Childrens Sermon Service

Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness. (vv. 4-5)

The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. (v. 8)

Good morning, boys and girls. I brought along a helper this morning that I am sure all of you have seen many times and have enjoyed. Our helper this morning is Mr. Fan. How many of you have a fan at home? (let them answer) Almost all of us have a fan somewhere in our house, don't we? Tell me what you like about being near a fan. (let them answer) When you are hot and the air is not moving, it is a good time to have a fan. What does the fan do to you that make you feel better? (let them answer) It blows air on you and makes you feel cooler.

SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME

Materials:
Wallpaper scraps or other colored paper
Pattern
Markers or crayons
Scissors
Stickers
Hole punch
Brads (fasteners)

Directions:

1. Copy the pattern and have the children trace five or more sections on the wallpaper scraps. Help them carefully cut out the sections.

2. Let the children decorate each section or write Bible verses on each piece. Have them stack their sections.

3. Using a hole punch, help the children punch a hole about 1/2 inch from the bottom of the stack in the smaller end of the shape.

But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness. (v. 5)

Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) How many of you -- or your parents -- like to watch sports on TV? (allow answers) What kind of sports do you like to watch? (show different sports balls; allow answers) What teams do you cheer for? (allow answers)

When you cheer for a team, you want them to win, right? (allow answers) You have faith that your favorite team has the strength and skill to win against the other team. But sometimes we cheer for teams that don't win very often. In fact, some teams are just plain bad. Do you know any teams like that? (allow answers)

But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Get up and do not be afraid." (v. 7)

Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) This morning we are going to talk about fear. How many of you are scared of something? (allow answers) What are you afraid of? (allow answers) People are afraid of all kinds of things. Some people are afraid of heights. Do you know anyone who is afraid of heights? (allow answers) Some people are afraid of spiders. Do you know anyone who is afraid of spiders? (show spider; allow answers) What are some other things that people you know are afraid of? (allow answers)

SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME
AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME


Directions:
1. Discuss things that the children (and you!) fear. Talk about what scares them and how they react. Talk about how Jesus' love makes it seem silly for us to be afraid. He is right beside us and "if God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31).

2. As a group, fill in the Mad Libs story below. Read the scary completed story first; then read the Mad Libs version. Talk about how God's love can make us see things differently -- often in ways we shouldn't be scared of at all.

Mad Libs:

• First Thoughts
• Teaching On Your Own
• Teaching As A Team
• Closing Prayer
• Follow-Up Lesson

Isn't it fun to share pictures with each other, particularly if you have just visited a new place and then come back home to tell your fiends all about it.  They believe that you went to that place because of the stories they hear and the pictures they see.

As Jesus was having a conversation, He got frustrated that the people did not believe his stories. It says in John 3:11,

"Very truly  I tell you we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony."

How would you feel if after telling all about your trip, people questioned and doubted you.

In this exchange with Nicodemus, Jesus is trying to explain what it is to be born again. “Born again” is one of those churchy phrases we sometimes forget to explain. Even if you are in a denomination that uses the language a lot the children may not have fully grasped what the adults mean when they say they are born again. In this lesson take the time to explain what your community means by this.

You can say something like:

Object: A diploma.

Note: This is optional. To reinforce what Nicodemus did, I have used hand motions to help the children understand how different his actions were. When you speak the words of the Sanhedrin, hold your hands out in front of you with your palms down, like you have made the decision and the conversation is over. When you speak the words of Nicodemus, hold your hands out in front of you with your palms up, like you are open to listening and caring. At the end, I ask the children to make the motions with me.

* * *

Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you know what the word love means? (let them answer) Love is a word with many different meanings. When you love someone you trust him, you honor him, you care for him, you share with him, you are honest with him, and you know that he shares his love with you. Do you get paid to love someone? (let them answer) At the end of the day, does anyone say to you, "Here is the dollar I owe you for loving me today?" (let them answer) Love is so precious we could never put a dollar amount on it.

Good morning, boys and girls. I remember a big wind about a week ago and it was really something! I was just walking along when a hat flew right into me. It was a hat like this. The man it belonged to was running down the street, trying to catch it.

Other strange things happened that windy day. It started to rain so I put up my umbrella. I thought it would protect me against the rain, but the wind turned my umbrella inside-out. Instead of protecting me, it was leading me, pulling me faster and faster.

When the clouds went away, the wind was still strong. I went down to the park to watch the children flying kites. I watched the wind grab a kite and draw it up in the air. It went higher and higher until I could barely see it.

Good morning, boys and girls. Can any of you remember what it was like being a very tiny baby? (Let them answer.) Do you remember wearing clothes like this? (Hold baby clothing up as you ask the question.) Can any of you fit into this? (Let them answer.) Each of us was small enough once in our life to fit into this. Why can't we fit into it now? (Let them answer.) We've all grown bigger. We aren't babies any more. Do you think any of us will ever be able to fit into this piece of clothing again? (Let them answer.) Will we ever become a tiny baby again? (Let them answer.)

Teachers: This week's text includes verse 16, which often appears in cross stitch wall hangings.

The NRSV is: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. John 3:16

Depending on the age of your class, students could create their own "drawn" cross stitch wall hanging of the verse. The very young could write and draw "God (draw a heart) the world."

Good morning, boys and girls. I brought a dollar bill this morning, because it reminds me of this morning's lesson. Do any of you know whose portrait is on the dollar bill? (Let them answer.) That's right, George Washington is on the dollar bill. Do any of you know what is so important about George Washington? (Let them answer.) One thing is that we call him the "father of our country." That's because he was our first president. He was also a very important person at the time of the founding of the United States.

I have a set of keys to my car here. When I am through later today, I will get in my car and put the keys in the ignition. I have faith that the keys will start my car. Then, when I start the car, I have faith that the engine will pull the car, the tires will turn safely, and that the steering wheel will turn the car as I turn the steering wheel. It takes a lot of this thing called faith for me to just get home today! On the highway I may travel 55 miles per hour -- fast and efficient. But if something went wrong, I might have to sit and wait for help to come so that my car could be fixed. It takes faith for me to trust my car this much.

Just how much does God love us? (Let them answer. It would be interesting to see if any of the children have any concrete ways of expressing the height, depth, length and width of God's love.) Let's just say that God loves us this much (hold out your hands). No, that's not enough. Let's say that God loves us as much as this church is big. God loves us from here to the back wall; from here to the ceiling; from here to the floor. No, that's not enough. God loves us more than that. God loves us all the way to the city limits. No, that's not enough. God loves us as far as the state borders. No, that's not enough. Just how much does God love us? (Again, let them answer.)

Good morning! How many of you have gone to a movie at a theater? (Let them answer.) How do you get into the movie? Do you just walk in and watch the show, or do you have to do something to get in? (Let them answer.) Yes, of course, you have to buy a ticket. Here's a ticket that I bought to see __________. (Show them the ticket or stub.) If I had not paid the price of admission, they wouldn't let me in, would they? (Let them answer.)

Good morning! What is this thing I have here? (Show the
target and let them answer.) Yes, this is a target, and if you
were shooting at this, what would you try to hit? (Let them
answer.) Yes, you would try to hit the very center which is
called the "bull's-eye."

Now, let's imagine for a moment that you have a laser gun
that shows a spot of light right on the spot that you will hit if
you fire it. If you wanted to hit this bull's-eye, where would
you put that spot of light? (Let them answer.) Of course, you
would put it right on the bull's-eye and pull the trigger. Would
it make any sense to aim the gun at some other part of the target
if you wanted to hit the bull's-eye? (Let them answer.) No, it

Today's lesson has one of the best-known scripture verses: John 3:16. Does anyone know what John 3:16 says? (see if anyone knows) John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." Sound familiar?

(Hold up the maze) Look at what I've got here. It's a big maze, with lots of tangled paths and dead ends. Up here (point) I have drawn a person. At the other end I have drawn a heart. The heart stands for the love of God. This picture will help us understand what we have to do to find God's love. Let's say that this person is me, and I'm trying to find God's love. How do I get to the end? How do I get God's love? (see what the children think) I can go all around this maze, but none of these paths lead me straight to God. What should I do?

Materials:
Construction paper or other heavy paper (the more colorful the better)
Hole punch
Scotch tape
Crepe paper
Yarn or heavy string
Paint, markers, or crayons
Stickers

Directions:

Teachers or Parents: Have the children memorize John 3:16. This "little Gospel" says so much and will be a handy resource for the children for years to come.

* If there is time, talk again about the greatness of God's love. If you have children who memorize easily, consider memorizing Psalm 139 (or verses from the Psalm) which talks about the inescapable love of God. Note that God knows us completely and still loves us totally!

* Make memory work a game by putting the passage on the board and then having the children recite it. Erase a word or phrase at a time and have them repeat it. Continue the process until the class can recite the entire passage.

Teachers and Parents: The central truth of Christianity is
stated in this week's Gospel. John 3:16 is often called "The
Gospel in a Nutshell." Those who believe in the Son will be given
eternal life. We cannot earn our way into Heaven. Heaven is a
free gift for those who believe. Our children need to learn this
truth and hold onto it firmly, because worldly wisdom will try to
convince them that Heaven must be reserved for those who do
enough "good stuff."

* Write this question on the board or easel: If you died
today and went to Heaven and God asked you why He should let you
in, what would you answer? Go around the group getting answers
from volunteers. Chances are that all of the answers will have

Today's gospel passage contains John 3:16. It's familiar to lots of people, even those who aren't all that familiar with the Bible. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." Recognize it? Some denominations place more emphasis on scripture memorization than others. No matter how much you know about it, the Bible can be a source of inspiration, comfort and direction. Knowing what it has to say can be helpful when we go through the stages of our lives.