Scripture Focus: Primarily Matthew 17:1-9; includes Exodus & 2 Peter readings

Children’s Sermon #1 (Within Worship/shorter version)

Preparation: a short letter that has information about yourself in it written about you by a parent or a friend (write it from the perspective of someone else)

Faith+Open–Welcome children to gather with you.

Say: We just heard three passages from the Bible and they probably sounded very different. But they had at least one thing in common—they told about ways that God is revealed to us. God is revealed to Moses on the mountain, Peter retells the story of Jesus’ baptism when God is revealed in the voice that says “this is my beloved son with whom I am pleased. And our Gospel story tells us about Jesus being as God’s son through his appearance and a voice from heaven. They are stories about some ways that we can know God.

How do can you get to know someone? (encourage responses) We can ask them questions. Like, what is your favorite color or animal. Or what they like to do or eat. Maybe about their family or who they know well? Could my mom or dad or my kids tell you something about me? Sure!

Pick one child to ask a couple of questions to: What is your favorite color? What was the best thing you did this week? You have revealed things about yourself to me.

Faith+Share:  Read the short letter you wrote “from your parent or friend” to the kids about yourself.

Do you now know EVERYTHING about me? do you know more about me? yes!  How do we know about God? (Jesus and the Bible maybe answers, encourage other responses as well like prayer, creation, other people, etc.)

In our gospel story today God tells us to listen to Jesus as Jesus is God’s son. We can learn about God through Jesus. Reading about Jesus in the Bible helps us to know how much God loves us and how God wants us to love others. And then we can tell others about who Jesus is and how much Jesus’ loves everyone! 

Faith+Prayer: God, we know you love us and you know all about us. Thank you for revealing yourself to us. Help us to show others your love. Amen

Children’s Sermon #2 (Children’s worship time/longer version)

Preparation: a short letter that has information about yourself in it written about you by a parent or a friend (write it from the perspective of someone else)

Faith+Open–Welcome children to gather with you.

Say: We just heard three passages from the Bible and they probably sounded very different. But they had at least one thing in common—they told about ways that God is revealed to us. God is revealed to Moses on the mountain, Peter retells the story of Jesus’ baptism when God is revealed in the voice that says “this is my beloved son with whom I am pleased. And our Gospel story tells us about Jesus being as God’s son through his appearance and a voice from heaven. They are stories about some ways that we can know God.

How do can you get to know someone? (encourage responses) We can ask them questions. Like, what is your favorite color or animal. Or what they like to do or eat. Maybe about their family or who they know well? Could my mom or dad or my kids tell you something about me? Sure!

Pick one child to ask a couple of questions to: What is your favorite color? What was the best thing you did this week? You have revealed things about yourself to me.

ACTIVITY: Now put kids in partners or groups of three. Ask them to ‘reveal’ things about themselves to one another. Explain that when they are done they will share one new thing they learned about their partner.

Faith+Share:

Read the short letter you wrote “from your parent or friend” to the kids about yourself.

Do you now know EVERYTHING about me? do you know more about me? yes!  How do we know about God? (Jesus and the Bible maybe answers, encourage other responses as well like prayer, creation, other people, etc.)

In our gospel story today God tells us to listen to Jesus as Jesus is God’s son. We can learn about God through Jesus. Reading about Jesus in the Bible helps us to know how much God loves us and how God wants us to love others. And then we can tell others about who Jesus is and how much Jesus’ loves everyone! 

Faith+Prayer: God, we know you love us and you know all about us. Thank you for revealing yourself to us. Help us to show others your love. Amen

Materials: Children’s Bible, letter about yourself

Written by Brigette Weier

Edited by Leta Behrens