ who lifts the veil of our understanding. It is Jesus who shows us God.
Let's Pray: Dear God, thank you for sending Jesus to show us your love most clearly. Thank you for letting us know you fully through Jesus Christ. Amen.
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Props: Your ears and fingers.
Lesson: While the children are getting into their position, stick your index fingers in your ears. Give them a moment to wonder what you're doing. After five seconds or so a child may say something to you but even if they don't, take away your fingers and look at one of the children who did not speak and say, "Did you say something?" (no) "Oh, okay." Put your fingers back in your ears and ignore them again. Again the five seconds and the fingers out and say, "I'm sorry, did you say something?"
As you say the following words, put your fingers back into your ears and leave them there. This time look at the children: I'm sorry, children, but lately I've had trouble hearing. I just can't hear a thing. (response) If a child shouts at you, look directly at him, saying, What did you say? Speak up! I can't hear you. You say I've got fingers? Well, of course, I've got fingers. They're in my ears. Oh, that's what you've been trying to tell me - I've got my fingers in my ears. Yes, I know, but that's beside the point. My problem is I haven't been hearing too well lately. (response) Take my fingers out and I will hear better?
Take your fingers out and look at the children. Oh, well, that does help. Thank you very much! You know sometimes it's hard to talk to people because they don't hear you. And it's not because they have their hold your fingers up fingers in their ears; it's because they don't want to listen. Has your mom or dad ever said to you, "Now, listen to me carefully"? (response) The next time they tell you to listen very carefully, do it, because they are going to say something very important.
Application: God rarely comes to earth and says, "Now, listen carefully," but he did that once. And when he said, "Listen carefully," he looked at us and pointed to his Son Jesus and said, "Listen, very carefully to him." We must do that throughout our lives. Your moms must listen to him; your dads must listen to him; I must listen to him and you must listen. Listen to Jesus very carefully. He always has something very important to tell us.
Let's Pray: Jesus, we are listening. We open our ears so that we might hear your teachings. Amen.
?
Transfiguration
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
Lifting The Veil
Exegetical Aim: To demonstrate that Jesus Christ shows us to God.
Props: A veil.
Lesson: How many of you have ever been to a wedding? At a wedding there are all sorts of neat things. What kind of things do you see or hear at a wedding? (response) Of course there are brides and grooms at weddings. The groom wears a nice suit or a tuxedo. And the bride wears a pretty dress. Many brides wear something on their faces. Do you know what it is called? (response) It is called a veil. Hold the veil up for the children to see. Here's one. I need a volunteer. Choose a girl who volunteers, and demonstrate how the veil is worn. Wow, that's really pretty. Let me ask you a question. Can you see very clearly now? (response) Lift the veil from over your eyes. Can you see better than when the veil was over your eyes? (response)
Application: The Apostle Paul teaches us something about Jesus, and he uses a veil to illustrate. He said that there are people who try to understand God without knowing Jesus Christ, and so they have a veil over their heads and are kept from understanding God. Place the veil back over the eyes of the girl. In other words, as hard as they try to see, they can't see clearly. But then Paul says, "Only through Christ is the veil taken away." Only in the life of Jesus do we see God clearly. If you want to know God fully, you must know Jesus, because he is the one who lifts the veil of our understanding. Lift the veil from the eyes of the girl. It is Jesus who lets us see God clearly. So the next time you are at a wedding and you see the veil over the bride's eyes, remember that it is Jesus Christ who lifts the veil of our understanding. It is Jesus who shows us God.
Let's Pray: Dear God, thank you for sending Jesus to show us your love most clearly. Thank you for letting us know you fully through Jesus Christ. Amen.
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