Listen Closely!
Children's sermon
Object:
none
First Thoughts: We don't want to use this passage in Mark as a way of frightening the children, and I don't think it's really necessary to do so to get the message across. The warning Jesus is giving to the disciples, really, is that they keep their focus on God, even when things work to distract them. The images given to us in the scripture include falling temples and false messiahs -- all of which invoke feelings of fear and uncertainty. We become disoriented when we experience fear this way. We begin to think that this present chaos is the real truth and our faith is the fantasy. But if we can quiet ourselves and listen closely for the voice of God, it always comes through. It is the voice of confidence and kindness, the voice of calm assurance and gentleness. Fear is the illusion and faith truth. In your mind think back to a time when you felt overwhelmed by uncertainty or fear, "wars and rumors of war." How did you hear God's voice in the middle of the chaos? What did you do to still yourself so you could hear better? Carry with you your experiences as you talk to the children.
Teaching As A Team:
Leader 1: Hey (name), what did you do this weekend?
Leader 2: I went to a corn maze!
Leader 1: A corn maze?
Leader 2: Yeah, you know. When they take a cornfield and mow a path in it and the path is like a puzzle you have to solve. You go in at one place and then try to find your way out.
Leader 1: That sounds fun.
Leader 2: It was but it was hard. I went with a couple of friends and one of them had a compass. So he was going to lead the way. But at some point I got turned around and lost them. The corn was so high I couldn't see anything.
Leader 1: What did you do?
Leader 2: At first I didn't know what to do. All I could see was corn everywhere and I kept hearing weird noises -- little animals rustling through the corn and birds calling out everywhere. I began to get really scared. But then I came up with a plan.
Leader 1: What was that?
Leader 2: I decided to stand really still and listen, not to all the sounds around me but for my friend's voice. See, he has this really loud laugh, not like anyone else's. I knew if I could hear his laugh I would figure out where to go.
Leader 1: And did it work?
Leader 2: Like a charm. I shut out all the other weird noises and even closed my eyes and sure enough there I heard it. (silly snorting laugh) I found my way out!
Leader 1: That was really smart of you. That reminds me of our passage today. Jesus was telling the disciples that the time would come when Jesus wouldn't be there, and they might find themselves a bit lost, like you were. He told them they would hear lots of things that would be confusing and distracting.
Leader 2: Like all the weird noises in the cornfield.
Leader 1: Right. But he told them when they felt that way they would just need to grow quiet and listen. That he would still be talking to them and they wouldn't have to be afraid.
Leader 2: Do you think Jesus has a funny laugh like my friend?
Leader 1: I think Jesus speaks to us in any way we need to make sure we know we're not alone and things are going to be okay.
Leader 2: So that means I can get lost in the world's largest corn maze and I'll still be fine.
Leader 1: Yep. Anywhere you go, God will be with you.
Teaching On Your Own: Guess what I did yesterday? I went to this big corn maze. Have you ever gone to one of those? It's kind of like a puzzle. They take a cornfield and then mow out a path. You go in one place and have to try to find your way out. Anyway, I went with a couple of friends and one of them had a compass. So he was going to lead the way. But at some point I got turned around and lost them. The corn was so high I couldn't see anything. So there I was: everywhere I looked all I could see was corn and I kept hearing weird noises -- little animals rustling through the corn and birds calling out everywhere. I began to get really scared. But then I came up with a plan. I decided to stand really still and listen, not to all the sounds around me but for my friend's voice. See, he has this really loud laugh, not like anyone else's. I knew if I could hear his laugh I would figure out where to go. So I shut out all the other weird noises and even closed my eyes and guess what happened? In just a few moments I heard it. (silly snorting laugh) I found my way out!
You know our Bible passage today talks about what we should do if we ever feel lost. Jesus was telling the disciples that the time would come when Jesus wouldn't be there and they might find themselves a bit lost, like I was. He told them they would hear lots of things that would be confusing and distracting, like all the weird noises in the cornfield. But he told them when they felt that way they would just need to grow quiet and listen. That he would still be talking to them and they wouldn't have to be afraid. What do you think Jesus' voice sounds like? Does it sound like this? (funny laugh again) You know what I think? I think Jesus speaks to us in any way we need to make sure we know we're not alone and things are going to be okay. So that means I can get lost in the world's largest corn maze and I'll still be fine. Anywhere I go, anywhere any of us go, God will be with us.
Closing Prayer: Loving God, thank you for giving us your promise that you will be with us in any and every place in our lives. Help us to grow hearts that are quiet so that we will always listen for your voice even if the world around us is noisy. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this message in a home or classroom environment, talk a bit about how God speaks to us. How do we know if a voice we hear is God's or just part of the noise in our world? Prepare several statements and share them with the children. These might be something like, "You are a beautiful person and I love you," and "Things are going to be okay; I am with you"; and "You just aren't that smart -- you should be quiet" and "Nobody's going to want to be your friend." Which of these statements sound like God's voice and which don't? Ask the children how they can tell. Talk about what God's voice is like: kind, encouraging, loving. It always gives us courage and deepens our compassion for others. Ask the children to give their own examples of God/Not-God statements.
For a craft idea, you can make "Yes/No" paddles. You will need a craft stick for each child and a piece of cardstock. Invite the children to cut out of the cardstock two identical circles and make one of them the "No" circle and the other the "Yes" circle. They can write the words as well as draw pictures on both circles. The "No" represents the things God would not say, and the "Yes" what we can expect from God. Glue the circles back-to-back with the craft stick in the middle. Remind the children that if they ever wonder if something is coming from God or not, they can look at their paddles for help or talk to someone they trust. God speaks through us in our own hearts and through people who love us. Close with a time of prayer.
Teaching As A Team:
Leader 1: Hey (name), what did you do this weekend?
Leader 2: I went to a corn maze!
Leader 1: A corn maze?
Leader 2: Yeah, you know. When they take a cornfield and mow a path in it and the path is like a puzzle you have to solve. You go in at one place and then try to find your way out.
Leader 1: That sounds fun.
Leader 2: It was but it was hard. I went with a couple of friends and one of them had a compass. So he was going to lead the way. But at some point I got turned around and lost them. The corn was so high I couldn't see anything.
Leader 1: What did you do?
Leader 2: At first I didn't know what to do. All I could see was corn everywhere and I kept hearing weird noises -- little animals rustling through the corn and birds calling out everywhere. I began to get really scared. But then I came up with a plan.
Leader 1: What was that?
Leader 2: I decided to stand really still and listen, not to all the sounds around me but for my friend's voice. See, he has this really loud laugh, not like anyone else's. I knew if I could hear his laugh I would figure out where to go.
Leader 1: And did it work?
Leader 2: Like a charm. I shut out all the other weird noises and even closed my eyes and sure enough there I heard it. (silly snorting laugh) I found my way out!
Leader 1: That was really smart of you. That reminds me of our passage today. Jesus was telling the disciples that the time would come when Jesus wouldn't be there, and they might find themselves a bit lost, like you were. He told them they would hear lots of things that would be confusing and distracting.
Leader 2: Like all the weird noises in the cornfield.
Leader 1: Right. But he told them when they felt that way they would just need to grow quiet and listen. That he would still be talking to them and they wouldn't have to be afraid.
Leader 2: Do you think Jesus has a funny laugh like my friend?
Leader 1: I think Jesus speaks to us in any way we need to make sure we know we're not alone and things are going to be okay.
Leader 2: So that means I can get lost in the world's largest corn maze and I'll still be fine.
Leader 1: Yep. Anywhere you go, God will be with you.
Teaching On Your Own: Guess what I did yesterday? I went to this big corn maze. Have you ever gone to one of those? It's kind of like a puzzle. They take a cornfield and then mow out a path. You go in one place and have to try to find your way out. Anyway, I went with a couple of friends and one of them had a compass. So he was going to lead the way. But at some point I got turned around and lost them. The corn was so high I couldn't see anything. So there I was: everywhere I looked all I could see was corn and I kept hearing weird noises -- little animals rustling through the corn and birds calling out everywhere. I began to get really scared. But then I came up with a plan. I decided to stand really still and listen, not to all the sounds around me but for my friend's voice. See, he has this really loud laugh, not like anyone else's. I knew if I could hear his laugh I would figure out where to go. So I shut out all the other weird noises and even closed my eyes and guess what happened? In just a few moments I heard it. (silly snorting laugh) I found my way out!
You know our Bible passage today talks about what we should do if we ever feel lost. Jesus was telling the disciples that the time would come when Jesus wouldn't be there and they might find themselves a bit lost, like I was. He told them they would hear lots of things that would be confusing and distracting, like all the weird noises in the cornfield. But he told them when they felt that way they would just need to grow quiet and listen. That he would still be talking to them and they wouldn't have to be afraid. What do you think Jesus' voice sounds like? Does it sound like this? (funny laugh again) You know what I think? I think Jesus speaks to us in any way we need to make sure we know we're not alone and things are going to be okay. So that means I can get lost in the world's largest corn maze and I'll still be fine. Anywhere I go, anywhere any of us go, God will be with us.
Closing Prayer: Loving God, thank you for giving us your promise that you will be with us in any and every place in our lives. Help us to grow hearts that are quiet so that we will always listen for your voice even if the world around us is noisy. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this message in a home or classroom environment, talk a bit about how God speaks to us. How do we know if a voice we hear is God's or just part of the noise in our world? Prepare several statements and share them with the children. These might be something like, "You are a beautiful person and I love you," and "Things are going to be okay; I am with you"; and "You just aren't that smart -- you should be quiet" and "Nobody's going to want to be your friend." Which of these statements sound like God's voice and which don't? Ask the children how they can tell. Talk about what God's voice is like: kind, encouraging, loving. It always gives us courage and deepens our compassion for others. Ask the children to give their own examples of God/Not-God statements.
For a craft idea, you can make "Yes/No" paddles. You will need a craft stick for each child and a piece of cardstock. Invite the children to cut out of the cardstock two identical circles and make one of them the "No" circle and the other the "Yes" circle. They can write the words as well as draw pictures on both circles. The "No" represents the things God would not say, and the "Yes" what we can expect from God. Glue the circles back-to-back with the craft stick in the middle. Remind the children that if they ever wonder if something is coming from God or not, they can look at their paddles for help or talk to someone they trust. God speaks through us in our own hearts and through people who love us. Close with a time of prayer.
