God's Training Wheels and Laying On Hands
Children's sermon
Children's Sermons A To Z
Exegetical Aim: To teach that baptism is a foundational event in the life of a Christian.
Props: Bicycle training wheels.
Lesson: Good morning. (response) What do I have in my hands? (response) How many of you have bicycles? (response) How old were you when you learned to ride? (response) Who taught you how to ride? (response) Before you learned to ride you had to use some special wheels. What were they called? (training wheels) That's right and these are training wheels. What would have happened, when you got on your bicycle for the very first time, if you had not had these? (response) You would have fallen. And, why would you have fallen? (response)
Application: Can you think of some other things that act like training wheels that keep us from falling? (studying - learning the alphabet, practice - playing your scales) What about in your Christian life? Are there things that act like training wheels? (response) Reading your Bible is like using training wheels. All of us - you, me, the minister, and your mom and dad - we all need God's help to keep us from falling and doing things that are wrong. Can you think of something other than the Bible that keeps us from falling? (response) Another thing that holds us up is baptism. Even Jesus himself was baptized. He received baptism because he wanted to be obedient to God. Some of you have already been baptized. We need to be baptized because that is another way in which God works in our life and helps us keep from falling. Sometimes I don't feel very close to God but then I remember: I was baptized into the family of God! I am his child.
Hold up one of the training wheels: So I read the Bible and it helps support me on one side. Hold up the other wheel: And I remember that I have been baptized into the family of God and that helps support me on the other. Those are two great training wheels.
Let's Pray: Dear Lord, hold me up and keep me from falling. Amen.
* * * * *
Baptism Of Our Lord
Acts 8:14-17
Laying On Hands
Exegetical Aim: To demonstrate the cleansing and unifying power of the Spirit.
Props: A very oily rag, and a container of mud.
Lesson: Good morning. Let me ask you a question. Before you came to church today, what did your mom or dad help you do? How did they help you get ready for church? (response) Right. They helped you get dressed with your nicest clean clothes. And you brushed your teeth and combed your hair. And you had a bath either this morning or last night. So they helped get you clean, didn't they? (response) Now that you are clean, I want to show you something. Hold up the oily rag. Be careful not to let anyone touch it. What is this? It looks awful, doesn't it? It's a rag that I use to clean up oil when I work on my car. All of you are so clean, do you think your moms and dads would want you to touch something that is unclean? Well, what about this? Hold up the container of mud. This is some mud that I found outside. Who wants to make some mud pies right here in church? (response) Do you think your moms or dads would want you to touch mud right now? (response) When things are dirty, we try not to touch them, right?
Application: In the days of Jesus, there were some people called Samaritans. And the Jewish people thought that they were dirty in the eyes of God. So they were not allowed to talk to or even touch a Samaritan. After Jesus went to heaven, he sent his Holy Spirit to anyone who would believe in him. And do you know what happened? The Holy Spirit came upon some Samaritans, the very people who were supposed to be dirty. But God had accepted them. Jesus' followers were in Jerusalem, and people were becoming Christians. The way they prayed for people who wanted to be Christians was by laying their hands on them. But there was a problem. Were they supposed to touch the Samaritans? (response) But the Samaritans had received the Holy Spirit. So the disciples of Jesus went to the Samaritans, and do you know what they did? They went ahead and touched them anyway. They laid their hands on them and prayed. They decided that if God accepted them, then the Samaritans must not be dirty in his eyes after all.
Today we need to remember that there is no group of people in the world who are dirty in God's eyes. Sometimes when people are different from us we treat them like they are dirty, and we don't talk to them or get near them. But we should be willing to touch any persons and pray with and for them. People are not the same as an oily rag or a container of mud. God loves people and wants everyone to have his Spirit. And so all people should be loved by us, too, no matter who they are.
Let's Pray: Thank you, God, for loving all people. Help us to remember that no persons should be considered so unclean that we can't pray for them, touch them, or care for them. Amen.
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Props: Bicycle training wheels.
Lesson: Good morning. (response) What do I have in my hands? (response) How many of you have bicycles? (response) How old were you when you learned to ride? (response) Who taught you how to ride? (response) Before you learned to ride you had to use some special wheels. What were they called? (training wheels) That's right and these are training wheels. What would have happened, when you got on your bicycle for the very first time, if you had not had these? (response) You would have fallen. And, why would you have fallen? (response)
Application: Can you think of some other things that act like training wheels that keep us from falling? (studying - learning the alphabet, practice - playing your scales) What about in your Christian life? Are there things that act like training wheels? (response) Reading your Bible is like using training wheels. All of us - you, me, the minister, and your mom and dad - we all need God's help to keep us from falling and doing things that are wrong. Can you think of something other than the Bible that keeps us from falling? (response) Another thing that holds us up is baptism. Even Jesus himself was baptized. He received baptism because he wanted to be obedient to God. Some of you have already been baptized. We need to be baptized because that is another way in which God works in our life and helps us keep from falling. Sometimes I don't feel very close to God but then I remember: I was baptized into the family of God! I am his child.
Hold up one of the training wheels: So I read the Bible and it helps support me on one side. Hold up the other wheel: And I remember that I have been baptized into the family of God and that helps support me on the other. Those are two great training wheels.
Let's Pray: Dear Lord, hold me up and keep me from falling. Amen.
* * * * *
Baptism Of Our Lord
Acts 8:14-17
Laying On Hands
Exegetical Aim: To demonstrate the cleansing and unifying power of the Spirit.
Props: A very oily rag, and a container of mud.
Lesson: Good morning. Let me ask you a question. Before you came to church today, what did your mom or dad help you do? How did they help you get ready for church? (response) Right. They helped you get dressed with your nicest clean clothes. And you brushed your teeth and combed your hair. And you had a bath either this morning or last night. So they helped get you clean, didn't they? (response) Now that you are clean, I want to show you something. Hold up the oily rag. Be careful not to let anyone touch it. What is this? It looks awful, doesn't it? It's a rag that I use to clean up oil when I work on my car. All of you are so clean, do you think your moms and dads would want you to touch something that is unclean? Well, what about this? Hold up the container of mud. This is some mud that I found outside. Who wants to make some mud pies right here in church? (response) Do you think your moms or dads would want you to touch mud right now? (response) When things are dirty, we try not to touch them, right?
Application: In the days of Jesus, there were some people called Samaritans. And the Jewish people thought that they were dirty in the eyes of God. So they were not allowed to talk to or even touch a Samaritan. After Jesus went to heaven, he sent his Holy Spirit to anyone who would believe in him. And do you know what happened? The Holy Spirit came upon some Samaritans, the very people who were supposed to be dirty. But God had accepted them. Jesus' followers were in Jerusalem, and people were becoming Christians. The way they prayed for people who wanted to be Christians was by laying their hands on them. But there was a problem. Were they supposed to touch the Samaritans? (response) But the Samaritans had received the Holy Spirit. So the disciples of Jesus went to the Samaritans, and do you know what they did? They went ahead and touched them anyway. They laid their hands on them and prayed. They decided that if God accepted them, then the Samaritans must not be dirty in his eyes after all.
Today we need to remember that there is no group of people in the world who are dirty in God's eyes. Sometimes when people are different from us we treat them like they are dirty, and we don't talk to them or get near them. But we should be willing to touch any persons and pray with and for them. People are not the same as an oily rag or a container of mud. God loves people and wants everyone to have his Spirit. And so all people should be loved by us, too, no matter who they are.
Let's Pray: Thank you, God, for loving all people. Help us to remember that no persons should be considered so unclean that we can't pray for them, touch them, or care for them. Amen.
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