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A Daze Of Days

Children's sermon
The Giant Book Of Children's Sermons
Matthew To Revelation
Object: 
a box of salt
(Appropriate for Advent)


Good morning, boys and girls. Do you know that today (or last Sunday) begins a new year in church? (let them answer) Everything starts over with the first day, the first week, and even the first month. It all seems fresh to us as we wait for Jesus to come into our hearts all over again. Have you ever wondered how many times Christians have done this? (let them answer) I wonder why God doesn't send Jesus so that we can be done with all of our waiting. Most of us are ready, aren't we? (let them answer) Doesn't everyone know about Jesus and love him as their Savior? (let them answer) The reason that God doesn't send Jesus is that he wants everyone to have a chance to receive Jesus as their Savior. That's what the Bible says. But you may think it is taking too long for Jesus to come.

I brought with me some salt this morning to help us learn something about our waiting for Jesus. There is a lot of salt in this one box, but we are going to pretend that every one of these pieces of salt is a day. Now the Bible says that one day is like a thousand years to God. A thousand years is a long time to us since none of us will ever live that long. But one day doesn't seem like a very long time since we have already lived many days. But the Bible says God has lived so long that time doesn't make much difference to him. If one of these pieces is a day and you would have to count out 365 of the pieces of salt for one year, then you would have to have 365,000 grains to make a thousand years. But if we counted out 365,000 of them we would not have all of the pieces of salt in this one box. And if you think of all the boxes of salt in one grocery store and then think of all of the grocery stores, then you see how little that one piece of salt is compared to all of the salt in the world.

One piece of salt in a box (put the piece back into the box) is not much, but it is important to that box just like one day is important to you. We may get tired of waiting, but God knows just the right time to send Jesus back to us so that everyone will have an opportunity to know Jesus as Savior. We must be patient and trust God since only he knows when it is just the right time.

The next time you put some salt on your food, you can think of what the Bible means when it says: one day is like a thousand years. Will you do that? God bless you.
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Cong: Hear our prayer.
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1. Text

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this
way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.18 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.19 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the
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Part of the Dayenu is a responsive reading that goes like this:

O God, if thy only act of kindness was to deliver us from the bondage of Egypt, Dayenu! -- It would have been enough.
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The God Of Abraham Praise (UM116, PH488, NCH24)
O Hear Our Cry, O Lord (PH206)
Hail To The Lord's Anointed (UM203)
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Emmanuel, Emmanuel (UM204)
People Look East (PH12, UM202)
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Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus (PH1, 2,UM196, NCH122)

Anthem

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Prayers usually include these concerns and may follow this sequence:

The Church of Christ

Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority

The local community

Those who suffer

The communion of saints


These responses may be used:


Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer

Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:
Just before the first Christmas, an angel appeared to Joseph to tell him that Jesus would also be called "Emmanuel", meaning "God With Us." Let us listen to the guidance of the angels today as we prepare to receive God With Us once again.

Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, fill me with the awe of Christmas.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, fill me with the mystery of Christmas.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, fill me with Emmanuel -- God with us.
Lord, have mercy.

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"Terribly Vulnerable to Joy" by Scott Dalgarno
"The Great Christmas-Tree Battle" by Stan Purdum


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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Over the years, I grow more cynical about Christmas and just about everything that goes along with it. I have not become a scrooge, although the advancing years have made me more careful with my pennies. It is not that I cannot be moved by the lights, the music, and the fellowship of the holidays. I have not become an insensitive, unfeeling clod. My problem is that the language and the images and the music seem to have fallen short in expressing what must have been the feelings of the real human beings going through the events recounted in this story.

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What an exciting day this is! Today is the day before Christmas and tonight is Christmas Eve! People have different ways of doing things. Some people open their presents on Christmas Eve. How many of you do that? (Let them answer.) Others open their presents on Christmas Day. Which of you will open your presents tomorrow? (Let them answer.) Some open gifts on other days. Would any of you like to share another time when you open presents? (Give them the opportunity to answer.)

Why do you suppose we open gifts at this time of the year? (Let them answer.)

Special Occasion

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