A special honor
Children's sermon
Object:
a blue ribbon or a certificate of honor
Good morning, boys and girls. We are almost at the end of Advent and very near to Christmas. Is everything ready at your house to welcome Jesus? (let them answer) Advent is all about getting ready to welcome Jesus into our lives.
Today I have a wonderful story to share with you. This is the story about the angel Gabriel and how he met with a woman named Mary. How many of you have heard about Gabriel? (let them answer) Good, because Gabriel was a favorite messenger of God. How many of you have heard of a woman named Mary? (let them answer) Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a very famous person.
The story in the Bible tells us how Gabriel came and spoke to Mary. Not many of us have an angel come and speak to us, do we? Has anyone ever had an angel come and visit him/her? (let them answer) Gabriel found Mary and told her that she had been favored by God to be the mother of his son. Of all the women in the world, God chose Mary. That is a very special honor, isn't it?
I remember one time in my life when I received this certificate. I was chosen out of all the people who belonged to the same organization to receive this framed certificate. I was very proud but also very humble because I knew that there were many other people who could have been chosen.
This is a blue ribbon. At the county fair, when you have the best horse, cow, lamb, or goat or the best-made dress or even the best-tasting pickles, they give you a blue ribbon. That means you are really special, the best of all the people who raise animals or grow vegetables or make dresses. You are special.
But imagine what it would be like to be chosen by God to be the mother of his child. It was so special that God sent an angel by the name of Gabriel to make the announcement. Mary felt very humble. She believed in God and knew this was for real. And she knew that this was more than just a great honor. It was something for which God chose her and only her.
Maybe the next time you see something like this hanging on your parents' wall or in someone's office you will think of Gabriel and Mary. Or if you ever get a blue ribbon, think about how God chose Mary by sending the angel Gabriel to tell her that she was going to be the mother of God.
Today I have a wonderful story to share with you. This is the story about the angel Gabriel and how he met with a woman named Mary. How many of you have heard about Gabriel? (let them answer) Good, because Gabriel was a favorite messenger of God. How many of you have heard of a woman named Mary? (let them answer) Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a very famous person.
The story in the Bible tells us how Gabriel came and spoke to Mary. Not many of us have an angel come and speak to us, do we? Has anyone ever had an angel come and visit him/her? (let them answer) Gabriel found Mary and told her that she had been favored by God to be the mother of his son. Of all the women in the world, God chose Mary. That is a very special honor, isn't it?
I remember one time in my life when I received this certificate. I was chosen out of all the people who belonged to the same organization to receive this framed certificate. I was very proud but also very humble because I knew that there were many other people who could have been chosen.
This is a blue ribbon. At the county fair, when you have the best horse, cow, lamb, or goat or the best-made dress or even the best-tasting pickles, they give you a blue ribbon. That means you are really special, the best of all the people who raise animals or grow vegetables or make dresses. You are special.
But imagine what it would be like to be chosen by God to be the mother of his child. It was so special that God sent an angel by the name of Gabriel to make the announcement. Mary felt very humble. She believed in God and knew this was for real. And she knew that this was more than just a great honor. It was something for which God chose her and only her.
Maybe the next time you see something like this hanging on your parents' wall or in someone's office you will think of Gabriel and Mary. Or if you ever get a blue ribbon, think about how God chose Mary by sending the angel Gabriel to tell her that she was going to be the mother of God.
