Standing Ovation
Children's sermon
The Giant Book Of Children's Sermons
Matthew To Revelation
Object: a standing round of applause (use a sign that reads "Give a standing round of applause" and show it to the congregation after the child performs)
Good morning, boys and girls. How are you today? Do you feel really good? (let them answer) I am going to make you feel better than you do right now. I am going to make you feel super! Do you think I can do it? Do you want me to try? (let them answer)
All right, I need some volunteers. (select one boy and one girl) You are my volunteers and I am going to make you feel really good. What I want you to do is to tell me a story or repeat a poem or sing a song that you know. It can be a short story, short poem, or a short song. Do you think you can do this for me? (let them answer) Okay, who wants to go first? (select one of the children who has volunteered; then after he/she has performed, hold up the sign to the congregation and lead the applause; repeat with each performer)
That was great! Do you feel good? (let them answer) Do you feel better than you did before? (let them answer) Wonderful. Do you think that all of the people in our church are encouraging you? Do they want you to feel better? (let them answer)
The Apostle Paul knew how important it was for Christians to feel good about one another. Sometimes things are hard to accomplish and we don't get a lot of thanks for doing things that need to be done. How many of you have ever received a standing ovation for forgiving someone or sharing something that you have that someone else really needs? If you give one of your toys to someone who doesn't have any toys, or if you take care of someone who is hurting, does a crowd of people stand up and applaud you for doing it? (let them answer) Probably not! But having someone say thanks to you sometimes is almost better than applause. When I made a phone call to a shut--in recently she said, "Thank you for calling me and ending my lonely day." I'll be sure to call or write to her again because now I know my call made a difference to her.
We can't always have standing ovations for our work. But we can encourage people who do nice things by saying, "Thanks a lot!" We can help people feel better about the good things they do by telling them how much we love them and appreciate them. We can thank our teachers for teaching us, our doctors for keeping us healthy, our firefighters and police officers for making us safe, and our parents for taking care of us every day of our lives.
Let's stand and applaud our choir for singing so beautifully. (lead the children in standing and applauding each of the people you name) Let's thank the organist and the ushers. Let's ask our Sunday school teachers to stand so we can thank them. And then let's thank our parents for giving us such a great life at home. Remember what the Bible says, "Encourage one another and build each other up as you are doing."
Good morning, boys and girls. How are you today? Do you feel really good? (let them answer) I am going to make you feel better than you do right now. I am going to make you feel super! Do you think I can do it? Do you want me to try? (let them answer)
All right, I need some volunteers. (select one boy and one girl) You are my volunteers and I am going to make you feel really good. What I want you to do is to tell me a story or repeat a poem or sing a song that you know. It can be a short story, short poem, or a short song. Do you think you can do this for me? (let them answer) Okay, who wants to go first? (select one of the children who has volunteered; then after he/she has performed, hold up the sign to the congregation and lead the applause; repeat with each performer)
That was great! Do you feel good? (let them answer) Do you feel better than you did before? (let them answer) Wonderful. Do you think that all of the people in our church are encouraging you? Do they want you to feel better? (let them answer)
The Apostle Paul knew how important it was for Christians to feel good about one another. Sometimes things are hard to accomplish and we don't get a lot of thanks for doing things that need to be done. How many of you have ever received a standing ovation for forgiving someone or sharing something that you have that someone else really needs? If you give one of your toys to someone who doesn't have any toys, or if you take care of someone who is hurting, does a crowd of people stand up and applaud you for doing it? (let them answer) Probably not! But having someone say thanks to you sometimes is almost better than applause. When I made a phone call to a shut--in recently she said, "Thank you for calling me and ending my lonely day." I'll be sure to call or write to her again because now I know my call made a difference to her.
We can't always have standing ovations for our work. But we can encourage people who do nice things by saying, "Thanks a lot!" We can help people feel better about the good things they do by telling them how much we love them and appreciate them. We can thank our teachers for teaching us, our doctors for keeping us healthy, our firefighters and police officers for making us safe, and our parents for taking care of us every day of our lives.
Let's stand and applaud our choir for singing so beautifully. (lead the children in standing and applauding each of the people you name) Let's thank the organist and the ushers. Let's ask our Sunday school teachers to stand so we can thank them. And then let's thank our parents for giving us such a great life at home. Remember what the Bible says, "Encourage one another and build each other up as you are doing."
