King Jesus taught with authority -

Object lesson items: A Crown (Perhaps one cut out of coloured paper)

Good morning Children! Today, we're going to talk about someone very special who not only understood the rules but actually made the rules. Can you guess who that is? (Wait for responses)

That's right, it's Jesus! And we're going to learn about howw Jesus taught with authority, just like a king who not only knows the rules but also created them.

Now, I have something special to show you today. (Hold up a crown) Look at this beautiful crown! What does a crown usually tell us about a person? (Wait for responses)

Yes, a crown is a symbol of royalty – perhaps a king or a queen. In our case, Jesus is the King of Kings! And just like a king, He has authority. He makes the rules that help us to live.

Imagine you are playing a game, and there are rules to follow. Who would you want to be the leader, the one who knows all the rules and can make fair decisions? (Wait for responses)

That’s right! You'd want someone like a king because a king not only understands the rules,  he's the one who made them. Now, let's connect this to Jesus.

When Jesus was on Earth, people were amazed because He didn't just talk about rules; He taught with real authority. It's like He was saying, "I'm not just a rule-follower; I'm the One who made the rules!" And these are not bad rules – they are rules to help us live safe and happy lives.

In the Bible, there's a story where Jesus was teaching, and people were astonished. They said, "He teaches with authority, not like the teachers of the law!" (You can refer to Mark 1 or to Matthew 7:28-29)

So, let's think about our crown again. Imagine Jesus wearing this crown, not just as a decoration, but as a symbol of His authority. He is the King who knows and made all the rules, and when He teaches us, we can be sure it's the best way to live.

(Extra option if you are in a Sunday School class) Now, I have a fun activity for you. I'm going to give each of you a paper crown, and I want you to write or draw something that Jesus teaches us. It could be a rule or something special you've learned from Him. (You might need to help the children with this) You can even wear your crown proudly as a reminder that Jesus is the King of our hearts and our lives.

Let's remember that when Jesus speaks, it's not just good advice; it's the best way to live because He's the King who made the rules with love and wisdom.

Children’s Prayer: Dear God, thank you that Jesus is the King of all Kings. Thank you that He has the loving authority and power to teach us and lead us in the best way to live. – In Jesus’ name – Amen!

 Kids Sermon - "Time for a New Start!"

(Items needed: A Clock or an Hourglass)

Good morning, Children!

I hope you're all excited because something special is about to happen (or has just happened) —can you guess what it is? That's right, a brand new year is just around the corner! It's like we're about to open a brand new book with 365 blank pages. How amazing is that? The old year of 2023 is all finished. Now we are about to start a brand new year!

Today, I brought something with me that I think will help us understand the importance of the New Year. Look at this (show a clock or an hourglass) – what do you see? That's right, it's a clock! It helps us know what time it is, and it never stops ticking. Just like this hourglass, time is always moving forward. (If you use an hourglass you made to do some explanation first)

Now, think about the past year. Can you remember the fun times, the things you learned, and the friends you made? It's like each second, minute, and hour on the clock represented something special that happened in our lives.

But guess what? In just a few days, we're going to get a brand new clock / brand new year! It's like God is giving us a fresh start, a chance to make new friends, learn new things, and do kind and helpful stuff. Thankfully, the things that were not so good last year are in the past now. (You could also use this as a time to talk about forgiveness and putting old sins in the past)

You know, the Bible tells us that God's love and mercy are new every morning. So, when the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve, it's like God is saying, "I'm giving you a new chance to shine bright and make the world a better place."

Just like the hourglass, the sand keeps moving, and so does time. But with each passing moment, we have the opportunity to do good things, to show the love and kindness of Jesus to others, and to grow closer to God.

So, as we step into the New Year, let's remember that God has a special plan for each one of us. Let's use our time wisely, be kind to one another, and make this new year an amazing adventure with God!

Happy New Year, everyone! Let's make it the best one yet!

Childrens Prayer: Dear God, thank you for the gift of time and the chance to start anew. Help us use each moment of this brand new year to love others and grow closer to you. In Jesus’ name - Amen.

I will make you Fishers of People - Mark 1: 14-20

Use a fishing tackle box full of lures to talk about being fishers of people. 

Objects needed: Fishing tackle box with various lures (be careful of the hooks!)

Good morning Children! Have you ever been fishing or have you seen someone fishing? In Bible times they usually used nets. But when I go fishing for fish I usually use lures to catch fish. Here is my fishing tackle box. (Show a tackle box.) This tackle box is filled with all sorts of interesting things that fishermen use to attract and catch fish. You see, just like fishermen use different lures to attract fish, we can live in such a way as to attract people to Jesus.

Let's open this tackle box and see what's inside. (Open the tackle box, revealing various lures.) Now these lures are designed to attract fish. (Do you see that this one is very shiny. This one wiggles like a worm etc.) Let pretend these lures are things that attract people to Jesus. (You might want to hold up the lures for the children to see)

1. Love Lure: The first lure is love. When we show love to others, it's like a shiny, sparkly lure that makes people curious about Jesus. Love is a powerful way to attract others to Him.
2. Kindness Lure: Here's a lure of kindness. When we are kind to others, it's like a bright, colorful lure that makes people want to know more about the love of Jesus.
3. Joy Lure: This one is joy. When we have joy in our hearts, it's like a lively, bouncing lure that makes others want to join in and find out why we're so happy.
4. Helping Lure: Look at this lure of helping. When we help others, it's like a helpful, practical lure that shows Jesus' love in action.
5. Sharing Lure: And here's a lure of sharing. When we share what we have, it's like a generous, giving lure that shows people the generosity of Jesus.

Now, let's talk about what might attract people to Jesus. What do you think is something special about Jesus that would make others want to know Him? (Encourage the children to share their thoughts.)

Remember, just like a fisherman carefully chooses the right lure for different fish, we can choose the right way to share Jesus' love with different people. Let's make sure our tackle boxes (our lives) are filled with love, kindness, joy, helping, and sharing so that we can be the best fishers of men, just like Jesus wants us to be.

Thank you for joining me on this fishing adventure today. Let's go out and be bright and shining lures, attracting others to the wonderful love of Jesus!

Children’s Prayer:  Dear God, help us to be “Fishers of People / Men”. Through the help of the Holy Spirit help us to live in such a way that others become interested in finding out more about Jesus! In Jesus’ name – Amen!

Children's sermon - Behold I stand at the door and knock - Rev 3:20 -

Basic idea: Use a door knocker (or knock on a small door or piece of wood) and explain how Jesus said he was standing at the  door of our hearts, knocking, and wanting to come in. 

Full children's sermon: Good morning children! I'm so happy to see all your smiling faces today. Today, we're going to talk about something really special—a door knocker! Have you ever seen a door knocker before? It's that cool thing on doors that you can knock to let someone inside know that you're there! Many houses just have a button and buzzer or bell, but many houses still have a knocker like this.

Now, I want to tell you about an amazing Bible verse. It's from the book of Revelation, which is kind of like the last part of the Bible. The verse is Revelation 3:20, and it says something very interesting. It says that Jesus is like a friend who knocks on the door of our hearts. Isn't that awesome?

Let me show you this door knocker I brought. (Show them the door knocker) See, just like this door knocker, Jesus is always knocking on the door of our hearts. He wants to come into our lives. But here's the thing—he doesn't force his way in. No way! Jesus is like the best friend ever, and he waits for us to open the door and invite him into our lives.

You see, Jesus wants to be a part of everything we do—when we play, when we learn, when we're happy, and even when we're a bit sad. He loves us so much that he wants to be with us all the time. He loves us so much. How amazing is that?

Now, let's imagine our lives are like houses, and Jesus is standing at the door, knocking. Can you pretend to knock on a door with me? Knock, knock, knock! Great job!

So, when we share love with our friends, when we're kind to others, when open our lives to Jesus in prayer, and when we do what we know God wants us to do, it's like we're opening the door to Jesus. We're saying, "Come on in, Jesus! Be a part of my day!" Lets go through this day together!

And you know what? Jesus is always there, ready to join us. He loves us so much, and being with us makes him really happy.

So, my friends, let's always be sensitive to Jesus knocking on the door of our hearts. We may not hear a sound like this (bang on the door knocker) but we can sense that Jesus is wanting to come in and be a big part of our lives. Let's welcome him in every part of our lives—when we play, when we eat, when we learn, and when we rest, when we are happy and when we are sad. Jesus is the best friend we could ever have, and having him with us makes everything even more wonderful!

I hope you remember this the next time you see a door knocker or hear a knock on the door. Jesus is always ready to come in and be a part of our lives because he loves us so, so much!

Children’s Prayer: Dear God – thankyou that Jesus loves us so and wants to be a central part of our lives. Help us always to “open the door” of our hearts and welcome him in. That way we can know that he will guide us and lead us into the wonderful life that he has for us. In Jesus’ name – Amen!