Where Does God Live?
Children's sermon
Cows In Church
80 Biblically Based Children's Sermons
Object:
A 3-foot x 5-foot (i.e., large) world map and a passport.
As the children seat themselves on the chancel steps, I spread out a map of the world on the floor in front of them.
"Oooooooooooooooh!" comes their response as the map's features are revealed.
"It's pretty!" Mary exclaims.
"Yes, it is pretty, Mary," I answer. "There are lots of different colors to help us see where all the different countries are. Can any of you show us where we live?"
Immediately some of the eight- and nine-year-olds spring from their seats and descend on the map like bees on a field of clover. Almost with one motion, five little index fingers land in the center of the United States.
"Right HERE!" Thomas announces. I am duly impressed by the children's knowledge of geography.
"You all certainly know where Missouri is," I affirm. "Thank you." As the children return to their seats, I continue, pointing to the corresponding places on the map: "What if I wanted to go from the United States over to China? Could I just get on a plane and go, or would I need to take something along that would give me permission to enter a foreign country?"
"You'd have to take money," Sarah replies.
"Well, that's true, Sarah," I answer as visions of bribing border guards flit through my thoughts. "Money would certainly make my trip easier. But is there anything else I'd have to take along?"
"You'd need a passport," Jane says matter-of-factly.
"Ah, yes. I'd need a passport," I echo. "If I went to China, I would have to cross borders of other countries, nations that have laws and governments that are different from ours, I would need something called a 'passport' that would give me permission to enter those other countries. In fact, I've brought my passport this morning so you can see what one looks like. It's a little book with my picture in it and pages for government officials to use a rubber stamp to show it's all right for me to come into their countries." As I speak, I show the children these parts of the passport; then I give it to the nearest child to hand around the group.
"Do any of you know who made the laws in these countries?
Who decided where the borders should be? Who made all these barriers between nations?"
"People did," James answers.
"That's right, James. But who made the world?"
"God!" he tells me.
"Right again. So, what I'm wondering now is, can any of you show me where in the world God lives?"
"HERE!" Ricky announces, planting his finger in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
With a barely suppressed chuckle, I answer, "Indeed God does live there, Ricky. And here ... and here ... and here ..." Each time I say "here," I point to a different spot on the map. "And if God lives every place in the world, does God need a passport?"
"No!" the children answer together.
"No," I continue, "God doesn't need a passport. People do, because of all the rules, laws, borders, and barriers we have set up. But God doesn't. In fact, God sent Jesus to us to break down all the barriers we put between ourselves and other people because God really cares about relationships. God cares about being present to us and about our being present to God and to each other.
"We decided a moment ago that God lives everywhere in the world. And that means that God lives in you ... and you ... and you ... and me." Once again, as I say these words, I point to different children and then to myself. "God lives in the smile of a friend, in the hug you give to someone else, in the hands we use to help one another, and in the kind things we do each day. God lives in every one of us and in every person throughout the world.
"We are all God's children, no matter what country we live in, no matter what street we live on, no matter what church we may or may not attend. We are God's children and God wants us to live together in this world as brothers and sisters, loving one another, just as God loves us."
"Oooooooooooooooh!" comes their response as the map's features are revealed.
"It's pretty!" Mary exclaims.
"Yes, it is pretty, Mary," I answer. "There are lots of different colors to help us see where all the different countries are. Can any of you show us where we live?"
Immediately some of the eight- and nine-year-olds spring from their seats and descend on the map like bees on a field of clover. Almost with one motion, five little index fingers land in the center of the United States.
"Right HERE!" Thomas announces. I am duly impressed by the children's knowledge of geography.
"You all certainly know where Missouri is," I affirm. "Thank you." As the children return to their seats, I continue, pointing to the corresponding places on the map: "What if I wanted to go from the United States over to China? Could I just get on a plane and go, or would I need to take something along that would give me permission to enter a foreign country?"
"You'd have to take money," Sarah replies.
"Well, that's true, Sarah," I answer as visions of bribing border guards flit through my thoughts. "Money would certainly make my trip easier. But is there anything else I'd have to take along?"
"You'd need a passport," Jane says matter-of-factly.
"Ah, yes. I'd need a passport," I echo. "If I went to China, I would have to cross borders of other countries, nations that have laws and governments that are different from ours, I would need something called a 'passport' that would give me permission to enter those other countries. In fact, I've brought my passport this morning so you can see what one looks like. It's a little book with my picture in it and pages for government officials to use a rubber stamp to show it's all right for me to come into their countries." As I speak, I show the children these parts of the passport; then I give it to the nearest child to hand around the group.
"Do any of you know who made the laws in these countries?
Who decided where the borders should be? Who made all these barriers between nations?"
"People did," James answers.
"That's right, James. But who made the world?"
"God!" he tells me.
"Right again. So, what I'm wondering now is, can any of you show me where in the world God lives?"
"HERE!" Ricky announces, planting his finger in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
With a barely suppressed chuckle, I answer, "Indeed God does live there, Ricky. And here ... and here ... and here ..." Each time I say "here," I point to a different spot on the map. "And if God lives every place in the world, does God need a passport?"
"No!" the children answer together.
"No," I continue, "God doesn't need a passport. People do, because of all the rules, laws, borders, and barriers we have set up. But God doesn't. In fact, God sent Jesus to us to break down all the barriers we put between ourselves and other people because God really cares about relationships. God cares about being present to us and about our being present to God and to each other.
"We decided a moment ago that God lives everywhere in the world. And that means that God lives in you ... and you ... and you ... and me." Once again, as I say these words, I point to different children and then to myself. "God lives in the smile of a friend, in the hug you give to someone else, in the hands we use to help one another, and in the kind things we do each day. God lives in every one of us and in every person throughout the world.
"We are all God's children, no matter what country we live in, no matter what street we live on, no matter what church we may or may not attend. We are God's children and God wants us to live together in this world as brothers and sisters, loving one another, just as God loves us."
