Be prepared
Children's sermon
Object:
a child's toy (example used are roller skates)
Good morning, boys and girls. What does it mean to be prepared
for something? (Let them answer.) It means that when you are
waiting for something to happen that it doesn't surprise you. You are ready for it to happen.
I brought these roller skates (you may use your own object) with me this morning. They remind me of a story about being prepared. The story is about a girl about your age. Her best friend invited her to go roller skating. The friend was coming with her mother. When the friend and mother would arrive, the mother would take them roller skating. The girl couldn't wait to skate. Her mother told her to be prepared for when her friend arrived. That meant that she should get her skates. The girl asked her mother, "How will I know when my friend arrives?" Her mother said, "You will see many cars go by. Don't be worried if they pass our house. Those cars aren't the one you are waiting for. When your friend's car arrives, it will turn into our driveway." Then her mother told her to wait by the front room window and watch for her friend's car to turn in the driveway. The girl waited and waited. While she waited she heard many cars drive down her street. Each time she heard a car she thought that this must be her friend's car. She patiently waited as many, many cars went by. Each one sounded like the car she was waiting for. Finally her friend's car pulled into her driveway. She waved to her friend. She was prepared. She knew it was time to skate.
This story reminds me of this morning's lesson. In the lesson Jesus' disciples ask when the end of the world is coming. Jesus tells them to be prepared and to wait. He says that they may think again and again that the end is coming, but it is not. The important thing is to be ready -- be prepared.
Here's what I want you to remember. The girl waited as many cars drove by her house. That's like many Christians today waiting because they think they see signs of the end of the world. Jesus tells us not to be frightened by this. Instead, Jesus wants us to be prepared and to wait.
I brought these roller skates (you may use your own object) with me this morning. They remind me of a story about being prepared. The story is about a girl about your age. Her best friend invited her to go roller skating. The friend was coming with her mother. When the friend and mother would arrive, the mother would take them roller skating. The girl couldn't wait to skate. Her mother told her to be prepared for when her friend arrived. That meant that she should get her skates. The girl asked her mother, "How will I know when my friend arrives?" Her mother said, "You will see many cars go by. Don't be worried if they pass our house. Those cars aren't the one you are waiting for. When your friend's car arrives, it will turn into our driveway." Then her mother told her to wait by the front room window and watch for her friend's car to turn in the driveway. The girl waited and waited. While she waited she heard many cars drive down her street. Each time she heard a car she thought that this must be her friend's car. She patiently waited as many, many cars went by. Each one sounded like the car she was waiting for. Finally her friend's car pulled into her driveway. She waved to her friend. She was prepared. She knew it was time to skate.
This story reminds me of this morning's lesson. In the lesson Jesus' disciples ask when the end of the world is coming. Jesus tells them to be prepared and to wait. He says that they may think again and again that the end is coming, but it is not. The important thing is to be ready -- be prepared.
Here's what I want you to remember. The girl waited as many cars drove by her house. That's like many Christians today waiting because they think they see signs of the end of the world. Jesus tells us not to be frightened by this. Instead, Jesus wants us to be prepared and to wait.
