Children's Sermon Pentecost 13 Aug. 26th, 2012 Ephesians 6: 10-20

Preparation: Have a bag with a hat labeled “salvation,” a vest labeled “righteousness,” a belt labeled “truth,” and a cardboard shield labeled “faith.” Have a Bible on hand as well.

Faith + Open: Invite the younger members (or the young at heart!) to a gathering space. Say, “I see that you are all wearing shoes and clothes today! Why do we wear shoes and clothing? Especially maybe a coat when it is cold or raining? (Accept all answers) Right we wear these things to protect our feet from the ground or our skin from the sun or from freezing temperatures! Shoes and clothes help us to be not only comfortable but safe and able to move around outside and do things that need to get done.

Faith + Share: Paul in a letter to some people in Ephesus talked about wearing some things that he called the “armor of God.” Does anyone know what armor does? (You may need to offer examples of medieval knights or police officers/firefighters.) Yes, armor protects our bodies. Paul here is talking about armor that protects our hearts so that we can talk about God to everyone we meet. Now I need a volunteer-begin to “dress” the young person-here is a belt. What word is on it? Truth. When we remember that the truth of God is that God loves us and everyone else we act loving to everyone we meet! Here is a vest-Paul uses the word “breastplate”-something that covers your body. It has the word righteousness on it. Righteousness is a long word that means we try to follow Jesus every day of our lives by loving God and our neighbors as best we can. Then we have a shield that has the word “faith” on it. Faith is a gift from God that keeps us close to God and helps us to remember that God is with us always. Let’s see, this hat has the word “salvation” one it. Salvation is another long word that tells us that Jesus died on the cross so that we can live with God forever, and we don’t have to worry about being separated from God ever! These are all pretty good things that help to us to know that God is with us always. But I think to wear them all the time would get cumbersome. You know, Paul also talks about the “word of God” which is what? The Bible that’s right! The Bible talks about all of these things (point to the clothes) and that God’s truth, righteousness, faith, and salvation are with us always and keep us close to God.

Sometimes we may not feel close to God but Paul says to pray all the time and  for everything that happens in our life, good and bad. God hears our prayers and protects our hearts with faith, salvation, righteousness, truth and most importantly, love.

Faith + Prayer: Let’s pray: “God you are with us always. Thank you for giving us what we need to love you with our whole heart. We want to share your love with everyone we meet so that they know that you protect their hearts no matter what too! In Jesus name we pray, amen.

                                                                                                                                   

Faith+Blessing: May your eyes be opened to see all the amazing works of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

BW

Children's Sermon Aug 12, 2012 Pentecost 11B John 6: 35, 41-51

Scripture: John 6:35, 41-51
Preparation: canned food or loaves of bread--or whatever items you are collecting for a food bank or other project. Take your items and 'hide' them around the sanctuary where they will be visible from where the children sit, but not too obvious. You are going to play a version of "I Spy" with the kids looking for these items.

Faith+Open: Gather the children up front with you. Say, "Good morning! I am wondering if you can help me find some things. I think there are some items like this one (hold up a sample) hidden around this room. Raise your hand if you can spy anything from where you are." Take a few minutes and let kids find things. You go get the items as they spy them.

Faith+Share: Say, "Wonderful job! You have found all of them-good thing we won't be finding pork and beans behind the altar at Christmas! Do you know what these items are for?" Take answers. Then go on to explain what you are collecting the items for and how they can help. One idea for food is to have grocery bags with needed items listed on them to hand out for the kids to take home and bring back next week.
Say, "In our gospel story Jesus says that he is the bread of life and in our reading from Ephesians we are hearing about how we live together as a community, as people who care about one another. When Jesus says he is the bread of life he is talking about how he gives life and love for you and for all people. Bread is food and we need food to live. We also need the word of God and Jesus to live as Christians. We then take what we have and share with others. So we will take this food (or other item) and share with those who need it so that they can know they are loved and cared for by us and by God."

Faith+Prayer: Jesus, we love you. Thank you for giving us the bread of life. Thank you for giving us gifts to share. We pray for everyone who is hungry or thirsting or lonely or sad. Be with them God as we know you are with us. Amen

Faith+Blessing: May your eyes be opened to see all the amazing works of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

~LB (adapted from original children's sermon by Pastor Michael Stadtmueller) 
Use with permission for non profit. Intellectual property rights apply

Children’s Sermon July 15, 2012, Ephesians 1:3-14 – 7th Sunday after Pentecost

Scripture Focus: Ephesians 1:3-14

Preparation: Bring a baptismal certificate from your church, or even better, bring your own Baptismal certificate.

Faith+Open: Gather the children near your baptismal font if possible and ask them if they know what this place in the sanctuary is for.  If you cannot gather at the font, talk about baptism as the children come up, maybe remind them of the last time someone was baptized at you church.

Faith+Share:  That’s right, this is where we baptize people!  (In my setting we always have water in the font and the children are used to being splashed with water as we gather.)  I bet you are wondering why we’re here, since the stories today don’t really seem to talk about baptism at all.  Well, it’s because one the part of the letter to the Ephesians that we read makes me think about baptism!  In that letter it seems like Paul, or whoever wrote the letter, is writing to a group of people who don’t think of themselves as children of God.  He says this great thing in the letter, he says, “He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 1:5 NRSV)

Many of the people in this part of the Bible were totally new to the stories about Jesus and God.  Many of them probably felt like they did not deserve the grace and love of Jesus.  Maybe because of where they were born, or what they used to believe, or because of things that they had done.  The author of the letter is telling them that even if they were not born into a community that believes in God and Jesus, they are still part of the family.  God adopts them as God’s own children and gives them all the good things that Jesus promised.

We hear the same message today!  Even when we might not feel like we deserve God’s love or forgiveness we still get them!  God loves us and seals us with the Holy Spirit, which brings me back to baptism.  Baptism is one of the ways that we are reminded that we are all one family in God’s love and care.  When we baptize people we give them a certificate to remind them of the amazing gift of God’s love and our adoption into God’s family.

Faith+Prayer:  Loving God, thank you for this amazing family!  Teach us to love and care for each other the way that you care for us.  Amen.

Faith+Blessing:  May your eyes be opened to see all the amazing works of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

 - GB

Permission to use for nonprofit. When printing give credit to Faith Formation Journeys. Intellectual property rights apply.