Interactive children's sermon title: Going against the flow

Themes: courage, living differently than others, taking a stand for Jesus

Props: Members of the congregation / Time 5-7 minutes

Lesson Summary: Get the children to experience what it is like to follow Jesus and “go against the flow.” Gather members of the congregation into the center isle where they stand close together facing one direction. Get the children to experience the difficulty of pushing through the crowd to get to where they are going.

Full Children's sermon /message: Good morning girls and boys. We all wish it would be easy following Jesus and doing the things he wants us to do. But did you know the Bible says that following Jesus can be very hard. Sometimes we know what Jesus wants us to do but other people want us to do what everybody else is doing. If Jesus is leading us one way in life and other people are going the opposite way we can feel very alone and it can be very hard for us. I’ll show you now a little bit what it is like. (At this point ask members of the congregation nearest the isle to stand up and gather in the center isle. It’s best to have at least 20 or 30 people and get them to stand 4 or 5 abreast. Ask them to stand in one direction and pack in tightly.) Now children, lets see what it’s like going against a crowd when they are headed in the opposite direction that we are. (Ask children to follow you as you push your way through the crowd. If you are afraid the adults in the isle might giggle too much ask them to be a little grumpy as you’re going through). Push your way through the crowd with the kids coming out the other side. Ask the congregation to give them a round of applause for coming through victoriously! Ask the congregation to quickly sit down. (TRANSITION) How did you find that? Was it a little hard going through? (Take time to listen to a few responses) Well, as I said before, that is what it is like following Jesus sometimes. Sometimes it can be hard going in the right direction when so many others are going in the wrong direction. The Good News is that we are never really alone because Jesus promises to be with us always.

Prayer: God, we know that it sometimes very lonely following Jesus especially when many others don’t care. Through your Holy Spirit help us to have the power and courage to stand up and follow Jesus even when it’s lonely or hard. Thank you that Jesus said he would be with us no matter what. In Jesus name. Amen

--Odds and ends: You could also discuss how it was helpful having some others with you as you pushed your way through the crowd. Or perhaps how some of the bigger kids helped the smaller ones go through. You could also flesh this out by giving specific “playground” scenarios of what it means to follow Jesus.

Copyright 2008 Andrew Hewlett  sundaychildrensfocus  (send me an email message)

Title: Thanksgiving: We have so much - let's give thanks to God

Themes: We are blessed, abundance, giving to the less fortunate, taking things for granted, thanksgiving

Summary: Ask kids to help you pack up a shoe box for someone in need (This teaches about Thanksgiving but also promos the shoe box compassion project) As you pack items in ask if any of the kids helping you have any of the items such as tooth brush, soap, hair brush, cleanex, pencils, etc. Be amazed that all the kids have all the items! Compared to most children in the world they have so much.

Time: 5 minutes - although this could be stretched out into a full length lesson.

Full Story: Good Morning children! Do you see this empty shoe box? We are packing these up with things to give children that don't have as much as we have, and I want you kids to help me pack this up. Here is a bag full of things that these less fortunate kids might like. (Open up the empty shoe box and from another container pull out an item to put inside.) What's this? A toothbrush! Should we put that inside the box? Yes? Ok. Do any of you have a toothbrush? (Probably all the kids will put up their hands - be surprised) What! That's amazing. All of you have a toothbrush. Wow. You know, many children in the world have never had a toothbrush. Let's put that inside. (You can let the children help place items in the box) What else do I have here? (Hold up a crayon or pencil) Should I put that in? OK. Have any of you ever had a crayon or a pencil? What! All of you have! Wow. You are so blessed. Many children in the world have never had those before. (Keep going with a few more articles that you know all the kids will have. (It's ok for your amazement to sound repetitious)

Summarize: Most of us that live here in (your city or town) have so much compared to many children in the world. It's good to remember how much we have and to give thanks to God. Since we have so much it's also good for us to share with kids that don't have the things that we have. (When the box is full close it up) There, I think we are done. Thank you for helping.

Pray: Lord. Thank you that most of us here this morning have so many good things. Help us to share and help out those other kids in the world that don't have as much as we do. (In our church I had a stack of the prepared shoe boxes up front and I asked the kids to put their hands on the boxes as I prayed) "Lord God, may these boxes bring help and joy to other children that don't have so much. Thank you that as we share with them we can make a difference in their lives. Amen!

Copyright 2008 - Andrew Hewlett sundaychildrensfocus.com      Feel free to use this story at your Sunday morning service but please give credit to sundaychildrensfocus.com and consider placing a link on your church web page. Thank you! A.H.