Knowing God forever
Children's sermon
Object:
a lump of clay
Good morning! Here's a question for you: Who were you before you were born? I'm not just talking about when you were a baby in your mother's tummy. I mean before that. Who were you? What did you look like? I think it's fun to think about that. God has always known us, even before we were anything but an idea. He has always known what we'd look like, sound like and even what we'd be when we grew up. He's known all along whom we would be.
What happened when God made you? (hold up the clay) Maybe God was sitting around one day thinking. The world needed a person just like you, but you hadn't been made yet. So maybe he did something like shaping you out of clay. (play with the clay as you speak) He painted your eyes, made some hair and squeezed the clay around until you looked just right. Finally, he blew air into the clay and poof! A whole new person was created -- different from any other in the whole world.
I don't think that's exactly what God does when he makes someone, but who knows? I do know that each person is very special to God. He makes each and every person on purpose. He knows and loves who we are, even before we know ourselves.
In our reading today, Jesus says that part of eternal life is about knowing God. It's about being with the one who knows us better than we know ourselves. It's about spending time with the one who made us. Even when we may not know or understand ourselves, God does. He loves each of us. We are all incredibly important to him. Why did he make you who you are? Why does he love us so much? Part of eternal life is about being close to God and finding the answers to these questions.
Prayer: God, thank you for the gift of eternal life. Help us know you just as well as you know us. Amen.
What happened when God made you? (hold up the clay) Maybe God was sitting around one day thinking. The world needed a person just like you, but you hadn't been made yet. So maybe he did something like shaping you out of clay. (play with the clay as you speak) He painted your eyes, made some hair and squeezed the clay around until you looked just right. Finally, he blew air into the clay and poof! A whole new person was created -- different from any other in the whole world.
I don't think that's exactly what God does when he makes someone, but who knows? I do know that each person is very special to God. He makes each and every person on purpose. He knows and loves who we are, even before we know ourselves.
In our reading today, Jesus says that part of eternal life is about knowing God. It's about being with the one who knows us better than we know ourselves. It's about spending time with the one who made us. Even when we may not know or understand ourselves, God does. He loves each of us. We are all incredibly important to him. Why did he make you who you are? Why does he love us so much? Part of eternal life is about being close to God and finding the answers to these questions.
Prayer: God, thank you for the gift of eternal life. Help us know you just as well as you know us. Amen.
