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Choose from the following Children's Sermons:

• Needle in a Haystack,  Mark 10:17-31    (see below)
  by Rev. Randy Quinn
   

• Wowed by God, Job 38:1-7, 34-41      (see below)
  by Rev. Randy Quinn
   

• Our God is an Awesome God, Job 38:1-7,
  by Rev. Frank Schaefer (see below)
   

• Life's Easier When We Help Each Other
  by Rev. Frank Schaefer (please scroll down)

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Needle in a Haystack
based on Mark 10:17-31
by Rev. Randy Quinn

Have you ever heard someone say something was “like looking for a needle in a haystack”? Usually they mean it would be almost impossible to do.

Have you ever seen a haystack? Here’s a picture of one.

If I hid a needle in that haystack, do you think you could find it? It would be really hard – but it probably could be done if you took enough time trying. (I think it might be easier just to get a new needle, though, don’t you?)

Have you ever watched the TV show, Mythbusters? It’s a show about a team of scientists and stunt artists who go about trying to prove or disprove things by trying them out. One time they tried to find a needle in a haystack. Actually they hid four needles – three different metal ones and one made of bone. Guess what? They found them all – but when they were done the haystack was gone!

I thought about showing you a video showing them finding the needles, but it was way too long for church. They had two teams that each came up with a different way to find them. One burned the hay leaving the needles in the ashes; the other one floated the hay in water, letting the needles fall out. They found all of the needles both ways, but it took them all day to do it!

In the end, they decided that while the myth was “busted,” in reality it wasn’t worth looking for a needle in a haystack. It’s easier to get a new needle – especially if you are need the hay!

But you know what? God can find that needle in a haystack with no problem, because with God, nothing is impossible (Mk. 10:27).

God can do anything. God chooses not to do some things, but one of the things God always chooses to do is to love us. No matter what.

Let’s pray:

God: when things seem too hard for us, remind us that you can do anything, and that because you love us you want to help us do everything we need to do. Let us trust you to guide us and help us, we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

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Wowed by God
Job 38:1-7, 34-41
by Rev. Randy Quinn

You have probably seen lots of these this week, haven’t you?  (I have a couple of fall leaves.)

I’ve seen lots of them, too.  In fact, I’ve seen them every year for so long that I sometimes forget to spend any time just looking at them.

But let me ask you a question.  Why is this one red and this one yellow?  Does anyone know?  (I’ll ask the adults, too.)  Some trees tend to make one color more than another, but why do green leaves turn colors?

Several years ago, I remember reading about a science fair project that tried to answer that question.  And it turns out that they change colors because the days get shorter and the nights get longer.  It isn’t the cool weather, but the shorter periods of daylight.

But that doesn’t answer why some turn yellow, some orange and some red.

Scientists might know, but I don’t.  And I suspect that as scientists study things like this they are finding out things to help us live better and longer lives – at least I hope they do.

But just knowing how something happens doesn’t answer the real question, the question of why things happen.  To find the answer to that, we have to ask the One who created it all – God.

It’s when we realize that God made these things happen that I find myself standing speechless before God.  All we can do is say, “wow.”

Let’s pray:

God, you really are amazing.  You not only know how the leaves turn colors, you know why they do.  You not only know when they will turn colors but how many leaves will fall this week.  Only you know all of the answers.  And because you know, we trust you.  Guide us in our daily lives as we find your purpose for us.  Amen.

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Life's Easier When We Help Each Other
by Rev. Frank Schaefer
Objects: 2 large book bags; fill one of them with a bunch of heavy books (encyclopedias, etc); only put one or two lighter books in the other one.

Good morning boys and girls.  I need your help today.  I need two kids to carry some books to the back of the sanctuary (or church exit, etc)

Pick two children from among the younger ones.  Hand them the book bags. As you lift the heavy one, say: boy, that's a heavy bag, isn't it? O my goodness, you might break your back carrying a heavy bag like that. (Let the volunteer and/or other children try to lift it if they want to)  Let me see the other one again (lift the other one up and down).  O, this one is really light. That's odd.  Ask all: What do you think we should do?  That's right.  Maybe we can ask (name of child with light bag) to take some more books in his/her book bag.  To volunteer #1: "Would you be able to help carry a few more books?"

Re-distribute books to make the load even.  Give the formerly heavy book bag to the volunteer #2 and send them to the back of the sanctuary.  Give them instructions just to place them anywhere on the floor near the back and ask them to come back.

Ask the volunteer with the formerly heavy bag: "can you imagine how much work it would have been to carry that heavy bag?  Were you glad that (name) helped you carry some of your books?

To all: You see, that's what today's lesson is about.  How to serve others, how to help others.  What do you think: is helping a good thing? When we help someone, do they appreciate it?  Turn to the volunteer who helped: "did you feel good about helping (name)?

So, helping feels good for both, the one who gets helped and the one who helps, isn't that great?  And that's exactly why God wants us to help each other.  It makes life easier for all and it sure feels good to be helped and to help someone.  How about if we close our lesson with a prayer to thank God for giving us people who can help us and people whom we can help. Prayer.

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2) Our God is an Awesome God
a children's sermon based on Job 38:1-7
by Rev. Frank Schaefer

Props: none needed; perhaps you can teach them the song: "Awesome God."

Have you ever heard the song: Our God is an awesome God? 

I don't think any human person has ever seen God. In fact, the bible says that no person can see God while living.  God is so holy and so awesome and so powerful that a human person could not stand to see God.  The prophet Elijah once said to God: I want to see you with my eyes; and God said to him: you can turn around and I will pass by you with your back toward me.  Just don't turn around, because you would not be able to stand the sight of my holiness.

So, God surrounded himself with smoke on the mountain top so that Moses could come near him.  And on the mountain top, God revealed to  Moses his holy laws--God gave Moses the ten commandments.

In our bible lesson today, a group of people on a mountain top--Peter, John, James...and Jesus.  And suddenly, God's voice appeared.  I think they were a little startled.  And it says that a "bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!""

Just for a moment, God allowed the disciples to see Jesus for who is is--the son of God.  They were blinded by the light that came from Jesus' face, and his clothes were suddenly sparkling white.

All this goes to show that God is an awesome God; God is high and mighty....and here is the surprising part: even though God is all powerful, he still loves us and treats us very gently and with great care.  That's something, isn't it?  Even though we cannot see the almighty God with our human eyes, God still cares for us little ones and is always near us.

Let's say thanks to almighty God for loving us and for taking care of us:    "Dear God we thank you for your awesome power that you put to work in the world for the good of all people.  Thank you for being so awesome and, yet, you handle us so gently, caring about us and loving us.  You are always near us to wipe our tears, to encourage us and to lead us on the path of righteousness.    Be with us today and in the days to come and watch over us little ones.  Amen."