Childrens Sermon Service

Good morning, boys and girls. How many of your remember last week when we talked about the people we loved and their dying? (let them answer) Good, do you remember that we talked about All Saints' Sunday? (let them answer) Very good! Well, someone asked me during the week if God only took care of the people who died. What about people like us who are still living? Does God care about us?

If Jesus is with our great-grandparents and Moses and Peter and George Washington and Princess Diana, then who is taking care of us?

Good morning. I brought with me this morning a couple of old lamps. These are oil lamps and are the kind that our great-grandparents used in their houses. Take a close look and tell me if you see anything different between the two. (let them answer) They look a lot alike, but there is a difference, isn't there? One has something in it and one does not. What is missing in this one? (let them answer) Right, one has oil and one does not. What does the oil do? (let them answer) Very good, the one with oil should make a bright light, while the one without any oil will not burn. Let's try to light both of them and see if that is true. (light both) You're right; only one of them burns. If it gets dark, only one will be any good.

Most of us have flashlights at home. We don't use them very much because we usually don't need to. The electricity keeps our lights on and so we don't need a flashlight. But have any of you been at home when the lights went out because the electricity stopped? (Let them answer.) If that happens, it's good to have a flashlight around. But flashlights need something to make them work. What do they need? (Let them answer.) They need fresh batteries. If the batteries are old, the flashlight won't work well and won't work long. Having a flashlight ready and fresh batteries is one way of preparing for something that might not happen for a long time. But we like to prepare -- just in case the lights go out soon.

Teachers or Parents: Both of today's lessons have to do with preparation for the day when Jesus returns. Earthly death and eternal life in heaven are mysteries to us all. We are best prepared when we understand that this life is temporary. This life is like living in a tent while our eternal mansion is being completed. And yet we dare not denigrate the importance of this life and dare not glamorize death.

*Ask why a battery company would call their batteries "Ever ready." Talk about the importance of being prepared. Faithfulness involves being prepared. They go together.

Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. (v. 13)

Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) Today we are going to talk about the Boy Scouts. How many of you have heard of the Boy Scouts? (allow answers) The Boy Scouts of America is an organization for boys that started in the year 1910. That's over one hundred years ago! Wow -- that's old! Boys who are in the Boy Scouts learn how to do things like start campfires, cook outdoors, tie ropes, and do other outdoor and camping activities.

Note: This craft uses candles and is probably best suited for older children.

Materials
Clean glass jars (medium-sized like mayonnaise or pickle jars)
Tissue paper in a variety of colors
Water
Glue
Markers
Baby food jar lid and votive candle or tea light candle
Small paintbrushes
Margarine tubs

Instructions
1. God always wants us to be ready for him, to be a "light for Jesus." Let's make a candle holder to help us keep that in mind.

2. Mix glue with a small amount of water in the margarine tubs to a spreadable consistency.

3. Using the paintbrushes, paint the water/glue mixture all over a glass jar.

Good morning! This morning I brought a medicine bottle with me. Probably all of you have these medicine bottles at home and they are probably in a place that is hard to reach. That is on purpose. Why do you suppose parents put things like medicine bottles in hard-to-reach places? (Let them answer.) To keep them out of reach of very young children. Very young children sometimes put anything in their mouths, and many medicines can be very harmful and dangerous to people who don't know what the medicine is or how much to take or who can take it. Before a person can use a medicine, that person must know what it is and why he or she is taking the medicine. A person must be informed.

Object: If you have an old oil lamp, you can use that and modify the text a bit. Otherwise, use a flashlight with a few extra batteries to show.

* * *

At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ (vv. 1-6)

“Keep awake therefore...” (v. 13a)

Good morning girls and boys,

How are you? Are you fully awake? Sleepy?  Yawning? Tired or perky? Up and ready to go?  We're going to talk about being sleepy or awake. Talk about being prepared or not being prepared.

Suppose your teacher plans to give your class a test at school. Should you go home and play video games or should you study and prepare for the test? (children discuss)

Now let's pretend you and I are going for a hike. We know it's important to prepare. So we prepare ourselves by taking not only water, hiking boots, rattlesnake kit, some mace should we be chased by a bear, but also flashlights because we might not get back until after dark.

The Point: Always be ready to meet Jesus.

The Lesson: Good morning children. Thank you for sharing this time with me.

This morning I brought my day planner and my Bible. Who knows what a planner is? (get responses) My planner is a very important part of my busy life. When I schedule a meeting or set a time to meet someone, I put it in my planner. When there is something really important for me to get done in the future, I put reminders of the coming deadline weeks ahead so that I can be prepared. I also use my planner as a reminder of people I meet and don't want to forget. I write their names on the day I meet them. And when I promise that I will pray for someone, I make a note of it in my planner.

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. (v. 13)

Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) Today we are going to talk about death. How many of you have been to a funeral or know someone who has died? (allow answers) Funerals can be very sad. We are sad that the person who died is no longer part of our lives. We are sad that we will not get to see or speak to that person again.

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


Materials:
Assortment of equipment (pots, pans, scuba mask, and so on)


Directions:
1. Have the children split into groups (as many as are appropriate for the class size). Assign each group an activity or event (i.e.: scuba diving, cooking breakfast, walking the dog) and give them a number of items. Have groups race to find the equipment they need for their event. For each round, make sure the groups are assigned to find the same number of items. Create the events and activities based on the equipment you have available.

We will be with the Lord forever. (v. 17b)

Good morning, boys and girls! How many of you have toy cars or trucks? (allow answers each time) How many of your parents have real cars or trucks? What do we use cars for? That's right -- to get from one place to another. What are some good things about cars? (allow answers) Good answers! They usually get us safely to our destinations, don't they?

Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. (v. 8b)

Good morning, boys and girls! This morning we have a gospel story about some bridesmaids who didn't take enough oil for their lamps and missed a wedding! Have you ever been to a wedding? (allow answers) Is it something you would want to miss? No! It's a very special day for everybody, especially the bride and groom. Well, I brought a flashlight today (flash flashlight) to help explain this story.

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

Materials:
Baby food jars or small glass jars
Squares of colored tissue paper (1/2- to 1-inch squares)
Glue (put in small bowls)
Paintbrushes
Tea light candles in foil cups (not plastic)
Aprons or paint shirts for younger children

Directions:

1. Have each of the children paint his or her jar with a layer of glue.

2. Ask the children to stick tissue paper squares onto the glue. They could also paint glue over the tissue paper to help it stay in place and form better to the shape of the jar.

3. Let the glue dry completely.