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The  Widows Offering (Mite) Mark 12:38-44 including a message for Veterans  Day/ Memorial Sunday / Remembrance Day.    

 Remembrance day poppy
Kids Sermon idea:  Hold up 2 small pennies and explain how they remind you of the widow in Mark chapter 12 who  “Gave everything she had.” Hold up a poppy and explain how this reminds you of soldiers who “gave everything they had.”   (Using the the Lectionary lesson for the day to lead into a Remembrance Day lesson.)
 
Object lesson items:  2 pennies or cooper coins and a Remembrance Day poppy. (or other Veterans Day item)
 
Childrens Sermon:
 
Good morning children! Look what I have here this morning. In this hand you can see that I have 2 small pennies. In this other hand you can see that I have a red poppy.
The two pennies here remind me of the poor widow mentioned by Jesus in the 12th chapter on Mark. People were giving large amount of money into the offering box at the temple (their “church”). A poor older widow then put in 2 small pennies. These two pennies were not worth very much but Jesus said that she gave more than everyone else. Jesus said that she gave the most because she gave everything she had! So this morning, these 2 pennies remind me of this poor widow who was so generous that she gave everything she had.
 
This poppy also reminds me of some people who gave everything they had. This poppy reminds us of the men and women who gave their lives so that we could live in freedom. The red colour of the poppy reminds us of soldiers’ blood. Today is Veterans Day (Remembrance Day) and we remember the many men and women who fought and died in the great wars. We thank God that they gave everything they had so that we could live in peace.
 
Children’s Prayer: Dear God, thank you for the faith of this elderly widow who was willing to give everything she had to God. We also thank you God for the men and women who died at war so that we could live in freedom and peace. 

Copyright 2012 Andrew Hewlett & SundayChildensFocus.com   Feel free to use this at a Sunday Service but please give credit to SundayChildrensfocus and consider linking to this site.  Blessings, A.H.

 

Childrens Sermon on the Rich Young Ruler / Fool

    

 


   Mark 10:17-31  

 
Childrens message idea:  Make a small “doorway to heaven” by putting a blanket over a card table or chair. Tell the children we are pretending this is the entrance to heaven or the wonderful life of Jesus. As you ask the children line up quickly to enter, have an individual race to the front of the line and try to enter carrying huge bags of money. Because the rich person won’t let go they can’t fit through. Let the children who are “last” enter in. Tell the children about the rich young man in Mark 10 and the truth that “many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
(Instead of speaking of heaven you could also talk about entering the “Kingdom of God” or the “wonderful life of Jesus Christ”.)
 
Object lesson items:  1. a pretend entrance to heaven / eternal life (Chair with blanket over it or opening cut out of a big piece of cardboard. I’m probably going to label the entrance “The wonderful life of Jesus Christ.” 2. Several large garbage “money bags” filled with paper. Note: An individual “rich man” will need to be prepped.
 
Children’s Sermon: (Have the kids wait a bit until you call them forward.) Good morning children! In our bible reading this morning Jesus said that it’s very hard for rich people to be true followers of Jesus and to experience his wonderful everlasting life. I’m going to try to explain to you what I think Jesus meant.
Do you see this small opening here? Let’s pretend this is a doorway to the wonderful life that Jesus has for his true followers. I would like you to now come forward and line up to enter in. (Have your “rich man” with his money bags immediately burst to the front past the children.) Wow! Sir, that was very fast. You made it right to the front of the line. (They could make some comments, “Well yes, I have all this money so it is only right that I should enter in first ahead of these young kids.”) Well, go ahead if you think you think all that money will help you enter in to the kingdom. (They can’t do it with all the bulky bags of money.) Hmm, I guess you will have to give away some of that money in order to fit through. Ans: “No I can’t possibly give any of my money away; it’s the most important thing in my life.” I’m sorry it looks like you just can’t fit through. I think you’d better step aside and see if any of these children can enter through this opening.
(Let the children come through one by one as the rich man sadly looks on. Plead with him and offer him one more chance. He refuses to let go of his money.)
 
Kids. If we are going to follow Jesus and know his wonderful eternal life, we have to make sure He is the most important thing in our life. Money is important but it won’t get us into heaven.
 

Children’s Prayer: Dear God, thank you for Jesus and his wonderful life. Help us to truly build our lives on Him and not something else.

Copyright 2012 Sundaychildrensfocus.com  Andrew Hewlett  Feel free to use this on Sunday but please give credit to SundaychildrensFocus. Please consider linking to this site.   Thanks!  A.H.

Jesus can calm the wind and the waves


Kids Sermon: Jesus Calms the Storm -- (He can also calm the storms of life)

Mark  4:35- 41     Even the Wind and Waves obey him:     "Peace,  be still "

Children’s sermon idea: Sunday School or Children's Church:  Demonstrate how Jesus was able to calm the storm. Get the congregation to violently wave their hands, making the sound of wind. Ask the children to imagine being in a boat at sea. In a loud voice call out “PEACE – BE STILL” showing how Jesus had power over the wind and the waves.
 
Object lesson props: None   Jesus calms the storm
 
Full Kids Sermon: Good morning children! In our bible reading today the disciples learned that Jesus had power over the wind and the waves. The disciples were out on the sea when a huge storm came up. There were terrified when they saw the big waves and heard the sound of the wind. Then they woke up Jesus. He told the wind and the waves to calm down and right away, the storm stopped. They were amazed at his power – the power of God!
 
Let’s act this out to see what it was like. You can pretend you are the disciples sitting in the boat. The people out there in the congregation will be the wind and the waves. Let’s practice a bit. Members of the congregation, please make the sound of a violent wind. That’s great. Now let’s add some waves to that. We will do it again but wave your hands in the air like waves in a storm. Wow, that looks like a scary storm. Now kids, when you see the wind and the waves pretend to be very scared. I will pretend to be Jesus commanding the storm to be still. OK, we are about to start. Kids, pretend you are rowing a boat on the Sea of Galilee. Great! Now let’s have the storm start. Good. Louder still. Bigger waves. (Egg them on a bit). When the disciples saw the waves they were terrified. (Gesture to the children to look terrified.) Now just when the disciples thought they might drown they woke up Jesus. He stood up and said, “Peace, be still!” (The congregation will understand they are to stop.) As soon as Jesus said those words, the storm stopped and the disciples were relieved (whew!) They were so amazed that Jesus could command the wind and the waves. They were learning the Jesus was no ordinary person; he had the power of God!
 
Children’s prayer: Dear God, it’s wonderful that Jesus had all the power in the world. Help us to trust Jesus and follow him so we can know his amazing power and his amazing love. In Jesus’ name – Amen!
 
Copyright 2012 Sundaychildrensfocus.com   Andrew Hewlett Feel free to use this story on Sunday but please give credit to SundayChildrensFocus and consider linking to this site. Thank you – A.H.

Children's Sermon on Jairus' Daughter (Mark 5: 21-43)

Theme: Jesus can even wake up the dead


Text: Mark 5:21-43 Jairus’ daughter (Trinity 2)


Props: none   Jairus daughter sleeping

 

Basic kids sermon idea: Start by having the children show how they wake up in the morning and tell them this is a “wake up” story. Have the children dramatize the various emotions mentioned as you read through the text (concern, grief, laughter, amazement, joy)
(Note: You could have the children pretend that they are Jairus daughter. However, my wife told me she felt parents might be uneasy about then acting out that they had died!)
For this to be most effective it needs to be fairly fast paced with lots of energy and emotion.

 

Full Childrens Story: Good morning children. Do you find it easy to wake up in the morning? How do you parents wake you up? Do you yawn or stretch? Show me. Close you eyes like you are asleep. Now show me what you do. “Time to wake up. It’s morning time.” (Let the children show you how they get up.) Well today our Bible reading is story about Jesus waking a child up. But what is amazing about this “wake up story” is that Jesus woke her up after she died! We can wake up people when they are asleep but Jesus proved that he could wake up people even when they are dead. That is truly amazing.


I’m going to tell you the story and I would like you to act out how the people were feeling. This story is found in Chapter 5 of Mark’s Gospel


(Read through the Bible text or create your own paraphrase: Stop and gesture to the children at the appropriate times. They’ll pick up the idea quickly.)


(vs 22) A man named Jairus fell at Jesus’ feet and pleaded with him, “My daughter is dying please come and put you hands on her so that she will be healed and live.”
---What do you think Jairus felt like? Show me how might feel. Yes, he was very worried. (Look worried, bit your nails, put your hands on your forehead, etc


(vs 24)Jesus started to go to Jairus’ house to see his daughter but it was taking a long time because he stopped to talk to another person who needed healing. How do you think Jairus was feeling then? Yes. He was very anxious.


(vs 35)Then all of a sudden some people came from Jairus’ home and said. Your daughter has died. Don’t bother bringing Jesus. (Throw your hands up in the air)


(vs 36)Jesus kept on going and when he came to the house where the girl was he saw all the people crying ( Children pretent to weep)


When he came to the girl he said that she was only sleeping. Since the people knew she had died they laughed at Jesus (Children laugh)


(vs 41) Then Jesus took her by the hand and said “Little girl, I say to you get up!”
(vs42) Immediately the girl stood up and walked around. The people were astonished! (show ashtonishment)


(vs 38) Now one more thing. It doesn’t say this in the bible story but what do you think Jairus, the girls father, was feeling? Yes. I think he was celebrating! (jump for joy)


That was great acting children. It was almost like being there! Isn’t that wonderful. Even though the girl died and it seemed too late, it wasn’t too late for Jesus. He was able to wake people up even when they were dead. That’s how wonderful Jesus is.


Pray: Thank you God for this wonderful miracle of Jesus bringing this girl back to life.
Thank you for his amazing love and his amazing power. Help us, through your Holy Spirit to follow him and know him more and more each day - In Jesus’ name, Amen!


(Copyright Andrew Hewlett 2009 Sundaychildrensfocus.com Feel free to use this story at your Sunday morning service but please give credit to Sundaychildrensfocus.com and consider linking to this web site. Thank you! A.H.

 

 

 

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