Imitating Christ’s Humility  Kids sermon on Philippians 2: 1-13 -

Basic kids story idea: Have fun getting the children to imitate some people in the church (How Bill plays the bass guitar, how Nic plays the drums or how Bud probably drives his car. Explain that the apostle Paul said that we should all do our best to imitate Jesus Christ. (You might highlight the way he showed loved and made himself as servant.)

Full Children's sermon: Good morning Children! Do you know what it means to imitate someone? That’s right. It means doing the same things that another person in doing. We never want to imitate someone to make fun of them or embarrass them. That would be unkind. However, this morning I asked some people if it was alright for us to imitate them. Bill said it was ok for us to imitate him playing the bass guitar. Let’s do that now. (Have some fun with this.) Great! I also asked Nic if we could imitate him playing the drums. Ok, let’s see how you can imitate him playing the drums. That’s very good. I also asked Bud if we could imitate the way Bud probably drives his car. Let’s do that. That is very good children! You really are able to imitate different people well.

This morning we have an important Bible message from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians. He tells Christians that they should do their best to imitate Jesus Christ! We should do what we can to live the same way Jesus did. One of the most important things about Jesus was that he showed love to people. Even though he God’s son and was a King he spent his time serving others. He would even help and serve people that were very poor or were considered by others to be unimportant.

What are some of the ways we can imitate Jesus? (Have a short discussion about things that Jesus did that we can also do to others.) Yes, those are all good ways of imitating the life of Jesus.

Children’s prayer:  Dear God, thank you for the many ways Jesus loved and served others. Help us to imitate him by showing love and kindness to others. In Jesus’ name – Amen!

Children’s object lesson /sermon for Mother’s Day

Basic lesson idea:

Short mother’s day object lesson:  Bring hats / objects (representing various rol)es) i.e.  Police hat, cook’s hat /stethoscope, nurses hat, hard hat, etc. Place them on various volunteers and explain what each does and how these are important roles /occupations. Then bring up a mother. Explain how mothers have a role that involves being skilled in all these areas!  (You may have to make up some hats / items if you don’t have them around the house)

Full Children’s Sermon:

Good morning children! Look what I have with me this morning. Do you know what this is? (Hold up a chef’s hat and place it on someone’s head) That’s right! It’s a hat used by cooks. Cooks are important because they cook up nice healthy meals to eat. What about this? (Hold up a stethoscope) Who wears this? That’s right, a doctor or a nurse. They have a very important role. If we become sick they help us to get better. They have a very important job! What about this hat? (Hold up a police hat and place it on someone.) That’s right. It’s used by police officers. They are very important for keeping the peace and making sure everyone behaves and gets along. (Continue on. You get the idea! )

I am so thankful that we have people like this in our town. What would we do without them? However, do you know that there is someone who does all of those jobs? There is someone who is a police officer, a cook, a nurse, a taxi driver all in one! (Bring up a well-known mother and have her stand before the kids.) It is MOTHERS! Mothers keep the peace and break up fights when children aren’t getting along well. They cook meals to make us healthy. They are like a doctor or nurse when they help us get better or help put on a band aid. Mothers are amazing people!

Today is mother’s day. We want our mothers (or whoever looks after us) to know how much we appreciate them. So make sure you tell them how much you love them and are thankful for all they do. Also, let’s thank God too. He is the one who made mothers!

Children’s Prayer: Dear God, Thank you so much for giving us mothers (or whoever it is who looks after us). They are such wonderful people. Please bless them today and show us how we can show our love to them in return. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Copyright 2017 Sundaychildrensfocus.com  Feel free to use this on Sunday morning but please "like" this on facebook and consider linking to this web site. Thank you!  A.H.

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.

Copyright 2017 Andrew Hewlett and Sundaychildrensfocus.com.  Feel free to use this at church but consider linking to this page or click the LIKE button to the left of the page.  Thanks  - A.H.