Children's sermon - Christian Unity

Children’s Sermon / Sunday school lesson – Christian Unity

1 Corinthians 12:12-31 The Body of Christ

Sermon / object lesson: Prior to your talk, have a child lie down on a large piece of cardboard so that you can trace the outline of his/her body. Then cut cardboard body part pieces into a simple “body puzzle.” During your kids talk hold up various cardboard “body parts” and discuss how all alone they are not much good. Get the children to each hold a body part and see if you can quickly hold them in place to make the whole body complete. Congratulate the children and explain how when the body is together it is alive and effective. Explain how each of us, with our different gifts is a part of the body of Christ. We need each other and we need to be together in unity if we are going to be effective in “being Jesus” to a broken world.

(As a Sunday school lessonyou could go into much more detail about use of gifts, how we need each other, and the idea that we are the “hands and feet” of Jesus. We are the church, the physical manifestation of our risen Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.)

Objects Lesson items: Large cardboard body part “cut outs” made out of cardboard. I would suggest about ten body parts (left hand, right hand, head, left foot, etc.)

Children’s sermon: Good morning children! One of our bible readings this morning is from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. In his letter Paul encourages the believers to all work together as one unit. He said that in the same way a body is made up of many parts, each of us is like a part of the body of Christ– his church. I’ll show you what I mean. (Bring out your cardboard body parts. Hold up some individual parts.) What this? Yes, it’s a hand. If a hand was all by itself would it be much good? Right. It wouldn’t. What’s this? Yes, it’s a foot. Would a foot be much good all on its own? Etc.

It’s pretty easy to see that each part of the body needs each other. Let’s see if we can put the parts of the body together into a whole body. (Hand out the different parts and help hold them in place (upright) so that everyone in the congregation can see. After you have all the parts in place give the children a cheer to congratulate them.) That’s wonderful. Please keep holding the body parts in place for a moment. Now all the parts are together and this person could do all kinds of good things. (You could give some examples.) Each one of us has different and special gifts and talents. Trying to use our gifts alone doesn’t really work. We need other people’s gifts and talents and other people need our gifts and talents. God made us to be together like different parts of the same body.

Children’s Prayer: Dear God, thank you that each of us is a special person with special gifts and talents. Thank you that I have gifts that other people need and other people have gifts that I need. Help us all to work together like a body with many parts. In Jesus name – Amen!

Copyright sundaychildrensfocus.com Andrew Hewlett - Feel free to use this lesson on Sunday morning but please give credit to Sundaychildrensfocus and consider linking to this site. Thanks - A.H.

Children's sermon - that the world would know

Kids sermon - Christian Unity– That the world would know John 17:20-26

“That they would be one”

Children’s sermon idea: Lead the children over to your band, choir or music team. Ask each band member to think of a song and when you say “go” begin to sing or play. It makes a terrible sound. Then ask them all to play a chorus together and let the children here the beautiful sound that comes when they play in unity.

Objects needed: None. You just need some singers or musicians.

Children’s sermon: Good morning children. This morning we have a bible reading from John’s gospel about Unity. Unity is a word that means being together or getting along together as one. Jesus said that if we got along together in peace as one then the rest of the world would know it was because of Jesus and his love. I want to show you what unity is like. Please follow me and we’ll go over to our Sunday morning praise band. Hello Cathy. I want you to think of a song that you like to play and get ready to play it in a minute or two. Frank, I really like your guitar. I want you to think of a song that you like and get ready to play it in a minute. (Continue on asking other members of the choir or band.) Ok. Are you all ready to go! Good. 1, 2. 3, go! (Let them make a terrible sound. Put your fingers in your ears for special effect.) Well children, how did that sound? That’s right. It sounded awful. They were not playing and singing in unity and it was a mess. Now, let’s ask them to play a song together in unity – all working together. Can you play the doxology for us? Great. 1, 2, 3 go! (Enjoy the beautiful sound.) How did that sound children? That’s right. It was much better. They all agreed to work together in unity and play the same song. Children, that reminds me how Christians are supposed to be when they are gathered together. They are supposed to work together in love. When they do live that way it is like a beautiful song that helps other people believe in the power and life of Jesus. However, when we only care about doing what we want to do there is no unity and it’s like a terrible noise. When that happens other people can’t see the love of Jesus at all.

Children’s prayer: Lord God, thank you for our praise team that plays in unity and makes such beautiful music. Help all of us in this church to live together and get along together in unity and love. In that way others will notice and realize that it must be because of Jesus. In his name – Amen!

Copyright Sundaychildrensfocus.com 2010 Andrew Hewlett - Feel free to use this kids sermon on at your Sunday morning service but please give credit to Sundaychildrensfocus.com and consider linking to this site. Thank you. A.H.

One plants another waters but God makes it grow

Church unity - Working as a Team! -

Paul planted Apollos watered but God made it grow 1 Corinthians 3:1-9

Basic lesson idea: Have a pot of soil and cue up two adult helpers; one to plant a seed in the pot and another to poor water on the planted seed. Then show the children what this might look like when it grows but holding up a beautiful plant. Ask the two individuals (planter and waterer) who had the most important role. Let them argue it out. Let them do some fun boasting. Explain how each had an important part but that it was God who did the most important part in making it grow. (This could stand alone but you can make the connection to how we all work together as a team (as we grow in the church) but God is the one whole helps us to really grow as Christians.

(Alternatively you could get children to help plant the seed and water the seed and just explain how silly it would be to argue who had the most important role)

Children’s sermon:

Good morning children! Look at this small flower pot that has some soil inside. I’m going to ask Mr. Brown to help plant this seed. (Mr. Brown comes over, take the seed from your hand and pushes it into the soil) Now, Mr. Jones, would you help out by watering this seed? (Mr. Johnson pour a small amount of water on the seed).

Now children, we would have to wait a long time for this seed to grow. So, I have a beautiful plant here to show you what it might look like when it is fully grown. It is a very beautiful plant. Now, who do you think had the most important part in growing such a plant? Mr. Brown or Mr. Jones? Let’s ask them. Mr. Brown who do you think had the most important part to play in making this plant grow? Response: “Well, it’s me of course because the seed is the most important thing. Did you see my special wrist action I used when I pushed the seed in the ground?” Then ask Mr. Jones what he thinks. “No no, I had the most important role because without water…” (Let do some fun arguing) Ask the children what they think. They may say God made it grow. If not, explain how each person had an important role to play but the most important part was done by God. God made it grow! It would really be silly to argue about who was the greatest because it was God who did the miracle of making it grow!

Explain how we have pastors, youth workers, organists etc in the church. We also have gifts that we can use in building up the church. Everyone has an important role to play. However, God has the most important role to play because he the one who really makes us grow in faith as Christians. We are all part of the church team and God has the most important job in helping us grow.

Part of God's Team

We are all part of a team - God's Team -

(for use as a Children's Sermon or as a Sunday School lesson)

Children's story themes: Community, Church, teamwork, unity

Props: None

Children's sermon summary: Involve the children in doing a team cheer standing in a huddle. Explain what it means to be a part of a team. Involve the kids in doing a cheer unique to your church and explain how they are an important part of a team serving Jesus Christ.

(Note: I don’t mention it here below but I used this story to welcome a new youth pastor. After doing our cheer I invited the new member to come up join in the cheer to signify being a part of the team)

Full Story:

How are you this morning boys and girls? How many of you are on a team of some kind? (Let the children share) Did any of you have a team cheer that you would do before the game? When I was at college I played soccer for the “Wycliffe Fighting Saints.” (add your own details) Before the game we would stand around in a circle, reach our hands into the center and then give our cheer: “…razzle dazzle sis boom bah Wycliffe Wycliffe Rah Rah Rah!” and we would raise our hands as we cheered. (Ask the kids if they had a cheer) Our soccer team many different players. We played different positions but we each had an important role to play. In doing the cheer we reminded ourselves that we were all working together on the team. Now it’s important to know that if we are followers of Jesus we are all part of his church. The Church is God’s teamthat he uses for reaching out in love to the world. Each one of use may have a different role to play (give some examples) but we are all part of the church – we are all members of the team. Because we are a team I thought it would be good to do a church team cheer. First I’d like us all to stand in a circle here and I’d like some other adults representing our congregation to come and join us to. (This encourages the kids and adds a little more energy). Ok. Everyone put your hands into the center and repeat after me the cheer that I made up for our church (In our case St. Mary’s Open Gate Church). “Open Gate, Open Gate, Rah Rah Rah – Building God’s Kingdom, Halleluiah!” (Do it again and invite the whole congregation to join in the cheer.) That was great kids. Remember you are an important member of God’s team, the church.

Children's Prayer: Lord, thank you that as followers of Jesus we are members of a team – the Church. Help us to know the joy of working and worshiping together as a team. Amen. (After the prayer I explained that after our college cheer we would give each other a “high five” with our hands. As the children walked down the isle to church school I had asked the adult team members in the congregation to give the kids a “high five.”

copyright 2009 sundaychildrensfocus.com Andrew Hewlett (Feel free to use this story at your Sunday service but please give credit to sundaychildrensfocus.com and consider adding a link on your church web page. Thank you! A.H.)

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unity