Kingdom Order
Children's sermon
Children's Sermons A To Z
Exegetical Aim: To teach that in God's Kingdom victory does not fall on the strongest and fastest, but on the humble.
Props: First, second, and third place ribbons or trophies. Draw some ribbons if you have nothing commercial.
Lesson: Good morning, children. I have a question for you. Who among you is the fastest? (response) And why are you the fastest? (response) Who among you is the strongest? (response) Why do you think you're the strongest? (response) Who among you is the tallest? (response) This morning I want to place you in order. We are going to start with the tallest and go down to the littlest. I want you to line up shoulder to shoulder all the way across the altar. Have them face the congregation and stand shoulder to shoulder making a descending line from tallest to shortest.
When they are lined up go to the short end and speak to the little ones. Now, who do you think is the tallest child here this morning? (response) You think he is? Why? (response) Okay, then he probably deserves the first place ribbon. Place the ribbon on the tallest child. Address the younger ones again: Now, who do you think is the fastest? (response) He's the fastest? Why? (response) He probably is the fastest, so we will give him the second place ribbon. The biggest child should not get all three ribbons. The idea is to give the ribbons to the three tallest children. Address all the children: I have one ribbon left. Next to these two, who do think is the strongest? (response) Why? (response) This ribbon may have to go to number four depending on the make up of the children, but try to get it to number three.
Application: This is usually what happens: You have a race and the tallest and strongest child always wins. But Jesus told a story that might surprise you. There was a party and whole lot of people showed up for the party. Everybody there was trying to be number one or number two or number three. As you speak the following words, take the ribbons one by one and place them on the three smallest children. Leave time to walk each ribbon down to the small children. Don't do them all at one time. The symbolism needs to be given time to work. But Jesus said to them, when you get invited to a party don't try to be number one. Try to be number 13! Try to be the last or least of all the people. Because ... guess what? If you try to get the first place ribbon, it will be taken from you and given to another. And if you try to get the second place ribbon, it will taken from you and given to another, and your third place ribbon will be taken from you and given to another.
What do you think Jesus was trying to tell us? (response) It doesn't matter whether we are big or small, whether we are fast or slow, or whether we are strong or weak. What matters is if we care for one another. All of us can help the child who sits by himself at lunch. We can be a friend to the child who gets picked on. All of us can be winners and loved by God if we will take care of those who are in need. Don't always hang out with your friends. Go hang out with someone who needs you as a friend. Go back to the short end of the line and lay your hands on them - address your comments to the older and bigger. So remember the little ones. The ones who are not quite as strong as you are. They need to be cared for. Address all the children: And God reminds us all to take care of those who don't have any shoes to wear or warm clothes to wear. If you will do this, you will be a winner in God's eyes.
Let's Pray: Lord, help us to be humble and help one another. We don't always have to be number one to be happy. Amen.
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Proper 17
Hebrews 13:1--8, 15--16
Bound For Glory
Exegetical Aim: We are bound together by our faith.
Props: A ball of yarn, and a couple of adult or youth helpers.
Lesson: Stand the children in a tight circle. Today we are going to play a little game, but you have to play it quickly, and you have to do just as I say. Give the ball of yarn to one of the children. I want you to hold on to the end of the yarn and throw the ball to someone across from you. Now, you hold on to the yarn and pass it to someone else. Then that person will hold on to the yarn and pass it to someone else. This will continue until you have a web formed in between the children. The adult helpers should help keep the yarn going. Now what do we have? (response) Everyone is connected together.
Watch this ... Pick someone. I want you to sit down while the others remain standing. Have the child sit down. What happened to the web? (response) It went down, didn't it? (response) And when it went down, you felt it pull a little, didn't you? (response) Can we do anything to help lift him back up? (response) That's right. We can lift the web. Have the child stand up when the web is lifted.
Application: The Bible tells us that as Christians we are all tied together just like this web. When something happens to one, it affects us, too. There is a scripture in the book of Hebrews that says that we should always be kind to those who are sick or in trouble, because we are all part of the same body. That means that when their web goes down, ours goes down, too. That's when we need to lift their web up, right? (response) What are some ways that you can lift someone's web if they are feeling sad? (response) What if they are sick, what can we do? (response) Let's keep in mind this week that we can lift the web and help someone up who is down or sick.
Let's Pray: Gracious God, thank you for putting us all together as Christians, and giving us people to care about. Help us this week to bring cheer to someone who is sad or to help someone who is sick. In Jesus' name. Amen.
?
Props: First, second, and third place ribbons or trophies. Draw some ribbons if you have nothing commercial.
Lesson: Good morning, children. I have a question for you. Who among you is the fastest? (response) And why are you the fastest? (response) Who among you is the strongest? (response) Why do you think you're the strongest? (response) Who among you is the tallest? (response) This morning I want to place you in order. We are going to start with the tallest and go down to the littlest. I want you to line up shoulder to shoulder all the way across the altar. Have them face the congregation and stand shoulder to shoulder making a descending line from tallest to shortest.
When they are lined up go to the short end and speak to the little ones. Now, who do you think is the tallest child here this morning? (response) You think he is? Why? (response) Okay, then he probably deserves the first place ribbon. Place the ribbon on the tallest child. Address the younger ones again: Now, who do you think is the fastest? (response) He's the fastest? Why? (response) He probably is the fastest, so we will give him the second place ribbon. The biggest child should not get all three ribbons. The idea is to give the ribbons to the three tallest children. Address all the children: I have one ribbon left. Next to these two, who do think is the strongest? (response) Why? (response) This ribbon may have to go to number four depending on the make up of the children, but try to get it to number three.
Application: This is usually what happens: You have a race and the tallest and strongest child always wins. But Jesus told a story that might surprise you. There was a party and whole lot of people showed up for the party. Everybody there was trying to be number one or number two or number three. As you speak the following words, take the ribbons one by one and place them on the three smallest children. Leave time to walk each ribbon down to the small children. Don't do them all at one time. The symbolism needs to be given time to work. But Jesus said to them, when you get invited to a party don't try to be number one. Try to be number 13! Try to be the last or least of all the people. Because ... guess what? If you try to get the first place ribbon, it will be taken from you and given to another. And if you try to get the second place ribbon, it will taken from you and given to another, and your third place ribbon will be taken from you and given to another.
What do you think Jesus was trying to tell us? (response) It doesn't matter whether we are big or small, whether we are fast or slow, or whether we are strong or weak. What matters is if we care for one another. All of us can help the child who sits by himself at lunch. We can be a friend to the child who gets picked on. All of us can be winners and loved by God if we will take care of those who are in need. Don't always hang out with your friends. Go hang out with someone who needs you as a friend. Go back to the short end of the line and lay your hands on them - address your comments to the older and bigger. So remember the little ones. The ones who are not quite as strong as you are. They need to be cared for. Address all the children: And God reminds us all to take care of those who don't have any shoes to wear or warm clothes to wear. If you will do this, you will be a winner in God's eyes.
Let's Pray: Lord, help us to be humble and help one another. We don't always have to be number one to be happy. Amen.
?
Proper 17
Hebrews 13:1--8, 15--16
Bound For Glory
Exegetical Aim: We are bound together by our faith.
Props: A ball of yarn, and a couple of adult or youth helpers.
Lesson: Stand the children in a tight circle. Today we are going to play a little game, but you have to play it quickly, and you have to do just as I say. Give the ball of yarn to one of the children. I want you to hold on to the end of the yarn and throw the ball to someone across from you. Now, you hold on to the yarn and pass it to someone else. Then that person will hold on to the yarn and pass it to someone else. This will continue until you have a web formed in between the children. The adult helpers should help keep the yarn going. Now what do we have? (response) Everyone is connected together.
Watch this ... Pick someone. I want you to sit down while the others remain standing. Have the child sit down. What happened to the web? (response) It went down, didn't it? (response) And when it went down, you felt it pull a little, didn't you? (response) Can we do anything to help lift him back up? (response) That's right. We can lift the web. Have the child stand up when the web is lifted.
Application: The Bible tells us that as Christians we are all tied together just like this web. When something happens to one, it affects us, too. There is a scripture in the book of Hebrews that says that we should always be kind to those who are sick or in trouble, because we are all part of the same body. That means that when their web goes down, ours goes down, too. That's when we need to lift their web up, right? (response) What are some ways that you can lift someone's web if they are feeling sad? (response) What if they are sick, what can we do? (response) Let's keep in mind this week that we can lift the web and help someone up who is down or sick.
Let's Pray: Gracious God, thank you for putting us all together as Christians, and giving us people to care about. Help us this week to bring cheer to someone who is sad or to help someone who is sick. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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