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A Road For The King

Children's sermon
Luke 3:1-6
Second Sunday of Advent - C
Arley K. Fadness
Object: 
A clock with “Johnny” imprinted on the face -- real or sketched clock
Good morning boys and girls,

It’s really awesome to see you this beautiful morning. Thanks for joining me. Are you ready to hear a special message I have just for you children?  (children respond)

Has your mom or dad ever reminded you, “It’s time to go to bed?”  Have they ever shouted, “It’s time to hurry up and get ready” for something? (children respond)

Ever hear, “Time to catch your bus for school? Time to go shopping? Time to go fishing? Time to go to church?”

So what tells us it’s time to do something? (show clock) (children respond)

Excellent! Now listen carefully. I am going to talk to Mr. Clock.

(presenter role plays by talking to the clock)

“Hi Mister Clock. Nice to see you this morning. Do you know who you are? You are a great friend. Why are you so great? You help us all the time for us to know it’s time to do something. Like time to go play. Time to go to work. Time to do homework. Time to watch a video. And I see you have a name, ‘Johnny Clock.’ That’s interesting.”

(turn to children) Kids, do you know why why this clock is called a “Johnny Clock?”

Well in the bible, John the Baptist was like a “Johnny Clock.”

He tells everybody, “It’s time to get ready.”

He meant it’s time to get ready for a coming VIP. (A Very Important Person) So who is this VIP that is coming? A king! And like when a king comes from one country to another you make the roads straight and easy for travel. You fix the crooked, winding, dangerous curves. You straighten them.

Really, what John meant, was for people to straighten their lives out. All people are invited to a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. That is, we are sorry for our sins, in order to experience the loving grace of forgiveness. Then, our roads are straight. So what sins in our lives can boys and girls like you be sad and sorry for?

How fantastic, then, is the grace of forgiveness?! You are forgiven! I am forgiven!

Prayer: Thank you, King Jesus, for coming.  Our roads are ready for you to come. Amen.
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