Heart, Mind, Soul, And Strength
Children's sermon
THE BIG INFLUENCE OF SMALL THINGS
Exegetical Aim: A working understanding of the Greatest Commandment.
Props: None.
Lesson: I need your help. I am trying to figure something out. Jesus said that we should love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. First of all, who can tell me about love? What do we do when we love someone? (response) If they answer by describing feelings, ask the question again. You have just described feelings of love. Tell me what you do when you love someone. (response)
Now, can you tell what you do when you love God? (response) Maybe this will help: Can you tell me what it means to love God with all your strength? Hold your arms up like you're making muscles. (response) If needed, help them with ideas. What does it mean to love God with all your brain? Point to your mind. (response) All right, what does it mean to love God with all your heart? Put your hand on your heart. (response) Last one, what does it mean to love God with all your soul? Cross your arms over your chest. (response)
Application: Use your strength to help someone clean up their room or yard this week. Love God with your mind and memorize the Ten Commandments this week. Use your heart and care for someone by telling them you like them. And, love God with your soul this week and pray for someone who is sick or in trouble. These are all things we can do to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength.
Let's Pray: Lord, we love you and we want to love others. Show us how to use every part of our body to do just that. Amen.
Proper 25
1 Thessalonians 2:1--8
As Gentle As A Baby
Exegetical Aim: To demonstrate the gentleness with which we should share the gospel.
Props: A baby doll wrapped in a blanket, a bottle, a diaper, a small rattle, and a football.
Lesson: Hold the baby doll in a blanket as if you are holding a real child. Rock back and forth with the baby, and speak in a whispered voice. Good morning. I've got a little baby in my arms. Shhh. Be quiet because the baby is asleep. "Coo" over the baby for a moment. When we are holding a baby, how do we properly treat the baby? (response) Why do we wrap the baby in a blanket? (response) Yes, it helps to keep the baby warm. Lay the doll down gently on the floor, with the blanket underneath. Sometimes babies do things that we have to help them with. Hold up the diaper. Have you ever seen one of these? (response) Have you ever smelled one of these? (response) As you are talking about the diaper, change the diaper on the doll. Babies also get hungry, and we have to feed them very gently. How do we feed a baby? (response) Bring out the bottle, and put it up to the baby doll's mouth. We feed them milk because they cannot eat much of anything else. We must be gentle with them.
When we play with a baby, what kind of things do we play gently with them? (response) One thing babies like to play with is one of these. Hold up the rattle and begin to shake it very softly in front of the baby doll. Why do I shake this rattle so gently? (response) Yes, because a baby is little, and something loud might scare the baby. Do you know what I like to play with a baby? (response) Sit the baby doll up on its own. I like to play catch with this. Bring out the football and toss it up in the air a good ways. When you catch it, slap your hands around it so that it makes a loud noise. (response) Why are you all looking at me that way? Can't you play football catch with a baby? (response) Why not? (response) Oh! The baby is little, and playing catch with a football is not very gentle. We must be gentle around babies with our actions and with our words.
Application: In the same way, we should treat one another's feelings very gently, especially when we want to share the Good News about Jesus with someone. The Apostle Paul reminded the early church that he treated them as gently as a mother treats her baby. Hold the baby doll gently. God wants us to act in the same way towards others. If we speak with rudeness and harshness, our words will hurt, just like throwing a football to a baby.
Let's Pray: Thank you, God, for the Apostle Paul, and for his words of wisdom that remind us to treat people gently. May we share the Good News of Jesus in loving ways. In Christ's name. Amen.
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Props: None.
Lesson: I need your help. I am trying to figure something out. Jesus said that we should love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. First of all, who can tell me about love? What do we do when we love someone? (response) If they answer by describing feelings, ask the question again. You have just described feelings of love. Tell me what you do when you love someone. (response)
Now, can you tell what you do when you love God? (response) Maybe this will help: Can you tell me what it means to love God with all your strength? Hold your arms up like you're making muscles. (response) If needed, help them with ideas. What does it mean to love God with all your brain? Point to your mind. (response) All right, what does it mean to love God with all your heart? Put your hand on your heart. (response) Last one, what does it mean to love God with all your soul? Cross your arms over your chest. (response)
Application: Use your strength to help someone clean up their room or yard this week. Love God with your mind and memorize the Ten Commandments this week. Use your heart and care for someone by telling them you like them. And, love God with your soul this week and pray for someone who is sick or in trouble. These are all things we can do to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength.
Let's Pray: Lord, we love you and we want to love others. Show us how to use every part of our body to do just that. Amen.
Proper 25
1 Thessalonians 2:1--8
As Gentle As A Baby
Exegetical Aim: To demonstrate the gentleness with which we should share the gospel.
Props: A baby doll wrapped in a blanket, a bottle, a diaper, a small rattle, and a football.
Lesson: Hold the baby doll in a blanket as if you are holding a real child. Rock back and forth with the baby, and speak in a whispered voice. Good morning. I've got a little baby in my arms. Shhh. Be quiet because the baby is asleep. "Coo" over the baby for a moment. When we are holding a baby, how do we properly treat the baby? (response) Why do we wrap the baby in a blanket? (response) Yes, it helps to keep the baby warm. Lay the doll down gently on the floor, with the blanket underneath. Sometimes babies do things that we have to help them with. Hold up the diaper. Have you ever seen one of these? (response) Have you ever smelled one of these? (response) As you are talking about the diaper, change the diaper on the doll. Babies also get hungry, and we have to feed them very gently. How do we feed a baby? (response) Bring out the bottle, and put it up to the baby doll's mouth. We feed them milk because they cannot eat much of anything else. We must be gentle with them.
When we play with a baby, what kind of things do we play gently with them? (response) One thing babies like to play with is one of these. Hold up the rattle and begin to shake it very softly in front of the baby doll. Why do I shake this rattle so gently? (response) Yes, because a baby is little, and something loud might scare the baby. Do you know what I like to play with a baby? (response) Sit the baby doll up on its own. I like to play catch with this. Bring out the football and toss it up in the air a good ways. When you catch it, slap your hands around it so that it makes a loud noise. (response) Why are you all looking at me that way? Can't you play football catch with a baby? (response) Why not? (response) Oh! The baby is little, and playing catch with a football is not very gentle. We must be gentle around babies with our actions and with our words.
Application: In the same way, we should treat one another's feelings very gently, especially when we want to share the Good News about Jesus with someone. The Apostle Paul reminded the early church that he treated them as gently as a mother treats her baby. Hold the baby doll gently. God wants us to act in the same way towards others. If we speak with rudeness and harshness, our words will hurt, just like throwing a football to a baby.
Let's Pray: Thank you, God, for the Apostle Paul, and for his words of wisdom that remind us to treat people gently. May we share the Good News of Jesus in loving ways. In Christ's name. Amen.
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