Children’s sermon idea: Show the children a small battery operated smoke detector. (These are very common) Push the test button to catch their attention. Discuss the role of a smoke detector and then explain the role of John the Baptist. Wake up! It’s dangerous to be ill prepared for Jesus.

 

As a Sunday School lesson: Demonstrate the smoke detector’s loud beep.

-Discuss what sort of things John could do to warn the people that Jesus was coming.

-Discuss the things the children might do if they knew Jesus was coming tomorrow.

-Discuss what they can do now to get ready for welcoming Jesus at Christmas and being ready for his return at any time. (What does it mean to “repent” and “wake up.”?)

 

Object lesson items: Small battery operated smoke detector. If you don’t have one a friend or neighbor will. They can usually be released by pressing up and turning a ¼ turn counterclockwise.

 

Full Children’s Sermon for Advent:

Good morning children. Today, in this season of Advent our bible reading is about John the Baptist. John the Baptist was a messenger sent to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus. He knew Jesus was coming and that the people needed to get ready. This morning I brought something from home that is designed to wake us up and get us ready. (Hold up the smoke detector). Do you know what this is? It’s a smoke detector. It’s designed to make a loud beep if it detects smoke from a fire. That way, if a fire started in your house late at night it would beep loudly, wake you up, and then you could get to safety. Listen to the loud beep. (Push the center test button to sound the alarm. Or, you could hold a match underneath, blow it out, and let the smoke trigger the sound. You could ask them to pretend to be asleep before sounding the alarm. ) That really woke you up didn’t it!

The smoke detector wakes us up and warns us that we’d better get ready and go to safety. John the Baptist was a bit like this smoke detector. A long time ago many of the people living in Israel were not thinking about being right with God. John the Baptist sounded the alarm, by saying “wake up,” “repent” and get ready for the Savior. This took place many years ago in Israel but John’s message is important for us today. If we are being asleep to God it’s important that we wake up. I think it is especially important at this time of year when we are getting ready for Christmas. At Christmas time it is especially important that we are living in such a way that our hearts are open to Jesus Christ. We certainly couldn’t have Christmas without Jesus Christ. Also, if we wake up to God and live lives pleasing to him we will be ready when Jesus returns.

 

Children’s Prayer: Dear God, thank you for these smoke detectors that wake us up and warn us when there is a fire. Thank you for sending John the Baptist to prepare the way and wake people up in preparation for Jesus. We know that if we have our hearts right before you we will be ready to welcome Jesus this Christmas and we’ll also be ready to see him when he returns to earth again. In Jesus Name – Amen!

Copyright sundaychildrensfocus.com   Andrew Hewlett 2008 Feel free to use this at your Church Service or Sunday school but please give credit to Sundaychildrensfocus and consider putting a link to this site. Blessings, A.H.  or "like" us on facebook

Idea for the Children’s Sermon / Sunday School Lesson: In Mark 13:1-8 Jesus warned his disciples not to be deceived by false Christ’s who claim “I am he.” Bring the children forward. Have your pastor and two other “false” pastors stand behind a partition where only their voices can be heard. Ask Pastor # 1, Pastor #2 and Pastor # 3, various question and let the children pick the real pastor. Discuss with the children about being careful not to follow a false saviour.

 

Objects needed for the lesson: A partition, barrier or something to hide the “pastors” behind. Use your pastor or some other person well known to the children. The two other imposters could act out different personalities. One imposter could sound like a TV evangelist, and the other could be very harsh or angry. On the other hand, they could try their best to sound like the pastor.

 

Good morning children! In our bible reading from Mark chapter 13 Jesus warned his disciples that there would be false saviours who would lie and say “I’m God’s chosen one.” He said that we needed to be very careful not to believe everyone who claims to be the saviour. This morning I want to see if you are easily fooled. Do you see that wall over their? Pastor Jones is over there hidden out of sight. There are also 2 people that are all pretending to be Pastor Jones! I want to see if you can tell who the real pastor Jones is. Don’t call out your answer right away. I’ll ask some question and you listen very closely. (Ask the “pastors” to each say hello to the children. Then ask some specific questions): Pastor Number 1. How long have you been the pastor of this church? (Listen carefully with the children). Ask the same question to the other “pastors.” Pastor number 2, Why is following Jesus so important? Etc.

Children, I trust you listened very carefully. When I count to three I want you to all call out which one you think is the real Pastor Jones. 1, 2, 3 (Let the children call out their response. If they have been attending church for a while it should be easy for them to guess the right answer. Have the real pastor come forward into view. Give the children a cheer and then have the other false pastors reveal themselves.) That was fun children. You did very well at picking out the real pastor. In life we always need to be careful who we believe and who we follow. As I said before, Jesus warned us that there would be people out in the world that would pretend to be sent from God. They would pretend to be a saviour just like Jesus. If someone tells you they are a saviour like Jesus I wouldn’t believe them. It was pretty easy for us to know who the real pastor was. However, in order that we are not deceived by a false saviour we the help of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that he would send us the Holy Spirit and that he would guide us and lead us into the truth. Let’s pray and ask for the Holy Spirits help right now.

 

Children’s Prayer: Dear God. Thank you for sending Jesus to be our saviour. Thank you for his love, his life and for his church. Help us never to be tricked by someone pretending to be like Jesus. Fill us with your Holy Spirit so that we have the power to know you and to follow your son Jesus Christ -the real saviour of the world. We ask this in Jesus’ name – Amen!

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

Object lesson idea: Small acts of kindness are important. - Show objects representative of big ways of helping others. Compare this to a simple cup of cold water and explain that even doing small things (such as giving a cup of water in the name of Jesus) are still very important to others and to God.

 

Objects: Some suggestions: Doctors stethoscope, Tool Box, Scientists microscope, Firefighters hat, etc.

 

Good Morning Children. This morning I’m thinking about some important ways for serving others and doing the sort things that would honour/ bless God. Do you know what this is? Yes, it’s a microscope. Scientist often use microscopes. I would love to be a scientist and find a cure for cancer or some other disease that hurts people. Do you know what this thing is? Yes, it’s called a stethoscope. Doctors and nurses us it to check up on people who have some illness. I would love to be a doctor and help people get better all over the world. Look at this here. It’s a tool box. What good things could a carpenter build? Those are good ideas. I would like to build a big school in a place where children had no school to go to. What else could we build that would help people?

We’ve have talked about some great ways of serving God and serving others. Maybe some day you will be a doctor or a scientist or a builder / carpenter. However, in the bible reading we have today Jesus said that even the small things we do for one another are important. Look at this glass of water. Jesus said that even if we “give a cup of water” to someone in need it’s important (and God will reward us). (Read out the text from Mark 9) Helping others in small way is still very important. God notices all the very small things we do for others. He even promises that in some way we will be rewarded.

 

Children’s Prayer -Serving others: Dear God. I pray that someday these children will help make big changes in the world. But I thank you that even when we are young we can still do important things that help others.

Help us, through your Holy Spirit, to do those small things that will bless others and bless you as well. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Copyright 2009 Andrew Hewlett sundaychildrensfocus.com  Feel free to use this lesson on Sunday morning but please give credit to sundaychildrensfocus.com and consider linking to this site.  Thank you.  A.H.

 

 

Children's Story on Jesus the bread of Life

Object Lesson for Sunday School or Children's Church: John 6:24-35        

Children's Sermon Idea: Jesus is the bread of life.
 

Objects needed: Staff of bread or bread buns, several random household items.

Something to symbolize Jesus (Picture of Jesus or a cross)

 

Basic idea: Show the children that there is a “stomach” hunger that food can satisfy but there is also a “life” hunger that only Jesus (the bread of life) can satisfy.

 

Full Story: Good morning Children! This morning I want you to imagine that you are really hungry. Imagine that you haven’t had any food for two days. What would that be like? How would your stomach feel? I’m going to show you some things and I want you to respond by all saying YES and nodding, or all saying NO and shaking your head. Ready? Here we go. Now, what if I gave you this (pull out an object – a wrench). Would that help you? No it wouldn’t. What about this (pull out another object – a hat). Would this satisfy you? No! It wouldn’t. (Continue on with some toys or other objects). Then pull out the bread. What about this bread? YES! You’re right! When we are hungry in our stomachs we need food, like this bread. Only food will satisfy that type of  hunger.

 

This morning children I want to tell you about another type of hunger. It is a hunger for LIFE – a hunger for meaning, for peace, for love. This hunger for real LIFE, the life God gives cannot be filled with things (hold up some items, toys, etc.) The bible says that only Jesus can satisfy that type of hunger. The bible says that Jesus is the Bread of Life. We need this type of bread (hold up the rolls or buns) or food to fill our stomachs and make us healthy. We also need Jesus (hold a picture of Jesus or a cross) who is the bread or food for the true, wonderful, true LIFE that God has for us.

 

Pray: Thank you God for provide a way that both types of hunger can be satisfied. We have food, such as bread, to fill our stomachs and to make our bodies work properly. Thank you God for also sending Jesus. He is the Bread of Life. Thank you that he is the one who can satisfy our hunger for a life of joy, love, peace and purpose. Help us to trust him, follow him and know him as our friend. We ask this in the name of Jesus – the Bread of Life! Amen.

 

Children sermon on the feeding of the five thousand (5000)
 

 

 

Props: 2 small baskets, lots of paper cut outs of loaves and fish

 

Basic idea:  Using a basket and paper cut outs, show how Jesus miraculously multiplied the loaves and fish. Let the children hold the multiplied “loaves and fish” and get them to help you count them all.

 

(Cut out a large number of “loaves” and “fish” out of paper and place them in a basket. Take another basket and place the initial "5 loaves and 2 fish" into that basket)

Good morning children. I want to tell you about how Jesus did a wonderful miracle by feeding 5 thousand hungry people. You can read about this in chapter six of John’s gospel. A large crowd had been following Jesus. The people were so excited about what he had to say that they forgot about eating! It was getting late and they were starting to get hungry. A young child was willing to offer his five loaves of bread and two fish but of course that wasn’t enough for everybody. (Hold up the first basket) To show you what Jesus did I made up some fish and bread out of paper. (Pull out the 5 loaves and 2 fish so that they can see.) Of course this wasn’t nearly enough to feed everybody but Jesus asked them to sit down on the grass. Then he took that small amount of food the the child provided, (Take the 5 loaves and 2 fish and put them in the second basket. Hold the basket up high), Gave thanks to God and then distributed the food. This is when things got pretty exciting. I’ll show you what happened. Please hold your hands out in front of you so I can distribute the food. I would also like you to count out loud each time I give out a fish or a piece of bread. "One, Two, Three, Four..."(Get some other adults in the first row to help count if you think the children will be too shy. Start distributing the “multiplied” fish and bread into the children’s hands helping them count as you go. Go quickly and make sure every child gets a good handful of fish and bread. I'd keep going until you are up at around 50 or so. For special effect you could ask them to hold out their hands for you to up-end the basket and dump the rest of the "food" out.) Wow! You all have lots of fish and bread. That’s what happened with Jesus. My story uses fish and bread made out of paper, but Jesus did a miracle with real bread and real fish. As Jesus and the disciples distributed the food it just kept coming, and coming and coming until the whole crowd of people had more than enough food to eat. In fact, there was so much that there were twelve baskets of food left over. This showed the people that Jesus had God’s power. It also showed the people that Jesus could provide for their every need. It also showed how important it was for that one small child to offer to Jesus what little he had.

 

Pray: Thank you God for this miracle that Jesus did. He truly is more wonderful than we can imagine. He really is a wonderful Saviour. Thank you that he provided food for the people and that he loves us and can provide for our needs as well.

 

Copyright 2009 Andrew Hewlett and Sundaychildrensfocus.com   Feel free to use this story on Sunday morning but please give credit to Sundaychildrensfocus.com and consider linking to this page. A.H.

 

Objects: none

 

Children's Sermon idea: John 16 speaks of the Holy Spirit as a guide who will lead us. Like the Holy Spirit, lead (guide) the children around the church sanctuary to minister in various situations. Explain that the Holy Spirit will guide and lead them each day of their lives as they are sensitive to his leading.

 

Full Children's Sermon: Good morning children. In the Gospel of John Jesus says that he will send the Holy Spirit to lead us and be our guide. I want to show you how that works. Now we know that the Holy Spirit is invisible and often speaks to us in a still small voice but this morning I want you to pretend that I’m like the Holy Spirit guiding your life. Please stand up and follow close beside me. I’ll be your guide for the next few minutes. Let’s go. (Weave around various items at the front of the church. Be a good guide by giving directives to turn left or right. Include “ministry items”- people in the congregation who are in need) Now children, I think we should go down here. Now everybody, lets keep away from those wires – they are a bit dangerous. (Show that the Holy Spirit will often lead us away from dangerous situations) Now here is Mr. Jones. He’s just come off night shift at the factory. He’s probably tired and needs some encouragement. Let’s all say “good morning” and give him a nice smile. That’s great. The Holy Spirit will lead us to do things like that. Now, let’s go over here and then in this direction. Just like the Holy Spirit I’ll continue to guide you. That’s right, keep coming. I sense that we should pray for Mrs. Smith here. I think she has been going through some hard times. This time let’s not even say anything we’ll just stand behind her quietly and pray (Bow your head like you are praying). We don’t always have to pray out loud. OK. Follow me back to the front of the church.

Let’s give the children some applause for following my leading so well (gesture to the congregation to clap) you we great kids. The way I was leading you is a bit like how the Holy Spirit leads us. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit will be our guide every day of our life. He will lead us in God’s ways in a wonderful adventure of faith.

Children's Prayer: Thank you God for sending the Holy Spirit to be our guide for us every day of our life. Help us to listen to his “still small voice” so that we can discover the wonderful and exciting life that you have for us. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Copyright 2009 Andrew Hewlett – Sundaychildrensfocus.com

(Feel free to use this on Sunday but give credit to Sundaychildrensfocus and consider putting a link on your web site – Thank you)

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.

 Being awake to God     - Ready for the coming of Christ

 

Advent Children's Lesson: themes: John the Baptist, Advent, Wake up, Repentance, Be alive to God, Be ready for Christmas, Be ready for the return of Christ.

 

Children's Sermon -- object lesson Summary: Discuss waking up in the morning and that it’s helpful to have an alarm or some other means to wake us up. As Christians we need to wake up to God too.

 

Objects needed: A box or bag containing various items used to wake us up. An Alarm Clock, a whistle, a paper bag that can be popped, some pot lids, a cold wet washcloth, etc.

 

Full Children's Sermon / object lesson:   Good morning children. How are you this morning? I hope you are all wide awake, because that’s what I’m talking about this morning –being awake – awake to God!   How are you when you first wake up? Do you jump right up out of bed and say “Let’s get going!” (Interact with the children about how difficult it is sometimes to wake up and get out of bed.) What do you do when you first wake up? Do you stretch? Do you yawn? Show me how you get up. Is it easy? No, it can be very hard because we are so sleepy. Here are some things you might use to help us wake up. Here is an alarm clock –listen to beep. (Option: Give the items to the children and let them give the wake up sound)  Here is a whistle. Listen to how loud it is. Would that wake you up? Or if someone was really tired you could bang these pot lids together like this. Would that wake you up? That would blast me right out of bed.   It’s important to have something or someone wake us up because otherwise we might sleep in and miss all kinds for fun things. Some people even “sleep walk.” They walk around while they are actually asleep. They really need to wake up! Well the Bible says that we can also be asleep to God. We can go about the day never listening to God or praying to God or thinking about what he wants us to do in our lives. It’s like we are asleep to God. The sad part about being asleep to God is that we miss out on all the wonderful things God has for us. We miss out on some wonderful adventures that God has for us. So if you feel like you are asleep to God we need to wake up. Let’s hear those wake up sounds again. Now those things will help us to wake up from bed but to wake up to God we need to do some other things. We can pray, and listen when we pray.   God can also speak to us though reading the Bible. One good way to be awake to God is to start the day praying “Lord, fill me up with your Holy Spirit today and show me how I can live for you today.” Then we need watching for ways that God might be leading us through the day. (You could give some examples here). So children, I hope that you have a good way of waking up in the morning and that you also have a good way of waking up to God. That way we won’t miss out on the wonderful life adventures that God has for us through his son Jesus Christ.

Children's prayer:   Lord God.   Thank you for the wonderful adventures that you have for us in life. Help us always to be awake to you and to your son Jesus.   

 

Children's Sermon for Christmas:   Don’t forget the birth of Jesus. Gifts.

 Lectionary

Objects needed: Small Crèche/ Nativity scene. Bag of wrapped Christmas presents.

 

Children's Sermon  / Sunday School idea: This works best if it’s your tradition to have a small Nativity scene up at the front of the church during Advent.   Gather the children in front of the nativity figures. Pull out a big bag of presents that you just received or will give to others. Place then one by one in front of the children making a large pile. As the nativity scene is now blocked from sight ask them is there is anything wrong. Sometimes all the excitement about getting of giving presents can make us forget about the real meaning of Christmas.

 

Full Christmas object lesson: Good morning girls and boys. Come on up front here and gather in front of the nativity scene.   I want to talk about what we can see here. But first I want to show you something very exciting. (Pull out a big bag that is full of wrapped Christmas presents) Here are some presents that are under our Christmas tree that have my name on them! (Pull out the presents one by one placing them down between the children and the nativity scene) Look at this one! What do you think is inside? And this one, hmmm, I wonder what it could be? Feel how heavy it is. (Keep placing the gifts you have looked at in front on the nativity scene until there is a high wall of presents blocking the Nativity scene from the children’s view).   Well, I’m excited about all these presents that I get to open soon! Now, look at all those gifts. Wow, they are piled up so high. (Let the children take a good look at what is before them.) Is anything wrong? What’s the problem here?

(Someone will notice that the nativity scene is completely obscured from view.) Yes. That’s right kids. Now we can’t see the Nativity scene! Is that right?

TRANSITION:   You are right children.   I was so concerned about the gifts that I covered up the nativity scene and couldn’t even see Jesus! That can happen at Christmas. The gifts we get are lots of fun but we have to remember that the most important thing at Christmas is Jesus. We don’t want to forget about him. He is the greatest gift of all. 

(Get some of the children to help you move some of the gifts to the side so that you get a clear view of the Nativity scene – especially Jesus.

 

Children's Prayer: Thank you God for all the presents that we get a Christmas. We have been greatly blessed. Help us to remember the greatest gift of all, Jesus.   May our gifts and presents never get so important to us that we forget about Jesus. Let’s always make room for Jesus because that’s what Christmas is all about. Amen!

 
Copyright 2008 sundaychildrensfocus.com   If you use this story at your Sunday service please give credit to sundaychildrensfocus.com and consider placing a link on your church web site. Thank you! A.H.

 

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