Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

A Joyful Celebration


Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"  "Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!" "Hosanna in the highest!" Mark 11:9-10 (NIV)  This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.  Psalm 118:24 (NIV)

I really enjoy a great celebration, don't you?  What are some things that people like to celebrate?  A birthday party... a holiday... or a sporting event?  How do they celebrate?  Well, one way people celebrate is by making a lot of noise.  Look, I have some noisemakers for some of you this morning. (Pass out noisemakers.)  Another way people celebrate is by waving flags or pennants.  I have some of those too.  (Pass out flags and pennants.)  Still another way people celebrate is by shouting and cheering.

This morning, let's have a celebration.  Let's celebrate that we are here today to worship and praise Jesus.  Let's all give three cheers for Jesus while those of you who have noisemakers make some noise and those of you who have flags wave them high!  Are you ready?  Here we go! "Hip, Hip, hooray!  Hip, hip, hooray!  Hip, hip, hooray!"

Wow!  That was great and I think this is good day for us to celebrate Jesus, because today is a very special day.  Today is Palm Sunday.  It is a day when we remember how people celebrated when Jesus entered into Jerusalem on a Sunday some two thousand years ago.  You've probably heard the story, but let me tell it again.

Jesus was walking with his disciples toward Jerusalem.  As they came near to the city, Jesus told two of his disciples to go on ahead into the town.  He told them that they would see a young donkey tied there that had never been ridden.  "Untie the donkey and bring it to me.  If anyone asks you what you are doing, just tell them, 'The Lord needs it.  He will send it back to you soon.'"

The disciples did what Jesus told them to do and it happened just as he had told them.  They found the young donkey and they took the rope off of it and started to lead it away.  Some men were standing nearby, and they said to the disciples, "Where are you taking that young donkey?" They told them what Jesus had said and the men let them take the donkey.

The disciples brought the young donkey to Jesus and they put their coats on it to make a soft place for Jesus to sit.  As they made their way into the city of Jerusalem, people went ahead of Jesus shouting, "Hosanna!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"  Others followed behind and they were also shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David!  Hosanna in the highest!"  All the while, people lined the streets cheering and waving palm branches.

It was a wonderful celebration, but it was a bit noisy!  Do you think Jesus liked all that noise?  I do!  The Bible says "This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Just as those people celebrated two thousand years ago, we have come here today to celebrate Jesus.  What better day to do that than on Palm Sunday?

Father, we celebrate today just as those people celebrated in Jerusalem two thousand years ago.  This is the day that You have made; we will rejoice and be glad in it!  Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Our Spiritual Compass


Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

I am sure that probably all of you have seen a compass. A compass is used to find the right direction to get you to where you want to go. The compass has four main directions, they are North, South, East and West. The needle of the compass always points North. If the needle is pointing in that direction (point to the North) and I want to go South, I would go that direction (point in the opposite direction from what the needle is pointing.) With the needle pointing North, if I wanted to go East, I would go in that direction (point to the East.) If the needle sometimes pointed North and at other times it pointed to the South, East, or West, I would never be able to use the compass to find my way. I would wander around, hopelessly lost. The compass must always point in the right direction if we are going to use it to guide us.

When we are trying to find our way through the journey of life, God has given us a spiritual compass to guide our path. That guide is the Bible, God's Holy Word. The truth that we find in the Bible never changes. It will always point us in the same direction. It will always point us to Jesus.

Some people use their feelings to help them to decide what they should do. That's no good. Our feelings change from day to day and they cannot be trusted. Besides that, just because we feel good about something doesn't mean that it is the right thing to do.

Some people choose what they will do by what's popular. That is no good either. Just because everyone else is doing it doesn't mean that it is the right thing to do, does it? Tomorrow everyone might be doing something else.

There is only one thing that we can trust to always point us in the right direction, and that is the Bible. It will always point to Jesus and Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no man comes to the Father but by me."

  Father, we thank you for giving us the Bible to be our guide through life. Help us to remember that we can always depend on the Bible to point us in the right direction. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

The Roadmap for Life

Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me. Psalm 119:133 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:6

I am sure that all of you know what this is. It is a roadmap. Whenever I want to go somewhere, especially if I have never been there before, I look it up on a map. That map will show me all of the roads I need to take to get me where I am going. If I should happen to get lost or am unsure of the way, I can always refer back to my map.

I have a very clear memory of one trip I took. We were going to visit my wife's parents. I had been there before and I didn't think I needed to look at the map. I was traveling down the Interstate, and I turned off onto another road that looked like the right way to go, but it wasn't. I took a wrong turn. Pretty soon, I realized that I was lost. I kept thinking that I could find my way back to the right road, but I couldn't. We went around in circles for about two hours. I finally had to stop and get out the map find the way back to the right road.

God has given us a roadmap to help us find our way on the highway of life. It is the Bible. When we are facing choices in our life, and we don't know which way to turn, we can read God's directions in His Word. Sometimes we think we know what do do without looking in the Bible. But remember, even when we have traveled that way before, it is good to go back to the Bible to remind us to make the right choices. The Bible promises that if we will ask Him, God will direct us in the way to go.

Lord, thank you for giving us your Word. Help us to remember to use it daily as our roadmap on the highway of life.

[Soldier4Christ]

Turn to the Source


Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17 Unto Thee lift I up mine eyes, O Thou that dwells in the heavens. Psalm 123:1

One night I decided I wanted to check on the scores of some of the football games in our area. I got out my little portable radio and turned it on. I tuned it to a station that I know gives high school football scores. This isn't a very powerful radio and when I turned it on, the signal was very weak and there was a lot of static and interference. I discovered that if I turned the radio around until it was facing the direction of the radio station, the signal was much stronger and I could hear it much better.

The Bible teaches us that "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights." If our Heavenly Father is the source of all that we need, we will be better able to receive His gifts if we will keep our hearts turned toward Him. The Bible tells us to lift our eyes to Him who lives in the heavens. He is the one who supplies all of our needs.

  Lord, help us to keep our hearts turned toward you. We know that you are the source of all that we need in our life.

[Soldier4Christ]

Love Without End


Psalm 136 (God's love endures forever) Luke 3:11, Acts 4:32 (sharing), Acts 2:46 (Loving each other) Acts 18:24-25 (Telling others)

Note: As the kids walk up, bounce the ball to one of them. Be careful you don't throw it to someone who will return it too hard or too far. As they are sitting down, bounce it to the others, one at a time.

I like playing with a ball like this. Do you? What is your favorite game? (wait for response) Those are fun games. There are two things I like about a ball.

1) It doesn't have an end. Look at this rope. It has two ends. There is a beginning and an end. Can you see an end on the ball? (wait for a response) It just keeps on going and going and going. (run your finger around and around the ball to demonstrate.) There is no end and that is just like God's love for us. He loves us and always will love us. There is no end. It just keeps going and going and going.

2) There is a second reason I like a ball. You can share it just like I did when you came up here. With a ball you don't just keep it to yourself, you find someone and share it. Do you know how this can be like God? (wait for a response) God shares his love with everyone and we are supposed to share God's love with everyone we know.

The next time you see a ball, you can remember that a ball is like God. The ball doesn't have an end and neither does God's love for us. And the ball is something to share just like God's love for us. We share it with everyone.

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for always loving us and allowing us to share that love with everyone we meet. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 A Father's Wisdom


Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.   Proverbs 4:1

The Bible says, "Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and gain understanding."  How many of you listen to the wise things that your father says to you?  After all, your father is older, has far more experience, and is much wiser than you are.  To prove my point, I have made a list of the top ten sayings of a wise father.  I am sure that you have heard many of these wise sayings from the lips of your very own father.

10. Why? Because I said so, that's why!
9.   Just wait 'till you have kids of your own.
8.   What did I just get finished telling you?
7.   This is going to hurt me more than it does you.
6.   Do I look like I'm made out of money?
5.   Not now, I'm watching the game.
4.   When you break you leg, don't come running to me!
3.   No!   We are NOT lost.
2.   Be quiet!   Can't you see I'm trying to think?
1.   How should I know?   Ask your mother!

Well, maybe your father doesn't always have all the right answers, but God has blessed most of you with a Godly father, and he has commanded you to show him honor and respect. You should also remember to pray for your father and ask God to give him the wisdom he needs to train you in the way that God wants you to grow.

I think it would also be a good thing to say a word of thanks to your fathers.  Thank him for providing for your physical needs -- the house you live in, the food you eat, the clothes you wear.  Thank him for the wisdom he shares --even though he may not always have all the answers.  Finally, thank him for living a Godly life and setting a good example for you to follow.

Dear Jesus, we thank you for our fathers and we pray that you will bless them with the wisdom needed to be good fathers.   Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Turning Failures into Successes


In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.  Proverbs 16:9

I have something this morning with which probably every one of you is familiar.  They are called Post-It Notes.  If you need to leave a note for someone, you can just write a note and stick it on their door.  If you need to remind yourself of something you have to do, just write a Post-It note and stick it up in a place where you will be sure to see it.  My computer at school has sticky notes all over it to remind me of things I need to do.  We use Post-It notes at home to remind us to take out the trash, to go to the store, and pick up the clothes from the cleaners.  I don't know how we ever got along before Post-It notes were invented.

The Post-It Note was invented by the 3M company.  That is the same company that makes Scotch tape.  The Post-It Note is one of their best selling products and one of their most successful products ever, but did you know that it got its start with a failure?  A scientist at 3M was working to try to improve the glue that they put on their tape so that it would stick better.  He came up with a new formula for glue, but the new glue didn't stick very well at all.  It would stick at first, but then it was very easily pulled off.  He thought his new glue formula was a failure, but instead of throwing the formula in the trash, he decided to share it with others in the company and see if there might be some use for it.  A man named Art Fry started trying the new glue in different ways and finally he came up with the idea for the Post-It Note.  The rest is history!  What started out to be a big failure for 3M turned out to be one of their greatest successes.

Sometimes the things we try to do in our lives don't turn out the way we thought they would.  We were trying to do what we thought was best for us, but it just didn't work.  When that happens, it is easy to just give up.  Instead of giving up,what we need to do is turn it over to someone else.  We need to turn it over to God!  The Bible says that we plan our course, but the Lord directs our steps.  Maybe we know where we want to go, but just can't seem to get there.  If we will just put our faith and trust in Jesus, he will direct our steps.  He can turn our failures into success.

Dear Lord, help us to remember that you can turn our failures into successes if we will trust in You.  Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

It's Empty!

So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" John 20:2 (NIV)

As you can see, I have a glass with some juice in it. There are two ways of looking at this glass of juice. Some people would look at the glass and say it is half empty. There are others who would look at the glass and say it is half full. (Drink all of the juice in the glass.)

Well, we solved that problem, didn't we? Now everyone who looks at this glass would say that it is empty, but guess what? Everyone still wouldn't look at the glass in the same way. Some would look at the glass and grumble and complain because it empty. Others would look at the glass and see it as a glass just waiting to be filled with good things to drink. I guess there are always different ways to look at any situation.

On the Sunday morning after Jesus was crucified, a woman named Mary went to visit the grave where the body of Jesus had been laid. When she got there, she found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb. She ran to find someone to tell them what she had seen. She found two of the disciples, Peter and John, and she said to them, "They have taken our Lord out of the tomb and we don't know where they have put him."

The three of them immediately ran to the tomb. When they got there, they all saw the same thing, but they didn't all look at it in the same way.

Peter looked and was curious. The Bible says Peter went in the empty tomb and looked around. He saw strips of linen laying around and the cloth that Jesus had been buried in folded neatly and placed where the body had been. "Hmmm, very interesting," Peter might have said to himself.

Mary looked and was sad. The Bible tells us that Mary didn't even go inside the empty tomb. She just stood outside the tomb and cried because she feared that someone had stolen the body of Jesus.

John looked and believed. The bible says that John went inside the tomb and he saw and believed. Now, I don't know exactly how much John understood, but I think he believed that Jesus had risen from the grave just as he said he would.

Three people -- they all saw the same thing -- one was curious, one was sad, and one believed. I think that is pretty much the same way people react to the story of Jesus today. Some people hear the story and they are curious, others hear it and think it is sad, others hear it and believe. How do you look at it?

Dear Lord, today we look into an empty grave. Help us all to see and believe that Jesus has risen just as he said he would. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Keep Your Life In Tune


Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path. Proverbs 23: 19

This morning we have a very special treat. We have a special guest who is going to play a song for us on his guitar. (Introduce your guest. He then starts to play, making sure to hit a lot of wrong notes and play very badly out of tune.)

Wait, wait! There is something wrong here. I've heard you play before and I know you can play very well. There is something wrong and I think I know what it is. You forgot to check and make sure your guitar was in tune before you started playing. You see, children, every time he plays, he must first make sure his instrument is in tune. Let's let him check and tune his guitar. (Tune the guitar.) Now try it again. (This time he plays beautifully.) That was much better, wasn't it?

Daily living is very much like playing the guitar. You have to check every day to make sure that your life is in tune. Every time you do something that makes God unhappy, that's a sour note. Maybe you fuss with your brother or sister...that's a sour note! Maybe you say something that isn't true...that's a sour note! When you don't obey your parents...that's a sour note. The Bible says that you should keep our heart on the right path. That means you need to keep your heart in tune with God!

Dear Lord, help us to keep our heart in tune to the things that you want us to do, and Lord, forgive us when we hit a sour note. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

A Round TUIT


There is a time for every activity, a time for every deed. Ecclesiastes 3:17

I am so excited! I found something that I have needed for a long time. It is so great, I wish I had one for each of you. Here it is! Do you know what it is? Can you read what it says on it? It says, T-U-I-T, TUIT. This as a round TUIT!

Now that I have a round TUIT, I will be able to do all of those things that I have been putting off until I got around to it. You know, like when your mother asks you if you have cleaned up your room and you answer, "No, I haven't gotten around to it yet." Or she asks you if you have studied for your spelling test, and you say, "No, but I will just as soon as I get around to it." We all need to get a Round TUIT, don't we?

The Bible says, "There is a time for every activity, a time for every deed." That means a time to work, and a time to play. A time to study, and a time to watch TV. God expects us to make good use of our time. He doesn't want us to just fool around until we get a Round TUIT.

Dear Lord, help us to make good use of the time that you have given us. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Preparing the Way


A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain." Isaiah 40:3-4 (NIV) Also, Mark 1:2-3

Does your family have any travel plans during the Christmas holidays? Do any of you ever go to visit out-of-town family or friends? We did when I was a little boy.

Some of my fondest childhood memories of the Christmas holidays were times when we went to visit my grandmother. I don't know how many times we made that trip to my grandmother's house, but there was always some part of the highway that was being repaired. There were signs that said, "Slow Down -- Construction Ahead" and we would see road graders, gravel trucks, and a lot of men working on the highway. I always thought to myself, "What a nice highway this will be when it us finished it and there is no more construction." That was many years ago and I still travel that highway from time to time. Guess what? They are still working on it! You see, by the time they finish working on one part of the highway, there is another place that needs to be repaired! Even some part they have repaired before may need to be repaired again. They will never finish working on it.

The childhood memory of those holiday trips to grandmother's house reminds me of the story of the first Christmas. The Bible tells us that God sent a man named John to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus. John told the people to make a highway in the desert for their God. He told them to make the crooked ways straight and to make the rough places smooth. John wasn't really talking about building a highway upon which Jesus could travel. He was really talking about the hearts of the people. He was calling people to prepare their hearts to receive Jesus so that he could walk among them and live with them.

During this special season of the year when we celebrate Jesus' birth and look forward to the day when he will come again, you and I need to make sure that we are ready. We need to look into our hearts and ask God to make our crooked ways straight and smooth out the rough places. Oh, I know, we have done it before, but it is just like that highway to grandmother's house, the job is never finished. Every day we do things that we shouldn't do and we need to ask God to forgive us and to make our hearts clean.

Dear Father, prepare our hearts for Jesus' return. Make our crooked ways straight and our rough places smooth. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Junk Food Christians


Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Ephesians 6:10   He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might, He increases strength.  Isaiah 40:29

Do you see this bag?  It is called "a brown bag."  Now, a "brown bag" is what we used to take our lunch to school in when I was a boy.  Hardly anyone had a fancy lunch box like children use today.  Our mothers would save sacks from when she went to the store and use them as lunch bags.  Kids who took their lunch to school in one of these bags were called "brown baggers."  See my name on it?  That was important, because every kid in school had a lunch bag just like mine.

Let's see what I have for lunch in my brown bag today.  Here are some chips.  Oh, and here are some cookies.  Let's see what else....here is a candy bar.  Hey, do you think my mother would pack me a lunch like this?  No way!  This is all junk food!  Do you know what would happen to me if I ate a steady diet of junk food like this?  I would become weak and sickly because this junk food does not have the vitamins and nourishment needed to grow a strong, healthy body.   Our bodies need the nourishment we get from meat, bread, fruits,  and vegetables.  No one can survive for very long on a junk food diet.

No one would think of feeding their body a steady diet of junk food.  And yet, many people feed their minds with a steady diet of junk food every day.  They feed it with TV, movies, comic books, magazines and other junk.  They never give their minds the real nourishment that it needs to be strong and healthy.  They never feed it with the Word of God.  The Bible says that our strength comes from the Lord, and that comes to us through His Word.

Lord, help us to remember that just as our bodies can't survive on junk food, neither can our minds.  Help us to remember that our strength comes from you, and that to learn about you, we need to feed on your Word.    Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

In God's Hands


Isaiah 41:10, Philippians 4:13

Preparation: Beforehand, prepare at least two things to happen when you point a remote control in that direction.. Get the person in charge of the lights to dim and brighten the lights when you point the remote at them. Get the pianist to play a short song when you point the remote at him/her.  In our church, the youth group sits in the center section right down front.  After doing the first two things mentioned here, I said, “I wonder if I can get our youth group to stand with my remote control?”  Even though I had not coached them, they stood and sat down “on cue” as I pointed the remote at them.

Good morning boys and girls. [Pull out the remote control.] I’m sure that all of you recognize what I have with me this morning.  It is a remote control.  We have remote controls that can turn on our TV, change the channels, and turn the volume up or down.  I have a remote control that can open my garage door.  I even have a remote control on my key chain that can unlock my car door, open the trunk, or honk the horn.  Just about anything you think of can be made to work by remote control.

Do you think I could make those lights dim with my remote control?  (Point the remote control at the lights and the usher hits the dimmer switch.)  Wow, that was great wasn’t it?  Do you think I could get that piano over there to play a song with my remote control?  (Point the remote at the piano and the pianist begins to play.)  Hey, this remote control really works, doesn’t it?  Hmm….I wonder if I could make all of those young people sitting over there stand up with my remote control?  Hey, this remote control is really great.  If I lay my remote control down over here, do you think I can get it to do anything?  You are right, I can’t.  Before my remote control can do anything, it has to be in my hand.

Did you know that you are like a remote control?  You are.  God has some special things for you to do in your life -- some really special things. But the only way you can do them is if you are in God’s hand. To do what God wants us to do, we must place ourselves in God’s hands. Let’s pray now that today we would put our lives in God’s hands so that He can use us to do some very special things this week.

Dear Lord, help us to remember that we need to put our lives in your hands so that you can use us to do the things that you have created us to do.  Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 The Stone Was Rolled Away!


After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.  And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.  His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.  For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men.  But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said.  Come, see the place where he lay. Matthew 28:1-6

As all of you can see, I have a great big trunk with me this morning.  How many of you would like to see what is inside?  Okay, gather around and I will unlock the trunk and open it so that you can see what is inside.  Look! The trunk is empty!  When I was a little boy, we would sometimes have special assembly programs at school.  One of my favorites was when a magician would come and put on a show.

As you may know, in those days, a magician always had a "beautiful assistant."  One of my favorite tricks was when the magician would put his beautiful assistant into a trunk like this one.  Then he would lock the trunk and tie ropes around it.  Then, as we watched with great anticipation, he would untie the ropes, take a key and unlock and open the lid of the trunk. As I'm sure you know, when he opened the trunk, it was empty.  The magician did not open the trunk so that his assistant could get out of the trunk, he opened the trunk so that we could see that it was empty.  Then, to our amazement, his assistant would appear on stage as we clapped and cheered with delight.

On the Sunday morning after Jesus was crucified, two women named Mary went to visit the tomb where Jesus had been buried.  When they arrived, there was a great earthquake and an angel came and rolled away the huge stone that had been covering the entrance to Jesus' tomb.  He sat on the stone and said to the two women, "Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay."  You see, the stone was not rolled away so that Jesus could get out of the grave, it was rolled away so that his followers could go in and see that the tomb was empty.  The magician making his assistant disappear was just a trick, but the empty tomb of Jesus was not a trick -- Jesus had risen, just as he said he would!  Today we celebrate the fact that the stone was rolled away -- not so Jesus could come out, but so that we could see that he has risen from the grave, and because of his victory over death, we can enter into eternal life with him.

Dear Jesus, we are thankful that the stone has been rolled away -- and because the grave is empty, we can enter into eternal life with you.

[Rookieupgrade1]

PR,

I just tripped and fell into a whole new area of resources for our youth group!!

I have only skimmed a handfull of these and they are great............I'll use some of them if I may.