Children's sermon on Giving Thanks (Saying Thank you to God)

 

Basic idea:   Thanksgiving flowers

When the children are gathered up front say a brief word about the importance of saying thank you. Ask if there are any members of the congregation that know how to say “Thank you” in their native tongue. Ask them to say it out loud. (You could ask the children to try repeating the phrase) You could include ‘thank you” in sign language. After hearing from 4 or 5 individuals explain how God knows all languages and how we can say thank you to in any language in prayer.

Objects needed – None

Individual from different ethnic backgrounds could be approached ahead of time but you can also just do this spontaneously.

Full Thanksgiving message for the kids:

Good morning children. Do you know what is special about this Sunday? That’s right it is Thanksgiving Sunday. We want to give thanks to God every day, but on this Sunday we want to take time to remember all that things that we are thankful for in Life. What are some of the things that you are thankful for? (Spend a brief moment interacting with the children) Now, when I want to say “thank you” I just use my normal English language and say “Thank you God!”  But, in other countries they say “thank you” in different languages. Let see if there are any people in our congregation that can say “thank you” on a different language. (Ask individuals to stand up and say thank you in their native tongue. It might be fun to see if the children can repeat the phrases in the foreign language. Consider having someone share using sign language. Thank the various individuals who helped out.)

 Now, children as you can see there are many ways to say thank you. The good news is that God is very smart (in fact he knows everything!) and he can understand every language in the world. It doesn’t matter what language we use. The important thing is that we do say thank you to God for the many ways we have been blessed.  Join me now in saying thank you to God.

Children’s Prayer: Dear God, there are so many things we are thankful for (perhaps mention some of the items the children mentioned) but above all we are thankful for your great love that you have for each one of us. Thank you also for sending Jesus to be our Saviour and our friend – In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!

(You could also close by having the group give a loud “Thank you God!”)

Note: American Sign Language for Thank You – Place your open hand and fingers up against your closed mouth. Bring your hand out and down toward the individual with your palm facing up.

Copyright 2015 Andrew Hewlett and Sundaychildrensfocus  - Feel free to use this message but please give credit to Sundaychildrensfocus.com and consider linking your web site to this page. Thank you!    - Also...please "Like" this on facebook!

 

 

 Jesus is rejected by his friends and family at Nazareth    

 
Basic idea: Help children understand the humanity of Jesus and that he understands when we feel sad or rejected.  Have a small group of individual prepared to say negating comments to Jesus. Dramatize how it must have been very painful for Jesus to be rejected by his friends and family at Nazareth, his home town.
Dramatic Children’s sermon:
(Ask a small group of volunteers to represent the friends and family of Jesus in Nazareth. Suggest that they be ready to give comments such as; “That’s just Jesus – he’s not so special, “ or “I’ve seen him before, who cares about him?” Have them walk away from you (Jesus) when they are finished insulting and criticizing you.
Good morning children! This morning our bible reading is about Jesus returning to his home town of Nazareth. Do you think all the people would be excited to see him? Yes, you would think so. Jesus had been doing many wonderful things, he healed many people and was showing his love to many people. However, when he went back to his home town of Nazareth it wasn’t as he had hoped. Now, I have some people that are going to come forward and pretend to be the family and friends of Jesus at Nazareth. (Thank you, please stand just over here)
Now kids, I’m going to pretend I’m Jesus returning home to Nazareth. Watch closely.
(Walking towards the group of volunteers with arms outstretched): “Hello Friends! Remember me? It’s Jesus. I used to live here!” (Members of the group respond with disparaging comments and insults. Jesus keeps trying to be friendly but they reject him. Eventually the crowd of “friends” walks off leaving Jesus all alone and downcast.)
Children, it was so sad that even his friends and some members of his family rejected him. How do you think Jesus felt? (Allow the children to respond) That’s right. Jesus would have been so sad to be rejected by people in his home town. Jesus knows what it’s like to be insulted and hurt. Sometimes people say things to us that make us sad. Perhaps they say something unkind or hurtful. Perhaps they just say they don’t want to play with us. That hurts us inside and can make us sad. If that ever happens to you I want you to remember that Jesus knows what it feels like. He knows what you are feeling inside because he was treated that way too. The good news is that He loves us all the time. He will never leave us or forsake us. 
Children’s prayer: Dear God, thank you that Jesus knows what we are feeling and he understands because he suffered and was rejected by his friends. Thank you that He will always love us and will never leave us. In Jesus’ name – Amen!

Copyright 2015 Feel free to use this on Sunday morning but please give credit to Sunday Children's Focus and "Like" this page and consider linking to this web site. Thank you! A.H.


 

 Hidden from the wise and learned and revealed to children:  Matthew 11: 25-30

Interactive object lesson for Sunday School, Children’s Church or Jr. Youth Group  

Children’s sermon /object lesson idea:

The basic idea is to have something that young children can see easily see but is difficult for older (wiser) adults to see. Find a very small table. Using duct tape or a hook with string and hang a fun object (perhaps faith related) under the table. The children can easily see it. Have a tall adult come forward. As they look down from on high they won’t be able to see the object. Explain that some things (like God’s amazing love) seem to be easily understood by young children. To understand and see older and wiser people need to humble themselves and get down on their knees (Making themselves like small children).
 

Object lesson items needed:

-A small children’s table (preferably with legs shorter than a card table)
- A Christian symbol, toy, or picture on a string that you can hang down underneath the table
 
(I would recommend prepping your (older, wise) adult so they work with you well.)

Complete Children's sermon on Humility

Good morning children! 
In our gospel reading this morning from Matthew chapter 11 Jesus says that some things (like the amazing love of Jesus) are “Hidden from the wise and learned but revealed to children.” I thought I would bring someone forward this morning who I think is very wise and learned. Mr. Johnson, would you come forward this morning? Now Mr. Johnson, I think you are pretty smart. You are a scientist who works at the university. How many years did you go to school / university? Wow! That is a long time. Well, this morning I’m going to show you something and I want to know what you see. Ask the children not to say anything and bring out the table with the object hidden underneath. Now Mr. Johnson, I’d like you to look down at this and tell me what you see. (He will just see a blank table top. Encourage him to use all his highly scientific brainpower!) (Now ask the children, who can see under the table, if they see anything that tall and wise Mr. Johnson can’t see.) That’s right! There is a wonderful picture of Jesus with his arms outstretched in love. You could see it because you are not too tall. Mr. Johnson, you still can’t see what they see. Children, what would he need to do if he wanted to see what you see? (They will suggest that he bends down.) That’s right. If he wants to see he is going to have to get down on his knees and make himself small. Encourage Mr. Johnson to do this. (He can moan and groan a bit for effect.)
 
Jesus said that his teaching was sometimes hidden from the wise and learned but revealed to little children. Going to school and learning is important. However, you could go to school for 20 years and be the smartest person in the world and still not understand Jesus and God’s wonderful love. God will show his love to anybody who simply opens up his or her heart and turns to him. Young children sometimes understand God’s great love more than adults do!
 

Children’s Prayer: Dear God, thank you that we don’t have to be really old or really smart to understand Jesus and his wonderful love. In Jesus’ name – Amen! 

Copyright 2014 Andrew Hewlett and Sundaychildrensfocus.com  Feel free to use this kids talk but please give credit to Sundaychildrensfocus and consider linking your church to this sight.  Thank you! A.H.




 Children's Sermon about the Earthquake in Nepal  

 

Showing the compassion of Jesus

 

Object lesson idea:(Overview -Adapted from a story I used when there was an earthquake in Haiti) 

Display two “houses” made of small blocks of wood or perhaps marshmallows. Have one house represent a typical house in Canada or United States. This “house” could be glued together if made by wood and if made with marshmallows it could be sewed together or held together with nails or toothpicks. The other “house” would look the same but have nothing binding the blocks together. Shake the structure like an earthquake and let the children observe what happens. Explain how poor countries like Nepal can’t afford to build houses with expensive reinforcing and other safety features. Pray for the people of Nepal and involve the children in some relief or development project.
 
Objects: Two small houses made with building blocks or marshmallows (see above). Reinforce one of the structures with tape, thread, toothpicks etc. (You could also drive reinforcing nail up through the piece of plywood and place marshmallows over the nails. Place the “houses” on a tray ready for an “earthquake.” A small world map or globe.
 
Full Children’s Sermon: Good morning Children. In our church this morning we are praying for the people who live in a country called Nepal. It is a small country and most of the people who live there are very poor. It’s this small country here on this map. (Use a globe or projected map)  Do you know what happened there recently? Yes. That’s right. There was a very big earthquake that destroyed many buildings and homes. It may be hard to understand how this happened. I want to show you one reason so many people were hurt or killed. Do you see this tray here? I made two little houses out of marshmallows. I’m pretending the marshmallows are like building blocks of cements. This house on the left will represent a typical house in the Canada / USA/ etc. I’m pretending that this house on the left is a house in Kathmandu, the main city of Nepal.
Let’s see what might happen if there was an earthquake. (Shake the try up a down, back and forth until the unsecured “building blocks” of the Nepal house fall down.) What happened here? Yes, this house that has a steel nail through the centre is standing strong. However, this house here fell completely down. This building was not nearly as strong as this building. This building is like many of the buildings in Kathmandu. The people are strong and hard working but they are very poor and they cannot afford to build houses as strong as our houses. When an earthquake shakes the country many of the houses fall down and many people are injured our killed. It’s very sad. As followers of Jesus we need to think of ways that we can help the people in Nepal as they try to recover from this tragedy. How could we possibly help out and support them in this time of need? (Let the children respond.) Those are all very good ideas. We can send doctors to help, we can send food and clothing, and we can send money so they can buy the things they don’t have. Later on we might be able to be involved in helping them rebuild some to the homes that have been destroyed. (Consider presenting a specific project that the church is involved with.
 

Children’s Prayer: Dear God. We know that there are many people who need help in the country of Nepal. Please send many doctors and other helpers to support the people. And show us what we can do to put the love of Jesus into action and help these people in need. In Jesus’ name – Amen! 

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