Exegetical Aim: To teach the incarnation. Props: Fingers and Toes. Lesson: Good morning! Hey, do you know what's going to happen in a few days? (response) I will give you a hint: Happy New Year! Now do you know what will happen? (response) It will be a new year! What year will it be? (response) You know what that means; we're all getting a little older. How old are you now? (response) Let's see .....
Exegetical Aim: To teach the incarnation. Props: Fingers and congregation participation Lesson: Good morning! Hey, do you know what happened the other day? (response) If they don't know: What if I was to say Happy New Year! Now do you know what happened? (response) It's a new year! What year is it? (response) You know what that means; we're all getting a little older. How old are you now? (respons...
Exegetical Aim: To give an understanding of John's prologue and his understanding of Jesus' nature.
Props: Flash Cards: nine pieces of paper with the following words boldly written: WORD, GOD, LIFE, LIGHT, FLESH, GLORY, GRACE , TRUTH, ONE and ONLY. Distribute the words around the sanctuary for the children to find. You will need a good grasp of the sequence of the words and the basic development ...
Object: Fanfare and banners.
Good morning, boys and girls. How are you on this first beautiful Sunday in the New Year? Isn't it wonderful to get started off in the right way by coming to worship? I think it is so right that I want to show you how we ought to do it. [If someone can play the trumpet, have him play some opening bars of a stirring fanfare. Perhaps the organist could use the trumpet s...
Object: A Christmas tree pin; any present of special significance to the speaker.
Lesson: Memories; God's presence; love; Christmas.
It is the first Sunday following Christmas. I begin by asking the children if they enjoyed this special holiday. Faces immediately light up with recent memories of this day which is approached with such eager anticipation by most children each December.
"Did any o...
Object: A lot of girl's clothing.
Good morning, boys and girls. Today we are going to kid the girls, and while we are doing it, we will hope to learn something great about the way that God cares for us.
Have you ever heard a girl say, "I don't have a thing to wear?" Girls say that all of the time. Your mother says it, your sister says it, your grandmother and aunt say it, and all of their girlfr...
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Children's Sermon · John 1:6-8, John 1:19-28, Acts 13:47
Object: Remove the batteries from an ordinary flashlight and then fill it with junk such as shoe-strings, paper clips and other trash. Carry the batteries in your pocket.
Good morning, boys and girls. The Gospel of John tells us that Jesus is the light of the world and that we are to bear witness to the light. Later in the Bible we are told that we are the light of the world. I brought this flash...
Object: Need at least a double socket and if possible a three-way outlet, then and electric light bulb, a toaster, or maybe an electric razor.**
Happy New Year, boys and girls! Did you all welcome the new year in the other day with shouting and whistle blowing? New Year’s is sure fun time, isn’t it? It’s also a time that makes you think and wish.
Have you ever wished for something even when you ...
Object: Your ordination papers
Good morning, boys and girls. I brought a very special paper with me. This is the document that I received when I was ordained as a minister. It says on it . . . (Read the appropriate part.) This paper means that it is official. I am a minister. I enjoy being a minister. I believe this is where God wants me to be--serving as your minister. The other day, however, I ...
Object: A large Advent wreath with one lighted candle and a birthday cake candle.
Lesson: Advent candles help us remember that Jesus was born and grew up to be a man who showed us how to love one another.
Today we lighted one of the candles on this big Advent wreath. I like to watch a candle burn because of its soft light.
When do we burn a candle like this little one? Right. On birthdays. When...
Objects: Some light-bulb packages with the light bulbs.
Good morning, boys and girls. Today is a good day for us to continue to understand something about the person of John the Baptizer. We are only a short time away from the day when Jesus will be born again into our world as the Christmas child, but before then we need to get ready, and no one helps us more to get ready than John the Baptizer....
Object: photo illustration of mother and daughter.
Good morning, boys and girls. Let's look at a picture together this morning. (Show them the illustration.) What do you see in this picture? Do you think the little girl and the woman are good friends? How can you tell? That's right. They seem to be enjoying their time together. Do you suppose the woman is the little girl's mother? Yes, there are ...
Object: A box with a hole in one end and a blanket that will shut out the light attached to the other end.
Good morning, boys and girls. Today we are going to have a little fun and also learn something about Jesus. I brought a special box with me that I want to share with you. I want you to put your head in the box and shut out all of the light with the blanket. I want you to see how dark it is i...
Object: a basket with a selection of Christmas cards
Good morning, boys and girls. I brought some of my Christmas cards to show you today. I know most of you have Christmas cards that have come in the mail to your house. Some of you put them in a basket like these are. Or maybe you put them on a table standing up. Or maybe you tape them to a door. We usually save the cards because they have speci...
Object: None
Preparation: Sing or read the first verse of "Joy to the World."
Do you guys know what 'Joy' is? (Let them answer.) Have you ever worked really hard to accomplish a task? (bike riding, reading, math equations, etc.) Did you ever want to give up because it was so hard? How did you feel after you learned the task? Really, really happy? Joyful? That joy we feel is wonderful, isn’t it?
...
Object: A small pine tree
Lesson: Here it comes again: Christmas! No other time is quite like it. So much fun! So much to do! So much to look forward to! There are cards to be sent, gifts to be bought and wrapped, decorations to be put up. Many of us have favorite decorations - a wooden choir boy Daddy painted or a cloth hanging that Mother made. This morning I've brought a decoration all of us e...
Purpose: To understand why the date of Easter changes from year to year and to think about what that means for us.
Material: If available, a big picture of a full moon.
Lesson: Look at the people who are in church today. This must be a special day with so many people here. And so it is. This is Easter. Now, you may have noticed that Easter comes on a different day each year. That is because the ...
Purpose: It is not necessary to see God; but we can still experience God.
Materials: An electric fan and a paper straw.
Lesson: All of us have had many opportunities to see an electric fan in use. Because we have seen one in operation so often we may not have noticed the way the blades seem to disappear when they go around. (Turn on the fan.) We can see right through the fan because the blades a...
Purpose: To help children see that even little deeds of kindness are important.
Materials: A large piece of black cardboard or heavy paper and a sharp instrument like an ice pick, plus a floodlight.
Lesson: Behind this black paper is a light, but you cannot tell if the light is on or off, for none of the light is shining through. However, if I put a small hole in the paper, like this, you can se...
Purpose: To stress the importance of Bible reading.
Materials: A Bible with a black cover.
Lesson: Have you ever noticed that many Bibles have a black cover? I wonder why? It could be so that the dust of the room will not soil the cover since many people have the Bible set out on a table. I do not know the real reason behind the traditional black cover; but if you think about it for a moment, th...
Object: Tree Lights
Lesson: The Christmas tree is an evergreen reminding us of the life God gave us when Jesus was born. As we begin to decorate the tree today, what do you think we should put on it first? Lights? That's a good idea. Let's put some lights on the tree. But why? Why do we have lights at Christmas? So we can see the Christmas tree? Yes. To make the trees look pretty? That's right. B...
Object: A "magic" birthday candle (the type that relights itself when it is blown out) inserted in a muffin or cupcake.
Lesson: Light; darkness; love; hatred.
"This morning I'd like you to help me understand the last of the Beatitudes. Jesus said, 'Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' 'Persecute' is a big word, isn't it? Does anyone ...
Object: A microphone
Good morning, boys and girls. Suppose I came out here each Sunday morning and pretended I was a radio announcer. (Using microphone as an announcer) "Ladies and gentlemen. I want to welcome to you this morning's worship service here at the ___________ Church. We have a realllllly big service lined up for you today. We have our fabulous choir singing______________. We also have...
Objects: A doll baby and a real baby.
Good morning, boys and girls. Today we are going to take a look at a man who was very important to Jesus and to the whole Church. His name was John the Baptizer and he was a cousin of Jesus. His mother and Mary, the mother of Jesus were related. John was a little older than Jesus and grew up in a different town or village. One day when he received a call from...
Object: Some sunglasses, a beach towel and a beach hat.
Good morning, boys and girls. Today we are going to have a little fun and I hope that you will enjoy this as much as I will. First, I need a volunteer. [Select someone who will not be embarrassed easily.] I think that you will make a fine volunteer. Now what I want you to do is to pretend that you are going to the beach for an afternoon of s...
Exegetical Aim: God's promise of salvation and our need to trust in his word. Key verse: 13.
Props: Some small stickers or a hand stamp.
Lesson: When I was younger, I went to camp. One thing that camp did was teach me how to trust. What does trust mean? Work with the children on this for a moment. One way that I learned how to trust was by doing something called a "trust fall." We climbed a tree...
Exegetical Aim: To illustrate the permanence of a seal.
Props: A piece of writing paper, a pen, a candle, a match, and something to leave an impression in wax A ring with some kind of insignia would be best. You will probably want to practice this at home before doing it for the children.
Lesson: Once upon a time, there were lots of kings. Kings were the most important people in the land. From t...
Exegetical Aim: To explain how God intends to bring everything under the authority of Christ.
Props: An umbrella (a large golf umbrella, if possible.)
How many of you like water? (response) Do you like to get wet when it rains? (Response: most likely the majority will say no.) Why don't we like to get wet when it rains? Talk for just a moment about how messy and uncomfortable rain makes us.
I r...
Object: A letter
Boys and Girls: Suppose a member of your family--your grandparents or an aunt and uncle--lived hundreds of miles away. Suppose it was not possible for your family to visit them or for them to visit you. And suppose they had never seen you. Your parents are very proud of you. Now imagine that they want to tell your family members all about you. How could they do it? They could sen...
Object: None or bring a picture of a family tree
How many of you know what a family tree is? (Let the children respond) (If you have a family tree, show it at this time.) A family tree is very special because it lists everyone in your family from several generations back up to the present--grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins. It is always fun to look and see how we are all related to each oth...
Object: None, or if you have an adoption record, perhaps you could bring it to show to the children.
Are any of you adopted? Do you know what it means to be adopted? If someone is adopted they are real sons and daughters. I (or name someone that you know) adopted a son/daughter. She/He is my own, special child. (If you have a certificate, show it now.) She/He has all the rights of my own child al...
Object: a man's dress jacket with buttons on the cuffs
Good morning, boys and girls. Check out this nice jacket I brought with me. Do you think you could wear this jacket? Might be a little big right now, wouldn't it. This is a man's jacket, and I want to point out something interesting about it. See these buttons on the sleeve? Why do you think they are there? Did you know that there is NO purpo...
Object: A set of blue prints and a Bible
Boys and Girls: Most of you know what these are. These are blueprints the contractor went by to build our church. These are very intricate and detailed. If you were to look very carefully, you would find the location of every closet, every drinking fountain, every air-conditioning duct, etc.
God also has a blue print for what He would like our world to be...
Object: The story of Pinocchio; a puppet that looks like a little boy.
Lesson: He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ.
Good morning, boys and girls. Look who I have with me today! Can you guess who this is? (Let them answer.) Those are good answers, but they aren't correct. This little fellow is Pinocchio. Did you ever hear of him? (Let them answer.) Today's scripture l...
Object: Enough cookies for each child. The cookies should be covered with icing and enough variety that the children can make a choice.
Good morning, boys and girls. It is certainly good to be together this morning to share our happiness with one another. I felt so good this morning that I decided to bring some of my favorite food and share it with you. [Take the cookies out and let each child ch...
Object: A large manila envelope.
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you have ever used an envelope? (Let them answer. Show them a big manila envelope.) Have you ever written a letter or sent something to a friend through the mail and you needed an envelope? It's fun to write letters and even more fun to get them, isn't it? You can't just send the letter without an envelope. The envelope is...
Object: a shirt that says "Property of ..."
Boys and girls, have you ever seen a shirt like this one? (Show them the shirt and let them answer.) A lot of people wear them, don't they. You can buy them in the store. Maybe you have seen some there. When you wear them it makes other people think the shirt doesn't really belong to you. Of course, everybody knows that's a joke, because people buy thes...
Object: two shoes
Lesson: just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world
Good morning, boys and girls. I brought two shoes with me because they remind me of this morning's lesson. How many of you have ever played a game where you put your feet in a circle to choose who is "it?" (Put both shoes on the floor, begin the rhyme and as you do, point to the shoes.)
How many of you kn...
Object: a toy caterpillar or a picture of a caterpillar
Good morning, boys and girls. Have any of you ever seen a caterpillar? I brought a (toy caterpillar, picture of a caterpillar) with me this morning. See, it's got a long body, lots of legs, it's fuzzy. I read something interesting about caterpillars recently. Did you know that caterpillars can grow a new skin every so often? As they get bigg...
Object: A cordless phone that is plugged in at the church, the receiver of which can be "rung" from the transmitter. Preparation: The impact of this children's message depends on some prior staging. A father of one of the children should be instructed to leave the sanctuary and ring the receiver shortly after the children's message begins. He will ask to speak to his son or daughter, and tell him ...
Object: List of New Year's resolutions Good morning, boys and girls. Today we're going to talk about the new year and how exciting it is. But first, I want to tell you a story about a toad called the Bufo bufo toad. As this kind of toad grows up, its body gets bigger, but its skin doesn't grow. Its skin stays small and tight and uncomfortable. Eventually, the Bufo bufo toad doesn't fit into its sk...
Object: A special delivery stamp.
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you can tell me about something that is really important? I want to know about something that makes other things important. Can you tell me something like that? Suppose you saw a man in the army with a star on the shoulder of his uniform, what would that mean? [Let them answer.] That's right, it would mean that he is a ge...
Object: A wooden box, a long choir robe, a tall hat, and a tape measure.
Good morning to all of you. How are you on this first Sunday in September? Good. Is everybody happy about the idea of school starting? I knew that you were, but I thought that I would just check for the teacher and tell her how much you like it.
Do any of you ever worry about school? Do you worry if you are going to pass or...
Object: an apple for display and apple seed packets, enough for everyone
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you like apples? I do, too. I want to tell you a little story today about a famous man named Johnny Appleseed. His real name was John Chapman.
Back around 200 years ago, John Chapman traveled all across the United States planting apple orchards. Everywhere he went all across America...
Object: a piece of tarnished silver and some silver polish
Good morning, boys and girls. Have you ever helped your mommy or daddy polish the silver in your house? Silver dishes are very pretty and expensive, but they get dirty very easily. And once they get dirty, you can't just stick them in the dishwasher and get them clean. You have to use a very special silver polish to clean them. The polish...
Object: Erasers or pencils with erasers
Good morning, boys and girls. Ever make a mistake? I've made a great many in my lifetime. What kind of mistakes have you made? (Take four or five responses.)
Well, today I want to talk about the kinds of mistakes we make when we are doing paperwork, like in school, on a test, or when you make a mistake writing a letter or drawing a picture. If you suddenly...
Object: a bottle of perfume.
Good morning, boys and girls, and how are you today? Isn't this a wonderful way to start out a new week? I like to be together with you in God's house. Today we are going to talk about a very special word - confidence. How many of you have ever heard of the word confidence? Some of you have. What do you think the word confidence means? [Wait for some of their definiti...
Object: A baseball bat.
Good morning, my young friends. Let me tell you how good it is to see you here on this beautiful spring day. It has been fifty days since Jesus came back from the dead. Fifty days since Easter, and we give this day a very special name, Pentecost. Did you know that something we all love very much was born on this day? That's right, many years ago today the Church was born, ...
Object: A pair of eyeglasses.
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you wear glasses? (Let them answer.) Some of you do. Did you know that almost 94,000,000 people in the U.S. wear some kind of glasses to help them see better? That is almost half of the people in this country. Tell me how glasses help people see better? (Let them answer.) Some people get headaches if they do not wear their gl...
Object: A coloring book and an adult novel; a toy car and a set of car keys.
Good morning boys and girls. How many of you can hardly wait until you are grown up and can do the things that your mom and dad do now? [Let them answer.] That’s good. We want you to want to grow up. It would not be any fun always to be a child, even though many adults wish that they could go back to being what you are t...
