Little Big Man
Children's sermon
Children's Sermons A To Z
Exegetical Aim: How to be big in God's eyes.
Props: Measuring tape.
Lesson: Good morning! (response) I have a question for you this morning. How many of you are short? (response) Why do you feel short? (response) I wonder who is the shortest. Hold out the tape measure. What is this? (tape measure) Let's find out who is the shortest. Everybody stand up. Here are two ways to proceed: 1. Measure each child, leaving the shortest for last. 2. If you have too many children to measure individually, then measure five feet from the ground and slowly decrease the height of the tape. Are any of you this tall? (response) How many are this tall? (response) And so on. Have the shortest sit beside you.
[Name of child] is the shortest. She is two feet eleven inches. Did you know that there is a story in the Bible about a short man who was big in God's eyes. Does anyone know his name? (Zacchaeus) That's right. His name was Zacchaeus, and one day, as Jesus entered the city of Jericho, there was a crowd of people around Jesus. Zacchaeus, being a short man, couldn't see Jesus. What do you do when you can't see over people? (response) He was jumping up and down but he just couldn't see over that crowd. What would you do if you were trying to see Jesus, but you couldn't see him because of a big crowd. (climb) Do you know what Zacchaeus did? (climbed) That's right. He ran down the street and he climbed up a sycamore fig tree.
Well, when Jesus walked by, he saw old Zacchaeus up in the sycamore fig tree. He said, "Zacchaeus, come down from there right now and take me to your house. I am going to have dinner with you." Do you know what Zacchaeus said to Jesus as they were eating dinner together? (response) He said, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of everything I own to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody, I will pay them pack four times what I took."
Application: Do you know what Jesus said? (response) Well, this impressed Jesus so much, he said, "Today salvation has come to this house. This man is a Son of Abraham." I want you to know something. It doesn't matter if you are short, skinny, or weak. You can be big in God's eyes if you will do as Zacchaeus has done. Help others and be honest.
Let's Pray: God, we know that even little people can do great things. Use these little ones to do your will in this world. Amen.
[Another method of conveying the story without actually measuring is to stand the children together in a crowded fashion and put the smallest in the back so they cannot see. While you sit down and tell the story, try to interact with the small ones. After you have told the Zacchaeus story, allow the small ones to come up front and ask them how they felt. Let them know that small children can be big in God's eyes if they will do as Zacchaeus has done.]
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Proper 26
2 Thessalonians 1:1--4 (11--12)
Increasing Love
Exegetical Aim: The need for increasing love in our hearts.
Props: Balloons that have not been inflated and a box large enough to cover inflated balloons.
Lesson: Bring the large box with the deflated balloons with you, acting as if you are being very careful. I want to show you something this morning that I have brought with me. I believe that you will like what I have brought. Do you want to know what it is? (response) It's balloons - beautiful, different colored, balloons! Do you want to see them? (response) Of course you do! Who wouldn't want to see balloons? I have them here in my box. Are you ready? (response) Here goes! Carefully open the box and act as if the balloons are going to fly out. After opening the box, look inside. There they are, my beautiful balloons. Reach inside and pull out one of the deflated balloons. This is one of my favorite colors for a balloon. Isn't it pretty? (response) You don't sound very excited about my balloons. What's the matter? (response) Oh, you thought the balloons were going to be blown up. Do you think the balloons will be prettier blown up? (response) Let's see if you are right. Blow up the balloon a small amount. How's that? Is that good? (no) No? Let's try some more. Now half way. How about now? (no) No? Okay, I'll try one more time. Completely blow up the balloon and tie it. I think you are right. The more the air increased inside, the prettier it became.
Application: The Apostle Paul said this about Christians. In the Bible, Paul tells a church that he is thankful that they are increasing in their love for one another. He knew that the more love increases in our hearts, the better off we are. Which is the better balloon? Hold up the inflated and a deflated balloon. Is it the one with no air or the one with a lot of air inside of it? (the one blown up) You are right. The balloon with the air is better. In the same way, the more love we have in our hearts, the better we are at living. Without love in our hearts, we are flat and useless. Hold up the empty balloon. But with love ever increasing in our hearts, we can soar to new heights, gently tap the filled balloon high into the air, and be what God intended us to be - a useful loving person. So the next time you see a balloon, remember to fill your hearts with love, just as a balloon is filled with air.
Let's Pray: Thank you, dear Father, that you love us, and that you allow love to fill our hearts. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
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Props: Measuring tape.
Lesson: Good morning! (response) I have a question for you this morning. How many of you are short? (response) Why do you feel short? (response) I wonder who is the shortest. Hold out the tape measure. What is this? (tape measure) Let's find out who is the shortest. Everybody stand up. Here are two ways to proceed: 1. Measure each child, leaving the shortest for last. 2. If you have too many children to measure individually, then measure five feet from the ground and slowly decrease the height of the tape. Are any of you this tall? (response) How many are this tall? (response) And so on. Have the shortest sit beside you.
[Name of child] is the shortest. She is two feet eleven inches. Did you know that there is a story in the Bible about a short man who was big in God's eyes. Does anyone know his name? (Zacchaeus) That's right. His name was Zacchaeus, and one day, as Jesus entered the city of Jericho, there was a crowd of people around Jesus. Zacchaeus, being a short man, couldn't see Jesus. What do you do when you can't see over people? (response) He was jumping up and down but he just couldn't see over that crowd. What would you do if you were trying to see Jesus, but you couldn't see him because of a big crowd. (climb) Do you know what Zacchaeus did? (climbed) That's right. He ran down the street and he climbed up a sycamore fig tree.
Well, when Jesus walked by, he saw old Zacchaeus up in the sycamore fig tree. He said, "Zacchaeus, come down from there right now and take me to your house. I am going to have dinner with you." Do you know what Zacchaeus said to Jesus as they were eating dinner together? (response) He said, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of everything I own to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody, I will pay them pack four times what I took."
Application: Do you know what Jesus said? (response) Well, this impressed Jesus so much, he said, "Today salvation has come to this house. This man is a Son of Abraham." I want you to know something. It doesn't matter if you are short, skinny, or weak. You can be big in God's eyes if you will do as Zacchaeus has done. Help others and be honest.
Let's Pray: God, we know that even little people can do great things. Use these little ones to do your will in this world. Amen.
[Another method of conveying the story without actually measuring is to stand the children together in a crowded fashion and put the smallest in the back so they cannot see. While you sit down and tell the story, try to interact with the small ones. After you have told the Zacchaeus story, allow the small ones to come up front and ask them how they felt. Let them know that small children can be big in God's eyes if they will do as Zacchaeus has done.]
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Proper 26
2 Thessalonians 1:1--4 (11--12)
Increasing Love
Exegetical Aim: The need for increasing love in our hearts.
Props: Balloons that have not been inflated and a box large enough to cover inflated balloons.
Lesson: Bring the large box with the deflated balloons with you, acting as if you are being very careful. I want to show you something this morning that I have brought with me. I believe that you will like what I have brought. Do you want to know what it is? (response) It's balloons - beautiful, different colored, balloons! Do you want to see them? (response) Of course you do! Who wouldn't want to see balloons? I have them here in my box. Are you ready? (response) Here goes! Carefully open the box and act as if the balloons are going to fly out. After opening the box, look inside. There they are, my beautiful balloons. Reach inside and pull out one of the deflated balloons. This is one of my favorite colors for a balloon. Isn't it pretty? (response) You don't sound very excited about my balloons. What's the matter? (response) Oh, you thought the balloons were going to be blown up. Do you think the balloons will be prettier blown up? (response) Let's see if you are right. Blow up the balloon a small amount. How's that? Is that good? (no) No? Let's try some more. Now half way. How about now? (no) No? Okay, I'll try one more time. Completely blow up the balloon and tie it. I think you are right. The more the air increased inside, the prettier it became.
Application: The Apostle Paul said this about Christians. In the Bible, Paul tells a church that he is thankful that they are increasing in their love for one another. He knew that the more love increases in our hearts, the better off we are. Which is the better balloon? Hold up the inflated and a deflated balloon. Is it the one with no air or the one with a lot of air inside of it? (the one blown up) You are right. The balloon with the air is better. In the same way, the more love we have in our hearts, the better we are at living. Without love in our hearts, we are flat and useless. Hold up the empty balloon. But with love ever increasing in our hearts, we can soar to new heights, gently tap the filled balloon high into the air, and be what God intended us to be - a useful loving person. So the next time you see a balloon, remember to fill your hearts with love, just as a balloon is filled with air.
Let's Pray: Thank you, dear Father, that you love us, and that you allow love to fill our hearts. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
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