Floods
Children's sermon
GOD IS ALWAYS NEAR
Object Lessons and other Worship Stories for Children
Children need to understand that rain is needed for living things to grow, but too much of it can be detrimental.
Objects: sponge, water in a plastic squeeze bottle, such as honey is sold in, and a basin.
God has planned for rain to keep people, animals, and plants alive. What would happen if we didn't have any rain? (Let them answer.) We wouldn't have water to drink. Animals and plants would die.
Sometimes we have just a little rain. Other times we have a whole lot of rain. We're going to pretend that the water in this little plastic container is rain and that this sponge is the ground that the rain falls on.
First I'll sprinkle some pretend rain out of this small hole in the lid. That hardly makes the pretend ground wet at all. (Try to squeeze the sponge.) You can see that a little amount of rain doesn't make the ground very wet.
Now I'm going to put the sponge in this basin because I'm going to pour a lot of rain on the ground. (Take the lid off the plastic bottle and pour enough water on the sponge so it can't absorb all the water.) See how the sponge is so wet it can't hold all the water. (Squeeze the sponge and show the water in the basin.)
When a lot of rain pours down on the ground, the ground becomes so wet it can't hold all the water. Then we have floods.
What is a flood? Right. When the street is full of water. Why should we stay out of the street when it's flooded? (Let them answer.) The water is running down the street so fast it might knock us down and it would be hard to get up again.
Sometimes we have to be careful because we have too much rain. Other times we can be thankful that we have enough rain to keep us and animals and plants alive and growing.
God's Creation
Psalm 147:16
Snow Like A Blanket
God spreads snow like a blanket and children find many things to do with it.
Objects: a dishpan of snow and a Bible.
What do I have in this dishpan? Right. Snow. We've had a lot of snow this winter and just for something different to do, I thought I'd have some snow here inside the church for you to look at.
What do you do with snow? (Let them answer.) I make snowballs and snowmen, I slide on it, I ski on it, I sled on it, I go snowmobiling, and I shovel it.
In the Bible, in the book of Psalms, we read that God spreads snow like a blanket. What is covered by the blanket of snow we have now? Right. Grass, bushes, rocks, and roofs of houses.
Would you like to have snow all over the ground all the time? What will make it go away. Yes. Sun, warm days. God spreads snow and he also gives us sun and warmer weather to take away the blanket of snow. I'm glad we don't always have snow.
God's Creation
1 Timothy 4:4
The Glider
Snakes are important and must not be harmed.
Object:
encyclopedia pictures of snakes.
Here are some pictures of snakes. Have you ever seen a snake? Show me how long a snake is. Does a snake walk on four legs like a dog or a cat? No. How does a snake move?
There have been snakes in the world for a long, long time. At the very beginning of the Bible, there's a story that has a snake in it.
Snakes are important because they eat mice. We might have too many mice if we didn't have snakes to eat them.
If you see a snake sometime you might want to watch how smoothly and beautifully it glides along the ground.
I hope you won't throw things at a snake or try to hurt one. If you don't want to be near a snake, walk away from it so you won't scare it.
God's Creation
Proverbs 31:13
The Afghan
Wool from sheep can be made into an afghan to keep us warm.
Objects: an afghan, yarn, a picture of a cow and of a sheep.
What is this called? Right. An afghan. Feel it. If you'd lie on your bed and put this afghan over you, do you think it would keep you warm?
What do you think this afghan is made of? Right. Yarn. This yarn is made from wool. Does wool come from a cow? (Show picture of a cow.) (Let them discuss it.) God planned for cows to give us milk, but not wool.
Has God planned for wool to come from sheep? (Show picture of sheep.) See how woolly the sheep are? Their wool is made into yarn. Then the yarn can be made into an afghan.
This afghan keeps me warm and cozy when the weather's cold. I'm glad I had a friend who wanted to make me an afghan. Maybe you have a friend who would want to make you an afghan.
God's Creation
Ecclesiastes 3:2b
From Seed to Food
God provides us with the food we need.
Objects: green beans, potatoes, apples, onions, beets, carrots, and tomatoes.
God has planned for food to grow, so we have something to eat when we're hungry. What kinds of food do I have here? (Let them answer.) Green beans, potatoes, apples, onions, beets, carrots, and tomatoes. All these kinds of food grow in the garden in my back yard.
It's wonderful the way God has figured out how to feed us.
First, we have seeds from each kind of food. What do we do with seeds? Right. We plant them in the ground. Then, we water them.
God gives the sunshine that plants need so they'll grow. Some days the sun doesn't shine because it's covered up by clouds. What comes down from clouds that growing plants need? Yes. Plants need sunshine and rain to make them grow.
Every day, before we eat, we can say to God, "Thank you for my food that helps me grow healthy and strong. Amen."
God's Creation
Genesis 1:31a
Hiking
God has planned many wonderful things for us to see outside.
Objects: boots, a cowboy hat, a back pack, and a canteen.
Have you ever gone hiking? If I were going hiking I would wear these boots so my feet would be comfortable and this hat to shade my face from the hot sun.
I would take this back pack to carry my lunch of sandwiches and fruit. [___], would you please let me put this on you so you can see how it's worn? Thank you.
What do you think this thing is called? Right. It's a canteen. What would I put in this canteen before I go hiking? Yes. Water. The lid unscrews like this, so I could have a drink when I was thirsty.
What do you think I would see when I was hiking? (Let them answer.) Trees, flowers, birds, rocks, a rabbit, a squirrel, a toad, an eagle's nest, and snow.
When I see wonderful things outside I thank God because I think he planned everything that we enjoy.
God's Creation
Genesis 1:11
All kinds
God planned for the earth to be filled with all kinds of plants and we can be thankful for that.
Objects: leaves.
I've brought a bunch of leaves that fell off the trees in my yard in the past few days. I picked up these leaves from the ground so I could bring one for each of you. (Hand out leaves.)
A story in the Bible tells us that God wanted the earth to have all kinds of plants. The plant that these leaves come from is called [a ____ tree]. What other plants has God planned for us? (Let them answer.) Flowers, tomatoes, beans, and zucchini. God has made all kinds of plants.
The next time you look at a plant growing in the ground you could say, "Thank you, God, for giving us plants."
God's Creation
Song of Songs
(Song of Solomon) 2:11-12
The Rains Have Stopped
We feel relieved that the rain has stopped and that we can enjoy outdoor activities again.
Object:
a Bible.
We've had a lot of rain this spring. Many days it has been cold and cloudy and rainy. What can you do outside when it's raining? (Discuss it with them.) You could play tag, couldn't you? Could you swing high up in the air? You could jump rope in the rain, couldn't you?
Rain can keep us from doing some things we like to do. Because the ground was too muddy, I couldn't work in my garden.
Our church softball teams couldn't practice because the playing field was too wet.
It feels good to have some sunny days so we can do some of the things we like to do outside.
A person in the Bible wrote about how good he felt because the rain had stopped. He said, "The winter is over; the rains have stopped; in the countryside the flowers are in bloom. This is the time for singing: the song of doves is heard in the fields."
We also can hear birds singing and see flowers blooming and we can say, "Thank you, God, that the rain has stopped."
Objects: sponge, water in a plastic squeeze bottle, such as honey is sold in, and a basin.
God has planned for rain to keep people, animals, and plants alive. What would happen if we didn't have any rain? (Let them answer.) We wouldn't have water to drink. Animals and plants would die.
Sometimes we have just a little rain. Other times we have a whole lot of rain. We're going to pretend that the water in this little plastic container is rain and that this sponge is the ground that the rain falls on.
First I'll sprinkle some pretend rain out of this small hole in the lid. That hardly makes the pretend ground wet at all. (Try to squeeze the sponge.) You can see that a little amount of rain doesn't make the ground very wet.
Now I'm going to put the sponge in this basin because I'm going to pour a lot of rain on the ground. (Take the lid off the plastic bottle and pour enough water on the sponge so it can't absorb all the water.) See how the sponge is so wet it can't hold all the water. (Squeeze the sponge and show the water in the basin.)
When a lot of rain pours down on the ground, the ground becomes so wet it can't hold all the water. Then we have floods.
What is a flood? Right. When the street is full of water. Why should we stay out of the street when it's flooded? (Let them answer.) The water is running down the street so fast it might knock us down and it would be hard to get up again.
Sometimes we have to be careful because we have too much rain. Other times we can be thankful that we have enough rain to keep us and animals and plants alive and growing.
God's Creation
Psalm 147:16
Snow Like A Blanket
God spreads snow like a blanket and children find many things to do with it.
Objects: a dishpan of snow and a Bible.
What do I have in this dishpan? Right. Snow. We've had a lot of snow this winter and just for something different to do, I thought I'd have some snow here inside the church for you to look at.
What do you do with snow? (Let them answer.) I make snowballs and snowmen, I slide on it, I ski on it, I sled on it, I go snowmobiling, and I shovel it.
In the Bible, in the book of Psalms, we read that God spreads snow like a blanket. What is covered by the blanket of snow we have now? Right. Grass, bushes, rocks, and roofs of houses.
Would you like to have snow all over the ground all the time? What will make it go away. Yes. Sun, warm days. God spreads snow and he also gives us sun and warmer weather to take away the blanket of snow. I'm glad we don't always have snow.
God's Creation
1 Timothy 4:4
The Glider
Snakes are important and must not be harmed.
Object:
encyclopedia pictures of snakes.
Here are some pictures of snakes. Have you ever seen a snake? Show me how long a snake is. Does a snake walk on four legs like a dog or a cat? No. How does a snake move?
There have been snakes in the world for a long, long time. At the very beginning of the Bible, there's a story that has a snake in it.
Snakes are important because they eat mice. We might have too many mice if we didn't have snakes to eat them.
If you see a snake sometime you might want to watch how smoothly and beautifully it glides along the ground.
I hope you won't throw things at a snake or try to hurt one. If you don't want to be near a snake, walk away from it so you won't scare it.
God's Creation
Proverbs 31:13
The Afghan
Wool from sheep can be made into an afghan to keep us warm.
Objects: an afghan, yarn, a picture of a cow and of a sheep.
What is this called? Right. An afghan. Feel it. If you'd lie on your bed and put this afghan over you, do you think it would keep you warm?
What do you think this afghan is made of? Right. Yarn. This yarn is made from wool. Does wool come from a cow? (Show picture of a cow.) (Let them discuss it.) God planned for cows to give us milk, but not wool.
Has God planned for wool to come from sheep? (Show picture of sheep.) See how woolly the sheep are? Their wool is made into yarn. Then the yarn can be made into an afghan.
This afghan keeps me warm and cozy when the weather's cold. I'm glad I had a friend who wanted to make me an afghan. Maybe you have a friend who would want to make you an afghan.
God's Creation
Ecclesiastes 3:2b
From Seed to Food
God provides us with the food we need.
Objects: green beans, potatoes, apples, onions, beets, carrots, and tomatoes.
God has planned for food to grow, so we have something to eat when we're hungry. What kinds of food do I have here? (Let them answer.) Green beans, potatoes, apples, onions, beets, carrots, and tomatoes. All these kinds of food grow in the garden in my back yard.
It's wonderful the way God has figured out how to feed us.
First, we have seeds from each kind of food. What do we do with seeds? Right. We plant them in the ground. Then, we water them.
God gives the sunshine that plants need so they'll grow. Some days the sun doesn't shine because it's covered up by clouds. What comes down from clouds that growing plants need? Yes. Plants need sunshine and rain to make them grow.
Every day, before we eat, we can say to God, "Thank you for my food that helps me grow healthy and strong. Amen."
God's Creation
Genesis 1:31a
Hiking
God has planned many wonderful things for us to see outside.
Objects: boots, a cowboy hat, a back pack, and a canteen.
Have you ever gone hiking? If I were going hiking I would wear these boots so my feet would be comfortable and this hat to shade my face from the hot sun.
I would take this back pack to carry my lunch of sandwiches and fruit. [___], would you please let me put this on you so you can see how it's worn? Thank you.
What do you think this thing is called? Right. It's a canteen. What would I put in this canteen before I go hiking? Yes. Water. The lid unscrews like this, so I could have a drink when I was thirsty.
What do you think I would see when I was hiking? (Let them answer.) Trees, flowers, birds, rocks, a rabbit, a squirrel, a toad, an eagle's nest, and snow.
When I see wonderful things outside I thank God because I think he planned everything that we enjoy.
God's Creation
Genesis 1:11
All kinds
God planned for the earth to be filled with all kinds of plants and we can be thankful for that.
Objects: leaves.
I've brought a bunch of leaves that fell off the trees in my yard in the past few days. I picked up these leaves from the ground so I could bring one for each of you. (Hand out leaves.)
A story in the Bible tells us that God wanted the earth to have all kinds of plants. The plant that these leaves come from is called [a ____ tree]. What other plants has God planned for us? (Let them answer.) Flowers, tomatoes, beans, and zucchini. God has made all kinds of plants.
The next time you look at a plant growing in the ground you could say, "Thank you, God, for giving us plants."
God's Creation
Song of Songs
(Song of Solomon) 2:11-12
The Rains Have Stopped
We feel relieved that the rain has stopped and that we can enjoy outdoor activities again.
Object:
a Bible.
We've had a lot of rain this spring. Many days it has been cold and cloudy and rainy. What can you do outside when it's raining? (Discuss it with them.) You could play tag, couldn't you? Could you swing high up in the air? You could jump rope in the rain, couldn't you?
Rain can keep us from doing some things we like to do. Because the ground was too muddy, I couldn't work in my garden.
Our church softball teams couldn't practice because the playing field was too wet.
It feels good to have some sunny days so we can do some of the things we like to do outside.
A person in the Bible wrote about how good he felt because the rain had stopped. He said, "The winter is over; the rains have stopped; in the countryside the flowers are in bloom. This is the time for singing: the song of doves is heard in the fields."
We also can hear birds singing and see flowers blooming and we can say, "Thank you, God, that the rain has stopped."
