It Isn't Fair
Children's sermon
THE BIG INFLUENCE OF SMALL THINGS
Exegetical Aim: Acceptance of the inequities in life.
Props: M&M candies or the equivalent in small packages. Children will be called down according to hair color.
Lesson: I want the children to remain in their seats because we are going to do things differently today. I want to ask all the children with blond hair to come down and sit on my right. The rest stay in your seats. Once the blond children have gathered, hand out the candy to them. Go ahead and unwrap your candy and eat it. As they begin eating, call down the other children. Now, I would like the other children to come down and sit on my left. You will not be giving the other children any candy. Wait thirty seconds before speaking. This will give them time to watch the blonds eat their candy. The silence is crucial. This is to give the children time to observe the inequity. You want to make them uncomfortable to underscore what is happening.
To the children on the left: I have a question to ask. Is this fair? (response) Why? (response) You know, it was my candy. Don't I have the right to do with it, as I please? (response) If I want to give it to them, why is that unfair to you? (response)
Has your mom or dad ever done something for your brother or sister that they didn't do for you? (response) You probably thought that was unfair.
Application: It may seem to you at times that your mom and dad are unfair because they give your brother a bicycle or because they bought an ice cream cone for your sister after she made that "A" in math. It may seem to you at times that your teacher is unfair because she gives special treatment to one of the other kids and not to you. It may even seem to you at times that God is unfair because he made her a blond, or made him with big muscles, or made her tall and thin, or made him good looking.
But we shouldn't think that way. When your mom and dad do something special for your brother or sister next time, try to be happy about it. You know something ... you will actually have a good time watching someone else be happy. Enjoy it when someone else gets a present or does well and tell them that you're happy for them. Resist the temptation to give the non--blonds candy at the end. You will reduce the impact of the illustration.
Let's Pray: Father, help us not to complain when others do well. Deep in our hearts, we know that you care for us as much as you care for others. Amen.
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Proper 20
Philippians 1:21--30
One Spirit, One Direction
Exegetical Aim: We need to be of one Spirit in Christ.
Props: A thin balloon that is blown up with air, not helium, as tightly as possible.
Lesson: Choose two volunteers. Today I want to play a game with you. It involves this balloon. Do you want to play? (response) In order to play, you have to follow some rules. Rule 1 is that you must stay on your knees where you are. You cannot get up and move around. Okay? (response) And the second rule is that you must put your arms behind your back. Is it a deal? (response) Good, here's how you play.
I want each of you to try to blow the balloon over the other person's head. Remember that you cannot touch it. You can only blow on it from underneath. So when I drop the balloon, begin to blow on it. Ready, set, go! Do this for only about ten seconds, or as soon as the balloon goes in different directions.
What happened to the balloon? Did it go just one way? (response) Right, it went this way and that way, didn't it? Now I want to try something else. Everyone face the same way, and get very close together. This time when I drop the balloon, blow on it. Ready, set, go! Allow them to blow the balloon in one direction.
Why did it go in one direction that time, but the first time it went here and there? (response) Correct, because the first time you were all blowing in different directions, but the second time you combined all of your wind into one big wind going the same way.
Application: The Bible tells us to be of the same spirit, meaning the Spirit of God. If we all decided to follow different things, and not the Holy Spirit, would we go different places or in one direction? (response) Right, we would go here and there, just like the balloon did the first time we blew it. If we don't listen to God's Spirit, we won't know which way to go in our lives. But if we follow the same Holy Spirit, we all will go the same way. Blow the balloon away.
Let's Pray: Thank you, God, for your Holy Spirit. Help us all to go where you would send us and do what you want us to. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
?
Props: M&M candies or the equivalent in small packages. Children will be called down according to hair color.
Lesson: I want the children to remain in their seats because we are going to do things differently today. I want to ask all the children with blond hair to come down and sit on my right. The rest stay in your seats. Once the blond children have gathered, hand out the candy to them. Go ahead and unwrap your candy and eat it. As they begin eating, call down the other children. Now, I would like the other children to come down and sit on my left. You will not be giving the other children any candy. Wait thirty seconds before speaking. This will give them time to watch the blonds eat their candy. The silence is crucial. This is to give the children time to observe the inequity. You want to make them uncomfortable to underscore what is happening.
To the children on the left: I have a question to ask. Is this fair? (response) Why? (response) You know, it was my candy. Don't I have the right to do with it, as I please? (response) If I want to give it to them, why is that unfair to you? (response)
Has your mom or dad ever done something for your brother or sister that they didn't do for you? (response) You probably thought that was unfair.
Application: It may seem to you at times that your mom and dad are unfair because they give your brother a bicycle or because they bought an ice cream cone for your sister after she made that "A" in math. It may seem to you at times that your teacher is unfair because she gives special treatment to one of the other kids and not to you. It may even seem to you at times that God is unfair because he made her a blond, or made him with big muscles, or made her tall and thin, or made him good looking.
But we shouldn't think that way. When your mom and dad do something special for your brother or sister next time, try to be happy about it. You know something ... you will actually have a good time watching someone else be happy. Enjoy it when someone else gets a present or does well and tell them that you're happy for them. Resist the temptation to give the non--blonds candy at the end. You will reduce the impact of the illustration.
Let's Pray: Father, help us not to complain when others do well. Deep in our hearts, we know that you care for us as much as you care for others. Amen.
?
Proper 20
Philippians 1:21--30
One Spirit, One Direction
Exegetical Aim: We need to be of one Spirit in Christ.
Props: A thin balloon that is blown up with air, not helium, as tightly as possible.
Lesson: Choose two volunteers. Today I want to play a game with you. It involves this balloon. Do you want to play? (response) In order to play, you have to follow some rules. Rule 1 is that you must stay on your knees where you are. You cannot get up and move around. Okay? (response) And the second rule is that you must put your arms behind your back. Is it a deal? (response) Good, here's how you play.
I want each of you to try to blow the balloon over the other person's head. Remember that you cannot touch it. You can only blow on it from underneath. So when I drop the balloon, begin to blow on it. Ready, set, go! Do this for only about ten seconds, or as soon as the balloon goes in different directions.
What happened to the balloon? Did it go just one way? (response) Right, it went this way and that way, didn't it? Now I want to try something else. Everyone face the same way, and get very close together. This time when I drop the balloon, blow on it. Ready, set, go! Allow them to blow the balloon in one direction.
Why did it go in one direction that time, but the first time it went here and there? (response) Correct, because the first time you were all blowing in different directions, but the second time you combined all of your wind into one big wind going the same way.
Application: The Bible tells us to be of the same spirit, meaning the Spirit of God. If we all decided to follow different things, and not the Holy Spirit, would we go different places or in one direction? (response) Right, we would go here and there, just like the balloon did the first time we blew it. If we don't listen to God's Spirit, we won't know which way to go in our lives. But if we follow the same Holy Spirit, we all will go the same way. Blow the balloon away.
Let's Pray: Thank you, God, for your Holy Spirit. Help us all to go where you would send us and do what you want us to. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
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