Novemeber 3,

2024
Rules to Live By
Theme
Love is God’s greatest commandment.
Scripture
Mark 12:28-34

Object
A familiar board game with rules

Do you enjoy playing games? (Pause for responses, and invite children to
shout out their favorite games.)

I especially enjoy getting together with family or friends and playing

games. Sometimes we play card games or board games. This is one of
the games I like to play. (Show the game.) Before we play, we always
explain the rules so everyone will know how to play the game. (Invite kids
to share some of the rules to the game you showed them.)

Have you ever played a game with someone who didn't follow the rules?
Touch your nose if your answer is yes and touch your ears if your answer
is no. (Pause for responses.) Do you always follow the rules? Touch your
nose if your answer is yes and touch your ears if your answer is no.
(Pause for responses.)

There are rules we must follow in the game of life, too. I have the
rulebook right here. (Hold up the Bible.) To really enjoy life the way God
intended, it is important to follow His rules in the Bible.

During Jesus’ time on earth, religious leaders liked to sit around and
discuss the law. They would sometimes ask Jesus questions about the law
to try to trick Him into saying something that would cause people to turn
against Him. One day, they were questioning Jesus, and He answered
them with one good answer right after another. One Jewish teacher asked
Him, "Of all of the commandments, which is the most important?"

Jesus answered him, "The most important one is this, 'Love the Lord your
God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and
with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as
yourself.' "

There are a lot of rules in this book. It may sometimes be difficult to

remember all of them. If we can just remember to obey the two
commandments that Jesus said were the most important, all of the rest
would follow. Then we would enjoy life the way God intended it.

Dear God, please help us to love You with all our hearts and to love others
as we love ourselves. In Jesus' name, amen.

ART
Song: "Praise Him All Ye Little Children"
CLOSING PRAYER

Source: SERMON4KIDS
November 10,
2024
The Widow's Mite
Theme
It isn't the size of the gift that matters.

Scripture
Mark 12:38-44

Object
A small coin purse with 50 centavos in it.

Each Sunday in our worship service we take an offering. Raise your hand
if you think Jesus likes it when we put a lot of money in the offering plate.
(Pause, and then announce the number of votes.) Raise both hands if you
think Jesus likes it when you put a little bit of money in the offering plate.
(Pause, and then announce the number of votes.)

The Bible says, one day Jesus went to the temple and sat down near the
place where the offerings were given. He sat and watched the people as
they came by and put in their offerings. Many rich people, dressed in fine
robes, came by and put in a lot of money. Then a poor widow came by
and put in just two small coins.

Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, "This woman has given more
than anyone. The others gave out of their wealth, but this woman gave all
that she had."

You see, Jesus is more interested in what is in the heart of the giver than
He is in the size of their gift.

I have a small coin purse. (Pour out the contents, have a child count it,
and have the child tell how much there is.) That isn't very much money is
it? But it can remind us of a little girl named Hattie and how her gift of 57
cents helped to build a great church.

One Sunday morning, the pastor of a church went outside to find a group
of children who were unable to get inside for Sunday school because the
building was too crowded. One of those children was six-year-old Hattie.
When the pastor saw Hattie, he picked her up and carried her into the
Sunday school class where he found her a seat. He told Hattie he hoped
that some day the church would be able to build a building large enough
for all the children.

Two years later, Hattie died, and the pastor preached at her funeral
service. After the service, Hattie's mother handed the pastor a small
purse containing 57 cents. She said Hattie had been saving her pennies
to help the church build a new Sunday school building. The pastor took
the 57 cents back to his church and told the people about Hattie. The
people were so inspired by Hattie's gift that they gave faithfully until they
built a wonderful, new building — big enough for all the children who
wanted to attend.

I’m sure Jesus would say that Hattie gave more than anyone to build this
great church. Her heart was pure and she gave all that she had.

Dear Father, everything we have is a gift from You. Help us to remember

to give back to You with a cheerful heart. In Jesus' name, amen.

ART
SONG:
CLOSING PRAYER

Source: SERMON4KIDS

November 17, 2024

Be Careful Who You Follow

Theme
Jesus warns us to watch out for false leaders who will deceive us.

Scripture
Mark 13:1-8

How many of you know how to play the game "Hana, Hana, Hana, Kuchi?"
(Pause for responses.) It’s a Japanese game that is a little bit like a
combination of "Simon Says" and "Follow the Leader."

Hana is the Japanese word for nose, and kuchi is the word for mouth. I will
touch my nose three times as I say, "nose, nose, nose," but when I say
"mouth," I will touch some other part of my body such as my ear, eye, or
chin. You have to touch the part that I say -- not the part I touch. If you
touch what I touch instead of what I say, you are out of the game. Let's
try it once just for practice.

"Nose, nose, nose, mouth." (Demonstrate by touching your nose when

you say “nose” and touching your ear when you say "mouth.”)

Uh-oh! I caught a few of you. Well, that was just for practice, so nobody is
out of the game. Let's try it again.

"Nose, nose, nose, ear." (Demonstrate by touching your nose when you
say “nose” and touching your mouth when you say "ear.”)

I caught a few of you again, didn't I?

(Continue to play the game as time permits; then continue with the
lesson.)

When we were playing that game, I was trying to trick some of you into
doing the wrong thing. It was only a game, and we were just having some
fun, but there are times when people try to trick us into doing the wrong
thing. Jesus warned about people like that.

One day, Jesus told his disciples to be careful not to let anyone deceive
them. He warned that there would be many false teachers who would
come teaching in His name and claiming to be Him. Jesus said that many
would be fooled.

It was fun trying to trick you in the game of "Hana, Hana, Hana, Kuchi,"
but it isn't any fun to see people tricked into following false teachers
instead of following Jesus. It is important to know what Jesus really
teaches in the Bible so we won’t be tricked.

Dear God, help us to read our Bibles each day and follow Jesus’ teachings.
Guard us from those pretending to be Jesus. In Jesus' name, amen.

ART
GAME
BIBLE SCAVENGER HUNT:

Let children have a scavenger hunt with items on a list that the teacher
will provide for each team. The BONUS points will be for the team/s that
find a BIBLE and brings it back to the teacher in the least time! To make
the game a little more meaningful, the teacher can have a certain Bible
verse for the team to find and read to the class.

SONG
CLOSING PRAYER
Source: SERMON4KIDS
November 24, 2024
Crown Him King
Theme
Christ is the King

Scripture
John 18:33-37

Object
A crown

The crown is a symbol of power and authority. Who do you know that
wears a crown? (Pause for responses.) A king or queen wears a crown,
right? Being a king is different from being the president of a country. A
president is elected by the people, but a king isn’t elected, he is born to
be king.

Have you seen the movie "The Lion King?" As a lion, Simba was born to
be the "King of the Beasts." Simba sings, "I Just Can't Wait to Be King."
Simba was anxious to become king because he didn't want anyone telling
him what to do. He also wanted to tell everyone else what to do.

Simba had a poor idea of what it means to be a king. The real role of a
king is to look after the needs of his people. A good king is more
concerned with caring for his people than he is in being served.

During His last days on earth, Jesus was arrested and put on trial. When
asked if He was a king, Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a
king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world."
(Pass around the crown).

Yes, Jesus was a king, but unlike Simba, He was only interested in doing
the will of His Father, God. He was born to be king, but His kingdom is not
on this earth -- it’s in heaven. He only came to earth to make a way for us
to live with Him in heaven.

Jesus "just can't wait to be your king." He has invited you to enjoy eternal
life in His heavenly kingdom. Will crown Him as your King today?

Heavenly Father, we thank You for sending Your Son to be our Lord and
King. Help us today, and every day, to honor Him, obey Him, and follow
His will for our life. In Jesus' name, amen.
ART
ALPHABET SOUP
SONG
CLOSING PRAYER

Source: SERMON4KIDS