Children's sermon for Lent -
Themes: Lent, reflect, prayer, spiritual danger, listening to God 
Bible Texts: Phil.4:6, Col.4:2, Eph. 6 :18
Children's Sermon idea: When crossing a street to get to where we want to go it is best to Stop, Look and Listen before crossing. The season of Lent (a time of prayer and self examination) is about taking time to Stop, Look and Listen on our life journey.
Full Children's Story: Good morning boys and girls. In about 40 days we will be celebrating Easter. That’s the time we celebrate Jesus being raised from the dead. In our church we call this 40 day preparation period Lent. It’s a special season of prayer where we take a look at our own lives and make sure we are doing what God wants us to do and becoming the people God wants us to be. Now, everyone stand up and follow me. I want you to pretend someone has asked us to come and play in the park. Let’s go! (Make a little trip around the pulpit, past some chairs and get them to stop up front) Ok, there is park; it looks like they are having fun there. But first let’s pretend there is a road right in front of us here. What should we do? Should we just go straight across? (Let the children respond.) That’s right. We need to STOP. (Have the children join you as if you were all lined up on the edge of a road ready to cross.) Then what should we do after stopping? That’s right we need to LOOK to see if a car is coming. (Get them to look both ways.) Then what? That’s right we need to LISTEN. (Put you hands up and cup your ears.) OK, we took time to STOP, LOOK and LISTEN. It looks safe so now we can cross. Great! (To the congregation:) Let’s give the children a cheer for helping me out so well here. (I’m always getting the congregation to clap and cheer in order for the kids to feel build up and affirmed.)
Children, what you have just done is very important. If we are going to keep safe while going to all the exciting places we want to go to we need to STOP, LOOK and LISTEN before crossing streets. In life it is important to do the same thing. We get so busy and we are often in a rush. It’s very important that we take time to STOP, to LOOK around and think about what we are doing. Are we doing what God wants us to do? Are we becoming the sort of person that God wants us to be? And we need to LISTEN to God, by reading the Bible and taking time to pray. This season of Lent that I mentioned before is a great time to do just that. If we do take time to STOP, LOOK and LISTEN we can make sure our lives our lined up with God, that we are safe and that we will enjoy all the wonderful adventures that God has for us.
Pray: Dear God. Help us always remember to take time to STOP, LOOK and LISTEN when we are crossing a street. Help us also to STOP, LOOK and LISTEN especially during this time of year called Lent.
Copyright 2009 Andrew Hewlett - sundaychildrensfocus.com Feel free to use this story on Sunday morning but please give credit to sundaychildrensfocus.com and consider linking to this site. Thanks - A.H.
