Listen To Jesus
Children's sermon
THE BIG INFLUENCE OF SMALL THINGS
Exegetical Aim: Many voices compete for our attention. We must listen primarily to Christ.
Props: A new twenty--dollar bill.
Lesson: Good morning! (response) Guess what I found? When I got out of my car, sitting right there on the ground was a show the bill twenty--dollar bill - a crisp brand new twenty--dollar bill. That's a lot of money, isn't it? (response) I don't know what I'm going to get with it. I thought you might have some pretty good ideas. What do you think I should do with it? (response) Single out individual opinions. Pit the children's suggestions against one another. She thinks I should get a game. What do you think I should do with it? (turn it in) What do you think? (response) He thinks I should turn it in. What do you think? (response)
Get as many opinions as possible and return to the person who suggested turning it in. He said I should turn it in. Why should I turn it in? (because it's somebody else's money) Well, let's see. Let's ask. Stand up and address the congregation. Did anybody lose a twenty--dollar bill? (response) Nobody lost it, so that settles it. I can spend it. Right? (response)
You're right. I should not spend it and I should turn it in. Do you know why? (response) It is the right thing to do. You are partially right. It is somebody else's money, but more importantly, it is not my money.
Application: There are all kinds of voices out in the world and those voices are trying to tell us what to do, how to think, when to act, where to be, and who to listen to. In the Bible there was an important moment in the life of the disciples. Jesus was standing around with some very important wise people. Just then, from out of the clouds, God spoke. He said, "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him." If you will listen to Jesus, you will know what to do. You will learn what is right and what is good.
Let's Pray: God, of all the voices in this world, you want us to listen to your Son. You love him and you are pleased with him, and so we are too. Amen.
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Transfiguration
2 Peter 1:16--21
An Eyewitness Account
Exegetical Aim: The importance of witnessing.
Props: Any picture from a book or magazine, preferably a silly animal picture for fun. Here we will assume it is a monkey.
Lesson: Let's play a game. I'm going to show a picture to you, but I want all of you to close your eyes and put your heads down. Then we'll see if you can tell what the picture is by guessing. Let's play. Everyone put down your head, close your eyes, and put your hands over your eyes. No peeking! Once all of the children close their eyes, hold the picture up towards the children, and then let the congregation see it. You can get up now. What was the picture of? (response) You don't know? No one can tell me what the picture was? (response) Let's try again.
All right, let's do it again. Everyone close your eyes and put your heads down. Hold up the picture. Choose one child very quietly by tapping her on the head and instructing her to be quiet by placing your index finger over your mouth. Show her the picture, and motion for her to close her eyes again. Now everyone open your eyes. Who wants to guess what the picture was? The eyewitness should raise her hand and give the answer. What was the monkey doing? (response) Does everyone believe her? (response) How could she know? (response) The only way is if she saw the picture. Do you know for sure that she is an eyewitness? Let's vote. Who thinks she is right? (response) Who thinks she is wrong? (response) Some of you are willing to trust her. Others of you are not. Let's see what the picture is. Show the picture. Those of you who trusted the eyewitness were right.
Application: Eyewitnesses are very important. When you see something important take place, you become an eyewitness. Let me ask you a question. Do you believe me when I say that Jesus died on a cross and then he was buried and then he came back to life and was raised from the grave? (yes) You believe me and that's good, but I didn't see that happen. You know how I know it happened? (response) I know because there were several men and women who saw it happen and they wrote down what they saw. Do you know where they wrote it down? (response) Right here. Hold out the Bible. It's all right here in the Bible. They saw it all happen and they wrote it down, and I believe them. They were good eyewitnesses.
Let's Pray: Thank you, God, for giving us Jesus. And thank you for the eyewitnesses who told us about Jesus. Amen.
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Props: A new twenty--dollar bill.
Lesson: Good morning! (response) Guess what I found? When I got out of my car, sitting right there on the ground was a show the bill twenty--dollar bill - a crisp brand new twenty--dollar bill. That's a lot of money, isn't it? (response) I don't know what I'm going to get with it. I thought you might have some pretty good ideas. What do you think I should do with it? (response) Single out individual opinions. Pit the children's suggestions against one another. She thinks I should get a game. What do you think I should do with it? (turn it in) What do you think? (response) He thinks I should turn it in. What do you think? (response)
Get as many opinions as possible and return to the person who suggested turning it in. He said I should turn it in. Why should I turn it in? (because it's somebody else's money) Well, let's see. Let's ask. Stand up and address the congregation. Did anybody lose a twenty--dollar bill? (response) Nobody lost it, so that settles it. I can spend it. Right? (response)
You're right. I should not spend it and I should turn it in. Do you know why? (response) It is the right thing to do. You are partially right. It is somebody else's money, but more importantly, it is not my money.
Application: There are all kinds of voices out in the world and those voices are trying to tell us what to do, how to think, when to act, where to be, and who to listen to. In the Bible there was an important moment in the life of the disciples. Jesus was standing around with some very important wise people. Just then, from out of the clouds, God spoke. He said, "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him." If you will listen to Jesus, you will know what to do. You will learn what is right and what is good.
Let's Pray: God, of all the voices in this world, you want us to listen to your Son. You love him and you are pleased with him, and so we are too. Amen.
?
Transfiguration
2 Peter 1:16--21
An Eyewitness Account
Exegetical Aim: The importance of witnessing.
Props: Any picture from a book or magazine, preferably a silly animal picture for fun. Here we will assume it is a monkey.
Lesson: Let's play a game. I'm going to show a picture to you, but I want all of you to close your eyes and put your heads down. Then we'll see if you can tell what the picture is by guessing. Let's play. Everyone put down your head, close your eyes, and put your hands over your eyes. No peeking! Once all of the children close their eyes, hold the picture up towards the children, and then let the congregation see it. You can get up now. What was the picture of? (response) You don't know? No one can tell me what the picture was? (response) Let's try again.
All right, let's do it again. Everyone close your eyes and put your heads down. Hold up the picture. Choose one child very quietly by tapping her on the head and instructing her to be quiet by placing your index finger over your mouth. Show her the picture, and motion for her to close her eyes again. Now everyone open your eyes. Who wants to guess what the picture was? The eyewitness should raise her hand and give the answer. What was the monkey doing? (response) Does everyone believe her? (response) How could she know? (response) The only way is if she saw the picture. Do you know for sure that she is an eyewitness? Let's vote. Who thinks she is right? (response) Who thinks she is wrong? (response) Some of you are willing to trust her. Others of you are not. Let's see what the picture is. Show the picture. Those of you who trusted the eyewitness were right.
Application: Eyewitnesses are very important. When you see something important take place, you become an eyewitness. Let me ask you a question. Do you believe me when I say that Jesus died on a cross and then he was buried and then he came back to life and was raised from the grave? (yes) You believe me and that's good, but I didn't see that happen. You know how I know it happened? (response) I know because there were several men and women who saw it happen and they wrote down what they saw. Do you know where they wrote it down? (response) Right here. Hold out the Bible. It's all right here in the Bible. They saw it all happen and they wrote it down, and I believe them. They were good eyewitnesses.
Let's Pray: Thank you, God, for giving us Jesus. And thank you for the eyewitnesses who told us about Jesus. Amen.
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