Seek First!
Children's sermon
Object: A colorful flower like a Bird of Paradise or something with an interesting-looking blossom. If you are not near a florist, many grocers have flowers like these available. Just change the name of the flower in the message as you talk about it.
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Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Great! Let me start by asking you a question. Do you ever worry about anything? (Let them respond and draw them out to make a list of things we sometimes worry about. Then turn to the congregation and continue.) I’ll include you in this question, too. Do you ever worry about anything? We all do, sometimes, don’t we? Sometimes we worry a little bit, and sometimes we worry a LOT, don’t we? (Let them respond.) I am curious. Right now, can anyone think of five things you are worried about right now? You don’t have to tell us what they are, but if you can think of five things you are worried about right now, please raise your hand. (Let them respond.) That’s a lot of worrying, isn’t it? (Let them respond.)
Now, let me show you something. (Show the flower.) This flower is called the Bird of Paradise and it grows in places like Africa. (Let them respond.) Why do you think it is called the Bird of Paradise? (Let them respond.) It kind of looks like a bird, doesn’t it? (Let them respond.) It sure is pretty, isn’t it? (Let them respond.) It has these long blossoms and really bright colors, and they can grow really tall. They really look special, don’t they?
Now, let me ask you a question. How much time do you think a Bird of Paradise flower spends worrying about how it looks? (Let them respond.) I mean, do you think it stands around thinking,“Oh no, what if my blossom doesn’t get as big as those others are?”, or “Oh my, what if my orange doesn’t get as bright as it should be?”, or “Uh oh, I need to do something to make myself get taller.” Do you think the Bird of Paradise worries about these things? (Let them respond.) No, I don’t think the Bird of Paradise worries about things like that. It isn’t so pretty and so special because it worries about things, is it? (Let them respond.) It is what it is because that’s how God created it to be.
One day, Jesus was talking with some people and invited them to come with him and help him take care of others. But when he asked them, he saw that they were all worried. They said that if they went with him, they were worried about things like where they were going to live, what they were going to eat, what they were going to wear, and how they would all take care of themselves. They worried about some of the same things we worry about, didn’t they? (Let them respond.) And sometimes it is kind of scary to be nice to people, isn’t it? (Let them respond.) It can be especially scary if we want to be nice to someone that other people don’t like or make fun of, can’t it? (Let them respond.) Maybe we worry that if we are nice to that person, then those other people will start making fun of us, too, don’t we? (Let them respond.) Those people with Jesus were worried like that, too.
(Show the flower.) Jesus looked at them and said, “Do you see this beautiful flower? Is it beautiful because it worries a lot? Is that what makes it beautiful? And if this flower worries a lot, will that make it more beautiful?” The people shook their heads, and some even laughed.
“No!”, they said. “The flower does not need to worry.”
Jesus smiled and said, “And you don’t need to worry either. If God takes this much care of a little flower, just imagine how well God will take care of you when you follow me. Just think about helping me help others, and you don’t need to worry about anything at all. God will help us take care of those things.”
When we started our story, I asked if you had five things you were worried about right now. Do you remember the things you were worried about? (Let them respond as you show the flower again.) If God takes so much care to create this little flower, don’t you think God will take care of you, too? (Let them respond.) Jesus said that if we follow him and spend our time helping take care of each other, God will give us everything we need.
Let’s all say “Thank You” to God, and spend our time helping care for each other instead of worrying.
I hope our story will help us remember that God created us to take care of each other. 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.) Great! Let me start by asking you a question. Do you ever worry about anything? (Let them respond and draw them out to make a list of things we sometimes worry about. Then turn to the congregation and continue.) I’ll include you in this question, too. Do you ever worry about anything? We all do, sometimes, don’t we? Sometimes we worry a little bit, and sometimes we worry a LOT, don’t we? (Let them respond.) I am curious. Right now, can anyone think of five things you are worried about right now? You don’t have to tell us what they are, but if you can think of five things you are worried about right now, please raise your hand. (Let them respond.) That’s a lot of worrying, isn’t it? (Let them respond.)
Now, let me show you something. (Show the flower.) This flower is called the Bird of Paradise and it grows in places like Africa. (Let them respond.) Why do you think it is called the Bird of Paradise? (Let them respond.) It kind of looks like a bird, doesn’t it? (Let them respond.) It sure is pretty, isn’t it? (Let them respond.) It has these long blossoms and really bright colors, and they can grow really tall. They really look special, don’t they?
Now, let me ask you a question. How much time do you think a Bird of Paradise flower spends worrying about how it looks? (Let them respond.) I mean, do you think it stands around thinking,“Oh no, what if my blossom doesn’t get as big as those others are?”, or “Oh my, what if my orange doesn’t get as bright as it should be?”, or “Uh oh, I need to do something to make myself get taller.” Do you think the Bird of Paradise worries about these things? (Let them respond.) No, I don’t think the Bird of Paradise worries about things like that. It isn’t so pretty and so special because it worries about things, is it? (Let them respond.) It is what it is because that’s how God created it to be.
One day, Jesus was talking with some people and invited them to come with him and help him take care of others. But when he asked them, he saw that they were all worried. They said that if they went with him, they were worried about things like where they were going to live, what they were going to eat, what they were going to wear, and how they would all take care of themselves. They worried about some of the same things we worry about, didn’t they? (Let them respond.) And sometimes it is kind of scary to be nice to people, isn’t it? (Let them respond.) It can be especially scary if we want to be nice to someone that other people don’t like or make fun of, can’t it? (Let them respond.) Maybe we worry that if we are nice to that person, then those other people will start making fun of us, too, don’t we? (Let them respond.) Those people with Jesus were worried like that, too.
(Show the flower.) Jesus looked at them and said, “Do you see this beautiful flower? Is it beautiful because it worries a lot? Is that what makes it beautiful? And if this flower worries a lot, will that make it more beautiful?” The people shook their heads, and some even laughed.
“No!”, they said. “The flower does not need to worry.”
Jesus smiled and said, “And you don’t need to worry either. If God takes this much care of a little flower, just imagine how well God will take care of you when you follow me. Just think about helping me help others, and you don’t need to worry about anything at all. God will help us take care of those things.”
When we started our story, I asked if you had five things you were worried about right now. Do you remember the things you were worried about? (Let them respond as you show the flower again.) If God takes so much care to create this little flower, don’t you think God will take care of you, too? (Let them respond.) Jesus said that if we follow him and spend our time helping take care of each other, God will give us everything we need.
Let’s all say “Thank You” to God, and spend our time helping care for each other instead of worrying.
I hope our story will help us remember that God created us to take care of each other. 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.
