At a distance
Children's sermon
Object:
a pair of binoculars
Good morning, boys and girls. I brought a special kind of glasses today. Have you seen these before? (let them answer) They're called binoculars. They are not for seeing things up close. They're for seeing things from far away. When you look at something far away, it makes it seem like it's really up close. Let's try it. (demonstrate and let a few see through the binoculars) What kinds of things could you look at through the binoculars? (let them answer) Some people like to watch birds. Some people take them to a large auditorium for a concert or program when they're going to be sitting way in the back. Some people take them to football or basketball games so they can see better.
When we go to watch some event, we say that we are witnesses. It means we see everything that's going on and we can tell someone else what we saw. Some of the events might be weddings, baptisms, funerals, concerts, plays, movies, or games. When we watch, sometimes we are up really close and sometimes we might use binoculars to see what is going on.
Our lesson today is a really, really long one. That's because it is about the week before Jesus died. It was a very busy week. Some of the things that happened were: Jesus' disciples went to the temple police to tell them where they could find Jesus, the first communion, Jesus prayed on the mountain, Jesus was arrested and on trial, and Jesus on the cross. Many of them were with him much of the time. They were witnesses to what happened. They saw and they could tell others what happened. For some of the week they were up close. But for some of the time our lesson says they stood at a distance. They probably would have needed these binoculars. Did they have binoculars then? (let them answer) No, they didn't. There was a lot to see. It was a very busy week. And Jesus' friends watched it all at a distance.
When we go to watch some event, we say that we are witnesses. It means we see everything that's going on and we can tell someone else what we saw. Some of the events might be weddings, baptisms, funerals, concerts, plays, movies, or games. When we watch, sometimes we are up really close and sometimes we might use binoculars to see what is going on.
Our lesson today is a really, really long one. That's because it is about the week before Jesus died. It was a very busy week. Some of the things that happened were: Jesus' disciples went to the temple police to tell them where they could find Jesus, the first communion, Jesus prayed on the mountain, Jesus was arrested and on trial, and Jesus on the cross. Many of them were with him much of the time. They were witnesses to what happened. They saw and they could tell others what happened. For some of the week they were up close. But for some of the time our lesson says they stood at a distance. They probably would have needed these binoculars. Did they have binoculars then? (let them answer) No, they didn't. There was a lot to see. It was a very busy week. And Jesus' friends watched it all at a distance.
