The big wind
Children's sermon
Object:
a picture of a tornado
Good morning, boys and girls. It's someone's birthday today. Do you know whose birthday it is? (let them answer) Sometimes we call it the birthday of the church. It's called Pentecost. It's the day when many of Jesus' friends were all gathered together in one house. They were probably talking about Jesus and all the stories he had told. They were probably also very sad and confused that Jesus had gone away from them and told them to wait. He had told them he would be sending them something very special. The Bible says that while they were waiting, all of a sudden there was a sound like a violent wind and it filled the whole house. Do you think that might be a little scary? (let them answer) When I hear lots of wind, I think about tornadoes. (show them the picture of the tornado) Tornadoes are very scary. Have any of you ever been in a tornado? (wait for a show of hands) Most of you haven't ever seen a real tornado, but probably all of you have seen pictures of one.
Even though tornadoes are very dangerous and cause a lot of destruction, when that happens something else very special happens. What happens that is special is how people come together to help each other after a tornado. People bring food and clothes. They cry together. They clean up the mess together. They open up their homes to those who lose theirs. All the love and caring that is shown after a tornado is very special.
That's how the birthday of the church started - with a wind that sounded like a tornado. People were confused and frightened. Jesus was gone and they were waiting. Besides the people gathered in the house, there were also lots of people in the city who spoke different languages. When the wind came, all of a sudden they could all understand each other! They were so surprised! No one knew why it happened, but Peter, one of Jesus' special friends, talked to all the people. Peter told them that this was the work of the Holy Spirit whom God had sent to help them all understand each other. The Holy Spirit helps us listen and love and understand each other better. That is a good birthday present for the church - to listen and love and understand!
Even though tornadoes are very dangerous and cause a lot of destruction, when that happens something else very special happens. What happens that is special is how people come together to help each other after a tornado. People bring food and clothes. They cry together. They clean up the mess together. They open up their homes to those who lose theirs. All the love and caring that is shown after a tornado is very special.
That's how the birthday of the church started - with a wind that sounded like a tornado. People were confused and frightened. Jesus was gone and they were waiting. Besides the people gathered in the house, there were also lots of people in the city who spoke different languages. When the wind came, all of a sudden they could all understand each other! They were so surprised! No one knew why it happened, but Peter, one of Jesus' special friends, talked to all the people. Peter told them that this was the work of the Holy Spirit whom God had sent to help them all understand each other. The Holy Spirit helps us listen and love and understand each other better. That is a good birthday present for the church - to listen and love and understand!
