The Golden Rule
Children's sermon
Children's Sermons A To Z
Exegetical Aim: Treating others the way we want to be treated.
Props: Wear shoes with laces.
Lesson: Start this sermon conveying an agitated state. Okay, I don't want anyone poking me, because I don't like being poked. Okay? (response) Good. Fold your arms and harrumph. Wait a few seconds and reach over and poke one of the older children on the arm. Then fold your arms again. Allow some time for this to sink in. If no one says anything or does anything, reach over and poke another one of the older children and wait again. If someone pokes you, do the next three sentences. If no one pokes you, then skip the next three sentences. Hey! I told you I don't want anyone poking me. Why did you poke me? (response) But I told you not to poke me.
And another thing. I don't want anyone reach down and hold your shoe laces untying my shoelaces. Okay? (response) That really bothers me when someone unties my shoes. Wait a moment in the guarded position and then reach over to the nearest shoes and untie them. Repeat with silence and the untying of another pair of shoes. After the second pair, raise up and do a "gotcha" laugh at the person whose shoes you just untied. If someone unties your shoes, do the next three sentences. If no one unties your shoes, then skip the next three sentences. Hey! I told you not to untie my shoes. Why did you do that? (response) But I told you not to untie my shoes. (response)
Application: It is hoped by this point the children are arguing against your inconsistencies. Use it as the transition. Oh, I see. I should treat you the same way I want you to treat me. Do you know what that is called? (response) That's called the Golden Rule and Jesus is the one who said it. He said, "Do to others as you would have them do to you." Do you know that if we would follow that one little rule, it would change our lives? We would no longer argue. We would no longer poke one another. We would seldom ever fight. And, I think that our shoes look down at your untied shoes would stay tied all day long.
Let's Pray: Lord, help us to live by your Golden Rule and to treat others as we would like them to treat us. Amen.
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All Saints' Sunday
Ephesians 1:11--23
The Trust Fall
Exegetical Aim: God's promise of salvation and our need to trust in his word. Key verse: 13.
Props: Some small stickers or a hand stamp.
Lesson: When I was younger, I went to camp. One thing that camp did was teach me how to trust. What does trust mean? Work with the children on this for a moment. One way that I learned how to trust was by doing something called a "trust fall." We climbed a tree about six feet off the ground. We would stand facing the tree, and then we would fall backward off of the tree, and everyone would catch us. Does that sound scary? (response) I know it does. It was scary for me. Well, after we fell backwards and were caught, we would get a stamp on our hands to remind us of what we had just accomplished. Would anyone like to do the trust fall? Choose a child whom you can easily stop from falling. Instead of climbing a tree, I just want you to stand and fall backwards. I promise I will not let you fall to the ground. Coax the child into falling backwards. Catch him/her almost immediately. If you have steps at the altar, have the child stand on one the first steps.
Application: Now give the child a stamp or a sticker on the hand. This stamp is to remind you how well you did. You trusted me, and because you trusted me, I was able to catch you and not let you fall. At this point, other children will want to do this. Tell them that after church, you will catch them, too, and give them stickers. The Bible tells us something like this about God. The Apostle Paul said that "you trusted in God ... and then you were sealed with the Spirit of promise." When we trust God for our salvation, he will never let us down. And then he will give us a seal to remind us that we belong to God. And that seal is the Holy Spirit. And just like the sticker on your hand, the Holy Spirit will remind us that we can trust God. So remember always to trust God for your salvation, and remember that salvation comes through Jesus Christ. When you believe in Jesus Christ, God will seal you with his Spirit. Motion with your hand as if you were putting a sticker on your heart.
Let's Pray: Almighty God, thank you for saving us through Jesus Christ, and thank you for giving your Holy Spirit to help us remember to trust in you. Amen.
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Props: Wear shoes with laces.
Lesson: Start this sermon conveying an agitated state. Okay, I don't want anyone poking me, because I don't like being poked. Okay? (response) Good. Fold your arms and harrumph. Wait a few seconds and reach over and poke one of the older children on the arm. Then fold your arms again. Allow some time for this to sink in. If no one says anything or does anything, reach over and poke another one of the older children and wait again. If someone pokes you, do the next three sentences. If no one pokes you, then skip the next three sentences. Hey! I told you I don't want anyone poking me. Why did you poke me? (response) But I told you not to poke me.
And another thing. I don't want anyone reach down and hold your shoe laces untying my shoelaces. Okay? (response) That really bothers me when someone unties my shoes. Wait a moment in the guarded position and then reach over to the nearest shoes and untie them. Repeat with silence and the untying of another pair of shoes. After the second pair, raise up and do a "gotcha" laugh at the person whose shoes you just untied. If someone unties your shoes, do the next three sentences. If no one unties your shoes, then skip the next three sentences. Hey! I told you not to untie my shoes. Why did you do that? (response) But I told you not to untie my shoes. (response)
Application: It is hoped by this point the children are arguing against your inconsistencies. Use it as the transition. Oh, I see. I should treat you the same way I want you to treat me. Do you know what that is called? (response) That's called the Golden Rule and Jesus is the one who said it. He said, "Do to others as you would have them do to you." Do you know that if we would follow that one little rule, it would change our lives? We would no longer argue. We would no longer poke one another. We would seldom ever fight. And, I think that our shoes look down at your untied shoes would stay tied all day long.
Let's Pray: Lord, help us to live by your Golden Rule and to treat others as we would like them to treat us. Amen.
* * * * *
All Saints' Sunday
Ephesians 1:11--23
The Trust Fall
Exegetical Aim: God's promise of salvation and our need to trust in his word. Key verse: 13.
Props: Some small stickers or a hand stamp.
Lesson: When I was younger, I went to camp. One thing that camp did was teach me how to trust. What does trust mean? Work with the children on this for a moment. One way that I learned how to trust was by doing something called a "trust fall." We climbed a tree about six feet off the ground. We would stand facing the tree, and then we would fall backward off of the tree, and everyone would catch us. Does that sound scary? (response) I know it does. It was scary for me. Well, after we fell backwards and were caught, we would get a stamp on our hands to remind us of what we had just accomplished. Would anyone like to do the trust fall? Choose a child whom you can easily stop from falling. Instead of climbing a tree, I just want you to stand and fall backwards. I promise I will not let you fall to the ground. Coax the child into falling backwards. Catch him/her almost immediately. If you have steps at the altar, have the child stand on one the first steps.
Application: Now give the child a stamp or a sticker on the hand. This stamp is to remind you how well you did. You trusted me, and because you trusted me, I was able to catch you and not let you fall. At this point, other children will want to do this. Tell them that after church, you will catch them, too, and give them stickers. The Bible tells us something like this about God. The Apostle Paul said that "you trusted in God ... and then you were sealed with the Spirit of promise." When we trust God for our salvation, he will never let us down. And then he will give us a seal to remind us that we belong to God. And that seal is the Holy Spirit. And just like the sticker on your hand, the Holy Spirit will remind us that we can trust God. So remember always to trust God for your salvation, and remember that salvation comes through Jesus Christ. When you believe in Jesus Christ, God will seal you with his Spirit. Motion with your hand as if you were putting a sticker on your heart.
Let's Pray: Almighty God, thank you for saving us through Jesus Christ, and thank you for giving your Holy Spirit to help us remember to trust in you. Amen.
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