New Life
Children's sermon
Life Everlasting
The Essential Book of Funeral Resources
Object:
mustard seeds or very small seeds from a flower and one or more of the flowers, and small baggies of dirt (one for each child)
It is like a mustard seed, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of shrubs, and put forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.
-- Mark 4:31-32
Object: mustard seeds or very small seeds from a flower and one or more of the flowers, and small baggies of dirt (one for each child)
It is good to be with you today. We did not plan on this meeting. Instead, we probably planned on doing something else, like bike riding or watching a television show. But when Steve died, all of our plans changed. Your parents and others wanted to come and say, "Thank you," to the person who died and to his family.
We know that the body of Steve is in the casket. That's one of the things we do with people who have died. But, we also wonder what being in that casket means for our friend. Soon the casket will be put in the ground and the person will be buried. Is that something we want to happen to us? (let them answer)
I brought along with me today some real seeds from (a mustard bush or the name of a flower) to give to each of you. The seeds are very small, and some of them are so tiny that they are hard to see. I also brought along a little baggie with some soil in it. I am going to take the seed and put it in the baggie. When you go home, ask your mom or dad to pour the soil into a small pot and bury the seed just under the top of the soil. Your mom or dad will help you grow the seed into a flower.
First, we need to find out something about this seed. This seed came from a beautiful flower much prettier than the seed. As a matter of fact, the flower had many seeds just like the one we are looking at today. If we keep the seed in a safe place like on top of our dresser or in a special drawer the seed will always be there. It will always look like a seed. In a couple of years it may turn to dust but for a long time it will just be a seed. But, when we bury the seed in the soil then something wonderful will happen. In a few days, the seed will grow roots and then a stem. The stem will grow until it has leaves. Soon there will be a bud and finally a beautiful flower. If you watch the flower carefully, it will grow many seeds just like the one we buried started with. From one seed, it will grow into many seeds. Do you know who did all of this? (let them answer) That's right, God does this every day.
Something like this is going to happen to our friend who died. He is going to be buried, but he will not be alone. God is with him and God is going to give him a new life, one that is better than anything he ever imagined. His life is going to have no pain, no dying, ever again. He will be part of millions of other people who once lived on the earth, died, and are now living with God in God's new world.
The next time you see a flower or a seed, I want you to think of the power of God and what he can do with something as small as a seed. If he can do it with a seed then think what he can do with people. Amen.
-- Mark 4:31-32
Object: mustard seeds or very small seeds from a flower and one or more of the flowers, and small baggies of dirt (one for each child)
It is good to be with you today. We did not plan on this meeting. Instead, we probably planned on doing something else, like bike riding or watching a television show. But when Steve died, all of our plans changed. Your parents and others wanted to come and say, "Thank you," to the person who died and to his family.
We know that the body of Steve is in the casket. That's one of the things we do with people who have died. But, we also wonder what being in that casket means for our friend. Soon the casket will be put in the ground and the person will be buried. Is that something we want to happen to us? (let them answer)
I brought along with me today some real seeds from (a mustard bush or the name of a flower) to give to each of you. The seeds are very small, and some of them are so tiny that they are hard to see. I also brought along a little baggie with some soil in it. I am going to take the seed and put it in the baggie. When you go home, ask your mom or dad to pour the soil into a small pot and bury the seed just under the top of the soil. Your mom or dad will help you grow the seed into a flower.
First, we need to find out something about this seed. This seed came from a beautiful flower much prettier than the seed. As a matter of fact, the flower had many seeds just like the one we are looking at today. If we keep the seed in a safe place like on top of our dresser or in a special drawer the seed will always be there. It will always look like a seed. In a couple of years it may turn to dust but for a long time it will just be a seed. But, when we bury the seed in the soil then something wonderful will happen. In a few days, the seed will grow roots and then a stem. The stem will grow until it has leaves. Soon there will be a bud and finally a beautiful flower. If you watch the flower carefully, it will grow many seeds just like the one we buried started with. From one seed, it will grow into many seeds. Do you know who did all of this? (let them answer) That's right, God does this every day.
Something like this is going to happen to our friend who died. He is going to be buried, but he will not be alone. God is with him and God is going to give him a new life, one that is better than anything he ever imagined. His life is going to have no pain, no dying, ever again. He will be part of millions of other people who once lived on the earth, died, and are now living with God in God's new world.
The next time you see a flower or a seed, I want you to think of the power of God and what he can do with something as small as a seed. If he can do it with a seed then think what he can do with people. Amen.
