Childrens Sermon Service

Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God's sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (vv. 4-6)

In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? (v. 2)

Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you live in a house? (let them answer) I have four things to show you and I want you to tell me the room in the house that each one belongs to and then I want you to tell me the one room that is your favorite room. (hold up the four items and ask them to identify them one at a time and the room they belong to) You are pretty good. Some of you like the kitchen best and others like their bedroom or their dad's tool shop. A few of you like the room that has the television in it.

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

Materials:
Craft foam sheets
Scissors
Craft foam scraps
Glue
Colorful permanent markers
Yarn
Special scissors for scalloped edges

Directions:
1. Give each of the children a sheet of craft foam. If you buy the larger 9 x 12 sheets, you can cut them in half.

2. Help each of the children cut a square (house) and a triangle (roof) out of different colored craft foam sheets and scraps.

3. Let the children make trees, flowers, and other yard items from the foam scraps.

4. Help the children glue their house scenes onto the larger foam pieces.

Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God's sight. (v. 4)

Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) Today we're going to talk about junk. How many of you have ever been to a garage sale? (allow answers) What do people sell at garage sales? (allow answers) People sell their junk! They have garage sales to sell things that they don't want or don't need.

But there is an old saying that says, "One man's trash is another man's treasure." That certainly relates to garage sales! Even though one person might think something is junk, you or I might go to the garage sale and think that thing is really great! (show item bought from a garage sale)

In my Father's house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? (v. 2)

Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) Today we are going to talk about babies. How many of you have a baby in your house? (allow answers) When you were getting ready for that baby to come, what did you have to do? (allow answers) We have to do a lot of things to prepare for babies! We have to paint a room, we have to get a crib, we have to find blankets and baby clothes and maybe a teddy bear or baby toys. (show baby rattle) We spend lots of time preparing our homes for a baby.

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


* Contact a local hospital or pregnancy center before doing this project to see if there is any kind of "welcome bundle" that they give to new parents. If they do (and if they allow outside volunteers to donate), modify this activity to make welcome bundles for that local organization.


Materials:
Baby blankets
Small packs of Q-tips
Small stuffed animals
Rattle or other toy
Pacifiers
Small bottle of baby powder
Any other useful items


Directions:
1. As a group, assemble "welcome bundles" for families with new babies in the congregation (or another local organization).

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

The first words that are in our Bible reading today are, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God." When your heart is upset, does it feel like the whole world is falling apart? But this picture on my white board can help us understand more what the real truth is.

You see this dot represents our life now and the arrow lets us understand what eternity will be like. It will go on and on just like this arrow. But so often we allow our hearts to be greatly disturbed and upset and yet it is such a small amount of time that we have our problems in comparison with eternity.

But God wants us to focus on the arrow, the eternity that goes on and on. He tells us in John 14:2, "In my Father's house are many rooms... I am going to prepare a place for you."

These verses from John’s Gospel can feel more like a minefield than a hopeful message to teach to children. Some of these verses have been used to exclude people and justify terrible actions against humanity. At it’s essence though, Jesus is trying to convey a connectedness between himself and God. He also wants us to see how we are connected to the trinity, the trinity to us, and us to other people. We are like a puzzle made up of pieces of the people in our lives and God. We also become a part of the people we meet. Those pieces all come together in God’s kingdom, with each of us having our own special place to fit in.

In your lesson say something like:

Object: A whole, raw potato and a sack.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Our story this morning is something REALLY special. Are you ready for it? (Let them respond.) Great! Sometimes, things we read in the Bible aren’t all that exciting, are they? (Let them respond.) Sometimes there are lots of names and things that are kind of hard to understand, aren’t there? (Let them respond.) Well, our Bible story today is different. Today’s story is about something that is REALLY exciting.

Good morning, boys and girls. (Show the rubbing of the cornerstone.) Does anyone know what I'm holding? (Let them answer.) This is a rubbing of the cornerstone of our church building. (Read to them what the cornerstone says. Tell them where the cornerstone is located.) I hope that when church is over this morning you can go out and look at and touch the real cornerstone. Cornerstones are very important. Does anyone know the purpose of a cornerstone? (Let them answer.) It's important because it is at the very foundation of our building. The church building is built on top of it. It is also important because it tells everyone who sees it that we are Christians. Did you know that cornerstones often are hollow? This is so important things can be placed in them.

Good morning, boys and girls. (Have your road map opened as you talk. Examine the map as you greet the children.) If I wanted to take a trip to (name a familiar city in your area) but I wasn't certain how to get there, what could I use to help me? (Let them answer.) A road map! I just happen to have one here. I'm looking for my direction right now. (Point out the way to your destination.) When you go on vacation do your parents sometimes give you road maps to follow? (Let them answer.) A road map is very important when you are going places that you've never been before. The map tells you how to get there. (Hold the map so the children can see.

Good morning! I thought we would build something this
morning, so I brought these blocks. Let's see if we can build a
tower. (Build a tower, making sure that the block labeled "Jesus"
is the cornerstone.)

Okay, now we have a nice high tower. This block here (point
out the cornerstone) is what we call the cornerstone. It holds
all the other blocks up. What do you think would happen to this
tower if I pulled this block out? (Point out the cornerstone and
let them answer.) Yes, you're right. It would all fall down.
Well, let's do it. Who would like to pull out the cornerstone?
(Get a volunteer and let him/her do it.)

Wow! Our tower sure went down, didn't it? It can't stand if

Good morning! Let me ask you a very important question. How
many people in this world who are living right now will go to
Heaven? (Let them answer.) Well, of course you don't know that
and neither do I. Only God knows that, but we do know that
everyone who believes in Jesus as his/her Savior will go to
Heaven. Jesus has told us that he is the "way" to Heaven. He told
us that nobody will get to Heaven unless they go through him.
This means that all those people in the world who believe in some
other way to get to Heaven are going to be disappointed. They
aren't going to get there!

Let me see if I can show you what that means. Let's say that

Teachers or Parents: More and more, we are hearing that it
is not important which God we believe in or what we believe about
that God. In this text, Jesus says clearly that He is the only
way to the Father. There is no other way! We must instill that
knowledge in our children. The only way to Heaven lies through
Jesus.

*Label three or more doors in the room, one with "Jesus" and
the others with the names of false religions. Explain to the
children that Heaven can be found behind only one door, and ask
them to choose a door. Then discuss the words of Jesus when he
tells us that the only way to the Father is through him.

*Make up a maze puzzle with the center labeled "Father."

A person who does a wonderful job at some athletic competition will get one of these (hold up the ribbon or trophy). To get a ribbon a person has to do a good job. To get a blue ribbon a person has to do the very best job. If an athlete is running a race, that athlete has to finish first. If jumping the high jump, the athlete who wins the blue ribbon has to jump the highest.

Good morning! When I go on vacation, I always like to know where I will be staying for the night. I remember one time when I did not know where I would be staying and I looked and looked for a place to stay and all the motel rooms were filled! That night I had to keep on driving because there was no place for me to stay!

Now I do something to make sure I have a place to stay. Do you know what I do before I leave on vacation? (Let them answer.) I get a reservation. Can any here tell me what a "reservation" is? (Let them answer.)

Teachers or Parents: Death is a great taboo in our society. Talk about losses -- of pets, great-grandparents, grandparents, acquaintances, and so forth. Ask, "What is it like to be really, really sad?" and allow the children to respond. "How does the belief in heaven help us?" "How do we know there is a place in heaven for us?" (Because Jesus said there is and Jesus doesn't tell lies.)

* Draw pictures of what heaven must be like.

* Memorize John 14:6 -- "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Teachers: If your students like puzzle mazes this verse offers you the change to create one for each of them to solve. Once they solve yours, and see how the maze works, you can help them create their own maze for friends to solve. The scripture tells us that no one comes to the Father except through Jesus. Create a maze and make a copy for each student. The starting point of the maze is the student's name. At the ending point write the word "God." Before the word "God" in your maze, write the word "Jesus." For the student to get to the finish (to find God) she must go through "Jesus" just as the scripture states. At the top of the maze sheet write a phrase from the lesson. It might be "I am the way," or "No one comes to the Father except through me."

Good morning, boys and girls. Do you measure yourself at home to see how much you are growing? (let them answer) When I was growing up we had a special place on a door where my brother and sister and I were measured. My father would draw a line from the top of our heads and then write the date on it. Sometimes it seemed like I did not grow much but other times I grew a lot.

Good morning, boys and girls. I've been thinking about heaven. I have never been to heaven but Jesus makes it sounds so good that I know I will just love it. It will be better than anywhere I have been. But first, I need to live my life because Jesus is getting heaven ready for me.

How many of you have a room at home? (let them answer) Is the room your own room or do you share it with your brother or sister? (let them answer) What kind of room is it? Is your room the kitchen? (let them answer) Is your room the family room? (let them answer) Is your room in the laundry room? (let them answer) Then where is your room? (let them answer) Your bedroom! That's funny; my room is my bedroom, also.

Materials:

White paper on a roll

Scissors

Glue

Magazines (to be cut up)

Markers, crayons, colored pencils



Directions:



Give each child a large piece of paper.



Ask the children to cut out pictures of items they would like to have in their rooms in heaven or that they have in their rooms now. Have them glue these pictures to their paper and decorate around them. They may also want to draw some items if they cannot find pictures of them in the magazines.



At the top of each paper, write the name of the child who created it, such as "Mary's room."

In today's gospel passage, Jesus reminds his disciples that to know him is to know God. Because they have seen him and been with him, they have also seen and been with God. This was difficult for the disciples to understand because they didn't understand the relationship between God and Jesus. They see Jesus and God as being separate from one another, but Jesus wants them to understand that they are the same. So, when the disciples say they want to see God, Jesus reminds them that they already have. He then reminds them that other people will also see something of God when the disciples live the example Jesus gave them.

Good morning! Today's lesson includes one of those times when Jesus tries to explain something that is very difficult for his followers to understand. For years, people wanted to know how to find the way to God. Jesus told them that he was the one, true way to get to the Father. If people wanted to know God the Father, Jesus himself was the way! Jesus told them that no one gets to the Father unless they go through Jesus first. What do you think that means? (get responses)

Well, don't be surprised if it is hard to understand. Jesus told his followers about this a lot, but they didn't really understand what he was talking about either, at least not at first.

Good morning! Tell me what it feels like to be hungry. (talk with the children for a few moments) What about on a holiday? Do you know that feeling when you keep smelling something cooking and your stomach is growling and you just can't wait to eat? That's really true if you are smelling something you've enjoyed before. You remember how great it was the last time and you know it's going to be the best when you finally get to enjoy it again. You begin to crave that food. You want it really badly and can't wait to have it again.

Here's a smell that always makes me think of yummy breakfast rolls. (pass the box of spice around)