__________________________________________________

Please choose from the following children's sermons:

• God Will Provide, Genesis 22:1-14, by Rev. Randy Quinn
   
• Just a cup of water? Mt. 10:40-42 by Rev. Frank Schaefer

___________________________________________________

God Will Provide
a children's sermon based on Genesis 22:1-14
by Rev. Randy Quinn

Have you ever been afraid? I mean, really afraid? Maybe you’ve been afraid of the dark? Maybe you’ve heard someone tell some ‘ghost stories’ and you had a nightmare?

I remember one time when I was really afraid. I was going into a tunnel. It was a really long tunnel, and it was really dark. We parked our car at the entrance of the tunnel and turned on the headlights. But inside the tunnel, it was foggy.

When we went into the tunnel, all we could see was the fog. Pretty soon it was so dark that we couldn’t see anything.

Then we heard a noise.

I didn’t know what the noise was, but it scared me and I ran back to the car.

I was really scared.

Later I learned what the noise was . . . it really wasn’t that scary. But it didn’t matter then. I was scared.

But you know what? God was with me. And if I had remembered that, I might not have been quite so scared. God is always with us, and that makes even the most scary things not so scary.

Let’s pray:

God, thank you for always being with us. Help us trust you so we won’t be so frightened when things are scary. Amen.

---

 

Just a cup of water?
based on Mt. 10:40-42
by Rev. Frank Schaefer
props: a stack of styrofoam cups,
a pitcher with ice water and a bunch of straws

Good morning, my little friends.  Have a seat on the altar steps.  Today, I'd like to do a good deed to all of you who are thirsty.  Is anybody thirsty here?   Does anybody like to have some fresh and clear ice water?

Fill as many cups of ice water as necessary and give them, along with the straws to the kids that asked for water.

Isn't that refreshing?  People are right when they say there is nothing that quenches your thirst like ice water when you're really thirsty.

You know, in our Bible lesson this morning, the Lord Jesus talks about giving a cup of water to a child.  Believe it or not, the Lord Jesus said that if anyone gives even a cup of water to a child will get a reward from God.

That's amazing, isn't it? It doesn't seem like much of a gift to give--it's just a cup of water.  I guess, what Jesus is trying to say to us is that every little thing we do for another person counts.

What are some other little things you can give to people?  How about giving people a smile?  Or how about listening to mom or dad?  How about wrapping an arm around the shoulder of someone who is sad?  All these things and many more may seem like nothing, but they are little gifts we give to others.

Even if you think the little things you do for others seem to go unnoticed, the Lord Jesus wants us to know that God does notice.  God knows all the big and all the little things we do and God will reward us for them--even the giving of a cup of water to a child.

What do you think?  Does this encourage us to do nice things for others?   Yes, I think so too.  May God help you and me never to forget this lesson that all these small nice things we do for others add up.  They do make a difference and God will reward us for them.