Sometimes You Gotta Bend The Rules!
Children's sermon
Children's Sermons A To Z
Exegetical Aim: Rules and laws are good. They tell us how we should live our lives, but sometimes there is a greater good to be served by breaking the rules.
Props: Some signs with rules on them. Get some commercially--made signs or just draw them yourself. The contents of the signs are explained below.
Lesson: Good morning! (response) I have some signs with me this morning and I want you to read them and tell me who might put up each sign. Hold up the first sign: No Dogs or Pets Allowed. What does this sign say? (response) Who would put up a sign like this? (stores) Second Sign: STOP. What does this sign say? (response) Who puts up this sign? (people who make the roads) Third sign: No Shirt No Shoes No Service. What does this sign say? (response) Who puts up this sign? (restaurant) Fourth sign: Quiet Please. What does this sign say? (response) Who puts up this sign? (Librarian) Fifth sign: Remember Sunday is holy and you should rest (An adaptation of the Fourth Commandment: Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy). What does this sign say? (response) Who puts up this sign? (God)
Signs and rules are very important. They help us know what to do, and some of them even help us know how best to live our lives. But sometimes rules can get in the way of doing something good. Who knows what an ambulance is for? (response) And when an ambulance is carrying a sick person to the hospital and they come upon a stop sign hold up the STOP sign the ambulance does what? (response) That's right. The ambulance goes right through the stop sign. Why does it run right through the stop sign? (they are in a hurry to get to the hospital, someone's sick) The stop sign is very important and helps protect us, but sometimes it gets in the way of helping people.
Application: Jesus had this very same problem. There was a lady who was crippled. Who knows what "crippled" means? (response) That's right. She couldn't walk straight, she was bent over, and she had been this way for eighteen years. The crippled lady came into the church [synagogue] where Jesus was teaching. When Jesus saw the woman, he did something for her. He healed her. Her back straightened and she stood right up! But there were some people there at church who got mad, and they reminded Jesus hold up the Sabbath sign that this was Sunday and you're not supposed to do any kind of work on Sunday, including healing. You're supposed to rest. Jesus reminded them that sometimes you've got to work on Sunday. You bend the rules a little because there is a greater good that can be accomplished - like healing someone.
Let's Pray: Father, we know that rules are important, but help us to put people first and not the rules. Amen.
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Proper 16
Hebrews 12:18--29
God's Unshakable Kingdom
Exegetical Aim: God's kingdom cannot be shaken.
Props: A baby rattle, a can or plastic jar of un--popped popcorn, and a bottle of water. Bring them out in a box that can be shaken.
Lesson: Today we are going to talk about shaking things. And to help me, I have brought a box that I'm going to shake. Shake the box. Can you tell what's inside? (response) Take the rattle out of the box. Look at this. This is pretty neat. What is it? (response) Yes, it's a rattle. This can be shaken, can't it? (response) How come I can shake it? (response) Is it a very big object? (response) Help them arrive at the answer: "It is small." Oh, I see. I can shake it because it is small. Even a baby could shake this. Shake the box again: Well, what else do you think is in the box? Repeat the questions with the popcorn and the bottled water. With each item have them arrive at the same conclusion: These things can be shaken due to their size.
Now I want all of you to stand up and shake something. Come with me. If it is feasible, lead them over to the wall of the church. If not, then have them hold onto something that is structurally firm and part of the church. Now I want you all to put your hands on the wall, and on the count of three, we are going to shake the church building. Are you ready? One, two, three! Come on and shake it! Look around. Look! What happened? (nothing, it's not shaking) Let's try one more time. (they try to shake the church again) What's the matter? Can't the church be shaken? (response) Why not? (because it's too big)
Application: That reminds me. The Bible tells us that God's kingdom, the church, is so big that it cannot be shaken. A little jar of popcorn can be shaken, but not the church. God's kingdom is so big, and powerful nothing can move it. And because it is so big, we do not need to be afraid of anything. We can live just like God wants us to because we trust in something that will not and cannot be shaken. The church will always be here for us, because God will always be here for us.
Let's Pray: Dear God, thank you for giving us a kingdom that is so big that it can't be shaken. Now we know we can live like you want us to live, and you will always be there for us. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
?
Props: Some signs with rules on them. Get some commercially--made signs or just draw them yourself. The contents of the signs are explained below.
Lesson: Good morning! (response) I have some signs with me this morning and I want you to read them and tell me who might put up each sign. Hold up the first sign: No Dogs or Pets Allowed. What does this sign say? (response) Who would put up a sign like this? (stores) Second Sign: STOP. What does this sign say? (response) Who puts up this sign? (people who make the roads) Third sign: No Shirt No Shoes No Service. What does this sign say? (response) Who puts up this sign? (restaurant) Fourth sign: Quiet Please. What does this sign say? (response) Who puts up this sign? (Librarian) Fifth sign: Remember Sunday is holy and you should rest (An adaptation of the Fourth Commandment: Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy). What does this sign say? (response) Who puts up this sign? (God)
Signs and rules are very important. They help us know what to do, and some of them even help us know how best to live our lives. But sometimes rules can get in the way of doing something good. Who knows what an ambulance is for? (response) And when an ambulance is carrying a sick person to the hospital and they come upon a stop sign hold up the STOP sign the ambulance does what? (response) That's right. The ambulance goes right through the stop sign. Why does it run right through the stop sign? (they are in a hurry to get to the hospital, someone's sick) The stop sign is very important and helps protect us, but sometimes it gets in the way of helping people.
Application: Jesus had this very same problem. There was a lady who was crippled. Who knows what "crippled" means? (response) That's right. She couldn't walk straight, she was bent over, and she had been this way for eighteen years. The crippled lady came into the church [synagogue] where Jesus was teaching. When Jesus saw the woman, he did something for her. He healed her. Her back straightened and she stood right up! But there were some people there at church who got mad, and they reminded Jesus hold up the Sabbath sign that this was Sunday and you're not supposed to do any kind of work on Sunday, including healing. You're supposed to rest. Jesus reminded them that sometimes you've got to work on Sunday. You bend the rules a little because there is a greater good that can be accomplished - like healing someone.
Let's Pray: Father, we know that rules are important, but help us to put people first and not the rules. Amen.
?
Proper 16
Hebrews 12:18--29
God's Unshakable Kingdom
Exegetical Aim: God's kingdom cannot be shaken.
Props: A baby rattle, a can or plastic jar of un--popped popcorn, and a bottle of water. Bring them out in a box that can be shaken.
Lesson: Today we are going to talk about shaking things. And to help me, I have brought a box that I'm going to shake. Shake the box. Can you tell what's inside? (response) Take the rattle out of the box. Look at this. This is pretty neat. What is it? (response) Yes, it's a rattle. This can be shaken, can't it? (response) How come I can shake it? (response) Is it a very big object? (response) Help them arrive at the answer: "It is small." Oh, I see. I can shake it because it is small. Even a baby could shake this. Shake the box again: Well, what else do you think is in the box? Repeat the questions with the popcorn and the bottled water. With each item have them arrive at the same conclusion: These things can be shaken due to their size.
Now I want all of you to stand up and shake something. Come with me. If it is feasible, lead them over to the wall of the church. If not, then have them hold onto something that is structurally firm and part of the church. Now I want you all to put your hands on the wall, and on the count of three, we are going to shake the church building. Are you ready? One, two, three! Come on and shake it! Look around. Look! What happened? (nothing, it's not shaking) Let's try one more time. (they try to shake the church again) What's the matter? Can't the church be shaken? (response) Why not? (because it's too big)
Application: That reminds me. The Bible tells us that God's kingdom, the church, is so big that it cannot be shaken. A little jar of popcorn can be shaken, but not the church. God's kingdom is so big, and powerful nothing can move it. And because it is so big, we do not need to be afraid of anything. We can live just like God wants us to because we trust in something that will not and cannot be shaken. The church will always be here for us, because God will always be here for us.
Let's Pray: Dear God, thank you for giving us a kingdom that is so big that it can't be shaken. Now we know we can live like you want us to live, and you will always be there for us. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
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