Children's Sermons, Messages, & Object Talks

[Hold up the sweater.]  This is one of my favorite things.  Do you know what it is? [Let the children respond. ] Yes, it is a sweater.  Inside this sweater is a tag.  It tells us what the sweater is made of and where it was made.  Do you see this tag? [ Let the children respond.]  It says that the sweater is made of wool.  The people who made it are very proud of their creation.  It says here that it was “Made in Ireland”. Sometimes they even tell you who the designer is.  This one says, “Designed by Araglyn.” 

Many things have tags that say where they are made.  Have you ever seen tags on your toys?  What do they say? [ Let the children respond.]  Yes, many of them say “Made in China”, China must be a magical toy land.

[Have volunteers come forward one at a time, reach into a sack without looking, feel the item inside the sack and try to guess what it is. Then talk about the items. ]  Each of these items, if placed in the hand of the right person, could be used to create something magnificent.

[Hold up the knitting needles.] A talented person could use these needles to make a sweater like mine. Then, put a tag on it that says “Made in Ireland.” 

[Hold up the hammer.] A talented builder could use this hammer to help build a magnificent building, such as a church. When a builder constructs a building, how do you know who built it? [Let the children respond. ] Sometimes a sign is put on the building or in front of the building identifying the builder. That sign lets everyone know it was proudly, “Made in America.”

[Hold up the paintbrush.] A gifted artist could paint a beautiful masterpiece using this paintbrush. When a painter finishes a work of art, how do you know who painted it? [Let the children respond. ] Yes, the painter signs his name. We know that Leonardo da Vinci painted the famous painting, “The Last Supper” in Italy.

Have you ever wondered how we got here? Who is our designer?  [Let the children respond. ] The Bible tells us that God has always been here and always will be with us. God loved us so much he wanted to create a beautiful place for us to live so we could learn to love Him. God thought of everything.

Read:  Genesis 2:7 “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.”  We learn that God created man in the land of Eden.  He placed him in a beautiful garden that God had planted.  God took the "dust of the ground" and made a living man.  Man was God's crowning work in all of creation; he was to rule the earth and have fellowship with God.  Thus, Adam was made in Eden.

Today we learned about the greatest Designer of all. . . However, you won’t find a “Designed by God” sign on a rose bush. Nor will you see “Made in the Milky Way” attached to a star or a planet. But when we see all these things, we know it took an almighty God to create them.[ Have a child come forward. Put the “Designed by God” sticker on his chest.] God designed this person. That makes him extremely valuable. [Have another child come forward.  Put the “Made in Eden” sticker on him. ]You were proudly made in Eden.

God did not put tags on us, but he did put his signature on each one of us.  Look closely at your fingerprints. See those lines on your fingers? One way God placed His signature on you and me was by giving each of us totally different fingerprints. There is no one living now and no one who has ever lived who has a set of fingerprints that matches yours. [Have everyone repeat after you, “I am designed by God.” and “I am made in Eden.”  If you made enough stickers, put a sticker on everyone’s chest.]

 Keeping Promises

Scripture:  John 8:12

[Hold up the wedding band].  Do you know what this is?  [Let the children respond.]  Yes, it is a ring.  It is a very special ring.  Do you know what kind of ring it is?  [Let the children respond.]  Yes, it is a wedding ring.  Do you know where I got this wedding ring?  [Let the children respond.]  Yes, on the day I got married, my husband gave me this ring.  He promised to love and stand faithfully beside me “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as he lives.”  I made the same promise to him.  We exchanged rings as a symbol of that promise.  Whenever I look at it, I am reminded of my promise.  It also lets others know that I have made an important promise to my husband.

I have made other promises, too.  I promised my daughter that I would take her to a birthday party on Friday.  So, I suppose I better do it.  Have you ever made a promise?  [Let the children respond.]  What kind of promises have you made?  Did you promise your mom that you would clean your room or do your homework?  Did you promise to keep a secret for your best friend?  [Let the children respond.]

Did you keep your promise?  Keeping a promise is sometimes difficult to do.  Sometimes we forget.  I borrowed a crock pot from Ms. Cindy and I have not returned it yet.  I better get to it right away.  If you tell someone you are going to do something, you need to keep your word. That is called integrity. A Christian should be able to keep his word of honor.

Has anyone ever broken a promise to you? [ Let the children respond.]  How did it feel? [ Let the children respond.]  I don’t want Ms. Cindy to feel hurt, like you were when someone broke a promise to you.  I am going to return her crock pot today.

When God makes a promise he keeps it forever.  What did he promise Noah in our story today?  [Let the children respond.]  Yes, God promised to never destroy the earth with water again.  He gave us a symbol of his promise.  Does anyone remember what that symbol is?  [Let the children respond.]  Yes, it is the rainbow.

Have you ever seen a rainbow? Do you know what a rainbow is made of?  It is made from light.  When it rains, sometimes the light from the sun shines through the clouds and through the rain.  The rain acts like a prism.  It causes the light to bend (or refract) and reflects off the rain.  The white light is split into colors.  Can anyone tell me the colors of the rainbow? [ Let the children respond. ] Yes, they are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, dark blue, and purple. Did you know that every rainbow is the same?  The colors are always in the same order (because the frequency is from low to high) and it always forms an arch. Wow, God is a great designer.  The rainbow is very orderly and dependable, just like God.  That is a much more impressive symbol than my wedding band.

The rainbow also reminds me of Jesus.  In John 8:12 Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.”  When Jesus shines His light on us, we change.  Jesus sacrificed for our sins and now when God looks at us, He does not see our sins.  He sees the beautiful colors inside of us.  If I had to pick a color to represent sin, I would pick black.  Black is not a color of the rainbow.   When Jesus shines His light on me, the black disappears.

Whenever I see a rainbow I remember the promise that God has made.  I also remember to let Jesus shine his light on me so that I may become the person God wants me to be.

Have Faith

Scripture:  2 Corinthians 5:7

Materials:  1 blindfold for each child

In our story today, Abraham and Sarah were very old.  In our society when we get older, we retire.  Do you know what retire means?  [Let the children respond.]  Yes, we move to smaller homes, maybe on the golf course or at the beach.  We stop working and relax.  God had different plans for Abraham and Sarah.

God told them to move.  He asked them to pack all their stuff into a suitcase, get rid of anything that did not fit, and walk away from their home.  Do you know where God wanted them to move?  [Let the children respond.]  They did not now either.  He just said, “Go.”  And they did.

[Give each child a blindfold].  They did not have a destination, Google Maps, GPS, or even a timeline.  They did not know where they were going or when they were going to get there.  Wow, that takes a whole lot of trust. 

Do you know what it means to trust someone? [ Let the children respond.]  Trust is when you have confidence in the strength, integrity, and ability of someone.  Those are some pretty big words.  It is much easier to understand love.  When someone loves you, you know that they will never harm you.  God loves you so much.  You know that He will never harm you and you can do anything He asks you to do.

I would like you to put these blindfolds on.  Do you trust me?  [Let the children respond.  Ask the older children to assist the younger children in putting on their blindfolds.  Ask them to form a line and hold onto the person in front of them.]

Is everyone ready? Let’s go.  [Lead the children on a walk around the room.  If you are able, go out into the hallway.  While you walk, tell them the story of Abraham and Sarah.]  Abraham left their home and headed out into the countryside.  I am sure they were curious about where God was taking them? [ Continue talking as you lead them back to the same place you started.]

After traveling a long time, God took Abraham to Canaan.  This became his new home.  Is anyone here curious about where we are?  [Let the children respond.  Let the children remove their blindfolds. ] Is this where you thought we were?  Was that fun?  How did it feel? [ Let the children respond.]  Yes, I am sure it was uncomfortable, maybe a little scary, exciting, and fun all at the same time.

2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”  Life is like our little walk today.  We don’t always know where we are going and whether we will get there safely.  Just like I was leading the way for you today, God will always be there to guide you.  Just like Abraham and Sarah, you can trust in God and walk in faith.

Scripture:  Luke 6:27-36

Materials:  A small basket of little trinkets to give away to the children (1 each)

Today is a special day.  Today we recognize all the special people here at Children’s Worship.  Is anyone having a birthday this month?  [Let the children respond.]  Yea, you are so special.  Please come up and pick prize from my box.  Lets all give (insert child’s name here) a round of applause.

[Continue to recognize other children until about half of them have been recognized.  Call on people with shoes that tie, girls with long hair, children who are four years old, children who are big brothers or sister, etc].

Look at all the special people that we have here today.  Some of you got to pick a prize from my box and the rest of you did not.  You must not be that special.

How do you think Joseph’s brothers felt when Joseph got his nice coat?  [ Let the children respond.]  Do you think they felt like Joseph was special and they were not? [ Let the children respond. ] Do you think that they were jealous?  Was Joseph more special than anyone else?  [Let the children respond. ] That’s right, everyone is special.  Everyone has their own talents and their own time to shine.  

I am going to read you a long passage from the Bible.  It is Luke 6:27-36

27"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31Do to others as you would have them do to you.

 32"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. 34And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. 35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Many times in the Bible we learn that God loves everyone, even those who are mean.  Jesus taught us a radical kind of love.  He said love your enemies.  He said we would have a reward in heaven if we love those that hate us.  He taught us what is known as the Golden Rule.  He said whatever we wanted others to do for us, is what we should do for them.  If we act from a heart filled with love, even to those that hate us, we can make the world a better place to live.

If you set your mind, and keep it set, on being happy for others when good things happen to them, you will become more like Jesus.  We have to learn to love ALL people, even when it is really hard.

Can those of you who did not get a prize today join me in applauding those who did?  [Lead them in the applause.]

God has given each of you special talents.  Can those of you who got prizes today help me find special talents that the other children have?  [Name each of the children who did not already get a prize and a special talent that they have (playing sports, sitting still for in Children’s Worship, etc.). Let the children help come up with the talents.  Then let the child get a prize.]  I think we should have another round of applause for being special.

Names
Scripture:  John 10:3

Materials:  Book of Baby Names

When moms and dads have a new baby they work very hard to find a good name for the baby.  Sometimes the baby is named after another person.  Sometimes they disagree about what to name the baby.  A name is very important and your parents worked very hard to find just the right name for you.

Today I have a book of names.  This book tells the meaning of most names.  Some names are so special that they are not even in my book.  Does anyone remember what Moses means?   [Let them answer].  Yes, it means “drawn out of the water”.  This book tells me what my name means.    [Give the meaning of your first name.  Who would like to know what their name means?  Give the meanings of three or four children’s names.  If you cannot find someone’s name remind them that their name is so special and unique that it is not listed in the book.]

Your name is important because it helps people get to know who you are.  When you meet someone, you tell them your name.  If they are thoughtful and caring, they will try hard to remember your name.  The next time they see you, they can call you by name, and not just say, “Hey, you!”  Everyone who loves you knows your name—even Jesus.

The Bible says Jesus knows your name!  In fact, Jesus loves you so much he died on the cross for you. When we die, we will go to heaven, where we will be welcomed by name!  Read the text:  “The man who guards the door opens it for him.  And the sheep listen to the voice of the shepherd.  He calls his own sheep, using their names, and he leads them out” (John 10:3)

Obedience

Scripture:  John 13:34

Materials:  None

When your parents and I were kids, we used to play a game called “Mother May I?”  all the time. The game was simple.  The person who is the mother tells you to do something.  Then you have to ask, “Mother may I?”  Then the mother says, “Yes you may”, and you can do it.

Sound simple?  But if you don’t say, “Mother may I?” you’re out of the game.  I’ll be the mother.  Here we go!

[Give a series of commands such as “jump up,” “sit down,” “scratch your chin,” and “Shake hands with three people.”  Give the commands slowly at first and then faster and faster.  Remove children from the game when they don’t ask, “Mother may I?”]

That’s a hard game, isn’t it?  We get going so fast we forget to ask, “Mother may I?”

When God asked Moses to lead his people, he forgot to say, “God may I?”  He was afraid.  He realized it was God speaking to him.  God was calling him to service.  He wanted Moses to be the leader of the Israelites and take them away from being slaves in Egypt to serve God in the Promised Land.    He gave God lots of excuses.  He thought God picked the wrong person for the job.  Eventually he decided to be obedient.  Do you think that Moses had a difficult or easy job ahead of him? 

God has not called us to lead his people out of Egypt, but he has asked us to do one very important thing.  When Jesus talked to his disciples, he gave a simple command. [ Read the text:]   ”I give you a new command:  Love each other.  You must love each other as I have loved you” (John 13:34).  Jesus said, “Love each other.”  Period.  You don’t have to lead people from Egypt, jump up or sit down or scratch your chin or shake hands with people.  All you do is love each other.  That sounds simple, doesn’t it?

Well, it isn’t.  In fact, sometimes that commandment is hard because some people are hard to love and we aren’t able to love the way Jesus loves.

But, when Jesus says “love” and you ask, “Jesus may I?” Jesus will give you the power of the Holy Spirit to love just as he loves.  So this week, love others just as Jesus wants us to.  And ask him to help you do it.

When God is with Us

Scripture:  Romans 8:31

Materials:  Rope

[Place a long rope on the floor.  Read the Bible text: ] “So what should we say about this?  If God is with us, then no one can defeat us” (Romans 8:31)

This was written by Paul.  He was talking about a war.  I have never been to war, but I have played Tug of War.  Have any of you ever played Tug of War?  [Let the children respond.]    What are the rules?  How do you play? [Let the children respond.]  Yes you are correct.  The team that wins is the strongest.

Who wants to play a game?  Let’s try boys against girls.  Who do you think will win?  [Let the children respond.]

OK, let’s get all the boys on this side and two girls on this side.  [Choose several boys and two of the smallest girls to play or use adults versus children if there are no boys.]

I am not so sure about this.  It does not look very fair.  Maybe I should find some help for the girl’s team.  [Ask all the adults to help the girls.  The other side will probably complain.]  Why is this unfair?  There are still only two girls!  [The boys will probably tell you the adults are bigger and stronger. Play a quick game and show that the girl’s team is stronger.]

The girls won!  Is anyone surprised?  [Let the children respond.]  When you have strong people, you stand a good chance of winning.  It is just like Moses.  He had God on his side.  Just like Paul was saying in our verse today.  No matter how many problems we have, if we have God on our side, we’ll win.  Sometimes we feel there’s too much ganging up on us.  But God is on our side. 

Money

Scripture:  Matthew 6:21

Materials:  A dollar bill

There is an expression that adults sometimes use, “Money Talks?”  Does anyone know what it means?  [Let the children respond].  It means if you have money to spend, people will listen and do what you want.  The Moabites were able to get Balaam to do what they wanted because they had a lot of money with which to tempt him.

I know how to make my money talk really loudly.  There is another expression that adults use, “Actions speak louder than words.”  It means that people notice what you do more than what you say.  How we choose to spend our money tells people about us!

If this dollar bill could talk, what would it say about you?  If you spent this dollar on a Barbie doll, what would it say about you?   [ Let the children respond.]

If you put this dollar under your mattress and left it there, what would that tell people?  If you burned it in the fireplace, what would people think?  [Let the children respond.]

If you bought candy and shared it with all of your friends, what would it say about you?  If you gave the dollar to a poor person to buy food, what would that say about you?  Or if you dropped this dollar bill into our offering plate at church, what would it say about you?  [Let the children respond.]

[Read the text:]  “Your heart will be where your treasure is” (Matthew 6:21) Jesus is saying in this passage that the way we spend our money tells what we think is important.  Jesus never tells us exactly how we should spend our money.  But he expects our love for him to help us decide how to spend our money.  When we spend money we should spend it wisely.  Always remember that our money talks.

More importantly, remember that our money is not really ours.  It is a gift from God.  Everything that we have in this world is a gift from God—including money.  He has blessed us with his gifts so that we can provide food for our families, have fun, and help other.  If you are spending all your money on fun and none on helping others, what does that say about you?  Every time you spend a dollar take a quiet moment to listen to your money.  What is it saying about you?

Exercise Your Faith

Scripture:  Luke 17:5-6

Materials:  Athletic headband and hand weights

[Put on the headband and begin doing exercises with the hand weights.]  Does anyone know what these are?  [Let the children respond.]  Why would anyone use them?  [Let the children respond.]  Yes, they are for doing exercises and making your muscles stronger.  [Stop exercising]. 

Do any of your parents go to a gym to workout or use exercise equipment at home?  [Let the children respond.]  Do you know why they do that?  [Let the children respond.]  Yes, it is so they stay in good shape.  As we get older, not that I am older, our muscles get weaker if we don’t properly exercise.

Does any one here know what faith is? [ Let the children respond.]   Faith is believing and trusting in God.  In our story today the walls of Jericho came down.  What did Joshua do? [ Let the children respond.]  I have been to many concerts and I have never seen a trumpet knock down a wall.  Do you think that it was really the trumpets that made the wall fall?  [Let the children respond].  Yes, it was Joshua’s faith and God that made the wall fall. 

Joshua must have had super faith to make a wall come down.  Faith is like our muscles.  It has to be exercised to stay strong.  When we say that we have faith in God and act like we are doing it all on our own, we are not exercising our faith.  When you are having trouble with your homework, do you ever stop to ask God for help and exercise your faith or do you try to do it all on your own?

Jesus told his disciples that if they had as much faith as a tiny mustard seed, they could tell a tree to move from one place to another and the tree would obey them.   Read the scripture:  The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, `Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you. Luke 17: 5-6 Now, that is a strong faith, isn't it?  I wish I had as much faith as a mustard seed. Maybe I will if I keep exercising it. I do know my faith will grow stronger if I exercise it by trusting in God each and every day. How strong is your faith?  Does it need a little daily exercise?

God Helps

Scripture:  Jude 24a

Materials:  Bike w/training wheels

Do any of you know how to ride a bike?  [Let the children respond].  Where do you ride your bikes? [ Let the children respond.]  Do you like to ride your bike?  [Let the children respond]  You must really be good at it. 

Were you good at riding your bike the first time you tried it?  Did you just hop on and take off without falling?  [Let the children respond]. Did any of you have these?  Point to training wheels.  Did they help?  How?  [Let the children respond.]  How did it make you feel knowing that you had the training wheels on the bike?

Aren’t they great?  I think that training wheels are a super invention.  They balance the bicycle so you won’t fall off.  Does anyone want to try out the training wheels?  [Help a small child onto the bike.  Let the child demonstrate the training wheels].

With training wheels you feel safe.  You know that you won’t fall over.  When you feel safe it makes you more confident.  The more you ride without falling off, the more you are willing to try new things on the bike.  After you learn to ride in a straight line, you feel like trying to go in a circle.  After a while, you are able to ride without training wheels. 

God’s help is like training wheels.  How did God help Samson?  [Let the children respond.]  We may not face the same problems that Samson faced, but God is always there to help us.  He can help us when we ride our bikes.  Read the text:  “God is strong and can help you not to fall”, Jude 24a.

Whenever you feel like something bad will happen, God will be there to help you.  Unlike the training wheels, you will always need God.  He will always be there to hold you up when you think you’re going to fall.

Moving

Scripture:  John 14:1

Materials:  A big empty box, a bunch of stuffed animals, and a marker

Has anyone here ever moved to a new house?  [Let the children respond.]  How did that make you feel?  [Let the children respond]. 

Moving is hard work!  .  First, you have to get a bunch of boxes.  [Show the children your box.]  Then you have to pack up all your things.  [Put the stuffed animals into the box.  Use the marker to write toys on the outside.]   Then a big truck full of really big men comes to your house and takes all your stuff.  I always make sure to hang on tight to my favorite teddy bear because I am not too sure I will ever see the other things again.

When the truck leaves, you take one last look around to make sure nothing was forgotten.  Your room is empty.  You become sad, especially when it is time to say goodbye to your friends.  How do you think Ruth felt about moving?  [Let the children respond.]

Jesus also felt sad when it was time for him to move.   Jesus knew he would be leaving his friends when he said in John 14:1, “Don’t let your heats be troubled.  Trust in God.  And trust in me.”

What do you do when you feel sad?  [Let the children respond.]  It is normal to feel sad.  That is how we know that someone or something is important to us.  God knows how to make us feel better.  He wants us to ask him for help feeling better.  Talking to Him about your sadness will make you feel better. 

How do we talk to God?  [Let the children respond.]  Yes, we pray.  We can also talk to other people like our friends and parents.  The next time you move, say goodbye to someone or just feel sad, tell God about it.  Talk to someone about it and always remember, Jesus says to trust in him when you feel sad.

Advent

Scripture:  Matthew 3:2, Luke 3:4

Materials:  Vacuum and an adult volunteer

Today is the first Sunday of Advent.  Does anyone know what Advent is?  [Let the children respond. ] Yes, Advent is our countdown to Christmas.  There are only 26 (insert correct number of days here) more days until Christmas.  This is a very busy time of year.  We all have so much to do.  It is time to get ready to celebrate the birth of Jesus.  What does your family do to prepare for Christmas?  [As children respond, your volunteer should turn on the vacuum cleaner and begin vacuuming.]

Leader:  Hello, can you hear me?  What are you doing?

Volunteer:  I’m preparing the church for Christmas.

Leader:  I don’t understand.

Volunteer:  I am just doing what Matthew 3:1-3 says.

Leader:  Matthew says to vacuum?

Volunteer:  Don’t be silly.

Leader:  Maybe we should read the book of Matthew.  About the time that John the Baptist came and began preaching in the desert area of Judea.  John said, “Change your hearts and lives because the kingdom of heaven is coming soon.” 

Volunteer:  Exactly!  I am getting the church ready for the coming king!  It is the first day of Advent and I am already behind.  I have to dust, mop, hang garland . . .

Leader:   Now? We are in the middle of Children’s Worship.

Volunteer:  This is Advent isn’t it? And this is church?  Isn’t church the best place to start to prepare for the coming of the King?  Besides, we have to use every minute of Advent to get ready for Christmas!

Leader: When the Bible says, “Prepare the way for the Lord.” It is not talking about vacuuming.

Volunteer:  When my grandma comes to visit I always vacuum.  What else should I be doing?  Oh, I know!  I forgot the potpourri.  It has to smell good for Jesus.

Leader:  The Bible is not talking about potpourri either.  It is saying that we need to prepare our hearts for Jesus’ coming.

Volunteer:  So I don’t need to vacuum the church?

Leader: Not now.  We have come to church to hear God’s Word.  That helps us get ready for Jesus’ coming.  Vacuuming is a great idea, but preparing the way for the Lord happens in here (point to your heart) before it happens out there.

Volunteer: Oh, I get it.  I’ll just put away this vacuum cleaner and come back so I can get ready for Christmas by listening to what you have to say about Jesus.

Leader: Great.

Advent

Scripture:  Psalm 27:14

Materials:  A candy cane

[At the beginning of worship, explain that Advent is a time of waiting for Christmas.  There’s so much to look forward to, we wish we could have it all at once.  But we must wait.  Explain that you are excited about the “Let’s Connect” time we will have later today.

Following “Let’s Praise”, announce that the children’s message during “Let’s Connect” is so good; you want to have it now in place of the video.  Then, change your mind.

During the video, stop it to announce that you are going to have the message now because you can’t wait, then change your mind.

When the time comes for the message, look at your watch.  Announce that you are running short on time.  We may need to skip the children’s message.  Let’s wait a little and see if we can squeeze it in at the end.

Continue on with the review questions and “Let’s Pray”.  Announce that you are ready for the message.  They will be skeptical.]    

How did it feel to wait for this children’s message?  Let the children respond.  It is hard to wait!  I don’t like to wait.  One of the things that the Bible say Christians must do is wait for Jesus to come. It says, “Wait for the Lord’s help.  Be strong and brave and wait for the Lord’s help.” Psalm 27:14

Sometimes we get anxious and excited when we are waiting, especially if we are waiting for something really great like Christmas.  It is hard to be patient.  I want Christmas now.  I wish it did not take so long to get here.  God tell us to trust in Him.  He asks us to wait, so I suppose I should wait the best way I know how.  I am not a good waiter.  I do try my best and that is all God asks me to do.

Thank you for waiting for this message today.  Because you waited so well, I have a special treat for you.  Hand out the candy canes. 

Let’s learn how to wait for God.  Because when we wait, good things happen.

Running Away

Scripture:  Jonah 1:1-3, Eph. 6:1

Materials:  None

“The Lord spoke his word to Jonah son of Amittai:  ‘Get up, to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it.  I see the evil things they do.’  But Jonah got up to run away from the Lord.  He went to the city of Joppa.  There he found a ship that was going to the city of Tarshish.  Jonah paid for the trip and went aboard.  He wanted to go to Tarshish to run away form the Lord” (Jonah 1:1-3). 

Hmm, Jonah was given instructions to preach to the Ninevites God’s message of forgiveness. He didn’t want to preach this to the Ninevites because he did not like them and didn’t want them to be forgiven by God.

Has anyone here ever played Simon Says?  [Let the children respond].  How do you play that game?  [Let the children respond.]  Yes, whenever the leader says, “Simon says” we have to do what they say.  If he does not say, “Simon says” then we do nothing.  If we follow the command by mistake we are out of the game. 

Let’s play a quick game.  [Have the children stand up and lead them through a few commands of Simon says. . .  stand on one foot, jump up and down, stop jumping, put your hands on your head, etc. Give the commands slowly at first and then faster and faster.  Remove children from the game when they make a mistake.]

Let’s try this again and instead of saying, “Simon says” we will say, “God says”.  The Bible tells us that Jonah wanted to run away.  Let’s pretend that Nineveh is that way (point to your left).  God says go to Nineveh.  [Have the children run to that side of the room.] 

You all listen so well!  Quickly, run to the other side of the room (point to your right).  [Some or all of the children will follow your instructions].  I didn’t say, “God says”.  That is exactly what Jonah did.  God wanted Jonah to go that way.  But do you know where Jonah went?  He went that way. 

Those of you who went to that side of the room are out.  Let’s all sit down and talk—O.K.  “God says”.  Gather the children together.  What happened to Jonah when he refused to follow God’s command?  [Let the children respond].  Yes, he got swallowed by a big fish. 

What should Jonah have done instead?  [Let the children respond].  Jonah should have talked to God about the way he felt.  He should have told God:  “I don’t think this is a good idea.  Why do I have to do this?  Why is this so important?”  Then God could have explained why it was important for Jonah to go to Nineveh.

Do you think God was happy or unhappy with Jonah for not following his command?  [Let children respond.]  Right, God was unhappy.

When God punished Jonah for disobeying Him, how did Jonah respond?  [Let children respond].  Right, he prayed and asked for forgiveness.

Do you ever disobey your parents? I have. Did you know that when you disobey your parents, you are actually disobeying God? The apostle Paul says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord for this right” (Eph. 6:1). We are commanded by God to obey our parents, just like Jonah was commanded by God to preach to the Ninevites.

It is important to obey our parents and teachers, too.  Have you ever been asked to do something and you didn’t do it?  What happened?  [Let the children respond].  The worst thing would be to run away.  That is not good.

So let’s not do what Jonah did.  Let’s do what we are told.  When we are not sure why we are supposed to do something, let’s ask.  Okay?

Jesus is Born

Scripture:  Luke 2:7

Materials:  Nativity

[Set up a Nativity Manger at the front of the room.  Hide the figures of the Christmas story around the room in easy to find spots].

Uh, no.  What has happened to our Nativity scene, it is empty?  All the people and animals are missing.  They must be around here somewhere.  I need help.  Can you help me find them?  [Let the children look for the figures.  Instruct them to only find one each and come sit with you when they have found one.  You will ask them to give it to you when you are ready].

I am so grateful that you found all the pieces.  This is a special Nativity scene.  It is mine and every year I put it up at Christmas time.  Do any of you have Nativity scenes at your homes?  Let the children respond.  Who can tell me what a Nativity scene is? [ Let the children respond].  Yes, it helps remind us of the Christmas story. 

[Point to the manger].  What is this?  [Let the children respond].  Yes, it is the manger, the place where Jesus was born.  It is kind of like a barn.  What usually lives in a barn?  [Let the children respond].  Yes, animals.  There were animals where Jesus was born.  Who has the animals?  [As the children hand you the animals, put them in the Nativity scene].  Can you imagine having animals around you when you were born?  Instead of being born in a king’s palace, Jesus was born in a barn with all these animals.

Animals need people to care for them.  Who cared for these animals?  [Let the children respond].  Yes, the shepherds.  Who has the shepherds?  [As the children hand you the shepherds, put them in the Nativity scene].  Shepherds were poor people.  Jesus loves the poor people and wants us to be friends with the poor.

Does anyone know who told the shepherds about the birth of Jesus?  [Let the children respond].  Yes, the Angels.  Who has the angels? [As the children hand you the angels, put them in the Nativity scene].  Angels are God’s messengers.  We can be like angels—we can tell others about Jesus’ birth.

Who has Mary and Joseph?  [As the children hand you the Mary and Joseph, put them in the Nativity scene].  Mary and Joseph were very special people.  They were a special gift from God.  God sent them to care for Jesus.  It is not easy to be a parent.  The most precious gift to me from God is my parents.  Every Christmas I am reminded of that gift.  I always make sure to thank God for my parents. 

What are we missing?  [Let the children respond.]  Oh yes, how could I forget Jesus.!  [Let the child who has the Jesus piece put it n the Nativity.]  The book of Luke says:  “She (Mary) gave birth to her first son.  There were no rooms left in the inn.  So she wrapped the baby with cloths and laid him in a box where animals are fed.  And the shepherds saw the baby lying in a feeding box.  Then they told what the angels had said about this child.  Everyone was amazed when they heard what the shepherds said to them.” Luke 2:7

Animals, shepherds, angels and the parents all welcomed baby Jesus.  What a happy day!

Serving

Materials:  none

Did you all have a good Christmas? [Let the children respond.]  How many of you saw family? Had aunts, uncles, cousins visit?  Let the children respond.  Did you know that John the Baptist was Jesus’ cousin?  He was the son of Mary's sister, Elizabeth.  Jesus spent holidays with His family just like you.

Did anyone here have a turkey for Christmas dinner?  How about Thanksgiving?  When I was little, the best thing about having turkey for dinner was the "wishbone." After we finished eating, my sister and I would each hold one side of the wishbone, close our eyes and make a wish. Then we pulled on the wishbone until it broke apart. The one who got the biggest piece was supposed to have their wish come true.  Have any of you ever made a wish with a wish bone?  [Let the children respond].

Have you ever wished for something? Let the children respond.

Yes, me too. Sometimes I make a wish without thinking about what would happen if my wish really came true.

Have you ever planned to have a picnic and it rained? Perhaps you sat and watched the rain and grumbled to yourself, "I wish it would stop raining." What if that wish came true and it really stopped raining FOREVER? Let the children respond.  There would be no grass, no trees, no flowers. Rivers, lakes, and streams would dry up and all life would begin to disappear. This world would be a miserable place if it stopped raining, wouldn't it?  [Let the children respond].

Sometimes I wish I could be more like Jesus.  Have you ever wished to be more like Jesus?  [Let the children respond].  Why would you like to be more like Jesus?  Let the children respond.  Those are all great reasons. 

Sometimes I wish I could be a princess.  Have any of you ever wished you could be a prince or princess?  [Let the children respond].  Have any of you ever wished that you could be a servant?  [Let the children respond.]  I know, being a servant is not much fun.

Jesus was a servant.  He spent his whole life serving others.  When you wish that you could be more like Jesus, it is important to remember that also means you must give your lives in service to others. 

What does it mean to serve others?  [Let the children respond.]  It means doing something nice for someone, just because.  That does not sound so bad.  What are some nice things we could do for others?  [Let the children respond].  Those are great ideas!  I am going to wish for all of us to be servants like Jesus.  Remember my wish this week and look around for opportunities to serve others.

With the Super Bowl approaching, this is a great time to speak with your Sunday school class about Tim Tebow. 

Scripture:  Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Materials:  A photo of Tim Tebow on his knee in prayer

Further your Knowledge First:   There is a great article in The Atlantic titled, “Does God Care Whether Tim Tebow Wins on Saturday?”, by a Christian theology professor on the Doctrine of Providence.  It will provide you with a good background to understand and answer questions posed by non-believers in an attempt to tear down Tim Tebow and Christianity. 

Have you ever seen someone who is sad? [Let the children respond]  How did you know that they were sad?  [Let the children respond]  Yes, their face looked like this [show a sad face] and they might have been crying. 

What does someone look like who is happy?  [Let the children respond]  Yes, they have a face like this [show a happy face].

What does someone look like when they get caught doing something bad (like eating their brothers Christmas candy)-- when they are ashamed or embarrassed?  [Let the children respond]  Yes, they look at the ground, get real quiet, and sometimes their face turns red. 

Sometimes our bodies tell people how we are feeling even if we don’t want them to.  Some people are very good at keeping their emotions on the inside and others are not—God made us all to be different.  Have any of you ever tried to act one way on the outside while you felt differently on the inside?  [Let the children respond]  Was it easy? [Let the children respond] 

Some people don’t care about keeping their emotions a secret.  Adults call that “wearing your heat on your sleeve.”  That expression means: how you look on the outside always matches how you feel on the inside.

What does someone look like when they are in love?  [Let the children respond]  Yes, the look lovingly at each other, like this (make a silly, love sick face).

What do people look like who are in love with Jesus?  [Let the children respond]  Hmmm, that one is a little harder.  We don’t see that emotion very often.  Many people like to keep their faith inside.  Did you know that the Bible tells us to wear our faith on our sleeves?

 [Read] Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (NIV): "⁴ Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. ⁵ Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."

This scripture tells us to love God so much that we can’t stop our bodies from showing people how we feel--to wear our faith on our sleeves.

How can we wear our faith on our sleeves?  [Let the children respond]  We can start by letting our actions speak for us as we love our neighbors better and show kindness to others.  We can wear t-shirts and jewelry that proudly say “I am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N” [sing the song if you feel like].  We can choose to only watch movies and television shows with good, Christian messages.  We can take the time to pray and give thanks—no matter where we are or who is watching.  Our words and actions express how important Jesus and his Word are to us and how we cherish them.

[Hold up the photo of Tim Tebow]  Does anyone know who this is?  [Let the children respond]  Yes, he is a football player.  What is he doing in this photo?  [Let the children respond]  Yes, he is praying—right in the middle of his football game!  He is giving thanks to God for giving him talent, strength, and wisdom.  He is wearing his faith on his sleeve.  This is what someone who is in love with Jesus looks like?  Raise your hand if you are in love with Jesus?  [Raise your hand, too].  Let’s wear our faith on our sleeves. [Assume the Tim Tebow prayer position and lead the children in a prayer]