Children's Sermon - Always Pray and don't give up.

Kids bible talk - Pray and don’t give up! Luke 18:1-8

Children’s sermon idea: Bring in an object related to an activity that involves waiting: Fishing, bird watching, etc. Explain the importance of waiting and not giving up. Discuss how Jesus told us to always pray and not give up.

(Note: Although I would normally talk about the elements of the text, the concept of the unjust judge is rather complex. My understanding is that it is a rabbinic “from the lesser to the greater” form of argument that westerners find hard to grasp.)

Object lesson items: A pair of binoculars (for bird watching), a fishing rod (for fishing) or some other appropriate object.

Full Children’s talk: Good morning children. Look what I have here. (Hold up the binoculars.) Does anyone know what these are? That’s right, they are binoculars and they are used for looking at things far away. It makes far away things look bigger. I like to use these for bird watching. Perhaps I want to find a beautiful bird like an eagle. I take up my binoculars (demonstrate to the kids) and slowly look around in the sky and through the tree tops. Sometimes I find one right away but most of the time I have to wait a while. I have to be patient and not give up. Often I make a cup of tea and sit in chair and then I wait and watch. Usually after a while I find what I was looking for. Sometimes though, I don’t find my eagle but I do see some other beautiful bird I didn’t expect! The most important thing with bird watching is that you have to wait and not give up. If you just picked up the binoculars, looked for five seconds and then gave up you would probably be disappointed. I’m telling you this because in our bible reading for today Jesus tells the disciples that they should always pray and not give up. That’s important to learn because answers to prayer don’t always happen right away. We don’t want to give up. God wants us to keep talking to him even if our prayers are not answered right away or are not answered in the way we expect.

Children’s prayer: Dear God, we know that you can hear us when we pray. When there is something we are asking for help us not to give up but to keep on praying. We know that you love us and will answer our prayers in your time and in the way that is best for us. In Jesus’ name – Amen!

Copyright 2010 Sundaychildrensfocus.com Andrew Hewlett Feel free to use this lesson on Sunday morning but please give credit to Sundaychildrensfocus and consider linking to this site. Thank you. A.H.

Children's sermon - the Lord's Prayer

Children’s sermon: the Lord’s Prayer Luke 11:1-13 Lord, teach us to pray.

Kids Sermon idea: (or Introduction to a Sunday School lesson) Lead the children around to various members of your congregation and ask them to teach you how to do some task. Point out individuals (You need to know their trade or vocation.) suggesting that they could teach us what they know. Who would be the best person to teach about prayer? Explain how the disciples said to Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray.” Pray the Lord’s Prayer together and tell them that Jesus can help teach us to pray.

Preparation: Be aware of members of the congregation you can visit or point out. Pick individuals / vocations that will be understandable to children. (I.e. Cook, painter, carpenter, etc.) It’s also very helpful to use a roving microphone.

Children’s sermon: Good morning children! When you are growing up we need people to teach us how to do things. I can remember asking my mother, “Mom, please teach me how to tie my shoe laces.” Then she took the time to teach me how to do that. (Go into the congregation with a wireless microphone.) If we wanted to learn how to bake a cake we might go over here (lead the children) to Mrs. Graham who works at a bakery. We could say, “Mrs. Graham, please teach us how to bake a cake.” If we wanted to know how to paint a house we could go over here to Mr. Jacobs and say, “please teach us how to paint.” Or, we could chat with Mrs. Grace and ask if she would teach us how to speak Spanish. What if we wanted to learn how to pray? Who would we ask to teach us how to pray? Well yes, there are a lot of people here this morning that might be able to teach us to pray. But I think it would also be to learn from Jesus. In our bible reading today we are told that the disciples wanted to learn how to pray. They went to Jesus and said, “Lord, teach us to pray.” Jesus then taught them a simple prayer that we call the Lord’s Prayer. It’s a prayer that includes important things like giving thanks, asking forgiveness, and asking God our Father to help us live the way He wants us to live. Let’s pray that prayer together now. (Lead the children in praying the Lord’s Prayer.)

We can pray that same Lord’s Prayer but we can also ask Jesus to teach us to pray. If we ask him I’m sure he will help us.

Children’s Prayer: Heavenly Father, we know that your son Jesus taught the disciples how to pray. We pray that you, your son Jesus and the Holy Spirit will help teach us to pray too. In Jesus’ name – Amen!

Copyright 2010 Andrew Hewlett Sundaychildrensfocus.com Feel free to use this story during a Sunday morning service but please give credit to Sundaychildrensfocus.com and consider placing a link to this site. A.H.

Children's Sermon on the Wonderful Love of Jesus

Sermon for kids on the love of Jesus

Ephesians 3:18 “How wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ?”

Children’s sermon idea: Ask the children if they know how big the love of Jesus might be. Show various measuring devices (Start with a small ruler, a small measuring tape and then extend a large surveyors tape measure) Read out a paraphrase of Ephesians 3:18. Explain how the love that Christ has for us is so great it’s impossible to measure. We need to ask for God’s supernatural power to help us understand how great and wonderful his love is.

Object lesson items needed: Ruler, tape measure, etc.

Full kid’s sermon: Good morning children! One of this morning’s bible readings, from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, is about the wonderful love of Jesus Christ. I want you to think about this question: How big is the love that Jesus has for us? – For you and me? (Let the children respond. Then hold up a ruler). Do you know what this is? Yes. It’s a ruler. We use it to measure things. If I could measure the love of Christ how big would it be? Maybe it is so big that we would have to use a tape measure like this one. (Extend the tape as wide as your hands can go) Do you think Christ’s love for us is this big? No, it’s even bigger than that. Extend the tape out all the way. Is it this big? No, it’s even bigger still. (If you have one extend a surveyors tape the whole length of the church). Is the love that Jesus has for us this big? No, it’s even bigger! The love of Jesus is so big and wonderful that it’s almost impossible to measure and fully understand. In our bible reading today the apostle Paul said that he needed to pray for supernatural wisdom, from the Holy Spirit, in order to understand this amazing love. I believe it’s important for us as well to try to understand how big this love is. So let’s pray:

Children’s Prayer: Dear God, we know that it’s impossible to measure your love with a ruler or tape measure. Give us special (supernatural) wisdom through your Holy Spirit to try to understand your great love that you have for us. In Jesus’ name – Amen!

Children's Skit -Parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector

Fun Short Sermon for kids - The Pharisee and the Tax Collector: Who went away justified?

Sunday School lesson: Luke 18:9-14

Short Children’s Sermon – Drama / Skit idea: This parable lends itself well for doing a very simple drama.

Have two volunteers act out the part. Minimal preparation is needed. Have one individual knell down and pray, “God, have mercy on me a sinner.” Have the “Pharisee” brag on how wonderful and righteous he is. Ask the children to guess who went away right before God. Explain to the children the importance of confession and humility.

Object lesson items needed: None. Have a very short pre service instruction for your two actors.

Short Children’s skit / Drama

Good morning Children! Our Bible reading this morning is from Luke 18:9-14. In the passage Jesus tells a story / parable to teach us the danger looking down on others and boasting about how good we are. This morning I have some helpers that are going to act out this story for us. (Invite your actors to come and stand up front.) Jesus told a story about two people going up to the temple (that’s like their church) to pray. The first person was a very religious man. Jesus said that when he prayed he really prayed about himself. (Gesture to the first actor to pray his boastful prayer outlining all his religious credits.) Then the tax collector (or the person who was known to be very bad) stood at a distance and did not even look up to heaven to pray. (Gesture to the “tax collector” to pray his short and humble prayer: “God have mercy on me a sinner.”) Now children, I have a question for you. Which of these two people pleased God? (Or perhaps, “went away closer to God.”) Well, I think most of you are correct. The religious person really wanted to make himself look good. The bad tax collector knew that he needed God’s love and forgiveness and really wanted to change.

Children, we can’t fool God by trying to make ourselves look better than we are. It’s always best to be honest, say we are sorry to God, and ask for his forgiveness and help.

Children’s Prayer: Dear God, we know that we always need your love and forgiveness. Thank you that we don’t need to pretend we are better than everyone else. In Jesus’ name – Amen

Come away - Resting in Jesus

Sundaychildrensfocus Mark6 - Come away with Jesus to a quiet place - Spending time with Jesus

In Mark 6:31 Jesus said: “Come away with me to a quite place and get some rest.” (Rough Draft)

Summary: Gather the children up front and tell them you have some important things to tell them / read to them. Prearrange to have a number of people interrupt you with various distractions. (Prayer requests, your cell phone going off, people asking for various things. Have some fun with this.) Explain how it’s not working very well with all the noise and distractions. Tell the children about the Mark chapter 6 where Jesus was tired and exhausted by all the people in need and how he asked his disciple get away with him to a quiet place. Explain how we all need time to withdraw from the crowds and spend some quiet time with Jesus.

Full children’s message for the text this week: (Pre-arrange to have various people interrupt you and distract you.) Good morning children! I want you to gather around me while I read out a very important words from the bible (I’m going to read out some special Jesus sayings from the gospel of John). Begin reading in a soft voice as the interrupting people come forward with various requests. Be friendly but make it clear that your quiet time with the children is not working very well with all the disruptions.

Debrief: Well children, I’m not sure if you heard those important words from the bible with all the people bothering us. In the Gospel of Mark (chapter 6) it says that Jesus and the disciples were healing people and doing wonderful things. However, there were so many people in need they were getting exhausted. Jesus encouraged the disciples to come away with him to a quiet place where they could get some rest.

In our lives we can become so busy and bothered that we need to get away and spend time alone with Jesus. In fact, I think we should find some time ever day just to be alone with Jesus. We don’t need to go far. It might be in a quiet room in the house or your favourite spot outside in the yard.(Just make sure you tell your parents where you are.) It just needs to be some place that is quiet. We could read our bible, pray or just be rest quietly. You might think of Jesus and the wonderful things he did or listen for his still small voice of love and assurance. Jesus wanted to spend time alone with the disciples and he also wants to spend quiet time with us as well.

Children’s Prayer: Dear God, thank you that Jesus wanted his disciples to come away with him to be together and find rest. Please help us to set aside some time in our busy day) to rest with you and your Son Jesus. In Jesus’ name – Amen!

Copyright Andrew Hewlett (and Sunday Childrens Focus) Feel free to use this on Sunday but please facebook "like" this page (on left side of menu) and consider linking your web site. Thank you! A.H.

Jesus with children

Hearing the voice of Jesus

Helping Children Recognize the Voice of Jesus -

John 10:27 “My Sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

Chidren's Sermon Theme: Learning to recognize the voice of Jesus

Props: None

Basic Children's sermon / Sunday school lesson summary: See if children can recognize their parent’s voice. As Christians they will learn to recognize the voice of Jesus too.

Short Children's Sermon: Good morning boys and girls. Listen to this passage in the Bible. (Read John 10:27) Jesus says that he knows us (his sheep) he will lead us and we can recognize his voice. That’s amazing! How do you think we could recognize the voice of Jesus? Let’s do a little experiment this morning. I’ll pick of few of you to come over here near the front of the church. Now, turn your back to the congregation so that you cannot see the people. Do you think that you can recognize your parent’s voice? Let’s see. (I use a cordless mike so I can walk down into the congregation) Now (child’s name) I want you to listen very carefully to these voices and put your hand up in the air when you hear the real voice of your parent. (Go down into the congregation and ask a few people to say a short phrase such as “Hello Janet it’s me.” When you come to their parent they will recognize their voice (trust me) and put up their hand in the air. When they pick out the voice of their parent get the congregation to give them a cheer. Do this for 2 or 3 children. Gather the children together. You are pretty good at recognizing the voice of your mom or dad. In the same way Jesus said that we would be able to recognize the voice of Jesus. Hearing the voice of Jesus is not always easy. Sometimes it’s like a very still small voice. But Jesus says that if we follow him we will learn to recognize his voice. That is very good news because Jesus is like a shepherd who will lead us into good pasture. If we follow him we will discover the wonderful adventures he has for us as his children.

Children's Prayer: Thank you God for sending Jesus who is like a good shepherd. Thank you that he knows us and that we can learn to recognize his voice and his leading. Help us always to follow Him. Amen

Copyright Andrew Hewlett Sundaychildrensfocus 2009

House of Prayer

My Father's House: A House of Prayer - Not a Marketplace -

Themes: Cleansing the Temple, House of Prayer,Room for all Nations

Text:John 2:13-22 (Lent 3)Cleansing of the Temple

Basic Children's Sermon Idea: Set up some barrier or obstruction so that the children can’t come up to their usual place at the front of the church. They will have to watch from far off. Act out Jesus overturning the tablesof the money changers and cleaning the temple thus making room for the children to come in and worship. Welcome the children to come right up front for debriefing and prayer. (Note: The Gospel of Mark seems to indicate that one of the things that angered Jesus so much was that the Gentiles couldn’t worship with all the commotion going on.)

Objects Lesson props: Some boxes, a non breakable plate and a tin with some loose change.

Full Children's Sermon: Good Morning. It’s the time in our service to do the children’s story but unfortunately this morning there isn’t enough room for you children to come right up front. The isle is blocked off with these boxes and tables this morning so you’ll have to watch from a distance. There’s just not enough room up here this morning. (Find some way of blocking off the isle. Use boxes or stretch some flagging tape across the center isle. Set up some other boxes up front. On one of them place a plate with a can of change or other “money changer” paraphernalia. For dramatic effect you could get a member of the congregation to sit at the money changing table.) This morning children I want to tell you about a time Jesus got pretty angry. He came into the temple where people worshipped and he found them buying and selling things, making lots of noise, and there were even animals walking all over the place. This was in an area where the Gentiles (the outsiders) could come and worship God. But this was impossible to do because there was so much buying and selling going on! Jesus was so angry he drove all the animals out and overturned the tables of the money changers. (Overturn the tables (i.e. boxes) and “cleanse the temple” so there is room for the children to come in.) As Jesus was doing this he said “My Fathers House shall be called a house of prayer (for all nations) but you’ve turned it into a den of thieves!”

After doing that I’m sure there was room for the outsiders to come in and worship. (Go down and break down the barrier keeping the kids out. Lead the children up front to where you normally talk to them and pray. (When I did this I got the congregation to give a big cheer.)

Prayer: Thank you God that Jesus cared so much about the temple being a place of prayer for everyone. Thank you God for this place where we come to pray and to worship. God, help us to remember that although we have lots of fun here the most important thing is that it is a place of prayer and worship – in Jesus name. Amen

Kids sermon - Jesus withdrew to a quiet place to pray

Jesus withdrew to a quiet place to pray: A Lesson on the Importance of spending time with God - Mark 1

No objects needed – Just one child to come up front.

(Start with a child standing up front of the other kids, ready to participate in the interactive exercise.)

Good morning children! I'm so excited to talk to you today about something very special – the importance of finding quiet time alone with God. But first, let's try something together.

(Point to the child standing up front.)

I need your help, everyone. On the count of three, let's all call out to our friend here with lots of demands and requests. Take 10 seconds to think of what you want the to do. Ready?

(Count to three, and have the group call out loudly to the child.) This should be fun.

Now, how do you feel? (Allow the child to share their feelings.)

It can be overwhelming when everyone is demanding our attention, right? Sometime you can’t even think properly. Just like in our game, life can get really noisy with school, friends, chores, and activities. But guess what? We have a special friend who knows exactly how we feel – Jesus!

In the Bible, in the book of Mark, it says that Jesus often withdrew to lonely or quiet places to pray. You see, Jesus understood the importance of finding a quiet spot away from the noise and pressure. So many people wanted to talk to him, to be healed, or to get something from him.

Imagine if Jesus were here with us today. (In fact He is here because he said “I am with you always”. He might say, "Hey, friends, sometimes you need to step away from all the noise and find a quiet place to talk to God. It's like having a special meeting with your best friend."

Just like we need a break from the demands of our noisy game, we also need a break from the demands of life. When we spend quiet time with God, it's a chance to share our thoughts, dreams, worries, and joys. God loves hearing from us, and it helps us feel more at peace.

Here are a few reasons why finding quiet time with God is so important:

Peace in the Noise:
- When life gets noisy and busy, spending time alone with God helps us find peace in the midst of it all.
Guidance and Wisdom:
- Sometimes we don’t know what to do. God can give us guidance and wisdom when we take the time to listen to Him. It's like having the best GPS for our lives!
Sharing Our Hearts:
- Just like we share things with our friends, God wants us to share our hearts with Him. He cares about everything we feel and think.

So, kids, let's remember the lesson from our game. Just as we gave our friend a break from all the noise and demands, we too need a break sometimes. Jesus showed us the way by withdrawing to pray, and we can do the same.

Children’s Prayer: Dear God, thankyou that when we are busy and upset we can always come away to a quiet place and meet you in prayer. In Jesus’ name – Amen!

Persistent faith of a Canaanite Woman

The persistent faith of the Canaanite woman - Matthew 15

Basic idea: Engage the children in a simple activity that requires persistence (balancing something, throwing a ball into a basket, etc. Or, you could bring in an item that you created that took a lot of persistence). Paraphrase the story of the Canaanite woman, highlighting that she was persistent and refused to give up.

Object item: a knitted sweater, a piece of art work etc.

Good morning Children! Today, we're going to learn a wonderful story from the Bible about a woman who showed amazing faith and persistence. This story is from the book of Matthew, chapter 15, and it's about a Canaanite woman. She lived in a land far away from Jerusalem.

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived a woman who had a daughter who was not well. This woman had heard about a special person named Jesus, who had the power to heal the sick. She believed that Jesus could help her daughter, so she went to find him.

When she finally found Jesus, she cried out to him, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." (or substitute “is terribly afflicted” if at this moment in time you don’t want to get into a discussion on demons)

At first, Jesus didn't answer her. But the woman didn't give up. She kept on pleading with him, even when his disciples asked Jesus to send her away. She knelt before Jesus and said, "Lord, help me!"

Jesus replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs." The woman responded with amazing faith, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table."

Jesus was amazed by herr faith and persistence. He said, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And in that very moment, her daughter was healed.

What a beautiful story of faith and persistence! This woman didn't give up, even when thing seemed difficult. She kept believing that Jesus could help her daughter, and because of her strong faith, her daughter was healed.

Now, let's think about how we can apply this story to our own lives. Just like the Canaanite woman, we should never give up when we face challenges. We should believe that God is always with us and will help us, no matter what. Sometimes, we might face obstacles, but if we trust in God and keep asking for His help, amazing things can happen.

Children’s Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for this example of the Canaanite woman who refused to give up. Thank you that Jesus was willing to help her even though she lived far away for Him. Help us always to have faith that God will help us with all our needs. In Jesus’ name – Amen!

Copyrite 2023 Feel free to use this on Sunday but please give credit to SundayChildrensFocus.com - and consider linking to this site! Thank you - A.H.

Prayer