Tag Archives: Cross

“Jesus Looks at You and Loves You” Children’s Sermon Pentecost 20B Mark 10:17-31

October 9, 2015 lb Leave a comment

Preparation: a needle and thread–use a larger one if possible so that they can see, a sign that says Go in Peace, Serve the Lord (optional as you can do this verbally as well) Worship station supplies are a coloring page with cross–click here for a pdf of that page.

Gather the children up front with you and greet them. “Well, I heard Jesus saying some interesting things today about camels and needles and other things that sound just impossible. What are some things that you think are impossible?” (take answers, you will likely get some crazy ones like flying, etc) Yes those sound pretty impossible and some of them truly are not things we do as humans (like flying–careful not to encourage dangerous things!)

Today Jesus talks about it being more difficult for a camel to get through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get their own way into heaven. I brought this sewing needle with me to show you, can you see it here. This is the eye of the needle, the part where the thread goes (put the thread through or did it ahead of time.) Now, let’s use our imagination–how big is a camel? Yep this big, huge (spread out your arms) and how will a camel walk through this needle like the thread? Sounds crazy right? Well Jesus is using some big imagination there! Even exaggeration–talking about something that is not really possible. There was also this man, who asked Jesus a big question–what do I DO to have eternal life. And Jesus tells him to give away all that he has –everything and then he will know what it is to have eternal life. How do you think the man felt? Yep, he felt pretty gloomy because he just did not think he could do that-it sounded impossible. Does that sound impossible to you? What are some ways that we do give away we have and share? (talk about some things they do and any project you are working on together)

I also noticed that it says Jesus looked at the man with love–Jesus sees him and us with love! Then Jesus says, it is not possible for you to DO anything on your own but with God all things are possible. You can give things away and you can share with others even when it is difficult. And no matter what you do God’s love is there and Jesus going to the cross and rising again is what gives us eternal life, so there is nothing you can do to make it happen on your own.

Do this activity as the prayer and blessing:

What we DO matters, how we go out and share God’s love. AND God will be with us and gives us eternal life no matter we have or do not have or do or do not do. So yes we need to care for others and we need to know that Jesus is the one who saves us. We say something at the end of each service-Go in Peace and serve and the Lord. Do you know what that means? Go out of this place, knowing God is with you and do things that show God loves you and everyone else.

I have a sign here and so let’s have two people make an arch with their hands and I will hold this sign up for you. Now before we go back to our seats you will walk through this arch and sign and hear the words, Go in peace and serve the Lord and you can say thanks be to God as you go to your seat. As you hear these words remember that God goes with you no matter what you do in this world.
Option: Have two kids make these arches as people leave the sanctuary and encourage them to go through that tight space and hear the words that God loves you as you go in peace.

Have a cross coloring outline on a sheet of paper and the words Jesus looks at you and Loves you (paraphrase of verse 21)–Here is one made for you, click here! Inside the cross write the things that we struggle to give away to God and need to lay on the cross. Around the cross write or draw the ways God loves comes to you.

Weekly Devotions

Weekly Devotion Page for August 31, 2014

August 26, 2014 gb Leave a comment

Here is the devotion page for the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost, August 31, 2014

Just click on the picture to download the PDF file!

Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly

Children's Sermons

Children’s Sermon, Matthew 16: 21-28, August 31st, 2014, Year A, Pentecost 12

August 26, 2014 bw 1 Comment

Have a musical instrument that you don’t know how to play or a hand held game of some sort. As you invite the children forward be attempting to play the instrument or game. Talk about how hard it is to learn and maybe you should just give up. Maybe it’s not worth it or important if it’s hard. It would be easier to put a song on and just pretend to play or to only do what you know. What would be the easy way out?

Ask the children about something at school, or learning something that is hard. What is it that makes it hard? When was a time that you did something hard but then found out that you learned, or it became important in some way? (Accept all answers). Say, “yes, we all have hard things that we have to do sometimes.”

Today Peter and Jesus are talking about hard things. Jesus says that he is going to die but be raised again. Death is a VERY hard thing isn’t it? If your friend told you that they were going to die, you would say what Peter said, “No that can’t be true!” But Jesus told Peter that this very hard thing that Jesus was going to do is the exact thing that needed to happen for something better-God raising Jesus from the dead would proclaim to the whole world that nothing separates us from God-not even death! Jesus would take this hard and sad thing and point to the promises of God to be with us always and to love us always. The cross is a very hard thing, in Jesus’ time it was about death. We have crosses all around us here in church, we wear necklaces or bracelets with crosses to remind us that Jesus is with us in the very hard things and will never leave us. God’s love is there when things are easy and when things are hard like: (school, fighting with friends or siblings, death, etc.) That is that is the promise from God and so the cross tells us of that promise. Jesus doesn’t want us to keep that promise to ourselves, even when it might be hard or scary to share God’s love. How can we share God’s love in the midst of hard times with our family or friends?

God, you promise to be with us always. When things are hard or easy, you are there. When we feel alone or happy, you are there. Thank you for sending Jesus to show us your love and mercy. Amen.

For a worship station around this fairly difficult text you can have some cross necklaces (kits are at craft stores) for the children (of all ages!) to make. Have some cardstock with cross foam stickers and cross templates for tracing to make cards to hand out to people who need to be reminded that God is with them in hard times. Take them to a rehab facility or a hospital.

+Jesus is with you always+

Children's Sermons

Children’s sermon November 17th, 2013 26th Sunday after Pentecost Year C Luke 21:5-19

November 12, 2013 bw 2 Comments

Preparation: This children’s time is loosely based off of the Gospel reading and is also an opportunity to talk to children about complex and frightening topics such as super typhoon Haiyan. Have a large cross available for the children to put sticky notes on. Have several stacks of sticky notes, pencils, pens and markers. You will also need either a cross sticker or some sort of simple cross to give everyone in your congregation. Invite the adults to participate with the children.

Have the children gather around the cross. Ask the children if they know why the cross is important to us. (Accept all answers.) Tell the children that yes, Jesus died on the cross and it is how we know that God understands our fear, our hurting and is always with us. Jesus on the cross reveals that God is with us even in some pretty scary times and places. We have all had scary experiences haven’t we and we worry about being alone, sick, hurt or scared. This is completely normal and we all worry. Every single person here-even adults-worry about these same things.

We heard Jesus mention some pretty scary things in the Bible this morning didn’t we? Jesus knows that we hear difficult things on the news or on the computer like storms or other stuff. BUT Jesus wants us to know that even if these scary things happen-we are not alone. We have a whole group of people here and in our neighborhoods that are with us; we have family, friends AND Jesus promises to be with us NO MATTER WHAT. It doesn’t matter where we are or what we are doing-Jesus promises to be there. Jesus says this in the Bible: Matthew 28: 20 “I am with you until the end of the age” which means forever.

But that doesn’t mean that we still won’t worry, right? I do! I worry! Do you know what I do when I am worried? I might talk to my husband or my friend but I always pray and talk to God about what is scaring me. I have some sticky notes here for all of us (including adults!). Let’s all write or draw a picture of what is worrying us or scaring us. (This might take some time so you will need to allow for this. Have older children help younger children or adults help.)

When you are done writing/drawing, put your worry on the cross. Jesus knows what it is to be afraid and hurt and promises to listen and be with you when you are scared and hurt. The cross can remind us of that. After you put your worry on the cross come and pick up a cross sticker to take home to put in your room, on your refrigerator or another place where you will see it. The cross can remind you that when you are afraid God is there and to tell God all your worries and fears.

Dear God, sometimes we are scared. Thank you for promising to be with us and for our friends, family and neighbors who help us when we are worried or scared. We know that you love us and care for us always. In Jesus name, amen.

(Make the sign of the cross): Do not be afraid, Jesus is with you always.

Children's Sermons

Childrens Sermon Lent 5B John 12:20-33 or Jeremiah 31:31-34

December 1, 2012 gb Leave a comment

Scriptures: John 12:20-33 or Jeremiah 31: 31-34

Supplies: a cross magnet (this can be made by attaching a magnet to any sort of cross-but make sure it is a strong magnet!) a large plastic tray and metal nails (be sure that they are have iron in them)

Faith +Open: gather the children to the space where you hold children’s time. Ask them if they know what a magnet does. Accept all answers. Show them the cross magnet and the nails. Ask them what they think will happen if the magnet comes close to the nails. Accept all answers then show them!

Faith + Share: The nails should have stuck to the magnet (practice this one before worship!). Say: “In our Bible readings today we hear about how God loves us and wants us to be close. God calls this being God’s people and Jesus said that all people will be drawn to him. Just like this magnet “draws” the nails to it so does Jesus on the cross. Because Jesus died on the cross for us we are now as close to God as these nails are to the magnet. Does the magnet let go of the nails? NO! And God never lets go of us either! God’s love is a very strong bond!”

Faith + Blessing: today as you go back to your families I am going to make the sign of the cross on your forehead and say “God never lets you go.” So this week you can bless your family and friends with these same words! We all need to hear that God is always with us!

Faith + Close: Prayer: Dear God, we are so grateful that you never let us go! Remind us that you are with us always. We thank you for Jesus who keeps us close to you! Amen.

Additional idea: have a cross magnet for each child OR even each person/ family in your congregation.

BW 3/16/2012

Children's Sermons

Lent 2B Mark 8:27-38 March 4, 2012

December 1, 2012 gb Leave a comment

Scripture: Mark 8:27-38

Preparations: Collect different kinds of crosses to show the children

Faith+Open: Gather the children to you. Say, I brought some crosses to show you today. There are all kinds of different crosses and different ways that we share our faith with crosses. Take out some different crosses one at a time. Share your different crosses, pointing out the differences. If you have one that is pretty, one that is more crude, etc. You may have crosses with different pictures or in various shapes. If you have an anchor cross, Jerusalem cross, etc. tell the children briefly what they are about.

Faith+Share: There are many different ways that we show the cross–some really fancy and some really natural (like a wood one). One thing these crosses have in common though is what they mean. Today Jesus says to ‘take up your cross’. That is is an interesting and even difficult thing for Jesus to say. Jesus died on a cross and did have to carry his cross up the hill. But I don’t think that Jesus meant for us to carry big crosses up hills all the time. Picking up our cross is a way to think about and to act on following Jesus. Jesus doesn’t mean that all the ‘bad things’ that happen to us are crosses but instead he means that we have a way of life to follow. And when good things and when bad things happen, he promises to be there with us.

Faith+Prayer: Jesus, you gave us the cross to help us follow you. We love you and we want to go your way. Be with us all our days and all our steps as we learn to follow you and as we remember your love. Amen.

Faith+Blessing: Make the sign of the cross saying:
God in my head
God in my heart
God on my left
God on my right

Let us walk with you on the journey of faith. Whether your feet are big or small, fresh or worn, running or crawling, God's love goes with you and you stand on holy ground.