Always Be Prepared!
Children's sermon
Object:
Two flashlights. One with batteries and one without.
“Keep awake therefore...” (v. 13a)
Good morning girls and boys,
How are you? Are you fully awake? Sleepy? Yawning? Tired or perky? Up and ready to go? We're going to talk about being sleepy or awake. Talk about being prepared or not being prepared.
Suppose your teacher plans to give your class a test at school. Should you go home and play video games or should you study and prepare for the test? (children discuss)
Now let's pretend you and I are going for a hike. We know it's important to prepare. So we prepare ourselves by taking not only water, hiking boots, rattlesnake kit, some mace should we be chased by a bear, but also flashlights because we might not get back until after dark.
Now suppose some of us brought flashlights with batteries and some brought flashlights with no batteries.
Who would be the most prepared as we came back in the night? (turn on both flashlights) (children answer)
Jesus was such an excellent story-teller — always teaching something very important. One day, Jesus told a parable about 10 ladies who were part of a wedding party. Five ladies brought lamps with oil for the night and five forgot extra oil for their lamps for the darkness of the night. When the bridegroom came, those who were ready with lamps burning went into the wedding reception. But those who had no extra oil had to run to try to buy some at the store but they were too late. They missed the party. They were not prepared. The teaching for us is this: It's much better to be prepared than not to be prepared while we are looking and waiting for Jesus' coming.
Have you ever felt lazy about important things? It's so easy to be lazy and sleepy about God's business isn't it? It's very important to be alert and awake when Jesus comes daily and especially when he comes at the last day.
Prayer: Dear Jesus help us be prepared and ready whenever you come. Amen.
Good morning girls and boys,
How are you? Are you fully awake? Sleepy? Yawning? Tired or perky? Up and ready to go? We're going to talk about being sleepy or awake. Talk about being prepared or not being prepared.
Suppose your teacher plans to give your class a test at school. Should you go home and play video games or should you study and prepare for the test? (children discuss)
Now let's pretend you and I are going for a hike. We know it's important to prepare. So we prepare ourselves by taking not only water, hiking boots, rattlesnake kit, some mace should we be chased by a bear, but also flashlights because we might not get back until after dark.
Now suppose some of us brought flashlights with batteries and some brought flashlights with no batteries.
Who would be the most prepared as we came back in the night? (turn on both flashlights) (children answer)
Jesus was such an excellent story-teller — always teaching something very important. One day, Jesus told a parable about 10 ladies who were part of a wedding party. Five ladies brought lamps with oil for the night and five forgot extra oil for their lamps for the darkness of the night. When the bridegroom came, those who were ready with lamps burning went into the wedding reception. But those who had no extra oil had to run to try to buy some at the store but they were too late. They missed the party. They were not prepared. The teaching for us is this: It's much better to be prepared than not to be prepared while we are looking and waiting for Jesus' coming.
Have you ever felt lazy about important things? It's so easy to be lazy and sleepy about God's business isn't it? It's very important to be alert and awake when Jesus comes daily and especially when he comes at the last day.
Prayer: Dear Jesus help us be prepared and ready whenever you come. Amen.
