Waiting for Jesus
Children's sermon
Object:
a box, beautifully gift-wrapped
Good morning, boys and girls. Today we begin the new church year. How many of you know what we call the first day of the new church year? (let them answer) We don't call it New Year's Day. We call it the first Sunday in Advent, and we look forward together to the coming of Jesus. Someday Jesus is going to come back again and live with people here on earth. That is a promise that Jesus made to us. So, until Jesus comes back, we are asked to live as Jesus taught us to live and to wait with patience.
But there is a joy in waiting. Let me show you what I mean. I brought with me a beautifully decorated box. Isn't it pretty? (let them answer) I love the color of the paper and I love the bows and stickers. Do you know what is inside? (let them answer) The tag says that it is for the people of [name of church], including all of the children. That means it is for all of us here today. But today is not the right time to open it. We must wait.
How many of you like gifts for your birthday or Christmas? (let them answer) All of you like gifts. Do you have to wait sometimes to open them? (let them answer) You don't open your birthday gift until your birthday, do you? (let them answer) You don't open Christmas gifts until Christmas, do you? (let them answer) But are you happy to know that you are getting a special gift? (let them answer) Does it fill your heart with joy? Does it make you happy? (let them answer)
That is what Advent is about. We know that we are going to receive a gift someday. We know and believe that Jesus is coming back to live with us someday, but we don't know when. Would you like to have Jesus come and live with you in your house someday? Would you like to have lunch with Jesus or take a walk in the park with Jesus? Wouldn't it be great to look up someday and see Jesus walking across the school playground? (let them answer) Jesus is filling us with love everyday. He gives us joy and forgiveness and all of the other good things so that when he returns we will be ready to greet him.
It is like this gift box. It is beautifully wrapped and we know that there is a gift inside for us. We just don't know when we are going to open it. So the next time you see a gift wrapped beautifully like this, I want you to think about when Jesus is going to return and share his life with us.
But there is a joy in waiting. Let me show you what I mean. I brought with me a beautifully decorated box. Isn't it pretty? (let them answer) I love the color of the paper and I love the bows and stickers. Do you know what is inside? (let them answer) The tag says that it is for the people of [name of church], including all of the children. That means it is for all of us here today. But today is not the right time to open it. We must wait.
How many of you like gifts for your birthday or Christmas? (let them answer) All of you like gifts. Do you have to wait sometimes to open them? (let them answer) You don't open your birthday gift until your birthday, do you? (let them answer) You don't open Christmas gifts until Christmas, do you? (let them answer) But are you happy to know that you are getting a special gift? (let them answer) Does it fill your heart with joy? Does it make you happy? (let them answer)
That is what Advent is about. We know that we are going to receive a gift someday. We know and believe that Jesus is coming back to live with us someday, but we don't know when. Would you like to have Jesus come and live with you in your house someday? Would you like to have lunch with Jesus or take a walk in the park with Jesus? Wouldn't it be great to look up someday and see Jesus walking across the school playground? (let them answer) Jesus is filling us with love everyday. He gives us joy and forgiveness and all of the other good things so that when he returns we will be ready to greet him.
It is like this gift box. It is beautifully wrapped and we know that there is a gift inside for us. We just don't know when we are going to open it. So the next time you see a gift wrapped beautifully like this, I want you to think about when Jesus is going to return and share his life with us.
