Childrens Sermon Service

Object: A sheet large enough for your children to stand around it. A dozen or so golf balls, or other small unbreakable balls. If you have a large number of children you could use two sheets to make room, or just ask for volunteers to play the game.

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Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent! But we’re not starting with the story today. I have something else I would like you to try. (Lay the sheet on the floor and put the balls in the middle of it.)

This is a game I would like us to play. To get started, I would like everyone to get up and stand around the outside of the sheet. Don’t touch it yet, but just find a place around the sheet. (Have them do that.) Now, who wants to go first? (Let them respond and pick the first player.) Okay, let me tell you what you need to do. You need to hold one edge of the sheet with one hand and pick it all up without letting any of the balls roll off of the sheet. Understand? (Let them respond and have them try to pick it up. Make sure they just hold one edge of the sheet with their hand. ‘Scrunching’ the edges up to hold more than one part of the edge is not allowed.) Okay, that was a good try. Who wants to try next? (Let them respond and repeat as many times as you have time for.)

It is pretty hard to do, isn’t it? (Let them respond.) Let’s try again and see if we can make it any easier.Only this time, instead of just one of you holding the edge, let’s all hold it at the same time. Use one hand and grab one part of the edge in front of you. (Have them do that.) Now, slowly, let’s raise up the edge of the sheet and see if we can keep the balls from falling out. (Have them do that. If a ball drops, have them try again until they make it!) There you go! You did it! How about a round of applause for our players? (Invite the congregation to join in the applause.)

So, what made it easier to do this time? (Let them respond.) How many of us lifted the sheet this time? (Let them respond.) But we worked together and acted like we were just one person lifting that sheet, didn’t we? (Let them respond.) And we did it! We can do some pretty great things when we work together like we are one person.

Jesus knew how important that was. One day he was praying and he asked God to, “protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.” Jesus knew that sometimes it would be hard for us to do the things that God wants us to do. So he asked God to help us remember that we can do more if we work together. He knew that if we worked together like one person like we did in our game, we could do all of the things God wants us to do. And who remembers what God wants us to do? (Let them respond.) God wants us to take care of each other, right!

I hope our game and story will help us remember God created us to work together 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.