Good News!
Children's sermon
Object: This message uses two motions instead of objects. The “Herod” motion is to cross your arms and make a mean face. The “God” motion is to hold your arms out in front of you, palms up, and smile.
* * *
Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent! Since today is Christmas, can anyone guess what our story is about? (Let them respond.) It’s a story about the birth of the baby Jesus. It is really a story about a big problem that God had when Jesus was born. Somehow, God wanted to make sure everyone knew about the baby and wanted to invite everyone to follow Jesus and do what he asked them to do. But God’s problem was how to tell everyone about Jesus and get them to do what Jesus asked them to do.
God had a choice.
God could do what King Herod did. King Herod was good at making people pay attention to him and do what he wanted them to do. He had thousands of soldiers to help him, and when King Herod wanted people to do something, he sent his soldiers to make them do it. His soldiers had armor, big shields, long spears, and chariots, and were trained to fight. If people didn’t do what King Herod wanted them to do, his soldiers would get them. Herod tried to make people do what he wanted like this. (Do the Herod motion and have the children join you.)
But God did something else. Instead of using soldiers, God picked some shepherds to tell everyone about Jesus. Shepherds didn’t have shields, long spears, or chariots, and weren’t trained to fight. In fact, most shepherds didn’t even own any sheep. The job of a shepherd was to take care of other people’s sheep. Everyone knew the shepherds cared about other people so they trusted them. And God knew people would not be afraid of the shepherds and would listen to them. The shepherds would not threaten anyone but would just tell everyone about who Jesus was so they would want to pay attention and do what God wanted them to do. God tried to get people to do what God wanted like this. (Do the God motion and have the children join you.)
King Herod didn’t care about people but just wanted to make sure they obeyed him and did what he wanted. (Do the Herod motion.) But God cared about the people and just wanted to help them. (Do the God motion.) Instead of threatening people, God reached out to help them.
Now, I have two important questions for you. If you wanted to tell people about what Jesus said God wants us to do, how could you do it? You might try to make them do what God wants like Herod did. You could make a bunch of laws that people had to follow. And if they didn’t follow them, you could threaten them, or fight with them, and treat them like Herod’s soldiers treated people. (Do the Herod motion and have the children join you.)
Or you could do it like God did and show people how good it is to do things the way God wants us to do them. God wants us to take care of each other, to be fair to everyone, and to help someone if they need help. Instead of fighting with them, we could show them how much God loves them and how we care about them, too. (Do the God motion and have the children join you.)
I like God’s way better, don’t you? (Let them respond.)
And my other question is, if God wants to tell us something important today, how do you think God would tell us? (Let them respond.) Would God send someone to threaten us, or fight with us? (Do the Herod motion and have the children join you.) Or do you think God would send someone who shows us how much they care about us? (Do the God motion and have the children join you.)
I don’t think God would send armies or powerful people to fight with us, do you? (Do the Herod motion and have the children join you.) If God wanted to tell us something, I think God would send someone who shows us how much they care about us, don’t you? (Do the God motion and let them respond.)
I think God wants us to be shepherds instead of soldiers, don’t you? (Let them respond.)
As we celebrate Jesus’ birthday today, 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.
* * *
Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent! Since today is Christmas, can anyone guess what our story is about? (Let them respond.) It’s a story about the birth of the baby Jesus. It is really a story about a big problem that God had when Jesus was born. Somehow, God wanted to make sure everyone knew about the baby and wanted to invite everyone to follow Jesus and do what he asked them to do. But God’s problem was how to tell everyone about Jesus and get them to do what Jesus asked them to do.
God had a choice.
God could do what King Herod did. King Herod was good at making people pay attention to him and do what he wanted them to do. He had thousands of soldiers to help him, and when King Herod wanted people to do something, he sent his soldiers to make them do it. His soldiers had armor, big shields, long spears, and chariots, and were trained to fight. If people didn’t do what King Herod wanted them to do, his soldiers would get them. Herod tried to make people do what he wanted like this. (Do the Herod motion and have the children join you.)
But God did something else. Instead of using soldiers, God picked some shepherds to tell everyone about Jesus. Shepherds didn’t have shields, long spears, or chariots, and weren’t trained to fight. In fact, most shepherds didn’t even own any sheep. The job of a shepherd was to take care of other people’s sheep. Everyone knew the shepherds cared about other people so they trusted them. And God knew people would not be afraid of the shepherds and would listen to them. The shepherds would not threaten anyone but would just tell everyone about who Jesus was so they would want to pay attention and do what God wanted them to do. God tried to get people to do what God wanted like this. (Do the God motion and have the children join you.)
King Herod didn’t care about people but just wanted to make sure they obeyed him and did what he wanted. (Do the Herod motion.) But God cared about the people and just wanted to help them. (Do the God motion.) Instead of threatening people, God reached out to help them.
Now, I have two important questions for you. If you wanted to tell people about what Jesus said God wants us to do, how could you do it? You might try to make them do what God wants like Herod did. You could make a bunch of laws that people had to follow. And if they didn’t follow them, you could threaten them, or fight with them, and treat them like Herod’s soldiers treated people. (Do the Herod motion and have the children join you.)
Or you could do it like God did and show people how good it is to do things the way God wants us to do them. God wants us to take care of each other, to be fair to everyone, and to help someone if they need help. Instead of fighting with them, we could show them how much God loves them and how we care about them, too. (Do the God motion and have the children join you.)
I like God’s way better, don’t you? (Let them respond.)
And my other question is, if God wants to tell us something important today, how do you think God would tell us? (Let them respond.) Would God send someone to threaten us, or fight with us? (Do the Herod motion and have the children join you.) Or do you think God would send someone who shows us how much they care about us? (Do the God motion and have the children join you.)
I don’t think God would send armies or powerful people to fight with us, do you? (Do the Herod motion and have the children join you.) If God wanted to tell us something, I think God would send someone who shows us how much they care about us, don’t you? (Do the God motion and let them respond.)
I think God wants us to be shepherds instead of soldiers, don’t you? (Let them respond.)
As we celebrate Jesus’ birthday today, 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.
