Expect The Unexpected
Children's sermon
Children's Sermons A To Z
Exegetical Aim: When Jesus comes back it will be a surprise.
Props: A clock will be needed for the opening. In addition to the clock you may use one of the following to interrupt the silent period mentioned below: 1) A fog horn. 2) A horn instrument of some kind. 3) Someone who has been away from the church -- on vacation -- and has returned. They will burst into the sanctuary with a suitcase saying, "I'm back." They will then sit down with the children and discuss their travels and their return home. 4) Use no other props -- only the clock -- and after the silent period is over discuss their expectations.
Lesson: Good morning. What is this? (clock) What does a clock tell us? (what time it is) That's right. It tells us the time of day. I have another question. Can a clock tell us what's going to happen? (no) Why not? (response) What time is it right now? (response) The small hand is on the 11 and the big hand is on the 20. That means it's 11:20. Okay. That's the time. Now, I wonder what is going to happen right now. What do you think is going to happen? (response) Let's wait and see. Wait in silence 10-15 seconds. Look around as if something might happen. Did anything happen? (response) Let's wait just a little bit more. Look around again. After 10-15 seconds the unexpected event should take place. Example: Have someone sound the horn from the choir.
What happened? (response) Did you know that was going to happen? (response)
Application: Sometimes things happen unexpectedly. The Bible tells us that we need to expect the unexpected, to be ready at all times because one day Jesus will return to this world. So when you least expect it pause and look around Jesus will return to earth and we will be with him. Looking back at the clock: It might be today, right now at 11:25 in the morning, or it might be tomorrow. Let's keep watching.
Let's Pray: Dear Lord, we do not know when you will return and it may surprise us but we will keep watch and we will be ready. Amen.
* * * * *
Advent 1
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Erasing Blame
Exegetical Aim: To demonstrate that Christ's love makes us blameless.
Props: A chalkboard, some chalk, and an eraser.
Lesson: When I was a little boy, I went to school. And in the school we had a chalkboard where we would do all of our work in front of the class. Do any of you have chalkboards in your classroom? (response) Sometimes we would do math problems. The teacher would write a math problem for us on the board and we would have to solve it. Let me show you. Write 2+2= on the board and ask someone to write the answer with the chalk. Then quickly do another simple problem and allow someone else to write the answer. The thing I remember most about that chalkboard, though, is that it wasn't always used for doing problems. Do you know what else it was used for? (response) Whenever the teacher had to leave the room, she would appoint one of the children in the class to take names of anyone who was talking while she was gone. Does your teacher ever do that? (response) I remember that it was an awful feeling to have one's name put on the board. Because if the teacher saw that name, what would happen? (response) Yes, you would get in trouble. Sometimes we would do different things to try to persuade the monitor to take our name off of the board. Sometimes we would bribe them with bubble gum, or promise them other things, and they would erase our name. And that was always a good feeling. If your name is not on the board, you won't get in trouble.
Application: In 1 Thessalonians 3:13, the Apostle Paul said something about not having any blame. He said that Christ makes our hearts "blameless" before God. Say that with me. "Christ makes ... our hearts ... blameless ... before God." In other words, all of us have messed up before, right? (response) We have taken a toy that wasn't ours, or we didn't mind our mom or dad, or we called someone a name. I have messed up before, too. Write your own name on the board. But the good news is that when we love Jesus, we can call out to him and he will ... do what? (response) That's right. Erase your name. He will erase our names from the chalkboard. He will erase our guilt. And when God looks at the board of blame, will he see your name up there? No. He will see you as the holy person you are intended to be! So the next time you see a chalkboard, just remember the verse, and say it with me again, "Christ makes ... our hearts ... blameless ... before God."
Let's Pray: Thank you, God, that you sent Christ into the world. Thank you that in his name and through his love we are made "blameless." In Jesus' name. Amen.
Props: A clock will be needed for the opening. In addition to the clock you may use one of the following to interrupt the silent period mentioned below: 1) A fog horn. 2) A horn instrument of some kind. 3) Someone who has been away from the church -- on vacation -- and has returned. They will burst into the sanctuary with a suitcase saying, "I'm back." They will then sit down with the children and discuss their travels and their return home. 4) Use no other props -- only the clock -- and after the silent period is over discuss their expectations.
Lesson: Good morning. What is this? (clock) What does a clock tell us? (what time it is) That's right. It tells us the time of day. I have another question. Can a clock tell us what's going to happen? (no) Why not? (response) What time is it right now? (response) The small hand is on the 11 and the big hand is on the 20. That means it's 11:20. Okay. That's the time. Now, I wonder what is going to happen right now. What do you think is going to happen? (response) Let's wait and see. Wait in silence 10-15 seconds. Look around as if something might happen. Did anything happen? (response) Let's wait just a little bit more. Look around again. After 10-15 seconds the unexpected event should take place. Example: Have someone sound the horn from the choir.
What happened? (response) Did you know that was going to happen? (response)
Application: Sometimes things happen unexpectedly. The Bible tells us that we need to expect the unexpected, to be ready at all times because one day Jesus will return to this world. So when you least expect it pause and look around Jesus will return to earth and we will be with him. Looking back at the clock: It might be today, right now at 11:25 in the morning, or it might be tomorrow. Let's keep watching.
Let's Pray: Dear Lord, we do not know when you will return and it may surprise us but we will keep watch and we will be ready. Amen.
* * * * *
Advent 1
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Erasing Blame
Exegetical Aim: To demonstrate that Christ's love makes us blameless.
Props: A chalkboard, some chalk, and an eraser.
Lesson: When I was a little boy, I went to school. And in the school we had a chalkboard where we would do all of our work in front of the class. Do any of you have chalkboards in your classroom? (response) Sometimes we would do math problems. The teacher would write a math problem for us on the board and we would have to solve it. Let me show you. Write 2+2= on the board and ask someone to write the answer with the chalk. Then quickly do another simple problem and allow someone else to write the answer. The thing I remember most about that chalkboard, though, is that it wasn't always used for doing problems. Do you know what else it was used for? (response) Whenever the teacher had to leave the room, she would appoint one of the children in the class to take names of anyone who was talking while she was gone. Does your teacher ever do that? (response) I remember that it was an awful feeling to have one's name put on the board. Because if the teacher saw that name, what would happen? (response) Yes, you would get in trouble. Sometimes we would do different things to try to persuade the monitor to take our name off of the board. Sometimes we would bribe them with bubble gum, or promise them other things, and they would erase our name. And that was always a good feeling. If your name is not on the board, you won't get in trouble.
Application: In 1 Thessalonians 3:13, the Apostle Paul said something about not having any blame. He said that Christ makes our hearts "blameless" before God. Say that with me. "Christ makes ... our hearts ... blameless ... before God." In other words, all of us have messed up before, right? (response) We have taken a toy that wasn't ours, or we didn't mind our mom or dad, or we called someone a name. I have messed up before, too. Write your own name on the board. But the good news is that when we love Jesus, we can call out to him and he will ... do what? (response) That's right. Erase your name. He will erase our names from the chalkboard. He will erase our guilt. And when God looks at the board of blame, will he see your name up there? No. He will see you as the holy person you are intended to be! So the next time you see a chalkboard, just remember the verse, and say it with me again, "Christ makes ... our hearts ... blameless ... before God."
Let's Pray: Thank you, God, that you sent Christ into the world. Thank you that in his name and through his love we are made "blameless." In Jesus' name. Amen.
