Childrens Sermon Service

Object: A small candle and a bright flashlight. If you have a really bright flashlight, just shine it in the children’s direction, and not directly into their eyes.

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Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent! Today’s story is about Jesus. But I need to warn you that the story may sound a little confusing when I tell it to you.

One day, a man named John was writing to people to tell them about Jesus, and this is what he wrote. He said:

There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

That’s what John wrote. He said that God had sent someone to tell everyone about a light, didn’t he? (Let them respond.) And then he said that God was going to send someone else who would give that light to all of the people in the world, right? (Let them respond.) It sounded kind of confusing, didn’t it? (Let them respond.) Let’s see if we can figure it out.

The people in Jesus’ day didn’t like the darkness very much. If we are someplace that is dark and we don’t like it, what do we usually do? (Let them respond.) We turn on a light, don’t we? (Let them respond.) And that makes the darkness go away. But, back in Jesus’ day, the people didn’t have the lights like we have today. They couldn’t just flip a switch and turn on a light that would chase away the darkness. (Show the candle.) All they had were smaller lights they could light and carry around. They weren’t as bright as ours, so they didn’t get rid of the darkness the way our lights do.

When we drive down the road today, the lights on our cars really help us see a long way, don’t they?(Let them respond.) But when someone was walking down a road in Jesus’ day, their lights were so small that if someone wanted to hide behind a big rock to rob them, they could do that. Or, if there was a big cliff next to the road, their little lights might not be bright enough to warn them so they wouldn’t fall off the road. So, a lot of people thought the darkness was scary.

And there were other things that scared everyone back then. A lot of people were really sick and didn’t know how to get help. A lot of people were poor and didn’t have a place to live or food to eat, and didn’t know how to get help. There were wars going on, and the people didn’t know how to get help to be safe. It was all scary. It felt like their entire world was in the dark and there was no light at all. They wanted a bright light that would chase away the darkness. (Show the bright flashlight.) All the people wanted was a big, bright light to show them how to be safe.

(Stand and strut around like a powerful king holding the flashlight.) King Herod told everyone that all they needed to do to be safe was to do what he told them to do, and everything would be okay. (Shine the light on the children.) He told them they did not need another light to see with, but just needed to follow him because he was the light that God had sent. (Shine the light on yourself.)

(Stand and fold your arms like a judge holding the flashlight.) The religious leaders told everyone that all they needed to do to be safe was to do what they told them to do, and everything would be okay. (Shine the light on the children.) They told them they did not need another light to see with but just needed to follow them because they were the light that God had sent. (Shine the light on yourself.)

So, the people didn’t know whom they should follow: King Herod or the religious leaders. Their lights just made everything feel more confusing and darker for everyone.

But there is another kind of light, isn’t there? Does anyone remember what John said about Jesus in the story I read earlier? (Let them respond.) He said that Jesus was the true light that gives light to everyone, didn’t he? The true light. It isn’t like the other lights but is something very different. And Jesus said that when we follow him and walk in God’s true light, all of the dark and scary things will be taken away. And does anyone remember what two things Jesus said we need to do if we want to follow him? (Shine the light on the altar and let them respond.) He said we need to love God, and what else? (Let them respond.) We need to love and take care of each other, don’t we? (Shine the light on everyone in the room and let them respond.) Each and every one of us!

That is the true light that God has sent us, isn’t it? Instead of worrying and being afraid, Jesus said all we need to do is take care of each other and help each other. That is the true light that God wants us to follow.

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.