My Sheep Hear My Voice
Children's sermon
THE BIG INFLUENCE OF SMALL THINGS
Exegetical Aim: Help the children discern the voice of God.
Props: A quality handheld tape recorder. Do the following: Record the voice of three or more parents whose children will be participating in the children's sermon. Have the parent say something that would be a familiar common phrase within their home, but instruct them not to say their child's name. If you have children yourself who will be present, record your spouse's voice or your own. Between each recording leave an ample amount of space so you can stop between recordings - about three seconds. You need to remember the parents and the order of the recordings.
Lesson: Good morning! (response) Hold up the tape recorder. What is this? (response) That's right; it is a tape recorder. And look, there is a tape in it. I wonder if there is anything on the tape. Do you want me to press it and see if there is anything on it? (response) First parent's voice: "It's time to brush your teeth and go to bed." Who was that? (response) If no child responds, then rewind the tape and play it again. Whose voice was that? (response)
I wonder what else is on the tape? You want to hear some more? (response) Second parent's voice: "Dinner's ready. Go wash your hands." Who was that? (response) Is that your mom? (response) You know her voice pretty well, don't you? (response)
I wonder if there are any more voices on this tape? (response) You want to see? (response) Here goes! Third parent's voice: "Now, I am telling you for the last time to pick up your room." Uh oh, whose voice is that? (response) Is that your dad's voice? (response) You know your dad's voice well, don't you? (response) Play through all the voices.
Application: There is another voice that is very familiar to all of us and that is the voice of God. We can't record God's voice on this tape recorder and we can't hear God's voice with our ears, but we all know when God is speaking to us because we hear his voice in our hearts. Sometimes God tells us to pray or to be kind. Sometimes God wants us to forgive someone or read our Bibles. Sometimes God wants us to be still and think about his goodness and mercy. Sometimes God tells me to stop and think about what I am doing. How many of you have heard God's voice in your heart like that? (response) Jesus said that his children know his voice and that they follow him (paraphrase of John 10:4). It is so good to be a child of God and know his voice.
Let's Pray: Lord, these children know your voice, and I know that you have spoken to their hearts. Amen.
?
Easter 4
1 Peter 2:19--25
In His Steps
Exegetical Aim: We have been called to follow in the steps of Jesus.
Props: Several footprints cut out from construction paper, a sign with the words "Name Calling," a sign with the word "Meanness," and a sign with the word "Suffering." Before the church service, tape the footprints in a trail on the floor of the sanctuary so that they wind around the sanctuary, behind the back seats, and eventually lead to the altar. The more the footprints wind, the better. Along the trail, place the three signs at various places on the floor.
Lesson: Start the children's sermon at the beginning of the trail. How many of you have played "Follow the Leader"? (response) We're going to play Follow the Leader, but we are going to play it a bit differently. We are going to follow in the footsteps that have been laid down for us. Walk away from the children down the footprint trail. After you are several feet away, call to them. Come on and follow the footsteps with me, but we have to be quiet. As you come to the first sign, pick it up. Hmm, what's this? Show the sign. What does it say? (Name Calling) That's not very nice, is it? (response) No. Let's keep following in his footsteps. Walk on down and pick up the second sign. Here's another. What does it say? (Meanness) I don't like it when people are mean to me, but I'm going to keep following in the footsteps anyway. Come on! Walk further and pick up the third sign. What does this say? (Suffering) Suffering? It's hard to suffer, but let's keep following.
Application: Have the children sit. Jesus called us to follow in his steps, and sometimes when we do this people might Show the signs again (Name Calling) or (Meanness) or (Suffering). But what should we keep doing? (following) Correct. We should just keep following the footsteps of Jesus. And, here's the good part. If we keep walking in his steps during the tough times, God will be very happy with us.
Let's Pray: Lord, it is hard to walk the path you walked, but we will keep walking even if people call us names. Amen.
?
Props: A quality handheld tape recorder. Do the following: Record the voice of three or more parents whose children will be participating in the children's sermon. Have the parent say something that would be a familiar common phrase within their home, but instruct them not to say their child's name. If you have children yourself who will be present, record your spouse's voice or your own. Between each recording leave an ample amount of space so you can stop between recordings - about three seconds. You need to remember the parents and the order of the recordings.
Lesson: Good morning! (response) Hold up the tape recorder. What is this? (response) That's right; it is a tape recorder. And look, there is a tape in it. I wonder if there is anything on the tape. Do you want me to press it and see if there is anything on it? (response) First parent's voice: "It's time to brush your teeth and go to bed." Who was that? (response) If no child responds, then rewind the tape and play it again. Whose voice was that? (response)
I wonder what else is on the tape? You want to hear some more? (response) Second parent's voice: "Dinner's ready. Go wash your hands." Who was that? (response) Is that your mom? (response) You know her voice pretty well, don't you? (response)
I wonder if there are any more voices on this tape? (response) You want to see? (response) Here goes! Third parent's voice: "Now, I am telling you for the last time to pick up your room." Uh oh, whose voice is that? (response) Is that your dad's voice? (response) You know your dad's voice well, don't you? (response) Play through all the voices.
Application: There is another voice that is very familiar to all of us and that is the voice of God. We can't record God's voice on this tape recorder and we can't hear God's voice with our ears, but we all know when God is speaking to us because we hear his voice in our hearts. Sometimes God tells us to pray or to be kind. Sometimes God wants us to forgive someone or read our Bibles. Sometimes God wants us to be still and think about his goodness and mercy. Sometimes God tells me to stop and think about what I am doing. How many of you have heard God's voice in your heart like that? (response) Jesus said that his children know his voice and that they follow him (paraphrase of John 10:4). It is so good to be a child of God and know his voice.
Let's Pray: Lord, these children know your voice, and I know that you have spoken to their hearts. Amen.
?
Easter 4
1 Peter 2:19--25
In His Steps
Exegetical Aim: We have been called to follow in the steps of Jesus.
Props: Several footprints cut out from construction paper, a sign with the words "Name Calling," a sign with the word "Meanness," and a sign with the word "Suffering." Before the church service, tape the footprints in a trail on the floor of the sanctuary so that they wind around the sanctuary, behind the back seats, and eventually lead to the altar. The more the footprints wind, the better. Along the trail, place the three signs at various places on the floor.
Lesson: Start the children's sermon at the beginning of the trail. How many of you have played "Follow the Leader"? (response) We're going to play Follow the Leader, but we are going to play it a bit differently. We are going to follow in the footsteps that have been laid down for us. Walk away from the children down the footprint trail. After you are several feet away, call to them. Come on and follow the footsteps with me, but we have to be quiet. As you come to the first sign, pick it up. Hmm, what's this? Show the sign. What does it say? (Name Calling) That's not very nice, is it? (response) No. Let's keep following in his footsteps. Walk on down and pick up the second sign. Here's another. What does it say? (Meanness) I don't like it when people are mean to me, but I'm going to keep following in the footsteps anyway. Come on! Walk further and pick up the third sign. What does this say? (Suffering) Suffering? It's hard to suffer, but let's keep following.
Application: Have the children sit. Jesus called us to follow in his steps, and sometimes when we do this people might Show the signs again (Name Calling) or (Meanness) or (Suffering). But what should we keep doing? (following) Correct. We should just keep following the footsteps of Jesus. And, here's the good part. If we keep walking in his steps during the tough times, God will be very happy with us.
Let's Pray: Lord, it is hard to walk the path you walked, but we will keep walking even if people call us names. Amen.
?
