Lazarus In A Box
Children's sermon
THE BIG INFLUENCE OF SMALL THINGS
Exegetical Aim: Teach the power of God to raise the dead.
Props: A Jack--in--the--Box.
Lesson: I found something behind the pulpit this morning turn it over in your hand and I am not sure what it is. (response) A Jack--in--the--what? (response) Point the box so that it will open toward the children and begin turning the handle very slowly as you ask: I wonder what this handle does? (response) It does what? (jumps out) Respond to the children with misunderstandings: Someone jumped out at you? (response) Yes, that must have been a surprise. Close the box and continue turning the handle. I love surprises. Someone once threw me a surprise party and I didn't know anything about it ... my friends and family ... about this time the Jack--in--the--Box should open again. When it opens, quickly put Jack back into the box: What was that? (response)
You know this reminds me of a story about a man named Lazarus. Begin turning the handle again. The aim is to get the box to open at the time you quote Jesus' words: "Lazarus, come out!" He died and he was put in a ... well, it wasn't a box exactly ... it was a tomb. Does anyone know what a tomb is? (response) It's a cave where you bury someone who has died, and they had put Lazarus in one of these tombs. He was dead for four days and Jesus came to the tomb and he said, "Lazarus, come out!" Jack--in--the--Box comes out here.
Application: And that's what happened. Lazarus came out of the box. He came out of the tomb, alive again! How do you think that happened? (response) It happened because Jesus had the power to do it. He is able to make dead people live again. There is no box, tomb, or grave in this world that can hold us because Jesus has the power over life and death. So, I don't want you to be afraid of death, and I don't want you to be scared when someone dies because Jesus is going to give life to all of us. Just as Lazarus lift up the box came out of his box, so will we!
Let's Pray: Dear Lord, when we die our life starts again in heaven with you. You give us life because of your great love for us. We give you thanks. Amen.
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Lent 5
Romans 8:6--11
Breaking The Rules
Exegetical Aim: The worldly mind is against God's law.
Props: A dry erase board, a marker, a volunteer, and a Bible.
Lesson: Today I would like us to play school. But I need a teacher. Who's going to be the teacher? (response) Choose one of the older children. Before we play school, we need some rules. What are the rules that we need for our class? Can we talk anytime we want? (no talking) Okay, let's write that down. Write "No Talking" on the board. What's another rule? Are we allowed to have gum? (no gum chewing) Write the rule on the board. What about moving around? Can we get out of our seats? (no getting out of the seat) Write the rule on the board. If we know an answer, what do we do? (raise your hand before speaking) Write the rule on the board. Now we have our rules, and we're ready for school.
Our teacher today is going to teach us the alphabet. Call on the teacher to come forward and you assume the child's position as a student. I'm going to be one of the students. Call the class to order, and show us how you would teach us the alphabet. When the teacher begins to speak, get up and move to another seat, being very disruptive. Oh, I'm sorry. Was I not supposed to move? Sorry! Go ahead. As the teacher tries to teach again, disrupt the class by successive behaviors: chew gum, talk to a neighbor, and raise your hand and ask, "Can I go to bathroom?" Each time apologize for breaking the rules.
Application: Was it easy for the teacher to teach us? (response) Why not? (response) Oh, I broke the rules, didn't I? Do you think I showed any respect to the teacher by not following the rules? (response) Hold up the Bible. Do you know that much of the Bible has rules that God has written for us? What are some of the rules? (love your neighbor, don't kill, etc.) He gave us those rules so that things will work better for us here in this life. But when we don't follow his rules, we do not show God respect. So how do we show God and even our teachers respect? (by following the rules) Good!
Let's pray: Thank you, God, for the rules that you have given us in the Bible to make our lives better. Help us to follow them in our lives. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
?
Props: A Jack--in--the--Box.
Lesson: I found something behind the pulpit this morning turn it over in your hand and I am not sure what it is. (response) A Jack--in--the--what? (response) Point the box so that it will open toward the children and begin turning the handle very slowly as you ask: I wonder what this handle does? (response) It does what? (jumps out) Respond to the children with misunderstandings: Someone jumped out at you? (response) Yes, that must have been a surprise. Close the box and continue turning the handle. I love surprises. Someone once threw me a surprise party and I didn't know anything about it ... my friends and family ... about this time the Jack--in--the--Box should open again. When it opens, quickly put Jack back into the box: What was that? (response)
You know this reminds me of a story about a man named Lazarus. Begin turning the handle again. The aim is to get the box to open at the time you quote Jesus' words: "Lazarus, come out!" He died and he was put in a ... well, it wasn't a box exactly ... it was a tomb. Does anyone know what a tomb is? (response) It's a cave where you bury someone who has died, and they had put Lazarus in one of these tombs. He was dead for four days and Jesus came to the tomb and he said, "Lazarus, come out!" Jack--in--the--Box comes out here.
Application: And that's what happened. Lazarus came out of the box. He came out of the tomb, alive again! How do you think that happened? (response) It happened because Jesus had the power to do it. He is able to make dead people live again. There is no box, tomb, or grave in this world that can hold us because Jesus has the power over life and death. So, I don't want you to be afraid of death, and I don't want you to be scared when someone dies because Jesus is going to give life to all of us. Just as Lazarus lift up the box came out of his box, so will we!
Let's Pray: Dear Lord, when we die our life starts again in heaven with you. You give us life because of your great love for us. We give you thanks. Amen.
?
Lent 5
Romans 8:6--11
Breaking The Rules
Exegetical Aim: The worldly mind is against God's law.
Props: A dry erase board, a marker, a volunteer, and a Bible.
Lesson: Today I would like us to play school. But I need a teacher. Who's going to be the teacher? (response) Choose one of the older children. Before we play school, we need some rules. What are the rules that we need for our class? Can we talk anytime we want? (no talking) Okay, let's write that down. Write "No Talking" on the board. What's another rule? Are we allowed to have gum? (no gum chewing) Write the rule on the board. What about moving around? Can we get out of our seats? (no getting out of the seat) Write the rule on the board. If we know an answer, what do we do? (raise your hand before speaking) Write the rule on the board. Now we have our rules, and we're ready for school.
Our teacher today is going to teach us the alphabet. Call on the teacher to come forward and you assume the child's position as a student. I'm going to be one of the students. Call the class to order, and show us how you would teach us the alphabet. When the teacher begins to speak, get up and move to another seat, being very disruptive. Oh, I'm sorry. Was I not supposed to move? Sorry! Go ahead. As the teacher tries to teach again, disrupt the class by successive behaviors: chew gum, talk to a neighbor, and raise your hand and ask, "Can I go to bathroom?" Each time apologize for breaking the rules.
Application: Was it easy for the teacher to teach us? (response) Why not? (response) Oh, I broke the rules, didn't I? Do you think I showed any respect to the teacher by not following the rules? (response) Hold up the Bible. Do you know that much of the Bible has rules that God has written for us? What are some of the rules? (love your neighbor, don't kill, etc.) He gave us those rules so that things will work better for us here in this life. But when we don't follow his rules, we do not show God respect. So how do we show God and even our teachers respect? (by following the rules) Good!
Let's pray: Thank you, God, for the rules that you have given us in the Bible to make our lives better. Help us to follow them in our lives. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
?
