Category Archives: Children’s Sermons

Children's Sermons

Christmas Eve Year B Luke 2:1-20 Children’s Sermon

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Scripture Luke 2:1-20

Supplies: Large Christmas stocking, eight little cardboard boxes (about 2 x 2) or seven legal size envelopes. You will need the following items or pictures in the boxes or envelopes:

 

  1. A scroll
  2. A picture of Bethlehem
  3. Manger or stable scene or small animal figure (to make manger cut a toilet paper tube in half. Then cut one of the halves about an inch shorter than the other one and staple them curved sides facing out, to each other. Glue hay/straw or yellow raffia or yarn to it.)
  4. Baby Jesus (To make baby Jesus to fit the manger, use a popsicle stick or a clothes pin wrapped in cloth and draw a face.)
  5. Small candy cane (shepherd staff)
  6. Gold pipe cleaner in the shape of a halo
  7. Small color page of the Nativity-or a small crèche
  8. A heart with a cross
  9. A coloring page to hand out at end of children’s sermon (optional)

Faith+Open: Gather the children to where you would like to do the children’s time. Show them your stocking and talk about how you always find presents in your stocking on Christmas morning. Ask if they have a stocking as well. Then explain that THIS stocking has the best present ever.

Faith+Share: Have the boxes or envelopes numbered 1-8 for ease of telling the story.

Pull out #1: This box/envelope has the start of the best present ever. Pull out a scroll with Joseph     and Mary’s name on it. Tell how Joseph and Mary had to take a trip to check-in with the emperor to sign their names. Mary was expecting a baby so it was a hard trip.

Pull out #2: This box/envelope has a picture of Bethlehem. This is the city of King David, where he was born and where Mary and Joseph had to go to be registered.

Pull out #3: This box/envelope has a manger in it  When Mary and Joseph got to Bethlehem all of the hotels or inns were full. The only place they found was a barn where animals live.

Pull out #4: While they were staying in the stable Mary had her baby! What was the baby’s name? Jesus! Pull out a baby Jesus.  Place the baby in the manger.

Pull out #5: There were shepherds near by watching sheep. Doesn’t the candy cane look like a shepherds staff?

Pull out #6:  Suddenly angels appeared the shepherds saying don’t be afraid! A very special baby has been born! Glory to God in the highest and peace to all people on earth!

Pull out #7:  So the shepherds went to where the baby Jesus was and were so happy! They had found the best gift ever! God’s love given to us in Jesus!

Pull out #8: Isn’t this the best present that you have ever seen in a stocking? God loves us so much that God sent Jesus to be with us and to show us that God loves us no matter what we do. God wants us to love and talk to God through prayer, songs, dancing and everything that we do. That’s what the cross reminds us of!

You each get a color page just like in box #7 to work on and you can hang it in your room to remind you of your best Christmas gift ever!

Faith+Prayer: Dear God, thank you so much for the gift of your son Jesus. We are so glad that you love us so much and we love you too! Amen.

Faith+Christmas Blessing:  May your days be filled with the peace, joy, hope, and love of God +

All intellectual property rights apply. This may be used in a home or ministry setting but not sold or used for profit. Authors: Leta Behrens, Brigette Weier, Gus Brockmann

Children's Sermons

Advent 4B Luke 1:26-38 Children’s Sermon

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Scripture: Luke 1:26-28

Preparation: a newspaper
Author note: Adapted from a children’s sermon by Pastor David Barber which was adapted from a Sundays and Seasons idea (Augsburg Fortress)

Faith+Open: Gather children to you. Good morning! Anyone know how many days until Christmas? Allow for answers (you might get some funny ones!) Yes we are waiting for Christmas and while we wait in Advent we share the good news of Jesus coming. How many of you read the paper? Show the newspaper you brought with you and take some responses.

Faith+Share: What kind of stories do newspapers tend to have? Allow for responses.There are some news stories that tell of good things but a lot of news we hear or read in our paper is bad news. We read about wars and children who are hungry or people who are hurting. (Use some current, appropriate, examples).  I’m wondering, are we people of bad news or good news? Allow for responses. We are people of good news! When the angel Gabriel came to Mary and to the Shepherds, he was bringing them good news about Jesus birth and we bring good news to others. What is the good news we have to share? Yes our good news is that Jesus is coming and what is Jesus bringing? Jesus is bring light and love and peace and joy and we share this with others–because we are messengers just like the angels were messengers so long ago when Jesus was born we are messengers now that tell others the Christmas story so they know that God is with us all the time. We can live and enjoy the good news for ourselves but we also share the good news with others so they can experience the love of God as well. 

Faith+Prayer: Loving Jesus, Thank you for this advent season. Thank you for the angels that bring good news. Help us to be messengers of Jesus light and love. Amen

Faith+Blessing:May the light of Christ be with you today and all your days. +

Children's Sermons

Advent 3B John 1:6-28 Children’s Sermon

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Scripture Focus: John 1:6-28

Preparation: Simple nativity set or picture

Faith+Open: Gather children to you. Show them the nativity set or scene. Ask them to tell you who they know about in this scene. Name the different people present.

Faith+Share: Is there anyone that is important to the Christmas story that is not here? See what they say. There could be several answers… or they might just say no… or they might look at you blankly!
Our Gospel today comes from the Gospel of John. And we heard/will hear about a man named John the Baptizer. Has anyone heard of him? Well he was a cousin to Jesus, Elizabeth is his mom and Mary went to visit her while they were both pregnant, Mary with Jesus and Elizabeth with John. John knew about Jesus, he know that his cousin was one who would come to bring light into the world, to show people just how loved they are by God. John wanted everyone to know this as well so he did all he could to tell the people to get ready for Jesus to come—not just be born but to show up and walk with them and talk with them. John was so serious about this that he started baptizing people to help them get ready. He wanted them to hear that their sins were washed away and that were loved by God. So, John was not in the manger when Jesus was born, he was just a baby himself, but John is an important part of our Christmas story because he reminds us that while we wait in Advent we are not just preparing for Christmas, we are telling the world this great story!

You know, I think someone else is missing from this nativity scene too. Each one of you. Because the Christmas story is not just John’s story and it’s not just Jesus’ story, it’s your story too because you are loved by God and Jesus came to show you the way too. 

Faith+Prayer: Jesus, we watch and we listen and we wait for Christmas. Help us to tell our story about Jesus birth and about your love to our family and our friends and our neighbors. Amen

Faith+Blessing:May the light of Christ be with you today and all your days. +

Children's Sermons

Advent 2B Mark 1:1-8 Children’s Sermon

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Scripture: Mark 1:1-8

Preparation: You will need to prepare one volunteer–it can be a child or youth or adult. They will be the one to go behind the altar (or other designated space) and try to get a message to the child volunteer you ask for during the children’s sermon.

Faith+Open: Gather the children to you. Today we hear in gospel that John the Baptist was one of the people who was trying to get the message out that Jesus was coming and to prepare the way of the Lord. So, I was thinking, getting the message can be really important and we in advent can listen for the message of love and hope in Christmas. 

Faith+Share: So, I want to try something, kind of like telephone but ‘whole church telephone’. I need a volunteer, anybody here think they are good listener? Pick a child who you think can go to the back of the church comfortably. Ok, you look like a good listener. Can you go to back of the church (say something like by the baptismal font, or last row, or by doors to indicate where you would like he/she to go). Send your other volunteer to the opposite end, like behind the altar for example. Great, now I’m going to ask ___________ (your prepared volunteer) to say a message to you from across the room. I want you to listen to the message and repeat it back. But first, I think we need everyone’s help. I need the whole assembly to talk too. Just turn to your neighbor and have a conversation for a few moments while ___________ sends his message. Once people are talking look at volunteer to give his/her message. It can be something like “prepare the way of the Lord” or “Christ is coming”. This person should not scream it or use a microphone. The point is that the other person CAN’T hear them. After a moment get everyone quiet again.
Ok, so what was the message? What, you can’t hear? I thought you were a good listener! No, you’re right, there was so much noise and talking going on that you couldn’t hear the message. Let’s try again but this time without people talking. 
What was the message? (child should be able to repeat this time)

So come on back. In Advent we are waiting and preparing for Christmas. Sometimes though there is so much noise and so much distraction that we forget what we are preparing for. John the Baptist wanted people to prepare and to know that God was coming to be with them. And that is what we are focused on now, how God comes to us as a baby and as a kid and as a grown up and how God walks with us even now and wants us to hear the message that God is with us and loves us. That is what we always watch for in our daily lives, for Christ to be present in the world. 

Faith+Prayer Let us pray together or repeat after me: God, we watch for you and hope for you. Help us to see you and prepare for you each day and in this Advent time. Amen. 

Faith+Blessing: May the light of Christ be with you today and all your days. +

Children's Sermons

Advent 1B Mark 13:24-37 Children’s Sermons

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Scripture: Mark 13:24-37

Supplies: a pair of binoculars

Faith+Open: Gather children to you. Hold up your binoculars and start using them to look around the sanctuary. Oh wow! Look at that–the colors are new! Oh my there are new candles and a wreath and a tree. Hhhmm, I heard it is Advent and I’m supposed to watch for something. Do you know what I’m watching and waiting for? Pause and take responses. Keep looking through your binoculars and pondering what you see.

Faith+Share: I read in the gospel of Mark that we are to keep watch and waiting. And it’s Advent so we watch and wait for Jesus. So, do I need these binoculars for what we are watching for? You don’t think so? But I want to see God right away and isn’t God far away? …. It seems like in Advent we watch for God we also know that God is near. So maybe I don’t need these binoculars to see God. Hhhmmm, what are the ways we know God is around us? Take responses. Focus in on how we can see God working in the acts of love around us in the world. And while we wait for Christmas, we can focus on how we see the light of Christ around us during this time when it’s dark longer. At this time of year we say Christ is our Light because we think about God being the one that gives us light and hope.  In our Gospel today and in all of Advent we talk about how we are waiting and watching for God’s light. We can call those Godsightings–like when we see or hear stories of people helping others or acts of love. God is all around us and working in our world today. Where can you watch for God this week?  Take responses.

Faith+Prayer: This week, watch for God in all you do. Keep a list or tell your family at dinner what you saw. 
Prayer with me: Christ our light, shine us while we wait. Help us see you  each day and know that your love is with us always. Amen

Faith+Blessing:
May the light of Christ be with you today and all your days. +

Extended Ideas: 
Have a candle cut out (or binoculars) with Christ written on it and have kids take it back to their seats and write where they can watch for God this week.

Children's Sermons

Children Sermon Reign of Christ Sunday November 20, 2011

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Scripture: Matthew 25: 31-46

Preparation: pitcher of water, small cups

Faith+Open: Gather the children with you. Have a pitcher of water and enough cups for each child (don’t worry you are not giving them much water!) I have some water here to pass out to all of you. Today we are we are celebrating that Jesus is the one we call Lord and that he has shown us how to follow him and to know God. When you get water, hold on to it and don’t drink it quite yet. 

Starting with some older children fill their cups fairly full. Share your water out of the pitcher until it is empty. Then have them share with other children until their cups are empty. (If you have a very large amount of children ask for a few volunteers for this activity.)

Faith+Share: God pours all of God’s love into you and wants you like a fountain, to pour it out to others. When you think that you have run out God keeps pouring (pull an extra pitcher of water out from a hiding spot or have someone from the congregation bring up another full one) What are some ways that we can pour God’s love into other people?(Accept all answers–emphasize that when we give food, water, shelter, clothes or help of any kind we are helping others and we are serving God. This is how we show and act in love) 

We are so blessed that God loves us so much and give us all of God’s love every day. Let’s tell everyone we know about this love! 
Go ahead and drink your water imagining God filling you up with love. 

Faith+Prayer:  God, thank you for filling us with your love. Be with us as we share our love with others. Amen

Faith+Blessing: Remember God is with us always.  Make sign of cross together saying:

God in my head
God in my heart
God on my left
God on my right

And remember your high fives and hugs on the way back! 

Extension Ideas: 

1. Talk about what a king looks like–how is that like or unlike what we know about Jesus? What do Christians look like?

2. Sing the Song Grace Flows Down (lyrics below, go to your favorite music source to hear song–comes up on youtube)

Amazing Grace
How sweet the sound
Amazing Love
Now flowing down
From hands and feet
That were nailed to the tree
As Grace flows down and covers me 

Chorus
It covers me
It covers me
It covers me
And covers me

~LB/BW

Children's Sermons

Children Sermon Pentecost 22A Matthew 25:14-30

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Scripture: Matthew 25: 14-30

Faith+Open: Gather the children with you. Have children line up smallest to tallest. Then take the smallest child and the tallest child and put them side by side. Ask the kids, “who do you think can jump the highest? Who do you think can run the fastest? Snap their fingers? Stand on one foot?  Do some experiments and have them try out those things.

Faith+Share: What about serve God?  (Both!) Yes! In today’s Gospel story, we hear that it doesn’t matter how big or small or if you can do a lot or a little, the important thing is that you use what you are good at to share God’s love! Who can give a smile? A hug? A high five? Help a friend tie a shoe? Read a Bible story? You are each important to God and important to everyone here. When you go back to your seats today give a hug or high five to those that you walk by. 

Faith+Prayer:  Jesus, we are tall and small, big and little, all different sizes and ages. We are all your children and we praise you for this gift. Amen

Faith+Blessing: Remember God is with us always.  Make sign of cross together saying:

God in my head
God in my heart
God on my left
God on my right

And remember your high fives and hugs on the way back!

Extension Ideas: 

1. Read one of the lectionary link stories from Children’s Literature for this week.

2. Do more experiments of things that kids can do

3. List many ways kids can serve God. Have a project ready for them to do.

Children's Sermons

Children Sermon All Saints Matthew 5:1-12

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Scripture: Matthew 5: 1-12 (for Proper text Matthew 25 click here)

Preparation: visual aids of a Bible and a map

Faith+Open: Gather the children with you. Have you ever been lost? I have! One time I took a wrong turn going home and ended up on the wrong road. I knew that I had to find the right road to get home. I was by myself too so I didn’t have anyone to help me. It was a little scary but I was able to find the right road after looking for a while. I did have a map with me so that I could read it and find the right way to go. (or tell a story of time YOU really were Lost!) Show them the map and say this might have helped you!

Faith+Share: We heard the word “blessed” a lot in this story this morning (or we will hear when we read the Gospel) and one meaning of that word is “you are on the right road.” (From the Hebrew)  When we follow Jesus we know that we are on the right road. But how can we know that we are on the right road? Or what happens if we don’t know how to follow Jesus? Well, God gave us a kind of map to help us. When we read the Bible we can learn about God and this can help us follow Jesus. And even better God gave us family and friends to be on the journey with us. When we are all together we can help each other follow Jesus. When we pray together, read the Bible together, sing, play, work together, in all of those things we can follow Jesus! 

Show the Bible during this part of relating it to being a map

Today we spend time remembering those who have died this year. We do this as a way to remember their life and their walk with God. They are people who we love and we miss and we remember today in the ways that they showed us God and lived following Jesus. (you may want to take time here to hear from the children about anyone or a pet they have lost and invite them to pray for or remember them today in worship through lighting a candle or whatever your ritual may be)

Faith+Prayer:
Jesus, you have come so that we can know God and know how to follow you. Help us on our paths each day to see and show your love. Amen

Faith+Blessing: Remember God is with us always.  Make sign of cross together saying:

God in my head
God in my heart
God on my left
God on my right

Extension Ideas: 

1. Have children share someone or a pet they have lost. Listen to their stories and pray for their remembrances

2. Including children in a lighting of candles ritual

Children's Sermons

Children Sermon Pentecost 21A Matthew 25:1-13

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Scripture: Matthew 25: 1-13 (for All Saints text click here)

Preparation: another adult or youth to participate

Faith+Open: Gather the children with you. Welcome them and have your volunteer adult enter walking up either with or after the children. Have the volunteer plop down and look bored.

Faith+Share: 
Dialogue follows:
Leader: “Hey____ what’s wrong? What are you doing?”
2nd person: “I’m waiting”
Leader: “What are you waiting for?”
2nd Person: “Jesus. Isn’t that what our story is about?”
Leader: “Well, kind of.  Jesus says that he will come back one day but we don’t know when so it could be a long time from now. But we know that God is with us always now. You know, when I have to wait I like to do something to pass the time. It makes the time that I am waiting seem productive.”
2nd Person: “Like what?”
Leader: “Well, Jesus says that we will have to wait for him to come back but we should be sure to tell other people about him and help people while we wait.”
2nd Person:  “Oh. That’s a good idea, it’s better than just sitting here and doing nothing. Very boring.” Leader: “Right! We shouldn’t be bored so God has things for us to do while we wait. Let’s see what could we do while we wait for Jesus?”
2nd person: Name some missions and ministries of your congregation. Ask the children what they could do while they wait for Jesus. “Jesus loves us very much and wants us to share that love! What a fun thing to do while we wait!”

Faith+Prayer:
God we wait for you and we also live for you. Teach us to see you today in our world and to reach out to those who need to know your love. Amen

Faith+Blessing: Remember God is with us always.  Make sign of cross together saying:
God in my head
God in my heart
God on my left
God on my right

Extension Ideas: 
1. Do a service project like making cards for those who have lost loved ones this year.
2. Read one of the stories from Children’s Literature for November 6

Children's Sermons

Children Sermon Reformation Day Jeremiah 31:27-34

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Scripture: Jeremiah 31:27-34

Preparation: something you can say or sing ‘by heart’–UPDATE and a Greek or Hebrew or Latin Bible.

Faith+Open: Gather the Children. Do you know anything by heart? A song or a poem that you can say without looking at paper or having someone help you? I know _____________ by heart. Share a short song, Bible verse, piece of the catechism, whatever you know by heart!

Faith+Share: Jeremiah tells us that God says,  “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” What do you think it means to have something written on your heart? (you can refer to last week’s children’s message if you used the Shema. Ask them if they were able to say this week and if they know it by heart)

It means that because God first gave us this gift of love and faith, we can know something in our hearts we can live in a way that shows we know God. What are ways that we can show we know God? (how we treat others and ourselves, creation, reading the Bible, learning songs and verses that help us remember God loves us).

Show them your ancient language Bible. Ask a child to read to you from it--Oh you can’t! So if you can’t read what the scripture says it makes it difficult to know what it is that God has written on our hearts and they ways to know God. Martin Luther, a man who lived a long time ago, wanted people to have the chance to know God through the Bible and to learn things by heart not only by listening but  by reading them. Before him only people who knew an ancient language could read what God’s word said. Now we have Bibles in all languages and all kinds of formats to help us know God by heart. 

Faith+Prayer and Blessing:  My hope for you is to know some things by heart. Let’s pray, “God help us to know you and to know that you love us no matter who we are–we are always yours.” Amen

Let’s work on knowing by heart that God is with us all the time by learning this blessing(or saying our blessing if you use this often OR pick one you do use often)
Make sign of + saying:
God in my head
God in my heart
God on my left
God on my right
Amen

Extension Ideas
1. Teach them a song like Love the Lord your God (see Children’s Sermon Pentecost 19A)
2. Teach them the Lord’s Prayer or another prayer
3. Have the children share songs or stories or poems they know by heart.

~LB