Earthen Vessels
Children's sermon
Cows In Church
80 Biblically Based Children's Sermons
Object:
Several small clay jars.
"I've brought two small things this morning to pass around so you can look at them. What are they?"
"Vases!" some children answer.
"Little jars," others suggest.
"Well, what do you think they are made of?"
"Glass?" comes the first tentative response.
"That's a good guess. They are very much like glass vases and jars. But they are made of something else."
"Clay!" a more certain child pronounces with a hint of "Aha!" in his voice.
"Clay. That's right. Where do we get clay?" In asking this question I find myself hoping no one comes back with, "At the store."
"We get it out of the ground," comes the welcome answer.
"Yes, we get it out of the ground," I agree. "So, clay comes from the earth; it is a type of earth. We could say these little clay jars are made of earth.
"Now, in Genesis there is a story about God doing something with clay or earth taken from the ground. God took the clay and made something. Does anyone know what that was?"
"People!" Melinda pronounces, triumphantly.
"Yes. God took the clay (the earth), formed it into people, and breathed life into them.
"Well, that's interesting. These little jars are made of clay and so are people, including every one of you! Isn't that amazing?
"There is another scripture that might help us understand all of this a little better. In Second Corinthians it says, 'We have a treasure in earthen vessels...' When you hear the hear the word 'treasure,' what do you think of?"
"Gold!" comes the glittering response.
"Any particular kind of gold?" I ask.
"Gold coins!"
"Jewelry!"
"I often think about those kinds of treasures too," I respond, "and yet, when I read the scripture about having a treasure in earthen vessels, I wonder what that means. I look at these little earthen vases I have brought this morning and think, well, I might put a gold coin in one of them, but I don't think that's what the scripture is talking about. I think the scripture is talking about the earthen vessels that are people.
"Remember? God took that clay from the earth and made human beings. So, according to the scripture, there's some kind of treasure inside of each one of you. I think that treasure is the spirit of Jesus Christ. Just as I might put a gold coin inside this earthen jar, God has put Christ's spirit inside of every one of you as a very precious treasure.
"What does it mean to have Jesus' spirit inside of you?"
"It means we have love," says a little voice from the back of the group.
"Yes, we have love inside of us. And that love is there to be shared with other people. I hope this week you'll think about that very special treasure inside of you, the spirit of Jesus. I hope you'll have lots of opportunities this week to share that treasure, to love your families and friends. And whenever you see a little jar or vase made of clay, a little earthen vessel, I hope you'll remember the treasure you hold inside and know just how special you are to God. Why else would God put something so precious within you?"
"Vases!" some children answer.
"Little jars," others suggest.
"Well, what do you think they are made of?"
"Glass?" comes the first tentative response.
"That's a good guess. They are very much like glass vases and jars. But they are made of something else."
"Clay!" a more certain child pronounces with a hint of "Aha!" in his voice.
"Clay. That's right. Where do we get clay?" In asking this question I find myself hoping no one comes back with, "At the store."
"We get it out of the ground," comes the welcome answer.
"Yes, we get it out of the ground," I agree. "So, clay comes from the earth; it is a type of earth. We could say these little clay jars are made of earth.
"Now, in Genesis there is a story about God doing something with clay or earth taken from the ground. God took the clay and made something. Does anyone know what that was?"
"People!" Melinda pronounces, triumphantly.
"Yes. God took the clay (the earth), formed it into people, and breathed life into them.
"Well, that's interesting. These little jars are made of clay and so are people, including every one of you! Isn't that amazing?
"There is another scripture that might help us understand all of this a little better. In Second Corinthians it says, 'We have a treasure in earthen vessels...' When you hear the hear the word 'treasure,' what do you think of?"
"Gold!" comes the glittering response.
"Any particular kind of gold?" I ask.
"Gold coins!"
"Jewelry!"
"I often think about those kinds of treasures too," I respond, "and yet, when I read the scripture about having a treasure in earthen vessels, I wonder what that means. I look at these little earthen vases I have brought this morning and think, well, I might put a gold coin in one of them, but I don't think that's what the scripture is talking about. I think the scripture is talking about the earthen vessels that are people.
"Remember? God took that clay from the earth and made human beings. So, according to the scripture, there's some kind of treasure inside of each one of you. I think that treasure is the spirit of Jesus Christ. Just as I might put a gold coin inside this earthen jar, God has put Christ's spirit inside of every one of you as a very precious treasure.
"What does it mean to have Jesus' spirit inside of you?"
"It means we have love," says a little voice from the back of the group.
"Yes, we have love inside of us. And that love is there to be shared with other people. I hope this week you'll think about that very special treasure inside of you, the spirit of Jesus. I hope you'll have lots of opportunities this week to share that treasure, to love your families and friends. And whenever you see a little jar or vase made of clay, a little earthen vessel, I hope you'll remember the treasure you hold inside and know just how special you are to God. Why else would God put something so precious within you?"
