Children’s Sermon idea: I’m doing this “Love your enemies” passage the Sunday after Valentines Day.

Explain how it’s fun to hand out valentines to your friends. Give (red cut-out hearts) to each child. Part way through ask two other individuals (adults or teens) to come up and pretend to be enemies. (You could ask them to look angry and clench their fist.) Ask the children if these enemies should receive valentine hearts from you. Explain how Jesus said to love our enemies. Give the “enemies” a heart and see how they react.

 

Object lesson items: Enough red cut out “hearts” for each child.   

 

Children’s sermon / Bible lesson introduction:

Good morning children. Did you have fun on Valentines Day? Did any of you get a valentine? Did any of you give a valentine to someone else? That’s wonderful. Giving a little red valentine heart to someone is a nice way of showing your love and care. I’m going to give each of you one of these little red hearts because you are my friends. (Start handing them out.) Oh, I just remembered that I wanted to bring up some other people. Bill and Frank, would you come up here? I want you to pretend that you are an enemy and don’t like me. Let’s see you both make a mad face at me. Wow! That’s scary. Why don’t you clench your fist and hold it in the air. Oooo. That looks very mean. Now, let me keep on giving out my valentine hearts. (Keep handing out your hearts to your friends and then stop when you come to your two enemies.) Hmmm. What should I do now? These two people are my enemies. Do you think I should give them a valentine heart? (Some children will probably say No and so will say yes.) We might think that we shouldn’t because they are our enemies and they don’t like us. But do you know what Jesus said? He said that as Christians we should love our enemies (remind your actors to keep looking mean!) as well as our friends. That wouldn’t make sense to most people but Jesus said that our love was to be a very special type of love. The love of Jesus is to go out to all people – not just our friends. (Consider reading the text from Matt 5.) So, let’s give our enemies here a valentine’s heart and see what happens. (They will probably smile.) Wow. Did you see that? He smiled a bit. We want to show love to everybody because Jesus has shared his love with us. If we do, perhaps that love will help make them a friend some day.

 

Children’s Prayer: Dear God, we know you want us to learn to love all people, even our enemies. That’s pretty hard to do so please fill us up with your Holy Spirit and help us to know your great love.

In Jesus’ name – Amen!

 

Copyright 2011 Sundaychildrensfocus.com Andrew Hewlett Feel free to use this lesson on Sunday Morning but please give credit to Sundaychildrensfocus.com and consider linking to this site. Thank you! A.H.

 Matt 5: 1-12   

 

Children’s Message idea: Despite outward treatment and appearances disciples of Jesus are indeed “blessed” and wonderfully favored. Place some valuable jewelry in an old can. Mark the can up, bang it around and laugh at it. No matter what happens to the can it is wonderfully favored because of the precious gift inside. With Jesus in our life we are wonderfully favored and “Blessed” even if we face trouble or hardship.  (Note: I realize that even theologians interpret this passage differently. I’m doing my best to come up the easy to understand core truth.)

 

(This could easily be adapted to the theme: “We have this treasure in jars of clay.” 2 Cor.4:7)

 

Object lesson props: Old tin can, jewelry or precious item, felt marker.

 

Children’s sermon: God morning Children! This morning I want to read out some words of Jesus that we call the Beatitudes. In this passage from Matthew’s gospel Jesus said that his followers were “blessed.” It’s hard to understand what that word “blessed” means. You might think of it meaning “happy,” “favored” or “wonderfully special.” (Read out a section of this passage – Matt 5: 1-12.) Now that’s surprising isn’t it? Jesus said that his followers were specially “blessed” even when they had great troubles. That’s hard to understand isn’t it? I’ll try to explain how that might be.

 

Do you see this tin old tin can? It doesn’t look very important does it? But look what’s inside. (Open the lid so the children can see inside.) Look at these. This is very valuable gold jewelry. This looks like an ordinary tin can but its holding something very special inside. What if I knocked the tin can over like this. Would this can be any less special? What if I messed it up with this felt pen? What if we all laughed the tin can and made fun of it. (Point at the can and laugh.)Would it be less special or less important? Of course not. This tin can is wonderfully blessed because it has such a wonderful treasure inside.

 

As followers of Jesus we are greatly blessed. People may make fun of us and even hurt us but no matter what happens to us we are greatly blessed because Jesus’ love and his life is right inside us; just like the treasure in the old tin can.  We have been greatly blessed because of Jesus. We also know that that we will be in his love and care for ever and ever!

 

Children’s Prayer: Dear God, thank you for the life that Jesus gives. We have indeed been greatly blessed because we have the greatest treasure living in us. In Jesus’ name – Amen

 

Copyright 2011 Sundaychildrensfocus.com Andrew Hewlett   Feel free to use this story on Sunday morning but please give credit to Sundaychildrensfocus.com and consider linking to this site. Thank you – A.H.

 

Children’s object lesson idea: Show the children two flashlights. Have one flashlight covered over with masking tape so it’s obvious that no light can get out. Have a fun discussion with the children about which flashlight would be best to use if guiding a group of people in the dark. Discuss how God wants us to let the light of Jesus shine out for others to see.

 

Object lesson items: Two flashlights. One of the flashlights should be covered over so that the light is hidden.

 

Children’s Sermon: Good Morning Children! How many of you have a flashlight at home? Great. This morning I brought in two flashlights. Have a look at them. Imagine if I had to find some people who were lost out in the dark of night. Which of these flashlights would you rather have? Why? I agree. This flashlight wouldn’t be much use at all. In fact, it’s covered over with so much tape you can’t even see any light. But look at this other light. (Turn it on.) Wow! That’s pretty bright. This would be the best flashlight to use to help people find their way in the dark.

 

These flashlights remind me about something Jesus said. In the gospel of Matthew (Chapter 5) we read that Jesus told his disciples to “Let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” When we live in the light and love of Jesus our lives are like a light that shines out for all to see. That reminds me of this flashlight here. On the other hand, if we don’t shine the light and love of Jesus to others and just think about ourselves then we are like this flashlight that’s covered with tape. Children, since we want to be like this flashlight lets ask God to help us live the way he wants us to live; then the love of Jesus will shine through us light a bright light!

 

Children’s Prayer: Dear God, by the power of your Holy Spirit help us to be like bright lights shining the love of Jesus for all to see. In Jesus’ name – Amen!

 

Copyright 2011 Sundaychildrensfocus.com Andrew Hewlett    Feel free to use this on Sunday morning but please give credit to Sundaychildrensfocus and consider linking to this page. Thank you. A.H.