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 "

Object lesson props: None   

Short Fun Children's sermon - The Authority of Jesus questioned

Children’s Prayer: Thank you God for sending Jesus. Help us to learn from Him and follow him each day of our life. In Jesus’ name – Amen.

Copyright sundaychildrensfocus.com  2011 Andrew Hewlett   Feel free to use this on Sunday morning but please give credit to Sundaychildrensfocus  

Children's Story on Jesus sending out the disciples

Theme: Jesus sends out his disciples          

Text: Mark 6:1-13      Lectionary: Trinity 4   

Kids drama sermon - Matthew 20: 1-15 Parable of the workers in the vineyard

Idea for Children’s sermon:   

Kids sermon / object lesson Not of this World 

Object Lesson Text: John 17:6-19       

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Parable of the Ten Virgins – Always be ready -

Children’s sermon overview:

This is an object lesson that will help your kids and congregation understand the important message of the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matt 25) while highlighting the importance of being prepared in times of need. Use oil lamps or flashlights to make the lesson interactive and relatable. If you use flashlight you could always start by showing of what an “old fashioned flashlight” (ie a oil lamp) looked like.

Note: If you are doing this in front of the whole congregation you could have someone turn out the lights. Then pretend to be in a fluster until you pull out your flashlight – only to discover the batteries are dead! Then relate this to being prepared for the coming of Christ.

Object lesson items:(if you are doing this in a separate room apart from the congregation)

1. Ten lamps or flashlights (five should have fully charged batteries, while the other five should be out of power). Adjust the numbers if you don’t have too many children.
2. A darkened room or space where lights can be dimmed.
3. A copy of Matthew 25:1-13 or rehearse a paraphrased version.

Object Lesson:

Start by briefly introducing the Parable of the Ten Virgins and its message of preparedness. Mention that we'll be using lamps or flashlights to illustrate this lesson. To keep things simple (and depending on the age of the children) you could retell the parable by referring to wise and foolish “people”.

a. Set the Scene: Dim the lights in the room to simulate a power outage. Explain to the participants that we will pretend that there is a sudden blackout, and you need their help to find a solution.

b. Divide the Lamps: Hand out the ten lamps or flashlights to the participants, five with working batteries or oil, and five that are out of power. (You could hand them out before too)

c. Role Play: In the darkened room, have five participants with working lamps act as the "wise virgins /people," and five with non-working lamps act as the "foolish virgins." Encourage the "wise virgins" to help and share their light with the "foolish virgins."

d. Light of Preparedness: Discuss with the participants how being prepared helps us not only in power outages but also in life's unexpected challenges. Link this to the parable and the importance of being ready to meet / serve Jesus at any time.

Invite participants to think about situations in their lives where being prepared is crucial. Encourage them to share their thoughts and discuss how they can apply the lesson from the parable to their daily lives as followers of Jesus.

Emphasize the importance of being prepared spiritually, not just for power outages, but for life's trials and challenges.

Summarize the main points of the lesson, reiterating the importance of being spiritually prepared for Christ's return and being a source of light to others in times of darkness.

Children’s Prayer: Dear God, Help us always to be prepared and ready for when the power might go out in out our homes. Also, help us also to be living in such a way that we will be ready to meet Jesus when he returns – In Jesus’ name – Amen!

The parable of the two sons and the vineyard - Matthew 21:23-32 Self-righteousness, Obedience and the importance of recognizing our need for Jesus.

Give the kids some background to the Parable:

Start by introducing the parable of the 2 sons and its context (Matthew 21:23-32). Discuss the characters and the vineyard setting. Ask the kids why they think Jesus used parables to teach important lessons.

Consider using use props, visual aids, or even act out the story with the help of the students. Make sure to emphasize the contrast between the two sons' actions.

Discuss Obedience and Repentance:

After telling the parable, lead a discussion about the behavior of the two sons. Here’s some ideas:

Why did the first son initially refuse to obey but later changed his mind?

Why did the second son agree to obey but didn't follow through?

What do these actions teach us about repentance and obedience?

Note: Highlight the idea that people who think they are righteous and have it all together don’t need God or his forgiveness. It is those who know they are broken and in need that reach out to Jesus for forgiveness and healing.

Try Role-Playing:

(for some of the more mature children) Divide the kids into small groups and assign each group one of the two sons. Ask them to create short skits or role-plays that illustrate the actions and attitudes of their assigned son. Encourage them to reflect on the importance of both initial intentions and follow-through.

Application of the Parable:

Discuss how this parable relates to our own lives at home, at church or at school. Talk about situations where we might say we will do something but don't follow through, and vice versa. Encourage students to think about how they can be more obedient and repentant in their daily lives.

Bible Journaling and Art:

Provide art supplies and encourage students to create journal entries or artwork that represents the parable's message. This creative exercise can help them internalize the lesson in a personal way.

Challenge them to memorize key verses in this passage:

Choose a key verse from this passage (e.g., Matthew 21:31b) and have the students memorize it. Discuss the verse's meaning and how it ties into the parable.

Craft Activity:

Create a simple craft activity where the children ccan make "repentance and obedience reminder cards" to take home. These cards can feature key verses or a brief summary of the parable.

Guest Speaker or Testimony from someone in the congregation (use a teen or someone they look up to:

Invite a guest speaker or share a personal testimony of someone who experienced a transformation through repentance and faith. This real-life example can emphasize the power of God's grace.

Final Closing Prayer and Reflection:

Conclude the lesson with a prayer, asking for God's guidance in living a life of true repentance and obedience. Encourage the kids to reflect on what they've learned and how they can apply it during the upcoming week.

Sunday School Resource: Children's Sermon/    
 

Object lesson on the Parable of the Talents  Matt 2514-30

kids ministry  bible talk - Thanksgiving: The story of the Ten Lepers

– Luke 17:11-19    

Children’s Prayer: Dear God, we have so many good things in our life. Thank you for food, friends, our families, sunshine, flowers, and good things like chocolate cookies. But most of all, thank you for your Son Jesus. He loves us so much and has done so much for us. In Jesus’ name – Amen!

Children's Story about Holy Communion

Pray: Thank you Lord for our daily food. When we have Holy Communion / the Lord’s Supper, help us to truly feed on Jesus who is the bread of life. Amen!

Copyright 2009 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.





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