Tag Archives: Philippians

Philippians Children’s Sermon Series #4: Phil 4:1-9

Philippians Children’s Sermon Series

Series Note: In the lectionary year A Pentecost 14 through 17 we read through Philippians as the Epistle each week. The letters of Paul can have challenging content to teach to children (adults too!). We have written a children’s sermon series based on the scripture verses in Philippians. You can use these as a series or on their own.  The overarching theme is focused on how we are those who walk with and live as servants of Jesus and yet Rejoice that God is with us in all of our daily living as we strive to “let our gentleness be known and remember the Lord is near” (Phil 4:5 paraphrase). 

Preparation: You could use instruments and noisemakers if you choose for this children’s sermon. Streamers and ribbons would also make it fun! If you are going to have the whole congregation join in the blessing time then have it printed in the bulletin.

Faith+Open: Gather the children. Recap what we have been learning in Philippians or sum up Philippians that Paul is in jail and writing to his friends reminding them to tell the story of Jesus, serve others, be kind to each other, and to remember that God is with them all the time.
Say, “Paul says in Philippians chapter 4 to REJOICE all the time! He is in jail and still rejoicing that God is with him and that he knows that God loves him and all of us. We can rejoice and celebrate that this story of Jesus is about us and for us.” 

Faith+Share: “What are ways that we rejoice?” “Yes we can make some noise when we rejoice can’t we?” I am going to ask you some questions about when we can rejoice and I want you to yell loud the word REJOICE (and shake/play these instruments if you are using them) after each question. Let’s practice!”

“Let’s get the congregation to join us!” (practice yelling rejoice and making noise)

God is with us…REJOICE!
All the time….REJOICE!
When we are in worship…  REJOICE!
When we are at play…  REJOICE!
When we are happy…  REJOICE!
When we are worried…REJOICE!
When we are at work… REJOICE!
When we pray….REJOICE!
When we tell the story…REJOICE!
When we are lost….REJOICE!
We know God is with us. REJOICE!
All of the time. REJOICE!
We know God loves us….REJOICE!
All of the time…REJOICE!

Do you remember the blessing we have been saying? Let’s bless the whole congregation. We are going to turn towards them and say the blessing together.” Gather kids up so that they are facing the congregation to give them the blessing.”

Faith+Blessing: Say together the words from Philippians 4:5 (NRSV) while doing the following actions:

Let your gentleness (flat hands palms facing body circle each other)  be known to everyone (open hands and arms out). The Lord is near (hands to heart)

Extended Ideas:

Teach the song “Rejoice in the Lord Always and Again I say Rejoice.”
Have streamers and ribbons for the kids to wave in the air (or make them if you have a children’s church)
Send kids out into the congregation with their instruments and noisemakers to do the litany and have them stay there for the blessing.
Use the blessing as the benediction this week.

~LB&BW

Philippians Children’s Sermon Series #3: Phil. 3:4b-14

Philippians Children’s Sermon Series

Series Note: In the lectionary year A Pentecost 14 through 17 we read through Philippians as the Epistle each week. The letters of Paul can have challenging content to teach to children (adults too!). We have written a children’s sermon series based on the scripture verses in Philippians. You can use these as a series or on their own.  The overarching theme is focused on how we are those who walk with and live as servants of Jesus and yet Rejoice that God is with us in all of our daily living as we strive to “let our gentleness be known and remember the Lord is near” (Phil 4:5 paraphrase).

Preparation: You will need a children’s bible. (Spark Storybook Bible is recommended because it has a nice paraphrase of Philippians)

Faith+Open: Gather children. “Do you remember that if you were hear last week you took some stars home?” Where did you put them?” Get answers. “I hope the stars reminded you that God is with you in all kinds of places. 

Faith+Share“I want to read you more about the story of Paul who is the one who was writing this letter to the Philippians. While I read notice where Paul is writing from.”

Read from the Spark Bible or other children’s Bible. The main ideas is to convey that Paul is in jail, he is scared and sad, his friends are worried about him but he even while he is suffering he knows that God is with him.

After you read say, “Where was Paul?  Yes, even though he is in jail Paul still knows that God is with him. He knows that God is with him and his friends as he prays for them. He is trusting God even when it’s really hard.  How many different places can you think of that God is with us?”
Refer to the places the kids talked about in opening

“God is with us in all these places and God is with us when we are sad or scared and when we are joyful or happy. We also know that we can be kind and gentle with our friends and family and neighbors because then they know that they are loved by us and by God. That is why we are learning this blessing and doing it each week. It helps to remind us that God is with us, always near to us and that we can live together in community and be gentle with one another.”

“Let’s say it together…”

Faith+Blessing:  Say together the words from Philippians 4:5 (NRSV) while doing the following actions:

Let your gentleness (flat hands palms facing body circle each other)  be known to everyone (open hands and arms out). The Lord is near (hands to heart)

Extended Ideas:
Make a mural of drawings of all the places God is with us.

Philippians Children’s Sermon Series #2 Phil. 2:1-13

Philippians Children’s Sermon Series

Series Note: In the lectionary year A Pentecost 14 through 17 we read through Philippians as the Epistle each week. The letters of Paul can have challenging content to teach to children (adults too!). We have written a children’s sermon series based on the scripture verses in Philippians. You can use these as a series or on their own.  The overarching theme is focused on how we are those who walk with and live as servants of Jesus and yet Rejoice that God is with us in all of our daily living as we strive to “let our gentleness be known and remember the Lord is near” (Phil 4:5 paraphrase). 

Preparation:
1. Find a star pattern, write or type the Christ hymn or the Phil 2:1-13 scripture reference, and make enough stars either for the children OR for the whole congregation. You can google star patterns or just draw one and photocopy and cut out for enough copies. If you plan ahead you can get some older kids to cut these out for you!
2. Get baskets to put the stars in.
3. Recruit 2 (or more) kids to hold the baskets during communion. YOu can also use a stand if that works better. These kids will hand out the stars after people have taken common (or when it works best for you in your worship service)
4. Suggested hymn to sing could be “This Little Light of Mine”

Faith+Open: Gather children. “I want to read to you the Christ Hymn that we hear/heard today in Philippians. Listen as I read this because it is telling you a story.” Read or paraphrase verses 5-11. For ideas for actions that can go along with it go to this link atWorshiping with Children.

Faith+Share: “Paul is telling the story of Jesus to the Philippians to help them remember how to tell the story of Jesus to others. What did you hear in this story?” (get at the idea that Jesus came to be with us on earth and that Jesus is also our Lord to be praised)
“How do we tell the story of Jesus?” Get some ideas. Then say, “When we are in worship telling the story of Jesus and our faith in our hymns and prayers and in communion and in listening to the world of God.” Get specific, talk about a certain hymn you are singing that day or tie in the actions of communion as a way that we tell the story of Jesus. If you have a baptism today that is a good example as well.

“Paul says that God is at work in YOU. This means that we are a part of telling the story and showing the story of Jesus. God is work in us and we then are like lights for the world. I have these paper stars here because they remind me of how we try to be lights for God in the world which means we can be blessings to other people and show them Christ. On each star is the Christ Hymn (or the scripture reference) on one side and the other side is blank. I would like you each to have a star and do two things. First, while you are listening to the sermon draw or write a way that you can be a blessing and shine this week. Maybe you can help someone at home or a neighbor. Maybe you can visit someone who is lonely or sick. Maybe you can be nice to someone at school that it’s hard to be nice to. Second I want you to take this star home and put it where you can remember not only to shine for Christ but that Christ is with you all the time. You can put in on your bathroom mirror or fridge or bulletin boat or in your backpack.” 

“In fact, I think everyone can do this during the week. So you get your stars now, but grown ups… (address the congregation) you can have a star too. There will be a basket of stars being held for you to pick up after you take communion. Think about how you are going to shine Christ’s light this week and how you are going to remember God is with you. You can put your star on your mirror or fridge or hang in your car or on your bike, wherever you will see it this week.” 

“Let’s say our blessing together now. I invite everyone to join us.” (you may need to teach if you have only done this once or if you are using this outside of the series)

Faith+Blessing: 
Say together the words from Philippians 4:5 (NRSV) while doing the following actions:

Let your gentleness (flat hands palms facing body circle each other)  be known to everyone (open hands and arms out). The Lord is near (hands to heart)

Extended Ideas:
Decorate the stars
Have kids write the verse on the stars
Have an area for people to put their stars in the church–perhaps they make one to take home and one to keep at church.

Philippians Children Sermon Series #1 Phil. 1:21-20

Philippians Children’s Sermon Series

Series Note: In the lectionary year A Pentecost 14 through 17 we read through Philippians as the Epistle each week. The letters of Paul can have challenging content to teach to children (adults too!). We have written a children’s sermon series based on the scripture verses in Philippians. You can use these as a series or on their own.  The overarching theme is focused on how we are those who walk with and live as servants of Jesus and yet rejoice that God is with us in all of our daily living as we strive to “let our gentleness be known and remember the Lord is near” (Phil 4:5 paraphrase). 

Preparation: In your context think about or find out what the children or youth specifically or the church together are doing as service in the community or the world. For example, the children’s offering in our congregation is currently going to the Kid’s Cafe portion of our local food bank. Then find another older youth or adult who is willing to be person number 2. Work together to think of three ways you can give as examples of being in service to the community, family, and/or neighbors.

Faith+Open: Gather the children with you. “I heard in your Sunday school (or in our church or in our community) we are raising money for (or collecting) __________” So you know I think that is pretty cool–Since I heard you are doing that, I decided I could_______________ (fill in what you are going to do, either contribute or better yet, that it made you think of something you can do in your family or neighborhood).

Faith+Share: Person 2 interrupts (after you have said what you are going to do) “Wow, I think that is a fabulous idea! You know, hearing about how the kids/the church are______________ and that you are __________ I think I can help with those things too but I also know that ________________ needs______________.

Say, “Great idea. That is pretty neat how we have inspired to work together where we are and where we can to be in service in Jesus’ name. It reminds of our reading from Philippians today where Paul says, ‘Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for faith of the gospel.’” (NRSV Phil 1:27–feel free to paraphrase or summarize). We are serving in the Holy Spirit together even when we are doing different things. AND God is with us in our serving and in our daily struggles and in our daily joys.

“I want to teach you a blessing from Philippians that we are going to use for the next few weeks as we read from Philippians in worship. This blessing is on that reminds us how to serve one another with kindness and reminds us that God is with us always.”  (Teach following blessing)

Faith+Blessing: Say together the words from Philippians 4:5 (NRSV) while doing the following actions: Let your gentleness (flat hands palms facing body circle each other)  be known to everyone (open hands and arms out). The Lord is near (hands to heart)

Children’s Sermon Pentecost 16A Theme: Living Out Grace

This children’s sermon based on Philippians 2 & 3 can be adapted and used for other texts that focus in on grace as a gift and how that is lived out. For Philippians 2 it focuses on the Christ hymn and the image of Christ come down to us. On Philippians 3 it focuses on grace is a gift and that we have the ‘prize’ of grace and can live that out. 

 The original concept is adapted from a children’s sermon by Pastor Michael Stadtmueller. 

Preparation: A wrapped gift box where you can take off the lid, bread inside the box, a ladder (you could also place the gift box on the altar and ‘pretend’ a ladder)

Faith+Gather: Have the ladder up front with the gift box on top. Gather the children near the ladder, but in a safe sitting position (especially if your ladder is very tall!)
“Look up there at the gift on top of the ladder. We hear a lot about grace in our Bible and one way to think about grace is as a gift. So I was thinking that sometimes we spend a lot of time thinking about how to get that gift.”
Walk over to ladder and get ready to climb.
Ask the children, “What are things that you do to please or serve others?” Get some ideas from the kids or supply your own if they are quiet. Examples could be that we listen to our parents, then climb up one rung. For each example you say, climb another rung but stop before you are at the top.
“So we can do all these things and they are good and look I am getting closer to the prize. But you know what, then other things happen. Like maybe I hurt my brother or sister (go down one rung) or I didn’t listen when my parents asked me to do something(go down another rung). Give a few examples that put you back on the floor.
“So now, it’s pretty hard to get to the top.” 

Faith+Share“But you know, that is not grace. Grace really is a gift. So we don’t really have to go get the prize in order to have grace in our lives.” Climb the ladder, get the gift and bring it down to the center of the children.

“See God’s grace is not something we have to get on our own. It comes to us. God brings grace to us because it really is a free gift. And we have this gift with us and then we can go out and share it with others and live in service because we know how much we are loved by God.”

Open the box and take out the bread. “We know that Jesus told us to remember him through eating bread. And we eat bread at communion. And we can have a taste now (pass around bread). We know that Jesus is with us and we have this prize, this gift of grace that gives us the love and the will to go out and live our lives in grace.” 
Place the gift box on the altar as a reminder for everyone during communion.

Faith+Prayer: God, thank you for the gift of grace and the gift Jesus. We are grateful that you are with us always. Amen

Faith+Blessing: Take a big piece of bread and go share with others. Or make sign of cross saying, “God in my head, God in my heart, God on my left, God on my right.”

~LB