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Good gifts from God – The Holy Spirit Luke 11:1-13 Ask, Seek, Knock

“How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him”

Children’s message / object lesson idea:  Show the children some possible gift items (toys, books, flowers) and include some bad gifts items (dead spider, rotten apple, broken item). Ask the kids to help you decide what gifts are the best gifts to give you children or friends. Drive home the point that you love your children and want to give them good gifts. As well, God our heavenly Father loves us and wants to give good gifts to us. Explain that one of the best gifts God gives to us is the Holy Spirit.

Object lesson items needed: Some good gifts and some bad gifts (Have some fun with this!)

Full Children’s message: Good morning children! This morning I want you to help me choose some gifts to give my children (or friends). (Hold up the gift items one by one or display them on a table in front of the kids.) How about this new adventure book, do you think that would make a good gift? (Let them respond) How about this apple? You can see that it is a bit rotten. Do you think they would like this as a gift? How about this item? (You get the idea. When you have chosen the best gifts that you might give you children explain how you were having some fun and would never give a bad gift to the children you love.) Thank you for helping me but I was just having some fun. I love my children and want to give good gifts to them. If they asked me for a new toy, I wouldn’t give them a dead spider or a rotten apple! In the same way, God our heavenly father wants to give us good gifts. When we pray, we should ask good for the things we need knowing that he will give us good gifts and not bad gifts. One of the best gifts of all that he wants to give us is the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is like a part or “person” of God that can live right inside us. When we ask him to fill us with the Holy Spirit, we can know that he will give us this wonderfully good gift.

You could share a section of Luke 11 11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

(Note: Be prepared to answer some difficult questions here. I believe all good gifts are from God. However, we don’t always get exactly what we want. He may give us something far better that we ask for. God knows what is best for us and we can trust him. Even bad things, that are not from God, will be ultimately used for his good purposes. That being said, don’t be surprised if they come up with some good questions!)

Pray for the children: “Dear God, our heavenly Father, thank you that you love us so much and you give good gifts to us, your children. Please fill us up each day with the Holy Spirit so we can know your life living inside us. In Jesus’ name – Amen!

Copyright SundayChildrensFocus.com 2022 Feel free to use this but please give credit to this sight. Consider "Liking” and / or Linking to this sight. Thank you! A.H.

Father’s Day ideas - Church and Children's Ministry

- Make sure all children are honored and included. Consider highlighting “Fathers” or those in a “Father-like” role to the children. Remember, this can be a difficult day for those who don’t have a dad around.

- Help the children make up a song that you can sing to all the dads in the congregation. Keep it simple and fun. You could also make actions to go along with the song.

- As a group write a poem or put together a skit highlighting and honoring dads.

- Give out special dad gifts: Cans of WD40, Coffee gift cards, root beer, golf balls…

- Interview some Dads.

- Interview kids about what their dad means to them.

- Have a Dad photo shoot. Dress them up as “Superdad” and take their picture with the children. Take some fun "Dad selfies". 

- Produce special craft gift items: Paint and decorate “my dad rocks” paperweights; produce a cut out tie with words that honor the dads; make thank you cards; make decorate father’s day mugs with dishwasher safe paints. This takes more work but my favorite dad mug actually has father / child pictures printed on the mugs. Produce “super dad” t-shirts.

- Discuss with the church pastor how you might set up a mentor program for kids that don’t have a dad around.

- Discuss with the church pastor about setting up special prayer support ministry for those who find this a painful day.

- Have fathers or father figures in the church pray a blessing over the children.

 

Children's Sermon: The Cost of Following Jesus     Luke 9:51-62

 For Sunday School or Children's church

Follow Jesus sign
Children’s Sermon idea:
Hold up various items and ask the children how much they think the item cost. Pull out your wallet and place the money on a chair or table. Hold up a cross as a sign of following Jesus. Ask the children how much money it costs to follow Jesus. Explain that following Jesus costs us everything; much more than money. Step on to the chair or table (where you’ve been laying down the money) and explain that following Jesus means giving our whole lives to Jesus. 
 
Full Children’s sermon:
Good morning children. Are you good a guessing how much things cost? How about this chocolate bar? How much do you think it costs? I’ll put down 50 cents here on the chair. Is that enough? No. How about if I add another 25 cents? That makes 75 cents and that’s about right I’d say it costs about that much. How about this ticket to a baseball game? How much do you think it costs? (Go through a similar routine as before placing money on the chair beside the ticket or whatever item you use.)
(Hold up a cross or tape a picture of a cross onto the back of a chair) Now here is a tricky question. How much does it cost to follow Jesus? I’ll use this cross as a sign or symbol of following Jesus. Does it cost 5 dollars? (Place 5 dollars down on the chair) Does it cost 20 dollars? (|Add that to the money)
Let’s just stop there. I want you to know that we can’t become a follower of Jesus by paying a bunch of money. We don’t have to pay money to follow Jesus. He paid everything for us already. However, Jesus said to follow him would cost us everything. (Stand up on the chair where you have been putting down the money) Jesus said we need to give our whole lives to Him. That’s why I’m standing here. I’m not just giving money; I’m giving my whole life. Some may think the cost is too high but Jesus loves us and wants us to discover his wonderful life. When we give our whole selves to Jesus we begin to discover his life, power and love. Following Jesus costs us everything but it is really worth it.
 
Children’s Prayer: Dear God, help us to give our whole lives to you. We know that following Jesus will be hard sometimes but we also know that you will keep us in your love and will help to make our life a wonderful and exciting adventure.
 
Copyright Sundaychildrensfocus.com Andrew Hewlett Feel free to use this story in Sunday morning but please give credit to Sundaychidrensfocus.com and consider linking to this web site. Thank you A.H.

 

Short Children's Sermon - Rejoice that your names are written in heaven    


Lectionary: Luke 10:1-20 

Name written in heaven

 

Children's sermon idea: Show the children various places where your name is written (On the church bulletin, on your drivers licence, in the front of your bible, etc.) Tell the children how Jesus told his disciples to rejoice that their names were written in heaven (Luke 10:20) It's good to have our names written in various places but if we are followers of Jesus we can truly rejoice that God has our names written in heaven.

 

Objects lesson items: Various items with our personal name.

 
Children's sermon: Good morning children! When I was young my mother used to write my name on just about everything I owned. She would put my name on my shoes, on my towel, on my toys. Is your name written on things that you own? I'm a bit older now but I still have my name written in various places. Look at my drivers licence here. There is my name right below my picture. Look at the church bulletin here. As the pastor my name is written right there below our church name. Here is my favourite bible. My name is written here inside the front page. I'm glad that its there because it lets others know it belongs to me. (Add your own examples.)
I'm glad that I have my name written in these places. But I'm really happy that my name is written in a place that I can't even see. The bible says that if we are followers of Jesus our names our written in heaven! In the bible (Luke 10:1-20) some followers of Jesus were rejoicing that they were able to do wonderful miracles. But Jesus said that what was even more wonderful was that their names were written in heaven. They could truly rejoice because they belonged to God. I don't know how our names are written in heaven but if we are followers of Jesus our names are right there in heaven with God. That's something to be excited about! He knows our name, he loves us, and he watches over us every day of our lives.
 
Children's Prayer: Dear God, we have many things to be thankful for but we are especially thankful that our names are written in heaven with you. Thank you that you know us, love us, and care for us. In Jesus' name – Amen!
 
Copyright – Sundaychildrensfocus.com Andrew Hewlett Feel free to use this talk on Sunday morning but please give credit to Sundaychildrensfocus.com and consider linking to this site. A.H.

 

 

Kids sermon - Christian Unity – That the world would know      John 17:20-26

 

“That they would be one”             

 
Children’s sermon idea: Lead the children over to your band, choir or music team. Ask each band member to think of a song and when you say “go” begin to sing or play. It makes a terrible sound. Then ask them all to play a chorus together and let the children here the beautiful sound that comes when they play in unity.
 
Objects needed: None. You just need some singers or musicians.
 
Children’s sermon: Good morning children. This morning we have a bible reading from John’s gospel about Unity. Unity is a word that means being together or getting along together as one. Jesus said that if we got along together in peace as one then the rest of the world would know it was because of Jesus and his love. I want to show you what unity is like. Please follow me and we’ll go over to our Sunday morning praise band. Hello Cathy. I want you to think of a song that you like to play and get ready to play it in a minute or two. Frank, I really like your guitar. I want you to think of a song that you like and get ready to play it in a minute. (Continue on asking other members of the choir or band.) Ok. Are you all ready to go! Good. 1, 2. 3, go! (Let them make a terrible sound. Put your fingers in your ears for special effect.) Well children, how did that sound? That’s right. It sounded awful. They were not playing and singing in unity and it was a mess. Now, let’s ask them to play a song together in unity – all working together. Can you play the doxology for us? Great. 1, 2, 3 go! (Enjoy the beautiful sound.) How did that sound children? That’s right. It was much better. They all agreed to work together in unity and play the same song. Children, that reminds me how Christians are supposed to be when they are gathered together. They are supposed to work together in love. When they do live that way it is like a beautiful song that helps other people believe in the power and life of Jesus. However, when we only care about doing what we want to do there is no unity and it’s like a terrible noise. When that happens other people can’t see the love of Jesus at all.
 
Children’s prayer: Lord God, thank you for our praise team that plays in unity and makes such beautiful music. Help all of us in this church to live together and get along together in unity and love. In that way others will notice and realize that it must be because of Jesus. In his name – Amen!
 

Copyright Sundaychildrensfocus.com 2010 Andrew Hewlett - Feel free to use this kids sermon on at your Sunday morning service but please give credit to Sundaychildrensfocus.com and consider linking to this site. Thank you. A.H.

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