Zip--lock Protection
Children's sermon
THE BIG INFLUENCE OF SMALL THINGS
Exegetical Aim: We are protected from the corruption of the world. Key verse: 11.
Props: A cookie jar full of cookies and zip--lock bags. You will need enough to give every child two or more cookies.
Lesson: Good morning. (response) I have something to give you. Show them the cookie jar but keep the zip--lock bags hidden for now. What is this? (response) Can you guess what's inside? (response) Can anyone tell me why the cookies are kept in this jar? (response) What would happen if we took them out of the jar and left them out on the kitchen table all night? (response) Has anyone ever tasted a stale cookie? (response) What did it taste like? (response) So this jar helps protect the cookies. Okay, let's open the jar. What's your favorite kind of cookie? (response) Let's see what we have. Hold up one of the cookies. What kind is it? (response) Distribute them: Everybody gets three cookies, but you can't eat them yet. Emphasize this again: Don't eat them; I need to tell you something.
Take three cookies yourself. How many cookies do you have? (response) Does everybody have three? (response) Good, but I have some bad news. We can't eat them right now because we are in the church sanctuary. You have to take them back to your parents and they will let you eat them after lunch. Okay? (response) Uh--oh, we have a problem. Does anyone know what the problem is? Give time for them to figure this out. (response) The problem is your cookies are going to spoil if we don't protect them. What can we put them in to protect them? (response) Show them the zip--lock bags. What about these? (response) Give each child a bag and take one yourself to demonstrate. Everyone put your cookies in the bag and lock the bag by zipping it. If you need help, ask someone to help you.
Application: Why did we put the cookies in the bag? (to protect them) That's right. Can you name some other things that need protection? (response) How about peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? (response) What do you put them in? (response) Can you name anything else that needs to be protected? (response) How about you? (response) Who protects you? (response) How do your mom and dad protect you? (response) There is someone else who protects us. Who else protects us? (God) Jesus prayed to God one day and he said, "Father, protect them from the world." You see, not only does food need protection hold up the bag but we do, too. We can become spoiled if we are not protected. Can you name some ways that God protects us? (response) He gives us his commandments. He tells us not to lie. He warns us that we need to listen to our parents. This is how God protects us!
Let's Pray: God, we would become spoiled if you did not protect us. Protect these children with your strong arm. Amen.
?
Easter 7
1 Peter 4:12--14; 5:6--11
Casting Cares
Exegetical Aim: We can trust God with our worries.
Props: A small box and numerous small unbreakable objects that can be carried in your hands all at once. It does not matter what the objects are.
Lesson: Before speaking to the children, place all of the small objects in your hands and arms and act as though you are having a difficult time carrying them. Good morning. Today I wanted to show you a few things that drop an item on the floor ... oops. Sorry about that. Bend down to pick up that item, but drop another item. Act as though you don't notice that it has dropped. Now I have all of my items again ... (response) What? What's the matter? (response) I don't have all of my items? (response) Oh, you're right. I dropped another. Just a minute and let me pick that up. Continue to drop the things and pick them up for a couple of more times. What should I do? (response) Oh, I didn't notice that box. I could put all of these things in there, and it would be less of a burden. Place the things in the box. That box is big enough to hold everything and those things should stay in there just fine.
Application: Hold up the box. This is much easier. I always try to carry too many things around. I carry a lot of things around in my head too. I worry about money, children, my wife ... I even worry about the church. That reminds me. The Bible says that we can give God all our worries. What are some worries we can give to God? Lead the children to give a few examples. Do you ever worry about monsters? (response) What else do you worry about? (response) It's hard trying to carry all that stuff around in our heads and hearts. Let's turn to God and he will take our worries so we don't have to carry them around.
Let's Pray: Thank you, God, for holding our worries and our cares. You are big enough to handle them all. Amen.
? ?
Props: A cookie jar full of cookies and zip--lock bags. You will need enough to give every child two or more cookies.
Lesson: Good morning. (response) I have something to give you. Show them the cookie jar but keep the zip--lock bags hidden for now. What is this? (response) Can you guess what's inside? (response) Can anyone tell me why the cookies are kept in this jar? (response) What would happen if we took them out of the jar and left them out on the kitchen table all night? (response) Has anyone ever tasted a stale cookie? (response) What did it taste like? (response) So this jar helps protect the cookies. Okay, let's open the jar. What's your favorite kind of cookie? (response) Let's see what we have. Hold up one of the cookies. What kind is it? (response) Distribute them: Everybody gets three cookies, but you can't eat them yet. Emphasize this again: Don't eat them; I need to tell you something.
Take three cookies yourself. How many cookies do you have? (response) Does everybody have three? (response) Good, but I have some bad news. We can't eat them right now because we are in the church sanctuary. You have to take them back to your parents and they will let you eat them after lunch. Okay? (response) Uh--oh, we have a problem. Does anyone know what the problem is? Give time for them to figure this out. (response) The problem is your cookies are going to spoil if we don't protect them. What can we put them in to protect them? (response) Show them the zip--lock bags. What about these? (response) Give each child a bag and take one yourself to demonstrate. Everyone put your cookies in the bag and lock the bag by zipping it. If you need help, ask someone to help you.
Application: Why did we put the cookies in the bag? (to protect them) That's right. Can you name some other things that need protection? (response) How about peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? (response) What do you put them in? (response) Can you name anything else that needs to be protected? (response) How about you? (response) Who protects you? (response) How do your mom and dad protect you? (response) There is someone else who protects us. Who else protects us? (God) Jesus prayed to God one day and he said, "Father, protect them from the world." You see, not only does food need protection hold up the bag but we do, too. We can become spoiled if we are not protected. Can you name some ways that God protects us? (response) He gives us his commandments. He tells us not to lie. He warns us that we need to listen to our parents. This is how God protects us!
Let's Pray: God, we would become spoiled if you did not protect us. Protect these children with your strong arm. Amen.
?
Easter 7
1 Peter 4:12--14; 5:6--11
Casting Cares
Exegetical Aim: We can trust God with our worries.
Props: A small box and numerous small unbreakable objects that can be carried in your hands all at once. It does not matter what the objects are.
Lesson: Before speaking to the children, place all of the small objects in your hands and arms and act as though you are having a difficult time carrying them. Good morning. Today I wanted to show you a few things that drop an item on the floor ... oops. Sorry about that. Bend down to pick up that item, but drop another item. Act as though you don't notice that it has dropped. Now I have all of my items again ... (response) What? What's the matter? (response) I don't have all of my items? (response) Oh, you're right. I dropped another. Just a minute and let me pick that up. Continue to drop the things and pick them up for a couple of more times. What should I do? (response) Oh, I didn't notice that box. I could put all of these things in there, and it would be less of a burden. Place the things in the box. That box is big enough to hold everything and those things should stay in there just fine.
Application: Hold up the box. This is much easier. I always try to carry too many things around. I carry a lot of things around in my head too. I worry about money, children, my wife ... I even worry about the church. That reminds me. The Bible says that we can give God all our worries. What are some worries we can give to God? Lead the children to give a few examples. Do you ever worry about monsters? (response) What else do you worry about? (response) It's hard trying to carry all that stuff around in our heads and hearts. Let's turn to God and he will take our worries so we don't have to carry them around.
Let's Pray: Thank you, God, for holding our worries and our cares. You are big enough to handle them all. Amen.
? ?
