Can You Tie Your Own Shoes?
Children's sermon
THE BIG INFLUENCE OF SMALL THINGS
Exegetical Aim: Our dependence upon God. Key verses: 37--41.
Props: Wear shoes that can be tied and untie them before the sermon begins.
Lesson: Good morning. (response) I've got a problem. Look down at your shoes. (response) My shoes are not tied. What am I going to do? (response) But I don't know how to tie my shoes. What am I going to do? (response) You know how to tie shoes? (response) Who has shoes on that had to be tied? (response) Did you tie your own shoes? (response) Some of you did? (response) Good! Everybody untie your shoes. You're going to help me tie my shoes. If they are slow to do it, lean over to one or two of them pointing at their shoes and say: Untie your shoes and teach me how to tie them.
Work with the children as they progress through the endeavor. Try not to lead; be led by them. It might go something like this: Okay. What's the first thing we do? (response) Cross them. Cross your strings. Like this? (response) What's next? (response) Put the string through the hole. Is this right? And then what do I do? (response) Pull it tight? Act as if you're done. Whew, that was hard. But it wasn't as hard as I thought. Thanks for helping me tie my shoe. (response) What? (response) We're not done? You mean there's more. (response) What do we have to do next? (response) The loop! That's right. That's the really hard part. Show me how to do the loop. (response) Like this? Finish out the activity. Ask the older ones to help those who are not able to tie their shoes.
Application: Thanks for helping me tie my shoes. Who taught you to tie your shoes? (mom, dad) Your parents taught you? What else do your parents teach you to do? (response) We depend on our parents for a lot, don't we? What else do we depend on our parents for? (response) Let's see, who feeds you and gives you clothes to wear? (response) Who bought the house you live in and the bed you sleep in? (response) We have to depend on our parents for everything. Your mom and dad came to church this morning because they depend on someone. Who do you think your mom and dad depend on? (response) God, that's right. When your mom and dad are making dinner, they know that God has provided the food. When your mom and dad are giving you something to drink, they know that God has provided the fresh water for us to drink. And when your parents are teaching you to tie your shoes, they know that God is helping you. We have to depend on God all day long and never forget his presence in our lives.
Let's Pray: Lord, we depend on you. We need you to teach us how to tie our shoes and tie together our lives because they get untied an awful lot. Amen.
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Advent 1
Romans 13:11--14
Getting Ready For The Day
Exegetical Aim: The Lord provides protection.
Props: A jacket (protection from cold), a toothbrush (protection from tooth decay), and soap (protection from germs).
Lesson: How many of you got up this morning? (response) All of you? Hey, so did I! That's a good start! Let's see if we all do similar things when we get up in the morning. What's the first thing we do when we wake up in the morning? (response) How many of you put the toothbrush in your mouth as though you are brushing, and keep talking for a few seconds more brush your teeth? (response) Great, this will make all of the dentists very happy! We brush to protect our teeth from tooth decay. Take the toothbrush out of your mouth. How many of you show them the soap, and act as though you are washing wash your face? (response) Why do we wash? (response) Yes, we wash to protect ourselves from germs.
Once you are finished getting ready, and then you are ready to go outside, what do you put on to protect you from the cold? (response) As you are putting on your coat: I wear this coat when it gets cold. It seems as if we do similar things in the morning. We protect ourselves by brushing, and washing, and finally by putting on our coats.
Application: The Apostle Paul said for us to do something similar. He said it's time to wake up and know that God is near to us. We must put on Jesus Christ. Why does Paul say that we need to put on Jesus Christ? Try to lead the children to answer that Jesus protects us. That's right! Just as we wake up in the morning and do things to protect ourselves such as putting on our coats, we need to wake up and remember that God is near. Always know that we can put on Jesus Christ to be with us everywhere we go. And if bad things happen, Jesus will be with us to help us, just like the coat protects us from the rain or the cold. That way we will all be truly ready for the day.
Let's Pray: Dear God, thank you for waking us each day, and for giving us Jesus to protect us. Amen.
?
Props: Wear shoes that can be tied and untie them before the sermon begins.
Lesson: Good morning. (response) I've got a problem. Look down at your shoes. (response) My shoes are not tied. What am I going to do? (response) But I don't know how to tie my shoes. What am I going to do? (response) You know how to tie shoes? (response) Who has shoes on that had to be tied? (response) Did you tie your own shoes? (response) Some of you did? (response) Good! Everybody untie your shoes. You're going to help me tie my shoes. If they are slow to do it, lean over to one or two of them pointing at their shoes and say: Untie your shoes and teach me how to tie them.
Work with the children as they progress through the endeavor. Try not to lead; be led by them. It might go something like this: Okay. What's the first thing we do? (response) Cross them. Cross your strings. Like this? (response) What's next? (response) Put the string through the hole. Is this right? And then what do I do? (response) Pull it tight? Act as if you're done. Whew, that was hard. But it wasn't as hard as I thought. Thanks for helping me tie my shoe. (response) What? (response) We're not done? You mean there's more. (response) What do we have to do next? (response) The loop! That's right. That's the really hard part. Show me how to do the loop. (response) Like this? Finish out the activity. Ask the older ones to help those who are not able to tie their shoes.
Application: Thanks for helping me tie my shoes. Who taught you to tie your shoes? (mom, dad) Your parents taught you? What else do your parents teach you to do? (response) We depend on our parents for a lot, don't we? What else do we depend on our parents for? (response) Let's see, who feeds you and gives you clothes to wear? (response) Who bought the house you live in and the bed you sleep in? (response) We have to depend on our parents for everything. Your mom and dad came to church this morning because they depend on someone. Who do you think your mom and dad depend on? (response) God, that's right. When your mom and dad are making dinner, they know that God has provided the food. When your mom and dad are giving you something to drink, they know that God has provided the fresh water for us to drink. And when your parents are teaching you to tie your shoes, they know that God is helping you. We have to depend on God all day long and never forget his presence in our lives.
Let's Pray: Lord, we depend on you. We need you to teach us how to tie our shoes and tie together our lives because they get untied an awful lot. Amen.
?
Advent 1
Romans 13:11--14
Getting Ready For The Day
Exegetical Aim: The Lord provides protection.
Props: A jacket (protection from cold), a toothbrush (protection from tooth decay), and soap (protection from germs).
Lesson: How many of you got up this morning? (response) All of you? Hey, so did I! That's a good start! Let's see if we all do similar things when we get up in the morning. What's the first thing we do when we wake up in the morning? (response) How many of you put the toothbrush in your mouth as though you are brushing, and keep talking for a few seconds more brush your teeth? (response) Great, this will make all of the dentists very happy! We brush to protect our teeth from tooth decay. Take the toothbrush out of your mouth. How many of you show them the soap, and act as though you are washing wash your face? (response) Why do we wash? (response) Yes, we wash to protect ourselves from germs.
Once you are finished getting ready, and then you are ready to go outside, what do you put on to protect you from the cold? (response) As you are putting on your coat: I wear this coat when it gets cold. It seems as if we do similar things in the morning. We protect ourselves by brushing, and washing, and finally by putting on our coats.
Application: The Apostle Paul said for us to do something similar. He said it's time to wake up and know that God is near to us. We must put on Jesus Christ. Why does Paul say that we need to put on Jesus Christ? Try to lead the children to answer that Jesus protects us. That's right! Just as we wake up in the morning and do things to protect ourselves such as putting on our coats, we need to wake up and remember that God is near. Always know that we can put on Jesus Christ to be with us everywhere we go. And if bad things happen, Jesus will be with us to help us, just like the coat protects us from the rain or the cold. That way we will all be truly ready for the day.
Let's Pray: Dear God, thank you for waking us each day, and for giving us Jesus to protect us. Amen.
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