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The Funnel Of God

Children's sermon
John 16:12-15
Wesley T. Runk
The Giant Book Of Children's Sermons
Matthew To Revelation
Object: a funnel


Good morning, boys and girls. Have you ever tried to pour something from one bottle into another bottle? (let them answer) Do you usually spill some of it when you try to do this? (let them answer) Do you know how to keep from spilling whatever you have in the bottle? (let them answer) You can be extra careful, but I have a better way.

How many of you have ever used a funnel? (let them answer) Tell me how you use one of these things that we call a funnel. (allow someone to give an explanation) That's right, you put the funnel into one of the bottles and then pour whatever you have into that bottle. The funnel acts like a guide, and it puts whatever you are pouring in just the right place so nothing is spilled or lost. A funnel is a very helpful tool.

I would like us to think that the funnel is like the Spirit of God. We can try to do things on our own. We can look at the trees and the birds and bees, and see how God has made them, and the way that he takes care of them, and we can try to understand how God wants us to live. We can read books and talk to other people, but that does not really tell us how God loves us as people. We want to feel love from God, and not find it out in any other way.

The Bible tells us that the Spirit of God is like a funnel. The Spirit is a guide who brings the love of God right to us without spilling one drop. The Spirit does not change a word of what he hears when he speaks to us. He is really like a funnel. Whatever God wants us to know, the Spirit of God tells us. The Spirit of God works with us as children of God to help us learn every day something new about God and God's church. The Spirit teaches us how to forgive and how to be honest with each other. The Spirit does not make this up, but rather he brings it to us from God, without losing one part of what God wanted us to know. This is why I tell you that the Spirit is like a funnel.

The next time that you see someone filling the gas tank on their mower with a funnel, or you see your father or mother using a funnel in the kitchen, I want you to think about all of the different ways that a funnel is used. Then I want you to think about the way that the Spirit of God is like a funnel, and the very many ways that the Spirit is used by God in teaching us. You must remember that the funnel does not make the stuff that it helps to pour. It comes from somewhere else. The same thing is true of the Spirit. The Spirit does not make up what he teaches us. The things that the Spirit pours into us are the good stuff that comes from God. The Spirit is like a funnel carrying the good news from God to us.
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BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS

Lesson 1: Isaiah 42:1--9 (C, E); Isaiah 42:1--4, 6--7 (RC); Isaiah 42:1--7 (L)
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E-mail
From: KDM
To: God
Subject: Being Inclusive
Message: Are you sure, God, that you show no partiality? Lauds, KDM

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Your voice whispers
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Baptized In Water or Praise And Thanksgiving Be To God Our Maker

Prayer Of The Day

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Good morning, boys and girls. What am I wearing this morning? (Let them answer.) I'm wearing part of a uniform of the (name the team). Have any of you gone to a game where the (name the team) has played? (Let them answer.) I think one of the most exciting parts of a game is right before it starts. That's when all the players are introduced. Someone announces the player's name and number. That player then runs out on the court of playing field. Everyone cheers. Do you like that part of the game? (Let them answer.) Some people call that pre-game "hype." That's a funny term, isn't it?
Good morning! Let me show you this certificate. (Show the
baptism certificate.) Does anyone know what this is? (Let them
answer.) Yes, this is a baptism certificate. It shows the date
and place where a person is baptized. In addition to this
certificate, we also keep a record here at the church of all
baptisms so that if a certificate is lost we can issue a new one.
What do all of you think about baptism? Is it important? (Let
them answer.)

Let me tell you something about baptism. Before Jesus
Good morning! How many of you have played Monopoly? (Let
them answer.) In the game of Monopoly, sometimes you wind up in
jail. You can get out of jail by paying a fine or, if you have
one of these cards (show the card), you can get out free by
turning in the card.

Now, in the game of life, the real world where we all live,
we are also sometimes in jail. Most of us never have to go to a
real jail, but we are all in a kind of jail called "sin." The
Bible tells us that when we sin we become prisoners of sin, and

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