Finish What You Started
Children's sermon
Children's Sermons A To Z
Exegetical Aim: Jesus has "set his face to Jerusalem" and is determined to fulfill the will of God. The Disciples are asked to put their hand to the plow and not look back, i.e., to finish what has been started.
Props: An ability to sing the ABC song.
Lesson: I need your help this morning. Would you teach me the ABC song? (response) For some reason I just can't seem to learn it. How does it start? (response) When they start it, join in and when you get to "G" make it the interjection not the letter of the alphabet. The idea is to interrupt the song. Make the "Gee" loud: ABCDEF Gee, I've got a really bad itch. Reach down to scratch your leg. Boy, that feels good. Stop scratching, sigh, and pause. Ahhh...Oh! I'm sorry what were we doing? (response) Oh yeah, you were teaching me the alphabet song. Let them start again How does it go? (abcdef ...) ABCDEFGH I, I, I, I am so hungry! Are you hungry? You know what I'd like? I'd like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Yeah, that would be really good right about now. Pause as if you're thinking about the sandwich and mumble: Peanut butter and jelly ... What? (response) What's wrong? (response) The ABC's? You were teaching me the ABC's. Okay, go ahead and teach me. (abcdef ...) ABCDEFGHIJKLMN Oh, Oh, Oh yeah, and a big glass of chocolate milk! Wouldn't that be great? A big glass of chocolate milk, cold. It would have to be really cold and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. That's what I want. Pause (response) What is it? (response) The ABC's?
Oh, I'm never going to learn the ABC song. Can you tell me why I can't learn the ABC's? (you've got to finish the song) I've got to do what? (finish the song) You hope they will give this answer. If not, then ask, "How can I make it all the way to XYZ?" You mean if I sing the song all the way through I will learn my ABCs? (response)
Application: I remember Jesus saying something like that. He said, "Put your hand to the plow and don't look back." Does anyone know what a plow is? (response) A plow is something a farmer uses to plant seeds. The plow turns up the ground and makes straight lines in the dirt. Horses and cows are used to pull the plows, but now machines and tractors do all that work. Have you ever noticed how a farmer's field has straight lines in the dirt? (response) Do you know how they make all those straight lines? The farmer keeps his eyes on some object in front of him. He looks ahead to the other side of the field. Point to some object in the sanctuary. He picks a tree or a light post and he heads straight for it. He never looks back. If he looks back, the plow might get crooked, and if the plow gets crooked, what happens? (the lines get crooked) Jesus told his disciples to keep their eyes on him and not to look back.
When mom or dad ask you to pick up your toys or help out around the house, you can't be distracted. You can't look around for other things to do. We have to start our job and finish the job we started. Now, I'm going to finish what I started. Teach me the whole song this time: ABCDEF ... Now I know my ABCs next time won't you sing with me. Now I know my ABC's because I finished what I started.
Let's Pray: Lord, I will finish what I start. Amen.
Props: An ability to sing the ABC song.
Lesson: I need your help this morning. Would you teach me the ABC song? (response) For some reason I just can't seem to learn it. How does it start? (response) When they start it, join in and when you get to "G" make it the interjection not the letter of the alphabet. The idea is to interrupt the song. Make the "Gee" loud: ABCDEF Gee, I've got a really bad itch. Reach down to scratch your leg. Boy, that feels good. Stop scratching, sigh, and pause. Ahhh...Oh! I'm sorry what were we doing? (response) Oh yeah, you were teaching me the alphabet song. Let them start again How does it go? (abcdef ...) ABCDEFGH I, I, I, I am so hungry! Are you hungry? You know what I'd like? I'd like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Yeah, that would be really good right about now. Pause as if you're thinking about the sandwich and mumble: Peanut butter and jelly ... What? (response) What's wrong? (response) The ABC's? You were teaching me the ABC's. Okay, go ahead and teach me. (abcdef ...) ABCDEFGHIJKLMN Oh, Oh, Oh yeah, and a big glass of chocolate milk! Wouldn't that be great? A big glass of chocolate milk, cold. It would have to be really cold and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. That's what I want. Pause (response) What is it? (response) The ABC's?
Oh, I'm never going to learn the ABC song. Can you tell me why I can't learn the ABC's? (you've got to finish the song) I've got to do what? (finish the song) You hope they will give this answer. If not, then ask, "How can I make it all the way to XYZ?" You mean if I sing the song all the way through I will learn my ABCs? (response)
Application: I remember Jesus saying something like that. He said, "Put your hand to the plow and don't look back." Does anyone know what a plow is? (response) A plow is something a farmer uses to plant seeds. The plow turns up the ground and makes straight lines in the dirt. Horses and cows are used to pull the plows, but now machines and tractors do all that work. Have you ever noticed how a farmer's field has straight lines in the dirt? (response) Do you know how they make all those straight lines? The farmer keeps his eyes on some object in front of him. He looks ahead to the other side of the field. Point to some object in the sanctuary. He picks a tree or a light post and he heads straight for it. He never looks back. If he looks back, the plow might get crooked, and if the plow gets crooked, what happens? (the lines get crooked) Jesus told his disciples to keep their eyes on him and not to look back.
When mom or dad ask you to pick up your toys or help out around the house, you can't be distracted. You can't look around for other things to do. We have to start our job and finish the job we started. Now, I'm going to finish what I started. Teach me the whole song this time: ABCDEF ... Now I know my ABCs next time won't you sing with me. Now I know my ABC's because I finished what I started.
Let's Pray: Lord, I will finish what I start. Amen.
