A Basket Of Angels
Children's sermon
Cows In Church
80 Biblically Based Children's Sermons
Object:
A big basket filled with artificial grass and all the angels I could find among my Christmas decorations.
It is Easter. I have brought a basket filled with angels as an aid to our discussion of the events at Christ's tomb on Easter morning. The largest angel is almost a foot tall, made of paper. The others are smaller, one of blown glass, one tatted, one made of pieces of macaroni, one of lace. They are Christmas ornaments, but as a friend pointed out when I was putting the basket together, "I would hope that angels are appropriate in church any time." Me too -- and not just in church.
When the children have gathered, I ask, "Did anyone have a basket at home this morning?" Several heads nod, a few hands tentatively go up. "Let me see those hands," I encourage. It looks like every one of them got an Easter basket.
"What was in your basket?" I ask one of the children near the microphone. "Nothing!" she announces with satisfaction, much to my surprise and the congregation's amusement.
"Nothing?" I question.
"That's right," she affirms. "It was empty -- but I get to hunt for eggs later. Then it will have eggs in it."
I was relieved. As people have often pointed out to me, it's always a risk to ask questions during a children's sermon. But it's a risk worth taking in order to get them involved.
Other children's hands are waving demandingly now as they are eager to tell me what was in their baskets. "I had a troll in mine," one child proclaims with glee. Laughter again resonates through the congregation. As I elicit additional responses from other children, the majority of the answers consist of a single sweet word: "CANDY!"
One child is more explicit. "Chocolate eggs!" he announces. And the last response is, "Beauty and the Beast." Whether this is a video or a book we don't take time to explore.
My basket has been out of sight during this discussion, waiting under the front pew. Now I reach for it and put it down in the middle of the circle of children.
"I don't seem to have candy, or trolls, or Beauty and the Beast in my basket. What do I have?" The children have been eyeing the basket with expressions ranging from curiosity to surprise to wonder.
"Angels!" they respond in chorus.
"Why do you suppose I would have angels in an Easter basket?" I continue.
"Because of the angel at Jesus' tomb on Easter," one of the older children answers.
"How did you know that?" I ask, fairly certain I knew.
"I sang with the children's choir at first service," she responds. Laughter again ripples through the congregation.
"Well, good," I reply, "then you can help me out with the rest of this. You say there was an angel at the tomb. Was Jesus there?"
"No," she answers, "that's why the angel was there, to tell the ladies who came that Jesus had risen."
"That's right," I agree. "The angel was God's messenger, and the message the angel brought wasn't just for the women who came to the tomb; it was a message for all of us, that Jesus is risen; he is alive and with us always.
"You know, angels aren't just for Christmas or Easter. Angels are messengers we may meet any time. They come in all shapes and sizes and remind us that God is with us, Jesus is with us, every moment of every day."
When the children have gathered, I ask, "Did anyone have a basket at home this morning?" Several heads nod, a few hands tentatively go up. "Let me see those hands," I encourage. It looks like every one of them got an Easter basket.
"What was in your basket?" I ask one of the children near the microphone. "Nothing!" she announces with satisfaction, much to my surprise and the congregation's amusement.
"Nothing?" I question.
"That's right," she affirms. "It was empty -- but I get to hunt for eggs later. Then it will have eggs in it."
I was relieved. As people have often pointed out to me, it's always a risk to ask questions during a children's sermon. But it's a risk worth taking in order to get them involved.
Other children's hands are waving demandingly now as they are eager to tell me what was in their baskets. "I had a troll in mine," one child proclaims with glee. Laughter again resonates through the congregation. As I elicit additional responses from other children, the majority of the answers consist of a single sweet word: "CANDY!"
One child is more explicit. "Chocolate eggs!" he announces. And the last response is, "Beauty and the Beast." Whether this is a video or a book we don't take time to explore.
My basket has been out of sight during this discussion, waiting under the front pew. Now I reach for it and put it down in the middle of the circle of children.
"I don't seem to have candy, or trolls, or Beauty and the Beast in my basket. What do I have?" The children have been eyeing the basket with expressions ranging from curiosity to surprise to wonder.
"Angels!" they respond in chorus.
"Why do you suppose I would have angels in an Easter basket?" I continue.
"Because of the angel at Jesus' tomb on Easter," one of the older children answers.
"How did you know that?" I ask, fairly certain I knew.
"I sang with the children's choir at first service," she responds. Laughter again ripples through the congregation.
"Well, good," I reply, "then you can help me out with the rest of this. You say there was an angel at the tomb. Was Jesus there?"
"No," she answers, "that's why the angel was there, to tell the ladies who came that Jesus had risen."
"That's right," I agree. "The angel was God's messenger, and the message the angel brought wasn't just for the women who came to the tomb; it was a message for all of us, that Jesus is risen; he is alive and with us always.
"You know, angels aren't just for Christmas or Easter. Angels are messengers we may meet any time. They come in all shapes and sizes and remind us that God is with us, Jesus is with us, every moment of every day."
