Login / Signup

Free Access

Transfiguration

Children's sermon
Object: A bright flashlight. We will use the light to shine on faces to show how Jesus’ face might have shined on the mountain. For the best effect, I usually hold the light up high in front of the head and shine it down to the forehead, rather than directly into the face. When you use the light, you might shine it on yourself first, and then ask for volunteers to light up one at a time as well.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are we all ready to hear today’s story? (Let them respond.)

One day, Jesus called Peter, James, and John and said, “Hey, let’s go for a walk.” They followed Jesus up a trail in the hills and ended up on top of a big mountain. Peter, James, and John stood just there looking around. Have you ever been on top of a mountain or a big hill before? (Let them respond.) Sometimes you can see a really long way from up high like that, can’t you? (Let them respond.) Well, Peter, James, and John could see all the way across the sea from there. They could look down and point at their hometown from there, and even their houses. But then they saw something they did not expect to see at all on that mountain. When one of them turned to tell Jesus that they could see their house, they saw that two more people were standing next to Jesus. And they saw that Jesus’ clothes were really bright, and it looked like his face was shining. They were really surprised. And then they heard a voice from somewhere say that they shouldn’t be afraid and that Jesus was God’s own son. That would be a big surprise, wouldn’t it? (Let them respond.) After a few minutes, the two other people left, and Jesus looked like Jesus again. Then Jesus said, “Let’s go back home.”

We have a special name for this story. We call it the Transfiguration story. Does anyone have an idea what transfiguration means? (Let them respond.) If something is transfigured, it means it looks like something different. It changes what it looks like. So, why do you think we call this story the Transfiguration story? (Let them respond.) Yes! Because Jesus changed and looked like something else, didn’t he? His clothes got all white and bright, and his face shined. He was transfigured because God had come to be with him on that mountain. He looked different because God was with him.

Let’s see if we can imagine what that might have looked like. (Show your flashlight.) The story said that Jesus’ face shined, so let’s see what a shining face might look like. (Shine the light on as many faces as you want.) The light sure made us look different, didn’t it? (Let them respond.) We were transfigured, weren’t we? (Let them respond.) But just by a flashlight, and not by God. But wouldn’t it be cool if there was a way we could tell if God was with us like that? (Let them respond.) If somehow, when we were afraid or hurt, or lonely, we could know for sure that God was right here with us, that would be great, wouldn’t it? (Let them respond.)

Well, let me ask you a question. Have you ever been afraid, or hurt, or lonely, or sick, and someone came to take care of you and help you feel better? (Let them respond.) Maybe they brought you something, or just stayed with you and talked with you, or hugged you. Has anyone ever helped you feel better like that? (Let them respond.) And, it felt really good, didn’t it? (Let them respond.) When they did that, did their face get all bright and light up? (Let them respond.) No, probably not. Their clothes and faces didn’t get all lit up and bright, but they showed us that God was with them because of they way they took care of us.

Jesus was transfigured to show Peter, James, and John that God was there with him. But if we want to show people that God is with us, we don’t need lights or bright clothes, do we? (Let them respond.) Just like those people who helped us when we were afraid, or hurt, or sick, or lonely, we might not glow when we help take care of each other, but they will see that God is with us.

Let’s pray and thank God for sending those people who take care of us, and ask God to remind us that Jesus loves every one of us and wants us to follow him and take care of each other the way God takes care of us.

Prayer
Dear God, thank you for reminding us how much you love us, and for forgiving us when we forget that. And please help us remember that you love all of the people you have created, and help us let the people around us know that we love them just like Jesus loves us. Amen.
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 10 | OT 15 | Pentecost 5
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 11 | OT 16 | Pentecost 6
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 12 | OT 17 | Pentecost 7
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: You may present this message as a simple story, or have the children act it out as a role-play. I will show the role-play version, but you can ignore the acting pieces and just tell the story if you prefer.

Note: For the role-play version, you will need to select two girls and one boy to play the roles. You might also have a broom and a dust rag if you want to.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Great! Let’s get started.

The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
George Reed
Katy Stenta
Nazish Naseem
For July 20, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Amos 8:1-12, Psalm 52
Amos proclaims the word from God that punishes the people. The people are to be punished for their lack of faith, for their focus on practicing deceit, betraying honesty to their neighbors, and being impatient for the time after the Sabbath when they can focus on profit and selling their crops and wares. Oh, my! What a terrible message for people. You have been unfaithful so I will punish you. And then in the psalm, God is proclaimed to be the olive tree, that which brings blessing.
David Kalas
I have tried to find different ways of saying it so that my children don’t tire of hearing it. But the basic principle remains the same, and my kids have heard it a ton. “First things first.” They ask if they can do this or they start to do that, and I will endeavor to redirect them, saying, “Why don’t we make sure we’re doing first things first!”

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. (v. 24)

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
One of Martha's earliest memories was of her little sister Mary singing and dancing in the middle of an admiring crowd of friends. Mary had always been a dancer, from the time she could walk. Privately, Martha thought she'd always been something of a show-off and ought to go on the stage, for Mary loved an audience.

SermonStudio

John E. Sumwalt
Jeanne Jones
Several years ago, before we moved to Wisconsin, I was an honorary nanny for our pastor's son, Jonathan. I took care of him from the time he was able to walk until our pastor moved, when Jonathan was about five. We had wonderful times together. One time, when I was at their house, and we had been doing some spiritual direction together, Pastor Michael asked me if I knew the name of my guardian angel.
James Evans
We are not surprised when we learn about crooks and robbers boasting about "mischief done against the godly" or "plotting destruction" all day long. The image we have in our minds about who "bad" people are, and how they conduct themselves, make such accusations completely plausible. We are less inclined to believe such things about leaders, especially respected leaders among us. We have difficulty believing someone with wealth and power would deliberately plot to do someone else harm.
Arley K. Fadness
Today's gospel from Luke 10 follows the parable of the good Samaritan. Luke positions the good Samaritan and the Mary-Martha story back to back for good reason. The parable and the story are examples of the Great Commandment "to love the Lord your God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself." The good Samaritan parable illustrates "love to neighbor," whereas the Mary-Martha story illustrates "love to God."
Kirk R. Webster
In the early 1990s, Wesley Nunley of Dallas completed a project he had dreamed of for decades. "I tell you, this could be a big thing," he explained. Wes then walked out to a concrete octagon in the middle of his backyard. With a beaming smile, arms raised up in excitement, the energetic retiree said, "This welcomes the UFO to land, which has never been done before."
John W. Wurster
It was the best of times. A time of prosperity and confidence, a time of relative peace, a time when most everything looked pretty good, a time when most everyone felt pretty good. It was a time maybe not unlike our own time.
H. Burnham Kirkland
Words Of Assurance
Our God is both wise and caring: afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted.

Pastoral Prayer
God, we bow before you this morning, knowing that you hear every prayer. We know that in all of Creation, you are the source of life. You are the one who set the light swirling between the galaxies. The breath of your Spirit pulses through all life. You have even become flesh among us. We praise you, Lord, that in all your wonder, you have not forgotten us.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL