Choose from the following Children's Sermons:
-
The Time Capsule,
Jeremiah 32:1-15
by Rev. Randy Quinn
-
The Potato Family 1Timothy 6:6-19
anonymous DPSer
-
The Truly Rich Person,
Luke 16:19-31
by Rev. Frank Schaefer
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The Time
Capsule
Jeremiah 32:1-15
by Rev. Randy Quinn
Do you know what a “time
capsule” is? (Some might, but I’m doubtful.)
A “time capsule” is a
container that is buried with things in it to remind us of a certain time or
event. Sometimes there is a time capsule in the cornerstone of a church. It
might have newspapers from the day they began to build the church or a copy of
the bulletin when it was dedicated.
There are several ways you
can make one.
Some people use a jar and seal it tight. Then they bury it. In the old days,
they used a clay jar like this one. They would seal it with wax to keep things
inside safe. When people open up time capsules years later, it’s like a big
surprise because no one remembers what’s inside! The most famous time capsule
ever found was what we call “the Dead Sea Scrolls.” They were scrolls found by
a shepherd boy thousands of years after someone put them in clay jars.
If you were going to put
something in a jar for people to discover a long time from now, what kinds of
things would you put in it? (I’ll let them think about it.) Do you
think you’d be surprised if you found those things later?
In our scripture today,
Jeremiah tells us about a scroll he put in a jar for people to read later. But
on the outside of the jar he included a copy of the scroll inside. Why do you
think he did that? He didn’t want it to be a surprise – in fact he didn’t want
them to forget what was in it.
In some ways our hearts are
like “time capsules.” When we are baptized, it’s like God putting a seal on
them.
And like Jeremiah’s scroll, people can see on the outside what’s on the
inside, because our faith in God shows up in the way we live. When we hear a
story about God’s love, that story is put in our hearts to help us. And other
people can learn from it too because they will see it in our actions.
Let’s pray:
Come into our hearts,
today, Lord Jesus. Come in and fill us with your love and your joy. But let
that love and joy be seen outside as well as inside. We pray in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
The Potato Family
based on 1Timothy 6:6-19
anonymous DPSer
Get six potato's choose the two largest for papa and mama.
Introduce them and set them on the altar side by side and then introduce to
four boys. Agitator, Commentator, Spectator, Hesitator. As you intorduce each
potato explain a little about each and tell the kids that they don't want to
be like that. At the very end ask the kids what Jesus wants them to be and let
them respond. After everyone has responded say, "I know what Jesus wants us to
be." Then pull out of the bag a sweet potato and say "A Sweet Potato"
The Truly Rich Person
a children's sermon based on Luke 16:19-31
by Rev. Frank Schaefer
props: a piece of 8 1/2 by 11 paper.
Objective: the idea is to tell the story and
illustrate it with the making of different symbols until you end up with a
cross (this may take several practice runs)
Good to see you, my little friends. Today I
brought something very simple with me. What is it? That's right: it's a
plain piece of paper. No special paper--something you can find in every
house.
Yet, I'm going to try to tell a story with
this piece of paper. So listen and ...watch as the story and paper unfolds:
There was once a rich man who was never happy.
So he decided to buy a sail boat. [Take your paper
and fold the corner over to represent a sail boat]. He sailed
everywhere and was happy for awhile.
Then he became bored and unhappy again. So he
went out and bought a house. [continue by folding
the pointed corner over cross to form a house shape]. He was
happy with his house for a short time, but then he was unhappy again.
He decided to go out and buy a plane.
[fold the paper house into what a paper plane would
be like you did as a child]. He flew all over the world, but he
became bored again.
Then a friend told him about Jesus and that
was a free gift and it would bring him happiness always.
[Take the paper plane hold the wings up together and
tear the wings off. Then, totally unfold the paper again. If you folded the
paper correctly, after you opened it up, it will be the symbol of the cross].
And then this friend explained how Jesus gave
up everything for God. Not just some of his things--but Jesus gave up
everything. Jesus even gave up his life and he died on a cross. But you
know what? Because he gave up everything, God made him alive again and he
gave him a crown. And he made Jesus King over all kings and Lord over all
lords.
That's what this symbol of the cross means:
that, if we give up everything to God, if we live our lives for God, God will
give us a prize, a great reward in the end.
Suddenly, the man with the sail boat, the
house, and the air plane understood that and he gave up all these things. And
that's when he found true happiness, even without fancy things like cars,
planes, and houses. He was happy because he knew Jesus loved him and that he
would give him a reward too.
Prayer: "Dear God, thank you for the
symbol of the cross which tells us the story of our Lord Jesus. He gave up
everything for you and you gave him a great reward. Help us to live our lives
for you too, so that we too may get our reward. In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen."
