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Plan For Heaven

Children's sermon
Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16
Wesley T. Runk
The Giant Book Of Children's Sermons
Matthew To Revelation
Object: a pup tent


Good morning, boys and girls. Today I want to take a moment to set up our object so that all of you know what I am talking about. (set up the pup tent) How many of you have ever been camping in a park or somewhere far away from home? (let them answer) It is a lot of fun, isn't it? First you set up your tent, find a safe place to put the food where the raccoons and bears can't get it, and then lay out your sleeping bags. Sometimes you have to walk a long way to find your water and bring it back to camp, but no matter what kind of work you do, it still seems like fun.

But it isn't home, is it? Do you remember how good it felt to get home and sleep in your own bed, and walk over to the sink to get a drink of water, or sit in a soft chair? That's home. It is good to have a home.

God thinks of heaven as our real home and of being here on earth as like camping. This is not where we are going to live forever. The longest time is going to be spent with God in heaven.

A long time ago God had a very loyal follower by the name of Abraham, and wherever God told him to go, Abraham went, and he stayed as long as God told him to stay. He lived in a tent because he knew that God was going to use him in a lot of ways and in a lot of places. He could move his tent wherever God wanted him to go, but he couldn't move a house. Abraham wanted to be able to go on a moment's notice.

That is the way it should be with us. We don't want to spend all of our time working and building something here on earth that will only last for a short time. Most of our lives will be spent with God, so we should spend most of our time preparing to live with God. Some people spend all of their time working and planning for the things here on earth such as their houses, their yards, their boats, their cars, or other possessions. They have little time to listen to God as Abraham did. But God thinks that it is better to plan for heaven and be ready to live with him than it is to spend all of our time thinking and planning about earth. Maybe you can take part of your time today to think about God and plan for heaven. Will you do that? Good. That will make God happy.
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C. David Mckirachan
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Contents
"Truckin'" by C. David McKirachan
"Heretic or Saint?" by Frank Ramirez


* * * * * * * * *


Truckin'
C. David McKirachan
Isaiah 35:1-10

SermonStudio

Elizabeth Achtemeier
This passage has many affinities with the prophecies of Second Isaiah (Isaiah 40-55), and it has often been attributed to him. But there are differences. In Isaiah 40:3, the "way" is for the Lord, here it is for the redeemed and ransomed (vv. 9-10). In Isaiah 51:11, the reference is to the return from Babylonian exile. Here in verse 10, that context is missing, and those who are returning to Zion are the members of Israel dispersed throughout the ancient Near East. Thus, this text is probably from a time after Second Isaiah and sometime after 538 B.C.
Russell F. Anderson
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS

Lesson 1: Isaiah 35:1--10 (C, E, L); Isaiah 35:1--6, 10 (RC)
Paul E. Robinson
Christmas has a way of bringing back memories. One that came to my mind as I was preparing this message was when my family would be driving home at night in the car and my father would lead us in singing a song. To all of us family members who remember those fun, cozy journeys toward home, there are many layers of meaning to the words. The song goes like this:

There's a long, long trail awinding,
Into the land of my dreams,
Where the nightingales are singing
And the white moon beams.
There's a long, long night of waiting
Dallas A. Brauninger
E-mail
From: KDM
To: God
Subject: Be Patient
Message: In the meantime, God.... Lauds, KDM

E-mail from KDM to God. Subject: Be patient. Message: In the meantime, God.... Lauds, KDM.
Susan R. Andrews
It was a painful experience for both of us. Jane was a young mother about my age. She had been on the pastor nominating committee that called us to New Jersey. And we had shared much laughter and friendship through the years. She also was on the session - and that cold November night she seemed edgy and distant. I soon found out why. Following the meeting, she waited for me out in the parking lot. And after I locked the church door, she simply lit into me. "How dare you!" she said. "How dare you push your own political viewpoints down our throats, and abuse your privilege as a pastor!
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Call To Worship
Leader: To those wandering in darkness,
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All: Come, let us anticipate the advent of our Lord.

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(Distribute this sheet to the readers.)

Date:

Reader A:

Reader B:

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Litany
Reader A: Please turn to the Advent litany in your bulletins.
(Pause as they do so.)
Let all who take refuge in God be glad;
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Special Occasion

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