Surprise!
Children's sermon
Object:
a party hat
"When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you.' " (v. 19)
Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) Today is the second Sunday of Easter. One week ago we celebrated that Jesus rose from the dead, and we are still celebrating!
I have with me today a party hat. Have you ever worn a party hat? (allow answers) What kind of party were you at when you wore a party hat? (allow answers) Have you ever worn a party hat to a surprise party? (allow answers) Have you ever had someone throw a surprise party for you? (allow answers) If you have, how did it make you feel? (allow answers) People who have surprise parties thrown for them are usually very surprised!
When we are surprised by a party, it is usually a good surprise! Maybe it is a birthday party, or a baby shower, or a party for someone who is getting a promotion. There are some surprises that are not happy surprises. Can you think of any surprises that would be bad surprises? (allow answers)
Sometimes we have bad surprises: Someone moves away unexpectedly, we suddenly get sick, or somewhere we wanted to go is cancelled.
Our gospel reading talks about the disciples being surprised by Jesus. Remember, the disciples didn't know that Jesus had been raised from the dead! The disciples were gathered together in a locked room to have dinner. They were sad because Jesus died. They were also scared, because they thought that the people who had shouted for Jesus to be crucified might come after the disciples, too. So the disciples locked the door while they had dinner, to keep out any uninvited guests. They were in for a surprise! During their dinner, they had an unexpected guest. Do you know who it was? (allow answers) Jesus! Jesus appeared in the locked room. The disciples thought he was dead!
How would you have felt if you were one of the disciples? (allow answers) What do you think you would have done if you were surprised like they were? (allow answers)
The disciples were shocked by Jesus' appearance, but calmed down once they realized who it was and what a miracle they were seeing. God moves in mysterious ways, and sometimes we are like the disciples. God shows us miracles that we can hardly believe. But, like Jesus appearing in the locked room, sometimes God's miracles are better than we can imagine! Next time you see something that is hard to believe, think of the disciples in the locked room. God puts miracles all around us -- it is up to us to see them and believe. Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) Today is the second Sunday of Easter. One week ago we celebrated that Jesus rose from the dead, and we are still celebrating!
I have with me today a party hat. Have you ever worn a party hat? (allow answers) What kind of party were you at when you wore a party hat? (allow answers) Have you ever worn a party hat to a surprise party? (allow answers) Have you ever had someone throw a surprise party for you? (allow answers) If you have, how did it make you feel? (allow answers) People who have surprise parties thrown for them are usually very surprised!
When we are surprised by a party, it is usually a good surprise! Maybe it is a birthday party, or a baby shower, or a party for someone who is getting a promotion. There are some surprises that are not happy surprises. Can you think of any surprises that would be bad surprises? (allow answers)
Sometimes we have bad surprises: Someone moves away unexpectedly, we suddenly get sick, or somewhere we wanted to go is cancelled.
Our gospel reading talks about the disciples being surprised by Jesus. Remember, the disciples didn't know that Jesus had been raised from the dead! The disciples were gathered together in a locked room to have dinner. They were sad because Jesus died. They were also scared, because they thought that the people who had shouted for Jesus to be crucified might come after the disciples, too. So the disciples locked the door while they had dinner, to keep out any uninvited guests. They were in for a surprise! During their dinner, they had an unexpected guest. Do you know who it was? (allow answers) Jesus! Jesus appeared in the locked room. The disciples thought he was dead!
How would you have felt if you were one of the disciples? (allow answers) What do you think you would have done if you were surprised like they were? (allow answers)
The disciples were shocked by Jesus' appearance, but calmed down once they realized who it was and what a miracle they were seeing. God moves in mysterious ways, and sometimes we are like the disciples. God shows us miracles that we can hardly believe. But, like Jesus appearing in the locked room, sometimes God's miracles are better than we can imagine! Next time you see something that is hard to believe, think of the disciples in the locked room. God puts miracles all around us -- it is up to us to see them and believe. Amen.
