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Contents: 1) children's sermon #1: Gettin' Ready 2) children's sermon #2: Visions of Heaven 3) 2nd Advent Reading for Children

Gettin' Ready
a children's sermon based on
by Rev. F. Schaefer

If your children have a pretty good concept of Advent as the Return of Christ you may want to teach about "getting ready" for Christ.

Props:  an alarm clock and a bible (a children's bible if you have one)

Show the alarm clock and ask the children what it is and what it is used for.  Do any of your children use it to get up in the morning?  Why is it important to wake up on time?  Conclusion: the alarm clock helps us get ready in the morning.

God asks us to get ready for a big event.   That event is when Jesus is coming back to earth.  This time, Jesus is not coming as a baby, but he will be coming with his angels, and he will come to rule the world and make it a better place.

And God has given us something to get ready for Jesus's coming.  I am holding it in my hands. What is it called? (Bible). That's right, it's a bible.  Just like the alarm clock gets us ready for each day, so reading the bible will get us ready for Jesus coming.  It will prepare our hearts as we read about what God wants us to do, and what God wants us to avoid.

Do you know any example of what the bible says God wants us to do?...

 

 

Visions of Heaven
a children's sermon based on Isaiah 11:1-10
by Rev. Frank Schaefer

Props:  an easel with a flip chart sheet, or an overhead projector with a
            blank transparency;  colored pens

Today's Scripture lessons tell us about a great event:   when our Lord Jesus comes back as he has promised to make the world a better place.   God promises us that there will be no more tears, no more wars, things will be a lot different.  Let me read to you from some of my favorite Advent Scripture (read Isaiah 11:6-9). Isn't that great?  Even the animals will change: snakes will not bite anymore, the wild animals will no longer prey, but will instead become herbivores-- they will eat grass and veggies.

Now, I know that you guys have a pretty good idea what God's Kingdom on earth will be like.  You tell me what you think this great world will look like.   I brought a big drawing canvas with me this morning, and I intend to draw a picture of what you imagine God's perfect world to look like.   Now, I am not a great artist or anything, but I am going to try to capture the essence of everything you tell me to include.  Let's call this picture: "God's Peaceable Kingdom II":

Encourage the children to share and draw the things they mention.  You may want to start by drawing a line for the earth and put some blue sky in, a throne (chair) as a symbol of God with us and, of course, draw Jesus, the messiah and king (perhaps with inviting outstretched arms).  Other ideas:  a tree (of life), a river, people dancing, partying,  a boom box, animals, puffy clouds (not rain clouds), a mansion (with a pool?), etc.  This kids' talk has worked great for me!

 

Advent Reading for Children

SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT: The shepherds The shepherds have always understood lowliness. On the hillside, there were no dwelling places and fewer possessions, only the sheep to watch, and the stars ... and there was the silence. Wind and weather exalted themselves above the shepherds, and drenching rain and scorching sun ruled over them. There was no claim of closeness to God or stature in the eyes of humanity, only rough clothing and hard ground and a rock for a pillow, and silence. Silence until, in the fullness of time, the song of the angels filled the night with words unbelievable and joy unexpectable and the need to rush from the hills to a stable where lowliness was bathed in radiance, and humility became divine, and God came to be with God's creation.