Faith Formation Journeys

Walking Together in Grace

Category: Children’s Sermons

  • First Sunday in Lent, February 17th, 2013 Luke 4: 1-13

    First Sunday in Lent, February 17th, 2013 Luke 4: 1-13

    ffjChildrenSermonPreparation: Have enough really fun candy for each child.

    FaithCross_BibleALT Invite the children to come together in your usual space. Tell them the story of Luke 4-The Temptation of Jesus either in your own words or from a children’s Bible. Be sure to emphasize that Jesus repeatedly focuses on God as the center of his life.

    FaithCross_ConversationALT Show the kids the pictures of the fun items or the real things. Say to them, “I have some really fun things here this morning. Do you see anything that you like? Well, I will give you this (ipod, xbox, candy etc.) if you promise to do something for me every time I see you from now on. If I need my driveway shoveled, you have to do it because I gave you this toy. If the church needs cleaned you will have to do it because you agreed to take this toy from me. Is that ok? Do you still want ….?(Accept all answers. This might get tricky as someone will most definitely decide that it is a good trade! Just go with both sides.)

    Well, some of you think it’s a good trade and some of you don’t. Hmmmm…..well when Jesus was offered to be an earthly king (which is a pretty good deal) and some great tasting food by the devil, he knew that is was not a good trade. You know why? Then the devil would be able to have Jesus do whatever the devil wanted! Jesus knew that he would owe the devil something forever if he took those things from him. And here is what Jesus also knew: God gives us all kinds of good things not to get us to do stuff for God but just because God loves us all very much. Now God may not give us all the toys we want or all the candy we want but God does give us all of the love that we need-our friends, our moms and dads and families-but most of all Jesus. God sent Jesus to make sure that we know God’s love all of the time.

    So to remind each of you of that love I will give you each a piece of candy and you won’t have to do anything for it.

    FaithCross_PrayALTLet’s pray: Dear loving God, you are with us always and give your love freely to us. Thank you for loving us no matter what. Help us to share that love with our friends and family. Amen

    FaithCross_BlessALT Make the sign of the cross on each other’s foreheads or hands and say: God’s love is free. 

  • Children’s Sermon Transfiguration of Our Lord, Luke 9:28-36

    ffjChildrenSermonPrepare:  Bring some kind of party decoration, preferably something that marks a change in your life, like a graduation, marriage, retirement, etc.  Note that you will need to modify parts of this children’s sermon to fit your party and your experience.

    Faith+Open:  Have your party item out and easy to see as you gather the children together.  Ask the children if they have ever been to a party, be ready to hear a few stories and move on.

    Faith+Share:  Wow, those sound like some great parties!  I wanted to tell you a little about a party that I was at once.  (Here is where you will need to think about your own situation.  I will write what I would say.)  This says ”Congrats Grad!”  What do you think it’s from?  Right, a graduation!  I was thinking about my college graduation and all the fun I had celebrating that day.  That party was celebrating more than a single event, the graduation itself, but also all that had come before and all that lay ahead.  See, you can only get to a college graduation by staying in school and working really hard, so it’s fun to celebrate all that work that was put in.  Even more, though, a college graduation celebrates all the possibilities that are to come!  Graduating from college was great fun, too.  We had parties, and I got to spend time with my family and some good friends, I even got some gifts, and everybody likes gifts!  I didn’t want all that fun to end.

    In our Gospel story today Jesus takes Peter, John and James to an amazing event.  We call the Transfiguration.  Peter, John and James see Jesus talking with Moses and Elijah.  They see their friend and teaching in a dazzling new way, and they don’t want to leave that place or that moment.  They want to stay right there, they even offer to build houses to live so they never have to leave.  They even hear the voice of God claim Jesus as God’s Son!  But they can’t stay there.  Just like I had to move on from the fun of graduation, they have to go back to their lives, back to the ministry that they are part of with Jesus.

    So, kind of like a graduation, Jesus transfiguration marks a moment of change.  Jesus is claimed by God and is ready to start the next part of his life.  Peter, John and James see Jesus in a new way, and as much as they want to stay in that moment they have to move on, but they move on with a new way of understanding Jesus, and a new excitement about the things to come.  This Sunday, for us, marks the beginning of the journey toward Easter, and we, too, should move forward with excitement!

    Faith+Prayer: Ever changing and amazing God, we thank you for the transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain, and for the turning points in our own lives.  Help us to celebrate these turning points and to move forward with our lives with excitement and joy.  Amen.

    Faith+Blessing:  Shine with God’s light so that all may see God’s Glory.

    ~GB

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