Sign Of The Times
Children's sermon
Children's Sermons A To Z
Exegetical Aim: Winter and cold as symbols and signs of the world's darkness and the need for God's intervention. (This Children's Sermon is a bit more symbolic than usual, but so is the scriptural text.)
Props: A branch with enough green leaves for each child to tear one off.
Lesson: As you were coming to church this morning perhaps you noticed the weather. What was the weather like? (response) What kind of things did you see? What kind of sky was there? (response) What was the temperature like? Was it hot, cold, or nice outside? (response) Summarize the weather conditions and then add to the end of your description: But weather can change quickly, can't it? (response) How do you know when it's going to rain? (response) That is right. It can be sunny outside, the sky nice and blue, and the sun shining brightly, and then you see some dark clouds coming, and you hear the thunder in the distance, and that means it's going to rain.
Hold up the branch. What do I have this morning? (response) What color are the leaves? (response) They are green because it's still summer. What is going to happen to the leaves in a few weeks? (response) If they don't know: Are the leaves going to change? (response) What colors? (response) All those colors are a sign that something is on the way. What is on the way? How is the weather going to change? (cold, winter) And when it gets cold what happens? (response) It snows. Hold up the branch. And how do we know that winter is on the way? (response)
Application: I want everyone to come up and take a leaf. Take one leaf. Take them off at the branch slowly so you don't tear the leaves. Okay, sit back down. When they are seated: Take a look at your leaf. Soon millions and millions of leaves like the one you're holding will change color, turn brown, die, and fall to the ground. And then the cold will come. And when it gets cold in the world we need God very much to warm our hearts and make us feel love again. You see, the cold not only kills the leaves, but it deadens our hearts, and God wants very much to come into our hearts and warm them with his love so they don't die and fall to the ground.
Let's Pray: Lord, keep our hearts warm. Keep us from being cold--hearted. Amen.
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Proper 15
Hebrews 11:29-12:2
They Are Cheering You On!
Exegetical Aim: Explanation of the concept: a great cloud of witnesses.
Props: A basketball, ballet shoes, a tennis ball, and some running shoes concealed in a container of some sort.
Lesson: I've got some things here today that I want to show you. Are you ready? First hold up the basketball for just a brief moment, then hide it again. Did you see my football? (response) What was it then? (response) A basketball? Okay, you were right. Bring out the basketball. Who likes playing basketball? (response) Repeat this with the ballet slippers, the tennis ball and the jogging shoes, naming each item incorrectly. This will make the children laugh and keep their attention.
Okay, we have a basketball, ballet slippers, a tennis ball, and jogging shoes. What do these things have in common? (used in sports) Are any of these your favorites? (response) Which sport do you like the best? (response)
Application: I think the toughest of these sports is running. Being a Christian is like being a runner. Hold up the running shoes. It requires training and many hours of practice, but we have a lot of people in heaven cheering for us. The Bible calls these people a cloud of witnesses. People like Abraham, Moses, Rahab, David, and lots of others. So always remember that you're not alone when you are running the race of life and trying to do the right things for Jesus. God is with you, and a lot of people are cheering for you!
Let's Pray: Dear Lord, we know that heaven is cheering us on. Give us strength to run the race of life, being faithful to what Jesus wants us to be. Amen.
?
Props: A branch with enough green leaves for each child to tear one off.
Lesson: As you were coming to church this morning perhaps you noticed the weather. What was the weather like? (response) What kind of things did you see? What kind of sky was there? (response) What was the temperature like? Was it hot, cold, or nice outside? (response) Summarize the weather conditions and then add to the end of your description: But weather can change quickly, can't it? (response) How do you know when it's going to rain? (response) That is right. It can be sunny outside, the sky nice and blue, and the sun shining brightly, and then you see some dark clouds coming, and you hear the thunder in the distance, and that means it's going to rain.
Hold up the branch. What do I have this morning? (response) What color are the leaves? (response) They are green because it's still summer. What is going to happen to the leaves in a few weeks? (response) If they don't know: Are the leaves going to change? (response) What colors? (response) All those colors are a sign that something is on the way. What is on the way? How is the weather going to change? (cold, winter) And when it gets cold what happens? (response) It snows. Hold up the branch. And how do we know that winter is on the way? (response)
Application: I want everyone to come up and take a leaf. Take one leaf. Take them off at the branch slowly so you don't tear the leaves. Okay, sit back down. When they are seated: Take a look at your leaf. Soon millions and millions of leaves like the one you're holding will change color, turn brown, die, and fall to the ground. And then the cold will come. And when it gets cold in the world we need God very much to warm our hearts and make us feel love again. You see, the cold not only kills the leaves, but it deadens our hearts, and God wants very much to come into our hearts and warm them with his love so they don't die and fall to the ground.
Let's Pray: Lord, keep our hearts warm. Keep us from being cold--hearted. Amen.
?
Proper 15
Hebrews 11:29-12:2
They Are Cheering You On!
Exegetical Aim: Explanation of the concept: a great cloud of witnesses.
Props: A basketball, ballet shoes, a tennis ball, and some running shoes concealed in a container of some sort.
Lesson: I've got some things here today that I want to show you. Are you ready? First hold up the basketball for just a brief moment, then hide it again. Did you see my football? (response) What was it then? (response) A basketball? Okay, you were right. Bring out the basketball. Who likes playing basketball? (response) Repeat this with the ballet slippers, the tennis ball and the jogging shoes, naming each item incorrectly. This will make the children laugh and keep their attention.
Okay, we have a basketball, ballet slippers, a tennis ball, and jogging shoes. What do these things have in common? (used in sports) Are any of these your favorites? (response) Which sport do you like the best? (response)
Application: I think the toughest of these sports is running. Being a Christian is like being a runner. Hold up the running shoes. It requires training and many hours of practice, but we have a lot of people in heaven cheering for us. The Bible calls these people a cloud of witnesses. People like Abraham, Moses, Rahab, David, and lots of others. So always remember that you're not alone when you are running the race of life and trying to do the right things for Jesus. God is with you, and a lot of people are cheering for you!
Let's Pray: Dear Lord, we know that heaven is cheering us on. Give us strength to run the race of life, being faithful to what Jesus wants us to be. Amen.
?
