Childrens Sermon Service

And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. (vv. 3-5)


Good morning, boys and girls. Today, we are going to learn about the way things happen. There is a way that certain things happen and without that way, things do not happen. Let me show you what I mean.

For here the saying holds true, "One sows and another reaps." I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor. (vv. 37-38)

Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you have ever been on a team? (let them answer) There are many different kinds of teams and I want to share one with you this morning. In many places, there are no fire engines and firemen or even a fire hydrant. Instead, when there is a fire, a team of neighbors help put it out. Maybe there is a pond or a large tower where they keep water just in case something like this happens. When people hear about the fire, they run and pick up their buckets and race as fast as they can to the place where the fire is.

SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME

Materials:
Construction paper in a variety of colors
Markers or crayons
Scissors
Glue
Wreath drawn on poster board
Small paper square
Hole punch
Ribbon

Directions:

1. Give each of the children a piece of colored paper.

2. Tell the children to trace one of their hands on the piece of paper.

3. Help the children cut out their hand shapes.

4. Tell the children to write their names on the backs of their hand shapes.

5. Have the children glue their hands around the wreath drawn on poster board.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (v. 6)

Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) How many of you have given something of yours away to someone who needed it? (allow answers) Sometimes we give away canned food or used clothing to help those who need them. Sometimes we also give away our money in order to help others.

SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME
AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME


Materials:
Images (interior and exterior) of different churches; try to include a Roman Catholic cathedral, a Catholic Orthodox place of worship, and a plainly decorated Protestant sanctuary (example: Baptist, Mennonite, nondenominational)


Directions:
1. Display these images for children to see. Have them study the photos.

2. Discuss the differences between each place of worship. What makes them different? What makes them similar? What do they like or dislike about each place?

• First Thoughts
• Teaching On Your Own
• Teaching As A Team
• Closing Prayer
• Follow-Up Lesson

We are going to go back in time for our story today. But before we do so let's have a snack of some crackers. (Pass out crackers -- have the glass of ice water in view for children to see.) Our story is about a lady that had a chance to meet Jesus in person one day as she was doing her daily chores. Jesus was very ordinary and like us in that he was tired from a long trip and was thirsty.

Do you want some more crackers?

Are you thirsty?

The woman from the well had some great news for people after meeting Jesus. I wonder, though, how many listened to her. She had a few marks against her character, her race was not respected, and her gender was not valued. The people who wrote off her words would miss the message of Jesus. We should also be careful to not shut our ears to people who we think could not possibly have something important to say.

This children's sermon was originally published March 27, 2011.

Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem. (v. 20)

Object:  A pair of tinted glasses, like sunglasses.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for me to tell you our story today? (Let them respond.)

A long time ago, in a land far away, there was a Samaritan woman. Jesus was Jewish, and the Jews and Samaritans did not get along at all. They both believed in God, but they believed different things about God. So, instead of their belief in God making them want to take care of each other, it divided them and made them not care about each other at all. Jews didn’t like Samaritans, and Samaritans didn’t like Jews. Their faith made them believe they were enemies.

Good morning, boys and girls. The Bible story this morning is about Jesus and a woman he met at a well. Jesus taught the woman about God's plan and how she could be part of it. She rushed back to her village and urged everyone to come and meet Jesus. He told them that no matter how much water they drank, they would be thirsty again. But if they took his teachings seriously, they would never doubt anything again. The people believed in Jesus.

I have a watch here. It's very special to me and I love to have it on my wrist. There is no battery so I have to wind it. It doesn't tell the day of the week or the date. I could buy a new watch that would be waterproof and glow in the dark.

Good morning, boys and girls. Has anyone here had a hard week? (let them answer) Things are not always easy. Sometimes I have a head cold and I feel miserable. Once in a while I get up in the middle of the night and stub my toe in the dark and it really hurts.

Good morning, boys and girls. I brought a mask with me this morning. Do any of you see anything different about it? (Let them answer.) That's right. I've covered the holes so that I can't see if I put it on. If I put this mask on I'd be blind wouldn't I? (Let them answer.) This morning's lesson is about a blind man. Jesus gave the blind man his sight. (Choose a willing child to wear the mask.) I want to show you what Jesus did. I wonder if (name the child) might put the mask on for a moment. (Have the child put on the mask.) Jesus saw the blind man and (remove the covers over the eyes.) healed the man. It was the first time ever that the man could see!

Good morning, boys and girls. I brought a pitcher of water and a glass with me this morning. I'm going to use it to tell you a story about this morning's Bible lesson. (Pour some water into the glass as you tell your story.) How many of you have ever been so thirsty that all you could think of was drinking a glass of water? (Let them answer.) That's what happened to Jesus one day. Let me ask you another question. How would you like to have a glass of water that will make you feel so good that you will never be thirsty again? (Let them answer.) That would be an amazing glass of water, wouldn't it!

Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you have a pet? (Let them answer. Ask a few of the children to tell what kind of pet they own.) We have many dogs and cats (if that is the case). Do any of you have any unusual pets? (Wait for an answer.) I'll bet that you love your pets. In a way they are part of your family. Let's imagine something for a moment. Think about how much you love your pet. It's real easy to love your pet isn't it? You didn't have to learn to love it. You probably loved it the moment you saw it.

Good morning, boys and girls. I brought a toy with me this morning that does something special. (Hold it up.) Do any of you know what this toy does? (Let them answer.) When I shine a flashlight on it and take it to a dark room it glows in the dark. How many of you have something like this? (Let them answer.) This toy is like this morning's lesson. The lesson tells us that before we knew Jesus we were in darkness. We were like this toy before I shone my light on it. The Bible lesson also says that when we came to know Jesus we were in the light. We became like this toy after the light was shown on us.

God loves you and me. That is a wonderful thing. When I think of God's love for me, I think of myself as being like this little paper cup. (Hold up the cup.) God pours God's love on me (pour from the large pitcher into the small cup). God fills me with love. What a wonderful thing! I'm thankful to have God's love.

Good morning! I have here some food. I could say this is "living food" because when we eat food, our body takes the food and uses it to fuel our bodies. We have the power to jump, walk, run, sit and stand because our body takes this (hold the food item) and turns it into energy. Food is "living food" once we eat it. If we don't eat it, it just rots and doesn't help us much.

Good morning! How many of you have gone on a long hike in
the mountains or the desert? If you do go on a hike, you will
need one of these. (Show the canteen.) We fill this canteen with
water because you can get thirsty when you're walking. Of course
the canteen is not too big and it will soon be empty if you drink
very much. So what can we do to make sure we always have water?
(Let them answer.) Yes, we have to keep filling it up. Sometimes
we can fill it in a stream or maybe there will be a water tap in
a campground along the way. If we don't fill it up, what will
happen? (Let them answer.) That's right. We will run out of water
and have nothing to drink.

Good morning! I have here an article from the newspaper
about a person who was on trial for a crime. In a trial like
that, all the evidence is presented, and then a judge or a jury
decides whether the person is guilty or not guilty. The person in
this article was found "not guilty" so he/she was set free. I
don't really know whether he/she was guilty or not, but that
doesn't matter now because in the eyes of the law, he/she has
been declared not guilty and is free. They cannot try him/her
again for that crime. I imagine that person is happy to be free
right now, don't you? (Let them answer.)

Do you know that you and I are also charged with some

Good morning! I want to ask you something: What should you do when you get thirsty? (get responses) That's right. Drink something. And one of the best things to drink is water. In the Bible lesson today, Jesus sits beside a well and speaks with a woman. He is thirsty from his journey and asks her for a drink of water. Then he says something that's very mysterious to her. (hold up the glass) He tells her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life." What do you think that means? (see what they think)

Good morning, boys and girls! I'm going to bandage NAME's hand. (apply the bandage) I'll tell you why in a minute. But first, in our lesson, the Apostle Paul writes about hardship. Can anyone tell me what hardship means? (see if anyone knows) Hardship is another word for suffering. Listen to a few lines again. (read vv. 3-4a) When Paul wrote this passage he was suffering. He had been thrown in jail for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and people were punishing him for what he believed. He was experiencing a time of hardship.

Materials:
Empty soup cans with the sharp edges removed (one per child)
Dark gray or brown colored paper (large enough to wrap around soup can)
Markers
Scissors
Glue or scotch tape
Pipe cleaners (one per child)

Instructions

Give the children each a soup can and allow them to choose a piece of paper. Have them draw stones all over the paper so that it resembles a stone wall. When they are done, have them glue or tape their paper around their cans so that the cans now look like a well.

Hand out the pipe cleaners (one per child) and tell the children to attach the pipe cleaners to the top of opposite sides of the "well."

Teachers: For this project you will need styrofoam cups (one for each pupil), potting soil for the cups, grass seed and a pitcher of water. With the weather getting warmer, this is a good opportunity for you and your class to plant some seeds.

Teachers: This morning's lesson is about Jesus giving sight to a man blind from birth. Tell your students the story. Try to find examples of Braille lettering. It would be interesting to share this method of reading with students.

Teachers or Parents: Read the story of the Woman of Samaria from a Children's Bible or modern version of the Bible. Point out the significant insights this story gives to the Gospel of Jesus Christ: The woman was a woman! And Jesus spoke to her, honored her, loved her -- even though it was not common practice for a man to speak to a woman who was not the man's spouse.

The woman was a Samaritan. The Samaritans were the hated neighbors of the Jews. Even so -- Jesus loved her and cared about her!

The woman was a "sinner" in that she had been sexually involved with men who were not her husband. Still, Jesus loved her and cared for her!

Teachers or Parents: There is no way to spend too much time
telling our children about faith. Faith is at the very core of
Christianity. Jesus tells the woman at the well about the living
water of faith that will "become a spring of water gushing up to
eternal life." We must share this water with our children as they
grow into mature Christians.

*Draw a diagram on the board or easel with three words,
"God," "Jesus," and "You." Draw a barrier between "You" and
"Jesus." Explain that this barrier is "unbelief." Now draw a
line from God to You and explain that faith comes from God to You
and that once you have faith the barrier will disappear (erase

In today's gospel reading, Jesus is having a conversation with a Samaritan woman. They are sitting by a well and Jesus asks her for a drink of water. While they are talking, Jesus takes the opportunity to teach the woman about the difference between what the world has to offer and what he has to offer. Suddenly a conversation about an ordinary thing, water, becomes a conversation about something extraordinary: eternal life. The simplest of things becomes a tool for learning.