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Choose from the
following children's sermons:
- Sharing isn't Always Easy, Matthew
25:31-46
by Rev. Frank Schaefer (see below)
- A Child Shall Lead Them
A children's sermon for New Year's Day
by Rev. Frank Schaefer (see below)
Sharing isn't Always Easy
Matthew 25:31-46
by Rev. Frank Schaefer
Props: a coat/jacket, a bag of your favorite candy or snack
Good morning my little friends,
Today we're talking about sharing with others. Have you ever shared something
that was yous with others? What have you shared? Your candy? Your
toys? Money? Did I cover them all, or what else did you share?
(use your coat/jacket to demonstrate this section) Well, this morning I want
to share a story about St. Martin who shared his mantle, his coat, with a total
stranger. He was riding on his horse on a cold night and encountered a man
without a mantle; the man was freezing cold. You know what St. Martin did?
Well, he couldn't really give him his mantle, then he would have been cold, and
he didn't have an extra, so he took his sword and cut his mantle in half. That
way they could both be warm. He may have saved the life of the beggar.
Sharing isn't always easy; I don't think it was easy for St. Martin to cut
his Mantle in half. Sometimes God calls us to share with others even when it
hurts us a little.
As I was preparing this message, it was like God was talking to me: "you
can't just talk about sharing and not share with the kids something that is dear
to you."
So....reluctantly, I brought in a bag of my own favorite candy (Peppermint
Patties); and believe me, Peppermint Patties are hard to share for me with
anybody. So I asked the Lord: "Is there another way?" But apparently there
isn't. So here, I want you to have a piece of my Peppermint Patties.
Let's pray: Dear God, sharing can be hard. But you ask us to
share with others even when it isn't easy for us. Help us to listen to your
commands to love others and share with them what we have. Amen.
A Child Shall Lead Them
A children's sermon for New Year's Day
by Rev. Frank Schaefer
Props: Figure of baby Jesus (from a crèche/manger scene)
Who knows what we are celebrating on this day? That's right: New Year's Day. And what
is the new year called / what year is it now? Right again: 2002.
You know in different parts of the world people celebrate New Year's Day in different
ways. In some areas people eat certain meals that is supposed to bring them luck. In our
area that "lucky" meal is pork and Sauerkraut. People also use different symbols
for New Year's Celebration. In many parts of the world it is the symbol of a new-born
baby. Can you think of how a new-born baby is like a new year?
(Let the children give some answers, then continue:) what they have in common is that
the baby and the year are both brand new. On January 1 a new year is born that has not
been in existence before. And like a new-born baby has many things to discover and
experience, there are many new things that are going to happen in the new year. Like
everybody would hope that a new-born baby is going to have a good life, so we hope that
the new year will be a good year for us, for our loved ones and for all people in the
world.
And of course, we are still celebrating Christmas over New Year's (lift up the figure
of baby Jesus)...and who do all Christians in the world hope will bring peace on earth?
That's right, baby Jesus. Jesus is also called the Prince of Peace.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if all wars would come to an end in the year 2003? If all the
hungry children in the world had enough to eat, and people would stop doing bad things to
each other?
At the beginning of this new year of 2003, we have hope that good things will happen;
but we need a little help for that--we need a little help from baby Jesus--actually, a lot
of help. That's why I think we should pray. How about it?
Can you bow your head with me: "Dear Lord Jesus, we want to thank you for a new
year. We look to you for help in this new year of 2003. Please bless us in this new
year, bless all the people in this world. Help us with our problems and make us better
people. In all our ways be with us and protect us. Amen."
Instead of the prayer (or in addition to it) you may also close with a carol (e.g.
"Away in a Manger")
