Divided or Together?
Children's sermon
Object: A sheet large enough for your children to stand around. A 2x4 board, or something of similar size, large enough to stretch across the sheet. A dozen or more tennis balls, golf balls, or other similar balls. For the activity, set the 2x4 on the floor and lay the sheet over it so the 2x4 divides the sheet into two sections.
Note: You may use the volunteer approach I describe here, or you may want to select a child to be the first to try the activity, whichever you are most comfortable with. If you pick a child, just change that part of the script when you get there.
Note: If, by chance, your first child does figure out some way to move the balls together, don’t worry. Just say something like “Great! Now let’s try it again.” And just keep going and then talk about how much easier it was when everyone worked together. And please let me know how they did it!
* * *
Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent! We are going to do something a little different today. I have something for us to do that will help us tell our story. Let me show you.
(Put the board on the floor and spread the sheet across it so the board divides the sheet in half.) We are going to use this for our story. Does anyone have an idea about what our story might be? (Let them respond.) Let’s see if this helps. (Put one-half of the balls on one side of the board and the other half on the other side. The board should be high enough that the balls cannot roll together.) Now, does anyone have an idea what our story might be about? (Let them respond.)
Okay, to explain it better, I need a volunteer. (Have the volunteer stand by the side of the sheet.) Now, we have a bunch of balls on the sheet, right? (Let them respond.) And there is something making a bump in the middle of the sheet that keeps the balls apart, isn’t there? Well, when I say “Go,” your job is to move all of the balls so they are all on one side of that bump. But, here are the rules. First, you cannot touch the balls yourself. The only thing you can touch is a little piece of the sheet with your hand. You might pick up one corner of the sheet, or one spot on the side of the sheet, but only one spot. Do you understand? (Let them respond and explain more if you need to.) Great! Let’s see what you can do. Go! (Let the child try to move the balls by lifting their little part of the sheet. They can change what piece of the sheet they hold, but can only hold one piece at a time. If a ball rolls off of the sheet, just put it back on the side it came from. When you are ready, have them stop.) That wasn’t very easy, was it? (Let them respond.) Let's see if we can make it a bit easier.
I want everyone to get up and go stand around the sheet. ((Let them do that.) Now, we will use the same rules. Each one of you can bend over and pick up just one piece of the sheet’s edge. (Let them do that.) And when I say “Go,” you need to make all of the balls move to one side of the bump in the middle. Does everyone understand? (Let them respond.) Let’s try it!
(As the children move the sheet, encourage them and keep them focused on moving the balls to one side of the bump. Again, if balls roll off of the sheet, just put them back on the side they came from. When the children finish the task, have them sit back down so you can continue.)
Now, does anyone have an idea what our story is about today? (Let them respond.) Well, one day, Jesus was visiting someone in their house when a bunch of people came to see him. Those people started arguing about who Jesus was and how he did the great things he did. Some of the people said it was because he was from God, and some said he wasn’t with God at all and was just trying to trick them. They were really arguing! Finally, Jesus came out and said, “Hey! If you divide a house in half, what is going to happen to it?” Someone said, “It will fall down.” Jesus said, “And that is just what is going to happen to you if you don’t stop arguing and start working together! Stop fighting, and start working together to do the things God wants you to do.”
That’s kind of like what we did, isn’t it? (Let them respond.) It was really hard for one person to move all of the balls together, but what happened when we all worked together? (Let them respond.) It was a LOT easier, wasn’t it? (Let them respond.) And THAT is what our story is about today. Because that’s how it works when we are trying to do other things, too. If we work together instead of arguing, we can do lots of things that we can’t do on our own, can’t we? (Let them respond.)
Let’s pray together and ask God to remind us that Jesus loves every one of us and wants us to follow him and work together to help take care of each other the way God takes care of us.
Prayer
Dear God, thank you for reminding us how much you love us and for forgiving us when we forget that. And please help us remember that you love all of the people you have created and help us let the people around us know that we love them just like Jesus loves us. Amen.
Note: You may use the volunteer approach I describe here, or you may want to select a child to be the first to try the activity, whichever you are most comfortable with. If you pick a child, just change that part of the script when you get there.
Note: If, by chance, your first child does figure out some way to move the balls together, don’t worry. Just say something like “Great! Now let’s try it again.” And just keep going and then talk about how much easier it was when everyone worked together. And please let me know how they did it!
* * *
Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent! We are going to do something a little different today. I have something for us to do that will help us tell our story. Let me show you.
(Put the board on the floor and spread the sheet across it so the board divides the sheet in half.) We are going to use this for our story. Does anyone have an idea about what our story might be? (Let them respond.) Let’s see if this helps. (Put one-half of the balls on one side of the board and the other half on the other side. The board should be high enough that the balls cannot roll together.) Now, does anyone have an idea what our story might be about? (Let them respond.)
Okay, to explain it better, I need a volunteer. (Have the volunteer stand by the side of the sheet.) Now, we have a bunch of balls on the sheet, right? (Let them respond.) And there is something making a bump in the middle of the sheet that keeps the balls apart, isn’t there? Well, when I say “Go,” your job is to move all of the balls so they are all on one side of that bump. But, here are the rules. First, you cannot touch the balls yourself. The only thing you can touch is a little piece of the sheet with your hand. You might pick up one corner of the sheet, or one spot on the side of the sheet, but only one spot. Do you understand? (Let them respond and explain more if you need to.) Great! Let’s see what you can do. Go! (Let the child try to move the balls by lifting their little part of the sheet. They can change what piece of the sheet they hold, but can only hold one piece at a time. If a ball rolls off of the sheet, just put it back on the side it came from. When you are ready, have them stop.) That wasn’t very easy, was it? (Let them respond.) Let's see if we can make it a bit easier.
I want everyone to get up and go stand around the sheet. ((Let them do that.) Now, we will use the same rules. Each one of you can bend over and pick up just one piece of the sheet’s edge. (Let them do that.) And when I say “Go,” you need to make all of the balls move to one side of the bump in the middle. Does everyone understand? (Let them respond.) Let’s try it!
(As the children move the sheet, encourage them and keep them focused on moving the balls to one side of the bump. Again, if balls roll off of the sheet, just put them back on the side they came from. When the children finish the task, have them sit back down so you can continue.)
Now, does anyone have an idea what our story is about today? (Let them respond.) Well, one day, Jesus was visiting someone in their house when a bunch of people came to see him. Those people started arguing about who Jesus was and how he did the great things he did. Some of the people said it was because he was from God, and some said he wasn’t with God at all and was just trying to trick them. They were really arguing! Finally, Jesus came out and said, “Hey! If you divide a house in half, what is going to happen to it?” Someone said, “It will fall down.” Jesus said, “And that is just what is going to happen to you if you don’t stop arguing and start working together! Stop fighting, and start working together to do the things God wants you to do.”
That’s kind of like what we did, isn’t it? (Let them respond.) It was really hard for one person to move all of the balls together, but what happened when we all worked together? (Let them respond.) It was a LOT easier, wasn’t it? (Let them respond.) And THAT is what our story is about today. Because that’s how it works when we are trying to do other things, too. If we work together instead of arguing, we can do lots of things that we can’t do on our own, can’t we? (Let them respond.)
Let’s pray together and ask God to remind us that Jesus loves every one of us and wants us to follow him and work together to help take care of each other the way God takes care of us.
Prayer
Dear God, thank you for reminding us how much you love us and for forgiving us when we forget that. And please help us remember that you love all of the people you have created and help us let the people around us know that we love them just like Jesus loves us. Amen.
