Whatever You Ask!
Children's sermon
Object: A whole, raw potato and a sack.
* * *
Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Our story this morning is something REALLY special. Are you ready for it? (Let them respond.) Great! Sometimes, things we read in the Bible aren’t all that exciting, are they? (Let them respond.) Sometimes there are lots of names and things that are kind of hard to understand, aren’t there? (Let them respond.) Well, our Bible story today is different. Today’s story is about something that is REALLY exciting.
Our story says that one night, Jesus was talking with his friends and telling them about the things that were going to happen after he went to be with God. They were worried, so he was trying to help them feel better so they weren’t so afraid. That’s when he said something to them that is so exciting. He said, “Don’t worry if I am not right here to help you, because even if I am not here, if you pray and ask me to do anything in my name, I will do it.”
Did you hear what he said? (Let them respond.) He said that if we believe in him and pray to him, he will do anything we ask him to do! ISN’T THAT EXCITING? (Let them respond.) Well, I thought it would be great if we tried that out here this morning, so I brought something for us to use. (Take the potato out of the sack and show it.) What do I have here? (Let them respond.) A potato, right? Well, since Jesus said he would do anything we asked him to do if we prayed, I thought we could try it with this potato and see what happens. Okay? (Let them respond.) So, I’m going to put this potato in the sack (put it in the sack and close the sack) and put it here on the floor. (Put the sack on the floor.) Now, I am going to say a prayer to Jesus and ask him to turn this potato into a Nintendo Switch! (Let them respond.) I think that would be great, don’t you? (Let them respond as you put the sack on the floor.)
I’m going to pray, “Jesus, since you promised you would do whatever we asked, would you please turn this potato into a brand-new Nintendo Switch? Amen.” (Just look at the sack on the floor and at the children for a few seconds to build excitement.) Okay, let’s see what happened. (Pick up the sack, peek in the top, and dump the potato out on the floor.) Hmm, I wonder what went wrong. (Let them respond.) Jesus said that if we prayed and asked him for anything in his name, he would do it, didn’t he? (Let them respond.) I wonder what happened? (Let them respond.) I even made sure to mention his name, since he said I needed to pray in his name.
Have you ever prayed for God to do something for yourself and God didn’t do it? (Let them respond.) Yes, I think we have all done that. Some people have done that and since God didn’t answer their prayer, they don’t believe that God is real anymore. They say that if God was really real, God would keep the promise and do whatever we prayed and asked God to do. So, since God didn’t turn our potato into a Nintendo Switch, they believe that God isn’t real.
I’ll tell you something — I believe that God is real, and I think I know why God didn’t answer my prayer. Jesus said, “If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.” But I don’t think Jesus meant that we should just mention his name in our prayer like it was some kind of magic word. Praying to God is not a magic trick. When Jesus said we should ask for things in his name, I think he meant that we should ask for things the way he would ask for them. If we pray for things that Jesus would pray for, God will answer our prayers.
So, I have a question for you. If Jesus was here with us this morning, right now, sitting with us right here, what kinds of things do you think he might pray for? (Let them respond, as you pick up the potato.) Do you think Jesus would pray and ask God to turn a potato into a Nintendo Switch? (Let them respond as you drop the potato back into the sack.) No, probably not. I think he might look around the room and if he saw someone here this morning who feels lonely, he would pray that someone would help them feel better. Or if he saw someone here who feels sick or afraid, he would pray that someone would help them feel better. Can you think of other things Jesus might pray for if he was here? (Let them respond.) Maybe he would pray for peace on earth? Maybe he would pray that all of his children could be safe, have homes, have enough to eat, and have someone who loves them and cares about them.
You know, even if we can’t turn a potato into a Nintendo Switch, I still think today’s story is REALLY exciting. If we think like Jesus and pray for the things Jesus might pray for, God will answer our prayers and we could really help others. And to me, that is EXCITING!
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.
* * *
Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Our story this morning is something REALLY special. Are you ready for it? (Let them respond.) Great! Sometimes, things we read in the Bible aren’t all that exciting, are they? (Let them respond.) Sometimes there are lots of names and things that are kind of hard to understand, aren’t there? (Let them respond.) Well, our Bible story today is different. Today’s story is about something that is REALLY exciting.
Our story says that one night, Jesus was talking with his friends and telling them about the things that were going to happen after he went to be with God. They were worried, so he was trying to help them feel better so they weren’t so afraid. That’s when he said something to them that is so exciting. He said, “Don’t worry if I am not right here to help you, because even if I am not here, if you pray and ask me to do anything in my name, I will do it.”
Did you hear what he said? (Let them respond.) He said that if we believe in him and pray to him, he will do anything we ask him to do! ISN’T THAT EXCITING? (Let them respond.) Well, I thought it would be great if we tried that out here this morning, so I brought something for us to use. (Take the potato out of the sack and show it.) What do I have here? (Let them respond.) A potato, right? Well, since Jesus said he would do anything we asked him to do if we prayed, I thought we could try it with this potato and see what happens. Okay? (Let them respond.) So, I’m going to put this potato in the sack (put it in the sack and close the sack) and put it here on the floor. (Put the sack on the floor.) Now, I am going to say a prayer to Jesus and ask him to turn this potato into a Nintendo Switch! (Let them respond.) I think that would be great, don’t you? (Let them respond as you put the sack on the floor.)
I’m going to pray, “Jesus, since you promised you would do whatever we asked, would you please turn this potato into a brand-new Nintendo Switch? Amen.” (Just look at the sack on the floor and at the children for a few seconds to build excitement.) Okay, let’s see what happened. (Pick up the sack, peek in the top, and dump the potato out on the floor.) Hmm, I wonder what went wrong. (Let them respond.) Jesus said that if we prayed and asked him for anything in his name, he would do it, didn’t he? (Let them respond.) I wonder what happened? (Let them respond.) I even made sure to mention his name, since he said I needed to pray in his name.
Have you ever prayed for God to do something for yourself and God didn’t do it? (Let them respond.) Yes, I think we have all done that. Some people have done that and since God didn’t answer their prayer, they don’t believe that God is real anymore. They say that if God was really real, God would keep the promise and do whatever we prayed and asked God to do. So, since God didn’t turn our potato into a Nintendo Switch, they believe that God isn’t real.
I’ll tell you something — I believe that God is real, and I think I know why God didn’t answer my prayer. Jesus said, “If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.” But I don’t think Jesus meant that we should just mention his name in our prayer like it was some kind of magic word. Praying to God is not a magic trick. When Jesus said we should ask for things in his name, I think he meant that we should ask for things the way he would ask for them. If we pray for things that Jesus would pray for, God will answer our prayers.
So, I have a question for you. If Jesus was here with us this morning, right now, sitting with us right here, what kinds of things do you think he might pray for? (Let them respond, as you pick up the potato.) Do you think Jesus would pray and ask God to turn a potato into a Nintendo Switch? (Let them respond as you drop the potato back into the sack.) No, probably not. I think he might look around the room and if he saw someone here this morning who feels lonely, he would pray that someone would help them feel better. Or if he saw someone here who feels sick or afraid, he would pray that someone would help them feel better. Can you think of other things Jesus might pray for if he was here? (Let them respond.) Maybe he would pray for peace on earth? Maybe he would pray that all of his children could be safe, have homes, have enough to eat, and have someone who loves them and cares about them.
You know, even if we can’t turn a potato into a Nintendo Switch, I still think today’s story is REALLY exciting. If we think like Jesus and pray for the things Jesus might pray for, God will answer our prayers and we could really help others. And to me, that is EXCITING!
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.
