Are We There Yet?
Children's sermon
Objects: You will need three objects:
1) A box with the word “WAIT!” written on the side of it in big letters. The box should be big enough to hold a collection of “gifts” you will give the children when you do finally open it. Fun gifts might be things like noisemakers or other party-favors so you can all celebrate the fact that the box has been “finally” opened. You will not actually need to have the gifts inside the box until the last message of the series when you finally open the box.
2) A piece of paper with a note that says, “Do not open until you hear the alarm go off!”
3) An alarm clock of some kind. For the most fun, find a big, old alarm clock that looks like it will make a lot of noise, but anything with an alarm on it will work. Remember that you will not actually “set” the alarm until the last message in the series.
Note: This sermon is the first in a series you can continue through Advent. This is a great opportunity to have some fun with the children as you lead up to Christmas. The series is designed to end on Christmas Eve, but you can end it on the 4th Sunday of Advent if you do not have a children’s sermon on Christmas Eve. The most important part of this series is that the more fun you have with it, the more fun everyone else will have too!
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Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back — whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ (vv. 35-37)
(As the children join you, place the box and alarm clock on the floor where everyone can see it and have the note in your hand.)
Hi everyone! I have a question for you. How good are you at waiting for something? Do you like to wait for things? (Let them respond.) The reason I’m asking is that I found this box the other day, and it had this note with it that says, “Do not open until you hear the alarm!” I guess it means this alarm don’t you?” (Let them respond.) I’ve been looking at it and wondering just how long we’re going to have to wait to find out what’s inside. And, to be frank with you, sometimes I have a hard time having to wait, don’t you?” (Let them respond.)
For example, have you ever been going somewhere in the car and you just kept asking, “Are we there yet?” (Let them respond.) I’ll bet you have. Let me hear how you say it. I’ll count to three and then let me hear you all yell, “Are we there yet?” Ready? One. Two Three. (Let them respond.) Yeah, I thought you would be pretty good at that. And what do we usually hear after we say that? (Let them respond.) Probably something like, “No. You have to wait. You just have to be patient.” Right? (Let them respond.) Yeah.
Well, let me tell you a little secret. Most of us grownups aren’t very good at waiting either. (Look at the adults.) Are we? (Let them respond.) Just watch us and I’ll bet you see how hard it is for us to wait sometimes, too. Maybe you’ve heard us grumble when we have to wait in a long line at the store, or when we have to listen to some silly music on the phone play over and over and over again while we wait to talk with someone. Sometimes we all want to yell “Are we there yet?” Let’s do that. Everyone yell it this time; grown-ups too. One. Two. Three. (Let them respond.)
Yeah, sometimes waiting is hard. Like waiting for this alarm to go off so we can see what’s inside this box. I hope it goes off soon, don’t you? (Let them respond.) (Look closely at the box. Pick it up. Turn it all around. Shake it. Finally, pick up the alarm and look at it, then put it down with a sigh.)
Well, at least some things are easy to wait for. Like Christmas, I mean. Nobody here is in a hurry for Christmas to get here, are we? (Let them respond.) Really? You want Christmas to get here? (Let them respond.) You know that’s kind of how the people felt a long time ago about the first Christmas when Jesus was born. They had all heard that, someday, God was going to send someone to do something really great, and they all wanted to know when it was going to happen. It’s like they were all yelling, “Are we there yet?” But they had to wait, just like we are waiting for Christmas to come again this year.
(Pretend to hear something and look at the alarm.) Was that the alarm? (Let them respond.) No, I guess not. I wish it would hurry. And I guess some of you wish Christmas would hurry and get here too, right? (Let them respond.)
One day Jesus was talking with people about what was going to happen after he was gone. He told them that, someday, God would come and do some pretty amazing things. Everyone wanted to know when it was going to happen and Jesus told them they were just going to have to wait to find out. They weren’t good at waiting either, so they just kept asking him when it would happen. Finally, Jesus told them to quit worrying about when it would happen, and just spend their time doing the things God wants them to do for each other.
Maybe that’s something we can do while we wait for Christmas to get here (look at the alarm) and for this alarm to go off so we can open that box. While we wait, can we think of some things we might do for someone to let them know we care about them? (Let them respond.) They might be simple things, like just saying “hello” or giving them a smile. Or maybe even things like not laughing when someone makes a mistake, or maybe something like picking things up in our room? See if you can think of things to do that will let someone know you care about them and want to do something to make their day a bit nicer. Will you try that while we wait? (Let them respond.) That is awesome!
Well, I guess the alarm isn’t going off today, we’ll bring the box back next week and see if we get to open it then. Before we go, let’s say a short prayer to ask God to help us remember some of the things we can do for those around us while we wait for Christmas to get here.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you again for reminding us how much you love all of us, and how important it is for us to take care of each other. Please help us find ways to let the people around us know that we love them. Amen.
1) A box with the word “WAIT!” written on the side of it in big letters. The box should be big enough to hold a collection of “gifts” you will give the children when you do finally open it. Fun gifts might be things like noisemakers or other party-favors so you can all celebrate the fact that the box has been “finally” opened. You will not actually need to have the gifts inside the box until the last message of the series when you finally open the box.
2) A piece of paper with a note that says, “Do not open until you hear the alarm go off!”
3) An alarm clock of some kind. For the most fun, find a big, old alarm clock that looks like it will make a lot of noise, but anything with an alarm on it will work. Remember that you will not actually “set” the alarm until the last message in the series.
Note: This sermon is the first in a series you can continue through Advent. This is a great opportunity to have some fun with the children as you lead up to Christmas. The series is designed to end on Christmas Eve, but you can end it on the 4th Sunday of Advent if you do not have a children’s sermon on Christmas Eve. The most important part of this series is that the more fun you have with it, the more fun everyone else will have too!
- - -
Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back — whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ (vv. 35-37)
(As the children join you, place the box and alarm clock on the floor where everyone can see it and have the note in your hand.)
Hi everyone! I have a question for you. How good are you at waiting for something? Do you like to wait for things? (Let them respond.) The reason I’m asking is that I found this box the other day, and it had this note with it that says, “Do not open until you hear the alarm!” I guess it means this alarm don’t you?” (Let them respond.) I’ve been looking at it and wondering just how long we’re going to have to wait to find out what’s inside. And, to be frank with you, sometimes I have a hard time having to wait, don’t you?” (Let them respond.)
For example, have you ever been going somewhere in the car and you just kept asking, “Are we there yet?” (Let them respond.) I’ll bet you have. Let me hear how you say it. I’ll count to three and then let me hear you all yell, “Are we there yet?” Ready? One. Two Three. (Let them respond.) Yeah, I thought you would be pretty good at that. And what do we usually hear after we say that? (Let them respond.) Probably something like, “No. You have to wait. You just have to be patient.” Right? (Let them respond.) Yeah.
Well, let me tell you a little secret. Most of us grownups aren’t very good at waiting either. (Look at the adults.) Are we? (Let them respond.) Just watch us and I’ll bet you see how hard it is for us to wait sometimes, too. Maybe you’ve heard us grumble when we have to wait in a long line at the store, or when we have to listen to some silly music on the phone play over and over and over again while we wait to talk with someone. Sometimes we all want to yell “Are we there yet?” Let’s do that. Everyone yell it this time; grown-ups too. One. Two. Three. (Let them respond.)
Yeah, sometimes waiting is hard. Like waiting for this alarm to go off so we can see what’s inside this box. I hope it goes off soon, don’t you? (Let them respond.) (Look closely at the box. Pick it up. Turn it all around. Shake it. Finally, pick up the alarm and look at it, then put it down with a sigh.)
Well, at least some things are easy to wait for. Like Christmas, I mean. Nobody here is in a hurry for Christmas to get here, are we? (Let them respond.) Really? You want Christmas to get here? (Let them respond.) You know that’s kind of how the people felt a long time ago about the first Christmas when Jesus was born. They had all heard that, someday, God was going to send someone to do something really great, and they all wanted to know when it was going to happen. It’s like they were all yelling, “Are we there yet?” But they had to wait, just like we are waiting for Christmas to come again this year.
(Pretend to hear something and look at the alarm.) Was that the alarm? (Let them respond.) No, I guess not. I wish it would hurry. And I guess some of you wish Christmas would hurry and get here too, right? (Let them respond.)
One day Jesus was talking with people about what was going to happen after he was gone. He told them that, someday, God would come and do some pretty amazing things. Everyone wanted to know when it was going to happen and Jesus told them they were just going to have to wait to find out. They weren’t good at waiting either, so they just kept asking him when it would happen. Finally, Jesus told them to quit worrying about when it would happen, and just spend their time doing the things God wants them to do for each other.
Maybe that’s something we can do while we wait for Christmas to get here (look at the alarm) and for this alarm to go off so we can open that box. While we wait, can we think of some things we might do for someone to let them know we care about them? (Let them respond.) They might be simple things, like just saying “hello” or giving them a smile. Or maybe even things like not laughing when someone makes a mistake, or maybe something like picking things up in our room? See if you can think of things to do that will let someone know you care about them and want to do something to make their day a bit nicer. Will you try that while we wait? (Let them respond.) That is awesome!
Well, I guess the alarm isn’t going off today, we’ll bring the box back next week and see if we get to open it then. Before we go, let’s say a short prayer to ask God to help us remember some of the things we can do for those around us while we wait for Christmas to get here.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you again for reminding us how much you love all of us, and how important it is for us to take care of each other. Please help us find ways to let the people around us know that we love them. Amen.
