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Please choose from the following children's sermons:

• God's Rules Are Good, Exodus 32:1-14
  by Rev. Frank Schaefer  (see below)
   
• All Dressed Up, Mt.22: 1-14, by Rev. Frank Schaefer
  (please scroll down)
   
• Psalm 23 Worship Resources
  (includes free video, prayers, 3 sermons and 2 children's sermons)

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God's Rules Are Good
a children's sermon based on Exodus 32:1-14
by Rev. Frank Schaefer

props: a can with a warning label (such as bug spray, paint, oven cleaner) stating something like: "do not swallow" or "keep out of reach of children" etc.

Good morning my little friends.  Today we want to talk about "God's rules." They're called God's commandments in the bible.  In our bible lesson, Moses went up on the mountain to receive God's commandments  How many commandments were on that stone tablet again?  Was it the eight commandments?  Nine commandments?  No you're right--ten commandments.

But the thing was, while Moses was gone to receive God's rules, the people got impatient.  They said: "what's taking him so long?" and after a while they thought that he might be lost or that he might even have died.

So the people stopped waiting for God's ten commandments and that's when they got into trouble. They started to worship other gods, dead idols that really are not gods at all, and they made a statue of a cow and worshiped that golden cow.  Silly isn't it?  An all that because they could not wait for God's instructions.

The thing is that if the people had waited for the ten commandments, it would have told them: don't worship idols; only worship God.  And then people would have understood that worshiping dead idols is a waste of time and money.  Actually a lot of people lost their golden rings and bracelets, etc. because they used everything gold to make the statue.

Commandments, or rules, are usually very helpful and good. God gave us rules so that we can live better lives. They help us. They protect us.  It's like with this spray can.  What does it say?  (mine is an "Off" bug spray can).  That's right.  And what do you use it for?  right again, to keep bugs away.

The can has rules printed on the back. One of them says something like: "do not spray into eyes."  Do you think that's a good rule to follow?  What could happen if you sprayed this stuff into your eyes?  That's right it could cause pain, damage, you might even go blind.

So, is it a good idea, do you think to follow the rule on this can not to spray the "Off" into your eyes?  Yes.  And what do you think?  Is it good to follow God's rules--God's commandments--too?  Yes, absolutely.

What are some of God's commands?  How about: You shall not steal?  Why do you think God said that?  So that we don't get in trouble with the law.  Or how about: "you shall not murder?"  That we can live in peace and security.  You see: God's Rules are worth waiting for and they are worth keeping.

Let us thank God for giving us God's rules....

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All Dressed Up
a children's sermon based on Mt.22: 1-14
by Rev. Frank Schaefer

props: none

Good morning my little friends.  As I look at you this morning, I notice that all of you look nice.  Looks like you all dressed up with nice looking clothes today.

Do you like to wear nice looking clothes? Why (why not)?  Why do you dress up for church?  What do you think? Is it to show off your best clothes (shake your head slightly to encourage a no answer)? Or is it because we want to look our best for God?  That's right!

I don't want to suggest that the only way you can come to church is when you're dressed in nice-looking clothes.  God always looks at our heart.  It's the attitude that counts.  When we come to church, we come to give our best to God; we want to praise God and celebrate him.

Jesus once told a story about a wedding; not just any wedding, but the wedding of a king.  And the amazing thing about this wedding was that everyone was invited--not just the noble and the rich and famous.  But there was one person who came dressed in rags and all dirty and smelly.  Needless to say that the King was very angry about that.  This person ruined the whole party for everyone.  So the king had this person thrown out.

So, when we come to God's house, we want to come well groomed, our bodies washed and dressed in clean clothes.  We want to celebrate our God in the right way.    ; we want to sing the best we can, and we want to use our best words, and when we have a part in the service--like when you are singing with the Cherub choir--we want to be well prepared.  Because we want to do our best to glorify our God.   Amen?   Amen!