Text: Ephesians 1: 3-14 (Trinity 4) (I usually go with the Gospel but the beheading of John the Baptist doesn't seem appropriate for young kids!)

 

Basic idea: Demonstrate how a child is chosen and adopted into a family. Show how God has chosen us and adopted us into his family.

--Alternate: Involve the children in choosing some objects. Show some objects that you have chosen for some purpose. Describe that God has chosen us to be a part of his family.

 

Full Story: (Find a family that is known to have adopted a child recently and ask them prior to the service if they can be used as an object lesson. Otherwise, carefully choose “actors” from the congregation.)

 

Good morning children. One of our bible readings for this morning says that God has chosen us and adopted us into his family – the family of God. Do any of you know what it means to be adopted? That’s right. If there is a child who needs parents and is alone, a family can have that child become a part of their family. The mom and dad become the child’s parents and the child becomes a new member of that family. It is a very wonderful thing. I’ll show you how that works. Let’s pretend that Sally is alone and doesn’t have a family to live with. To demonstrate that we will ask her to sit up here all alone on this bench. Now over here we will ask Bob and Carol to stand up with their children. They have lots of love to share and they begin looking for a child that could join their family. (Walk the family over toward the child “Sally” that is alone on the bench.) Then they choose this child who will become part of their family. They need to sign some official papers promising to look after the child. (Pull out a clipboard and a pen and hold it in front of the parents as if they are signing a document). Now, family members I’d like you to open up your arms like this (extend your arms to the child) showing that you are choosing this young child to join your family. Now Sally, come off the bench and join this family. (Lead the child into the family’s arms.) Now Sally is been adopted into this family and is a real member. Thank you for helping me act this out.

TRANSITION: In the same way that someone can be chosen and adopted into a family the bible says that God chose us and adopted us into his family – the family of God!

We may have our own family that we belong to, but as followers of Jesus we have been chosen and adopted into the family of God as well. Now, I would like all the members of the congregation to stand up and extend your arms to us (the story teller and the children up front) just like the family members we had up here. Great. Let’s all walk down into the congregation (the family of God) to show that we have been adopted into this big part of the family of God. Well done. We are going to pray now but I would like the members of the congregation to keep standing with your arms extended in welcoming love.

 

Pray: Heavenly Father, thank you that even though we have our own family, you have also chosen us and adopted us into the family of God – the Church. Thank you for your great love and for making us a part of this wonderful family. In Jesus’ name – Amen.

 

Copyright Andrew Hewlett and Sundaychildrensfocus.com   Feel free to use this story on Sunday morning but give credit to Sundaychildrensfocus.com and please consider linking your web site to this site. Thank you.