Childrens Sermon Service

Materials:
Small, clean, round rocks; one for each child
Tempera paint in red, black, green, and brown
Pictures of bugs
Clear nail polish
Paint shirts/smocks for the children to use (can be made from large trash bags with neck and arm holes cut out)
Paintbrushes
Paper to cover the tables

Directions:
1.
Read the children's message to the children before you begin the craft. Tell all of the children that you are going to give them each a small rock that they may paint a bug on.
2.
Give them a few choices for types of bugs to paint. They may want to paint an ant, a ladybug, a spider, or some other bug.
3.

Good morning, boys and girls. Do you remember when we said Jewish people were the children of God? (let them answer) God came to the Jewish people thousands of years ago and adopted them.

Most of us were born Gentiles, which is everyone who is not a Jew. You are a Gentile and I am a Gentile. Both the Jews and the Gentiles fell into sin and were separated from God. So that means that we were all living in sin. (hand out two green M&M's to each child) One of the green M&M's is for the Gentiles and one is for the Jews.

Parents and Teachers: This week's activity is based on the second lesson for this Sunday. In this lesson, Paul is having a difficult time persuading Jews to accept Christ. Verse 29 in this lesson is worth memorizing. Here are five versions of the verse. You may choose the one you think would be best suited for your students.

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. - NRSV

For God's gifts and his call can never be withdrawn; he will never go back on his promises. - Good News

For God's gifts and his call are irrevocable. - NIV

God never takes back his gifts or revokes his choice. - Jerusalem Bible

Good morning, boys and girls. This morning I brought a picture of my pet. (Show the photo and tell the children its name.) I want to ask a question to the children who have dogs as family pets. Do your pets come around the table at mealtime and beg for food? (Let them answer.) I'll bet that sometimes when your parents aren't looking you sneak something for them to eat. Sometimes, maybe when you aren't looking, your parents sneak your pet something to eat, too.

Good morning, boys and girls. Can anyone tell me what kind of cap this is? (Let them try to answer.) It is called a dunce cap. Many years ago teachers in school might have placed this on the head of a disobedient student. That student might have also had to sit in the corner.

Teachers or Parents: The theme of trusting in Jesus is most difficult. Jesus is invisible and yet we are called to be faithful to him. Children can best learn faithfulness by observing faithfulness in mentors like teachers, parents, and pastors.

*Ask parents to share their faith in Jesus.

*Ask your pastor(s) to share his or her faith.

*Share your faith. Talk about times of trouble or need when Jesus was there for you. Talk about daily prayer and devotional habits.

Hello! Do you remember who the Hebrews were? The Hebrews were the ones whom God freed from slavery in Egypt and led safely through the Red Sea. God gave the Hebrew people the gift of the Ten Commandments so they would know how to live peacefully together. God had a special relationship with the Hebrews. They were called God's "chosen people." For generations the Hebrew people had endured many hardships, but God promised them that one day a Messiah would come to save them and take care of them forever.

Good morning to you! (hold up the commandments) These are the Ten Commandments. They are rules that God gave Moses many, many years ago in order to help the Hebrew people know how to love God and live together. (read a few of the rules to the children) The Ten Commandments are good rules for us to follow.

In today's scripture we find Jesus being challenged by the Pharisees, the legal-minded religious leaders of the Jews. This happened a lot. There was often a Pharisee around to point out when Jesus' teaching was contrary to Jewish traditions.

Good morning! I want to show you something that is very
important to me. This is my driver's license. (Show the license.)
This license gives me the right to drive a car. If this were
taken away from me, I wouldn't be able to drive a car. I couldn't
go to the store or drive to another city or visit other people or
do a lot of other things that I need a car for. But, do you know
something? I could lose this license. If I break the driving laws
and the court thinks my crime is bad enough, they could take this
license away from me. When the court does that, they call it
"revoking" your driving privilege. That would really be awful
for me, wouldn't it? (Let them answer.) Yes, it would, so I try

Good morning! There was once a woman who came to Jesus and
wanted him to heal her daughter who was being tormented by a
demon. Do you think this woman really believed that Jesus could
cure her daughter? (Let them answer.) Yes, of course she did. She
wouldn't have come to him if she didn't believe he could do it.
And she was very persistent. Even when the disciples tried to
send her away she kept asking. Even when Jesus tried to
discourage her, she kept right on asking him to heal her
daughter. Finally, Jesus said to her, "Woman, great is your
faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." Do you think the
daughter got cured? (Let them answer.) She sure did! As soon as

Teachers or Parents: There is probably no other word in the
Bible that is as misunderstood as the word "faith." Jesus tells
us throughout the gospels that we can accomplish any good thing
with faith. In this Gospel reading, we see a woman's daughter
healed due to faith. Our children need to appreciate the value of
faith in their own lives and understand that faith, once it is
given to us by God, needs to be nurtured and made strong by Bible
study, church attendance, and use in our daily lives.

*Ask one child to stand up and close his eyes. Tell the
child that when you touch the back of his head, he is to fall
backwards and you will catch him. Do this two or more times until

Good morning! Yesterday thousands and thousands of people were reading this issue of the newspaper. Today probably only a very few people are reading it! Today most people who read newspapers are reading today's newspaper! Most people have thrown away yesterday's paper or put it in the recycling bin. They will probably not look at it again -- ever! You could say they have "rejected" it. Once they used it, but now they do not need it anymore.

People do the same thing with God sometimes. Many young people like you learned about God and believed in God, but when they got older, they treated God like an old newspaper and had nothing more to do with God. They have "rejected" God. What might be another word for "rejected"? (Let them answer.)

Good morning! Have you ever been to a circus? (Let them answer.) Do you like circuses? (Let them answer.) What is your favorite part? (Let them answer.) One of my favorite parts is when the high wire acrobats climb way up high and walk on a narrow wire. "How do they do that?" I wonder.

Once there was a high wire artist who was amazing. (Here you can take your pole and mimic a high wire artist with a pretend wire on the floor.) He did all kinds of things on the high wire - - without a net under him. If he ever slipped, it would kill him because he was so high up.

For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all. (v. 32)

Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) Today we are going to talk about forgiveness. Who can tell me what forgiveness is? (allow answers) When we forgive someone, we decide not to be angry at them for something they have done.

What are some things that you might be angry at someone about? (allow answers) You might be angry if someone broke your toys. (show broken toy) You might be angry if someone pushed you or cut in front of you in line or took the last cookie.

She [the Canaanite woman] said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." (Matthew 15:27)

Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you like bread? (let them answer) Do you have a favorite kind of bread? (let them answer) My favorite kind of bread is French bread. I really like it when it is warm and I can eat it with good olive oil. Have you ever had that kind of bread? (let them answer)

Object: The object for today is a motion you will ask the children to make with you. You begin with a clenched fist, and slowly open it into an open hand you would use to reach out and help someone who needs help. My version is to hold my hand out, palm up, like I am offering to help someone stand up who has fallen down.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) I have a really great story for you today. Are you ready to hear it? (Let them respond.) Excellent!

Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you like to eat? (let them answer) What is your favorite food? (let them answer) Do you know what a bird eats? (let them answer) Very good. They eat bugs, all kinds of bugs. Today, I brought with me this jar of bugs. They are pretty colorful, and in some ways they look almost good enough to eat. Have you ever eaten a bug? (let them answer) I wonder what a bug tastes like? Is there anyone here who is hungry enough to eat a bug? (let them answer)

Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” (v.28a)

Good morning, girls and boys,

What an amazing morning to come to church today. I am so glad to see you and talk to you about a wonderful story from the bible.

Let me begin by showing you this circle. Now let's get into this circle. (Physically, all move into the circle) It's fun for us all to be together in this circle. We don't want anyone to be left out. To be left out is to be sad. To be kept out is even more sad and painful.

The Point: put your faith in the right place

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


Materials:
Slips of paper with rebus or another kind of puzzle that is a clue to the "secret password"
Treat for children (granola bars, apples, etc.)


Directions:
1. Choose one child (or group leader) to be the "guardian." The guardian is guarding the "secret treasure."

2. Divide the rest of the children into pairs or small groups. Give each group one slip of paper.

3. The groups must try to figure out what the password is. When they think they have an answer, they may go and ask the guardian to get past.

4. If they are incorrect, they have to go back and try again.

Then Jesus answered her, "Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed instantly. (v. 28)

Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) Today we are going to talk about persistence. Have any of you heard that word before? (allow answers) Can anyone tell me what it means? (allow answers) "Persistence" is a word that means "never give up." When you are persistent, you try and try until you get what you are working for.

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

Materials:
Recipe (makes eight servings)

1 (18.5 oz.) box yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 oz.) box instant vanilla pudding mix
2 2/3 cups confectioner's sugar
1/3 cup powdered lemonade mix
8 coffee mugs (1-1/2 cup size)
Bowls and whisks
Quart-size plastic bags
Snack-size plastic bags
Twist ties
Pen, paper, and tape

Directions:
1. In groups of eight, have the children place the dry cake mix and dry pudding mix into a large bowl and blend well using a whisk.

... for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. (Romans 11:29)