Childrens Sermon Service

Object: A sign with the word “CAREFUL” printed on it in big letters. For extra meaning, create some small “CAREFUL” cards to give to each child to take with them.

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Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent! Let me start with a question. Have you ever worried about something? I mean, have you ever REALLY worried about something? (Let them respond.) How does it feel to worry? (Let them respond.) It doesn’t feel very good, does it? (Let them respond.) Today’s story is about some people who were very worried.

One day, Jesus and his friends were in the temple in Jerusalem and Jesus was talking with them about the things God wanted them to do. The leaders of the temple didn’t like the things Jesus was saying, so they stood around, staring at them. (As you read the following, stand up, brush off your robe, and fold your arms like a powerful bully might do.) The temple leaders wore fancy robes, so they stood there staring at Jesus and his friends, kind of like this. They were acting like bullies, weren’t they? (Let them respond.)

When Jesus and his friends went back outside of the temple, one of Jesus’ friends looked up at the big building and said, “Wow, look at the HUGE stones they used to build that!” Jesus looked at them and said, “One of these days, every one of those big stones will be knocked down and not one of them will be left standing there.” Jesus’ friends knew that he was saying that, someday, God was going to punish the temple leaders for being bullies instead of taking care of people the way God wanted them to.

And that’s when Jesus’ friends started to worry.

(Sound worried as you say this.) One of them said, “When is that going to happen? And, when God punishes the bullies at the temple, how do we make sure we don’t get in trouble, too?” They were getting worried, weren’t they? (Let them respond.)

But Jesus told them they didn’t have to worry about God. All they needed to do was to be careful. (Show the sign.) If they were careful to do the things God wanted them to do, they didn’t need to worry about God at all.

But Jesus told them it might be hard to stop worrying. Sometimes it is hard to stop worrying, isn’t it? (Let them respond.) Jesus told them that a lot of things were going to happen that might make them want to keep worrying, but they didn’t need to do that. They just needed to be careful. (Show the sign.)

Let me ask you another question. Jesus said that we should be careful to do what God asks us to do, right? (Show the sign and let them respond.) So, who can remember what Jesus said God wants us to do? (Let them respond.) I have a little hint for you. (Hold up the sign.) What does this say? (Let them respond.) It says ‘care ful’, doesn’t it? (Let them respond as you slowly tear the sign in half and reverse the two words.) Now what does it say? (Let them respond.) It says ‘ful care’ doesn’t it? (Let them respond.) And that is what God wants us to do, isn’t it? To be full of care.

Do you know that some people still worry about what God is going to do? (Let them respond.) But we don’t need to do that, do we? What do we need to do instead? (Let them respond as you hold up the new sign.) Be full of care!

Before we go, can anyone think of some ways we might show people that we care about them? (Let them respond.) We might just say, “Hi!” to them, or be nice to them, or not bully them like those temple leaders did. There are lots of ways for us to be careful (show the careful sign), be full of care (show the ful care sign), and care for other people aren’t there? (Let them respond.)

Let’s pray and ask God to remind us that Jesus loves every one of us and wants us to follow him and 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.