Children’s Sermon idea: Show a picture of a Hen and her chicks or bring in a stuffed animal toy. Explain how a hen gathers together her chicks to give warmth and protection. Explain how Jesus longs to gather us together under the “wings” of his love and protection. If a choir director or pastor wears a robe you could gather some children together under “wings” of their robe.

 

Objects needed: A stuffed animal “hen,” a picture, or a digital projected slide.  or Make your wings out of cardboard to gather the children together!

 

Children’s Sermon: Who knows what this is? Yes. It’s a little hen. Have any of you seen a hen in real live hen? If you go to the zoo or to the farm you’ll probably see one of these. In fact, often you will find a mother hen with lots of little chicks following along by her side. (It would be great if you could show a picture of this too.) If you watched a hen and her chicks you would probably notice how the little ones often get interested in other things and will start to wander away from her side. But if there is some danger nearby she will gather up her little ones right by her side and even pull them together under her wings to hide them and protect them.

(Note: If you are a liturgical church and you wear a robe you could act this out by kneeling down and pulling part of your robe around some of the children.) In today’s bible reading from Luke 13, Jesus said to the people of Jerusalem that he longed to gather their children together as a chick gathers together her little chicks under her wings. Jesus didn’t have wings like a hen but he wanted them to come to him to be protected by his love and power. Unfortunately, most of the people in Jerusalem ran off in all directions away from his protection and love. They ended up in a lot of trouble and danger. The good news is that Jesus loves us and wants us to come to him and his wonderful love and protection. We want to do whatever we can to stay under the wings of his love and protection. We can do that by learning about Jesus, following him, staying close to him, and remembering the love that he has for each one of us.

 

Children’s Prayer: Dear God. We thank you that Jesus loves us so much. Help us to stay under the “wings” of his loving protection just like young chicks are gathered together under a hens wings. In Jesus’ name – Amen!

 

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