Bare or green?
Children's sermon
Object:
a bare branch and an evergreen branch
Today is the first Sunday of a season called "Advent."
There are four Sundays in Advent. The church year has seasons
that change just as the year has seasons that change. One way we
can tell the changing seasons in the natural year is by branches.
(At this time take the bare branch and show the children.)
When
it's wintertime, does this type of tree have leaves? (Let them
answer.)
No. When a tree that normally has leaves on it is
bare, like this branch, then we know it is winter. What happens
in the springtime? (Let them answer.) How about summer? (Let
them answer.) Fall? (Let them answer.) The tree shows us that
there is movement in life. First we experience the bud in the
spring, then the full leaves of summer, the colored leaves of
fall, and the bare branch of winter.
One day Jesus told his disciples to look at the branches of
the trees. He wanted to teach them that just as the trees show
us what time of the year it is, so our life also passes and the
day is coming when it will end. Advent is the season for talking
about the end of life. Now the season of Advent changes and
leads to another season. What is it called? (Let them answer.)
That's right. It is called "Christmas."
During the Christmas season we put up a tree. Is it a tree
with bare branches like this? (Let them answer.) No. It is a
tree with lively green branches like this. (Here show them the
evergreen branch.)
The evergreen never becomes bare, but remains green in
spring, summer, fall and winter. The evergreen of Christmas
reminds us of eternal life. Jesus reminded his followers that
they would someday die, but he came to give his followers eternal
life -- life that never dies. We will never die because of
Jesus! Wow! That's really good news, isn't it? Let us pray:
Dearest Lord Jesus: You came to live and die and rise again so
that we can have eternal life. We thank you! Amen.
There are four Sundays in Advent. The church year has seasons
that change just as the year has seasons that change. One way we
can tell the changing seasons in the natural year is by branches.
(At this time take the bare branch and show the children.)
When
it's wintertime, does this type of tree have leaves? (Let them
answer.)
No. When a tree that normally has leaves on it is
bare, like this branch, then we know it is winter. What happens
in the springtime? (Let them answer.) How about summer? (Let
them answer.) Fall? (Let them answer.) The tree shows us that
there is movement in life. First we experience the bud in the
spring, then the full leaves of summer, the colored leaves of
fall, and the bare branch of winter.
One day Jesus told his disciples to look at the branches of
the trees. He wanted to teach them that just as the trees show
us what time of the year it is, so our life also passes and the
day is coming when it will end. Advent is the season for talking
about the end of life. Now the season of Advent changes and
leads to another season. What is it called? (Let them answer.)
That's right. It is called "Christmas."
During the Christmas season we put up a tree. Is it a tree
with bare branches like this? (Let them answer.) No. It is a
tree with lively green branches like this. (Here show them the
evergreen branch.)
The evergreen never becomes bare, but remains green in
spring, summer, fall and winter. The evergreen of Christmas
reminds us of eternal life. Jesus reminded his followers that
they would someday die, but he came to give his followers eternal
life -- life that never dies. We will never die because of
Jesus! Wow! That's really good news, isn't it? Let us pray:
Dearest Lord Jesus: You came to live and die and rise again so
that we can have eternal life. We thank you! Amen.
