Peace! Be still!
Children's sermon
Object:
a toy boat
Today I would like for us to think of this toy boat as being
a real boat. In this real boat are people. One person in the
boat is Jesus. He is asleep.
Now you and I are the wind and the storm. Who would like to be the wind? (Let them answer.) Okay. You who are wind will blow and blow hard. But when you hear the words "PEACE! BE STILL!" then you must stop blowing. Okay? Let's try it. (Try it. Make sure the children understand the directions.)
Now I need some of you to be crashing thunder. Who can do that? (Let them answer.) Okay, all you crashing thunders, you're going to make a lot of noise. What you want to do is frighten all the people in the boat. You especially want to waken Jesus, who is asleep. Make lots of lightning and thunder noise until you also hear the words "PEACE! BE STILL!" Then you must be absolutely quiet. (Again, try it.)
Some of you need to be rushing, angry water -- swishing and swirling and splashing the little boat. Let's hear you make swishing, swirling, splashing sounds. (Do it. Again, give them the instructions to become absolutely still when they hear the words "Peace! Be still!")
Okay -- now the wind is starting to blow. (Have these children begin.) The waters are starting to disturb the little boat. (Have the water children chime in.) The lightning flashes and the thunder booms. (Add the noisiest element to the scenario.) And everyone on the little boat is afraid -- except the man Jesus, who is still asleep in the little boat. They wake him up because they are afraid. He stands up in the little boat (stand up) and says in a loud voice: "PEACE! BE STILL!" (Pause.) And all was calm.
Jesus was not afraid because he had God's peace within him. He had faith in God. When we become afraid, we also can know peace. Our God is much bigger than the winds that blow or the waters that swirl or the lightning and thunder that crashes. Our God is with us. God is on our side. I'm so glad to know God and the peace that comes from knowing God.
Dear God: Teach us peace. Amen.
Now you and I are the wind and the storm. Who would like to be the wind? (Let them answer.) Okay. You who are wind will blow and blow hard. But when you hear the words "PEACE! BE STILL!" then you must stop blowing. Okay? Let's try it. (Try it. Make sure the children understand the directions.)
Now I need some of you to be crashing thunder. Who can do that? (Let them answer.) Okay, all you crashing thunders, you're going to make a lot of noise. What you want to do is frighten all the people in the boat. You especially want to waken Jesus, who is asleep. Make lots of lightning and thunder noise until you also hear the words "PEACE! BE STILL!" Then you must be absolutely quiet. (Again, try it.)
Some of you need to be rushing, angry water -- swishing and swirling and splashing the little boat. Let's hear you make swishing, swirling, splashing sounds. (Do it. Again, give them the instructions to become absolutely still when they hear the words "Peace! Be still!")
Okay -- now the wind is starting to blow. (Have these children begin.) The waters are starting to disturb the little boat. (Have the water children chime in.) The lightning flashes and the thunder booms. (Add the noisiest element to the scenario.) And everyone on the little boat is afraid -- except the man Jesus, who is still asleep in the little boat. They wake him up because they are afraid. He stands up in the little boat (stand up) and says in a loud voice: "PEACE! BE STILL!" (Pause.) And all was calm.
Jesus was not afraid because he had God's peace within him. He had faith in God. When we become afraid, we also can know peace. Our God is much bigger than the winds that blow or the waters that swirl or the lightning and thunder that crashes. Our God is with us. God is on our side. I'm so glad to know God and the peace that comes from knowing God.
Dear God: Teach us peace. Amen.
