A Light In The Darkness
Children's sermon
A Time To Plant
52 Children's Sermons
Object:
A flashlight.
Have you ever been someplace that is dark? I mean really dark. So dark you can't see your hand in front of your face? So dark someone could be standing five inches in front of you and you would never know? So dark you feel totally and completely alone?
When I was in college, I worked as a summer missionary at a camp in the mountains. We did all sorts of neat things. We went canoeing, hiking, and camping, but the neatest thing we did was caving. We wore hard hats to protect our heads and we wore long pants and long-sleeve shirts because it's cold inside a cave even when it's summertime on the outside. Most important of all, we each carried a flashlight. (Turn on flashlight and shine the light on the floor.)
As we made our way inside a cave, we would turn on our flashlights so we could see our surroundings. The caves we visited were cold, slimy, and muddy. Sometimes we had to slide in on our bellies, but once we got inside, all the cold and mud was worth it. We saw many types of formations that had been developing over thousands and thousands of years. Some of them looked like fried eggs; others looked like bacon and still others reminded us of strange and mysterious statues.
Each time we took a group of children into the cave, we would perform an experiment together. We would all turn off our flashlights and sit in the dark. This experiment helped us realize what life would be like if we had to live in total darkness. It was an eerie feeling. We could not see anything. There were no glimmers of light coming from outside. There was nothing to brighten the dark cave. It was scary.
After a few minutes, the leader would have one person turn on a flashlight. (Shine the light across the children.) What a feeling of relief! One little light was stronger than all that darkness! One flashlight made a huge difference in that dark place! With one light, we could see each other's faces (quickly pass the light across their faces) and we could tell which direction we were supposed to go. One light was enough to chase the darkness and scary feelings away.
Jesus said he was the Light of the world. He was the one who could come into our lives and brighten things up. He was the one who could make the dark places light again, and he could chase away the dark and scary feelings.
But Jesus also said that we were the lights of the world. We can make a difference in other people's lives. When they are sad or hurting, we can brighten things for them by sharing Jesus' love. When they are lonely and afraid, we can be a light by spending time with them and being their friend.
One little flashlight makes all the difference in a dark cave. One person who is willing to share Jesus' love can make all the difference in someone's life.
God bless you this week. Try to find a way to be a light to someone.
When I was in college, I worked as a summer missionary at a camp in the mountains. We did all sorts of neat things. We went canoeing, hiking, and camping, but the neatest thing we did was caving. We wore hard hats to protect our heads and we wore long pants and long-sleeve shirts because it's cold inside a cave even when it's summertime on the outside. Most important of all, we each carried a flashlight. (Turn on flashlight and shine the light on the floor.)
As we made our way inside a cave, we would turn on our flashlights so we could see our surroundings. The caves we visited were cold, slimy, and muddy. Sometimes we had to slide in on our bellies, but once we got inside, all the cold and mud was worth it. We saw many types of formations that had been developing over thousands and thousands of years. Some of them looked like fried eggs; others looked like bacon and still others reminded us of strange and mysterious statues.
Each time we took a group of children into the cave, we would perform an experiment together. We would all turn off our flashlights and sit in the dark. This experiment helped us realize what life would be like if we had to live in total darkness. It was an eerie feeling. We could not see anything. There were no glimmers of light coming from outside. There was nothing to brighten the dark cave. It was scary.
After a few minutes, the leader would have one person turn on a flashlight. (Shine the light across the children.) What a feeling of relief! One little light was stronger than all that darkness! One flashlight made a huge difference in that dark place! With one light, we could see each other's faces (quickly pass the light across their faces) and we could tell which direction we were supposed to go. One light was enough to chase the darkness and scary feelings away.
Jesus said he was the Light of the world. He was the one who could come into our lives and brighten things up. He was the one who could make the dark places light again, and he could chase away the dark and scary feelings.
But Jesus also said that we were the lights of the world. We can make a difference in other people's lives. When they are sad or hurting, we can brighten things for them by sharing Jesus' love. When they are lonely and afraid, we can be a light by spending time with them and being their friend.
One little flashlight makes all the difference in a dark cave. One person who is willing to share Jesus' love can make all the difference in someone's life.
God bless you this week. Try to find a way to be a light to someone.
