Scripture Focus: Matthew 6:24-34
Children’s Sermon #1 (Within Worship/shorter version)
**Invite someone to join you in this children sermon for a bit of ‘acting’ fun. This can be another adult, youth, or even older elementary aged child.
Faith+Open–Welcome children to gather with you.
Person 1: Walk around a bit and wring your hands looking worried.
Oh, I am so worried. I’m just worried about what should I do? Where should I go? Who can help me? I’m… just worried.
Person 2: Hey, what’s going on? Why are you so upset?
Person 1: I am just not sure about… well, I am… well, worried about all the things to do and choose from….and…
Person 2: Oh my, yeah, there can be lots of things that make us worry. (turn to kids) What are things that make you worry? (invite responses)
Person 1: See, seems like worrying is what we need to do!
Faith+Share:
Person 2: Well, I understand, there are worrisome things but we also have this message from God in our Gospel today.
Read from Spark Storybook Bible or version. Below are the words from Spark Storybook Bible
Jesus loved to teach people about how God wants people to live. “God takes care of us!” Jesus said. “Don’t worry about what you are going to eat or what you might wear or when you’ll grow taller. God will take care of these things for you. Look at the birds. Do they worry about what they eat? Of course not! God makes sure they have good. Look at the flowers. Do they worry about what color they are? Of course not! God made them each beautiful in their own way. And God makes you beautiful too. You’re beautiful simply because you are you!” Then Jesus said, “Listen! There is far more to life than worrying. Worry gets you nowhere—so stop! The one things you need to do is put God first. Trust that God will take care of you!” Spark Storybook Bible, Augsburg Fortress, p. 276
Person 1: Oh, so just worrying probably isn’t helping me. God is promising to be there through all these things that make me worry.
Person 2: Yep, that’s right. God’s love is big and wide and God’s love is always with you. So when you worry—because we all do, we can remember these words from God and promises from Jesus. We can pray and ask for peace and we can think about these words instead of all the worries in our heads and hearts.
***Additional Option: This is a great way to open up the service to include all ages in engaging in giving our worries to God. I so hope someone does this! Tell me about it if you do!
Have kids write or draw their worries on pieces of paper and then tape them to a giant heart shape. After they are on, cover them up with another heart that matches so that they are covered by God’s love. This could be done as part of the children’s sermon time OR they could be given this as a task to do during the regular sermon and then invited up during offering or benediction or at another point in the worship to put their worries on the heart. You could also ask the whole congregation to do this and post them on the heart on their way out.
Faith+Prayer: God, we worry. We worry about__________________ (name some things that were brought up by the children). We pray for all those people who worry about daily food and shelter and clothing. We ask for your love to bring us all peace and quiet our worried hearts. Amen.
Children’s Sermon #2 (Children’s worship time/longer version)
**Invite someone to join you in this children sermon for a bit of ‘acting’ fun. This can be another adult, youth, or even older elementary aged child.
Faith+Open–Welcome children to gather with you.
Person 1: Walk around a bit and wring your hands looking worried.
Oh, I am so worried. I’m just worried about what should I do? Where should I go? Who can help me? I’m… just worried.
Person 2: Hey, what’s going on? Why are you so upset?
Person 1: I am just not sure about… well, I am… well, worried about all the things to do and choose from….and…
Person 2: Oh my, yeah, there can be lots of things that make us worry. (turn to kids) What are things that make you worry? (invite responses)
Person 1: See, seems like worrying is what we need to do!
Faith+Share:
Person 2: Well, I understand, there are worrisome things but we also have this message from God in our Gospel today.
Read from Spark Storybook Bible or version. Below are the words from Spark Storybook Bible
Jesus loved to teach people about how God wants people to live. “God takes care of us!” Jesus said. “Don’t worry about what you are going to eat or what you might wear or when you’ll grow taller. God will take care of these things for you. Look at the birds. Do they worry about what they eat? Of course not! God makes sure they have good. Look at the flowers. Do they worry about what color they are? Of course not! God made them each beautiful in their own way. And God makes you beautiful too. You’re beautiful simply because you are you!” Then Jesus said, “Listen! There is far more to life than worrying. Worry gets you nowhere—so stop! The one things you need to do is put God first. Trust that God will take care of you!” Spark Storybook Bible, Augsburg Fortress, p. 276
Person 1: Oh, so just worrying probably isn’t helping me. God is promising to be there through all these things that make me worry.
Person 2: Yep, that’s right. God’s love is big and wide and God’s love is always with you. So when you worry—because we all do, we can remember these words from God and promises from Jesus. We can pray and ask for peace and we can think about these words instead of all the worries in our heads and hearts.
***Person 1: That reminds me of another story.
Read: All Things Bright and Beautiful by Cecil F. Alexander and Ashley Bryan OR He’s Got the Whole world in His Hands by Kadir Nelson. Each of these stories expands on the idea of God providing care and love for the whole world. For a more detailed look at these stories go to Children’s Literature Lectionary Link Feb. 27
***Additional Option: This is a great way to open up the service to include all ages in engaging in giving our worries to God. I so hope someone does this! Tell me about it if you do!
Have kids write or draw their worries on pieces of paper and then tape them to a giant heart shape. After they are on, cover them up with another heart that matches so that they are covered by God’s love. This could be done as part of the children’s sermon time OR they could be given this as a task to do during the regular sermon and then invited up during offering or benediction or at another point in the worship to put their worries on the heart. You could also ask the whole congregation to do this and post them on the heart on their way out.
Person 2: What does that story say about how God feels about the people in the world? (invite response) How about how God feels about us? (invite responses)
Sing: He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands
(click here for a sound link from KIDiddles )
He’s got the whole world in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
He’s got my brothers and my sisters in His hands,
He’s got my brothers and my sisters in His hands,
He’s got my brothers and my sisters in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
He’s got the sun and the rain in His hands,
He’s got the moon and the stars in His hands,
He’s got the wind and the clouds in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
He’s got the rivers and the mountains in His hands,
He’s got the oceans and the seas in His hands,
He’s got you and he’s got me in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
He’s got everybody here in His hands,
He’s got everybody there in His hands,
He’s got everybody everywhere in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
Faith+Prayer: God, we worry. We worry about__________________ (name some things that were brought up by the children). We pray for all those people who worry about daily food and shelter and clothing. We ask for your love to bring us all peace and quiet our worried hearts. Amen.
Materials: Spark Storybook Bible or other children’s Bible, picture books All Things Bright and Beautiful by Cecil F. Alexander and Ashley Bryan OR He’s Got the Whole world in His Hands by Kadir Nelson if using, paper, big red hearts, tape, music