Valentines Week Sermon: The Heart Test

This message comes from 1 Samuel 16:7: …God does not see the same way people see. People look at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart.

Tell the story of 1 Samuel 16 in your own words. Then talk about how David became king because he had a heart for God. God cares more about us having a heart for Him than he does about how you look, or how talented or popular you are. God chose David because of his heart. In 1 Samuel 13:14, God calls David a man after His own heart.

This Valentine’s Day, challenge your children to have a heart for God by giving them “The Heart Test”.

Have you asked Jesus into your heart?

When you look for me with all your heart, you will find me. (Jeremiah 29:13 NIRV)

You can’t have a heart for God unless Jesus is living inside your heart.

What you say shows if you have a heart for God.

For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.” (Matthew 12:34-35 NKJV)

If you say things that please God and help people, that shows you have a heart for God. If you say mean things or curse, you might not have a heart for God.

What you spend your time and money on shows if you have a heart for God?

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21 NKJV)

If you have a heart for God, you’ll want to spend time with Him and you’ll want to give to Him and others.

Are you passionate for the things of God or lukewarm?

So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. (Revelation 3:16 NKJV)

God wants us to be excited about praising Him, reading our Bibles, going to church, and praying.

Do You Live In Sin and Unbelief?

So brothers, be careful that none of you has an evil, unbelieving heart. This will stop you from following the living God. (Hebrews 3:12 ICB)

If we have a heart for God, we won’t want to sin or doubt anything in God’s Word.

Check the Word to see what is in your heart?

God’s word is alive and working. It is sharper than a sword sharpened on both sides. It cuts all the way into us, where the soul and the spirit are joined. It cuts to the center of our joints and our bones. And God’s word judges the thoughts and feelings in our hearts. (Hebrews 4:12 ICB)

If you are still not sure if you have a heart for God, ask God to show you through the Bible.

Do you follow the most important commandment?

Love the Lord your God. Love him with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. (Mark 12:30 ICB)

Challenge your students to make a commitment to love God with all their heart.

Fun, Simple Games For Children’s Ministry

If you’re looking for some games with little planning that you can do when service runs over, here are a few you can use.

Mummy Game:

Supplies: 2 rolls of toilet paper.

Choose 4 children for each team. One child on each team is the mummy. Start some music. The teams have until the music stops playing to wrap their mummies. The team with the best looking mummy wins.

Application: Mummies in the movies are dead, but they walk around and act like their alive. Scripture tells us to be alive in Christ and dead to sin. When we do that, we can be “spiritual mummies”.

Jesus says:

Suppies: None

Similar to Simon Says only you say Jesus says.

Application: We should always obey Christ and do what He says.

Get Rid of Sin:

Supplies: Beach Balls

Have children divide up into two teams. Each teams sits or stands on their side of the room. Throw the balls out evenly and start the music. Tell the children that the balls represent sin. They want to get rid of them and bounce them to the other side. When the music stops, the team with the least balls wins.

Application: Just as we tried to get rid of those beach balls, we should get rid of the sin in our lives.

Fruit Basket:

Supplies: Chairs formed in a circle. You should have one less chair than the number of kids.

Go around the circle and assign each child a fruit. Apples, Oranges, Bananas, Grapes, Pears. If there are less than 15 kids, only use three fruits. The child standing in the center of the circle is it and calls out a fruit. When a child’s fruit is called, he has to stand up and find another chair. When a child calls fruit basket, all the children have to find other chairs.

Application: Fruit of the Spirit

Ready to Serve Christ Children’s Church Object Lessons and Sermon

Today, I’m posting three object lessons and the sermon for the lesson, Ready to Serve Christ. This will conclude the lesson. I hope you find it useful in your children’s ministry.

Focus Point: God wants us to be Ready to Live For Christ, Expecting God to move and Determined to share the Gospel.

Goal: Children will learn to look for opportunities to serve God with boldness.

Focus Verse: Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13

Object Lesson #1: Police are always ready

Items Needed: A police badge or hat and a walkie talkie.

This is a police badge or hat. Police officers train to always be ready. They learn to fire a gun and to drive a car fast. They also learn how to act in every situation that comes up. They are always ready to act. If a robbery happens, they know exactly what to do. If a man is speeding, they are ready to react if the man turns out to be a car thief who pulls a gun on them. They don’t have to think about what to do. They know what to do because they have been trained for every situation. We should always be ready to do the right thing – to do what God wants. If we train to be Christians by learning the Word of God, praying praising and going to church, we will know what God wants us to do and we will be ready to do it.

Police officers also carry radios like this one. They always are listening to the radio so that they are ready to move if a crime happens. We should always be listening to the Holy Spirit. He will warn us when we are doing something that will get us in trouble. If we are always ready to listen to him, he will help us to avoid temptation.

Object Lesson #2: Fire Fighters Expect to Move

Items Needed: Fire fighters hat or badge.

Fire fighter are always expecting a fire. Whether they are sleeping, eating or watching TV, they are always listening for the alarm so that they can move quickly. We can always expect God to move in our lives. We can expect His Spirit to move in church services. We can expect Him to help us. We can expect Him to answer our prayer. Just as a fire fighter is always expect a fire. We can always expect the fire of God to move in our lives.

Object Lesson #3: Doctors and Nurses are Determined

Items Needed: Doctor’s bag, stethoscope or white coat.

Have any of you ever seen a TV show about an emergency room. If you have, you know that when a patient is in a crisis, doctors and nurses are determined to save the patient’s life. They will do whatever it takes to save the patient. They will work for hours on their feet without taking a break to save the patient. We need to have that determination to share Jesus with our friends who are not saved. We need to be willing to do whatever it takes to help others know about Jesus and to lead them to Christ. It’s not easy. Sometimes people make fun of Christians. Sometimes they don’t want to listen. But we should have the same determination that doctors have when they want to save a patient.

Sermon: Code Red

Christians are ready, expecting and determined.

Are you ready to do what God wants in you’re life?
Are you expecting God to move when you pray?
Are you determined to do whatever it takes to live the Christian life and to share Jesus with others

Lead the children in a prayer of dedication.

Ready To Serve Christ Children’s Church Lesson Bible Story

Today, I’m posting a way for you to teach the Bible story for the lesson, Ready to Serve Christ. At the end of this week, I’ll start posting object lessons to use with this lesson.

Focus Point: God wants us to be Ready to Live For Christ, Expecting God to move and Determined to share the Gospel.

Goal: Children will learn to look for opportunities to serve God with boldness.

Focus Verse: Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13

Bible Story: Disciples who were Ready, Expecting & Determined

Acts 3:1 – 4:30

Today’s Bible Story uses word interaction. The children say something whenever you say certain words during the story. Rehearse these words with the children several times before telling the story.

Peter and John: Say men of courage are ready.

Preach or heal: Say I’m expecting God to move.

Saved: Say Praise the Lord

Council: Stand up & say We are determined and we’re not backing down.

After the day of Pentecost, two of the disciples, Peter and John (men of courage are ready) were so excited that they went around preaching (I’m expecting God to move) to everyone about Jesus. One day as they were going into the temple, Peter and John (men of courage are ready) saw a lame beggar. He asked Peter and John (men of courage are ready) for some money. Peter and John (men of courage are ready) immediately began preaching (I’m expecting God to move). They told him that they had something better than silver and gold. They had the name of Jesus. They commanded him to rise and walk. The beggar immediately was healed (I’m expecting God to move) and began jumping and leaping and praising God.

When everyone saw the healing (I’m expecting God to move) of the beggar, they surrounded Peter and John (men of courage are ready). Peter and John (men of courage are ready) preached (I’m expecting God to move) to the crowd about Jesus and about how they could be saved. About 5000 people were saved (Praise the Lord). But as Peter and John (men of courage are ready) were preaching, (I’m expecting God to move) the council (We are determined and we’re not backing down) of religious leaders had Peter and John (men of courage are ready) arrested. The council (We are determined and we’re not backing down) had the disciples jailed until morning.

The next day, the council (We are determined and we’re not backing down) brought Peter and John (men of courage are ready) to trial. The council (We are determined and we’re not backing down) demanded to know by what authority Peter and John (men of courage are ready) were preaching (I’m expecting God to move) and healing (I’m expecting God to move) people. Peter immediately got up and said that the lame beggar was healed (I’m expecting God to move) in the name of Jesus, and they were preaching (I’m expecting God to move) about Jesus so that people could be saved (Praise the Lord).

The council (We are determined and we’re not backing down) was amazed at the disciple’s boldness. They also realized that the lame beggar really was healed (I’m expecting God to move). But they did not want Peter and John (men of courage are ready) to preach (I’m expecting God to move) about Jesus because they didn’t want people to follow Jesus instead of them. So the council (We are determined and we’re not backing down) came up with a plan. They ordered the disciples to stop talking about Jesus, and they would let Peter and John (men of courage are ready) go.

Peter and John (men of courage are ready) said “We will obey God rather than man.” They told the council (We are determined and we’re not backing down) that they would not back down but would continue to talk about Jesus so that people would be saved (Praise the Lord). They immediately went out to preach (I’m expecting God to move) about Jesus, and they prayed for courage to do what God wanted them to do.

Ready to Serve Christ Children’s Church Lesson Memory Verse

Today, I’m posting a way for you to teach the memory verse for the lesson, Ready to Serve Christ. At the end of this week, I’ll post a Bible story to use with this lesson.

Focus Point: God wants us to be Ready to live the Christian life, Expecting God to move and Determined to share the Gospel.

Goal: Children will learn to look for opportunities to serve God with boldness..

Focus Verse: Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13

Memory Verse Activity

Items needed: Memory verse overhead, Posters with each word of the verse on a separate poster.

Have posters scattered all over the room. Each poster has one word of the memory verse. One poster has the memory verse reference. Say the verse with the children a couple of times.

Christianity is not for wimps. A Christian is Ready, Expecting and Determined at all times. That is why it is important to be on our guard against temptation to do wrong. We also need to stand firm in our faith or our belief in Christ. To do this we have to be strong and courageous. We must also train just as emergency workers train to do their jobs.

A Christian trains by learning the Word of God, praying, praising, and going to church. Just as a police officer without training would not know how to guard against being caught unaware by a bad guy, a Christian who does not train, can’t stand firm when the enemy comes against him.

We are going to do some training right know. When I say Emergency, I want you to get out of your seats and find a poster with a word on it. Then I want you to bring it to the front and put the words in order to make today’s memory verse. I will time you.

Have them do this 2 to 3 times.

The more you played this game, the easier it became and you became faster at it. The more you train to be a Christian by praying, praising, learning the Bible, and coming to church, the easier it will be to Stand Firm in the faith and to live the Christian life.

Ready To Serve Christ Children’s Church Lesson

For the next couple of weeks, I will be posting a full children’s church lesson you can use in your children’s ministry. Today, I’ll post the opening. In the next couple of weeks, I’ll add games, skits, object lessons, memory verse prompts, and a Bible story that all go with this children’s church lesson theme. The lesson is Ready to Live For Christ.

Focus Point: God wants us to be Ready to live the Christian life, Expecting God to move and Determined to share the Gospel.

Goal: Children will learn to look for opportunities to serve God with boldness..

Focus Verse: Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13

Opening:

Good morning. Did any of you get ready to come to church today? I’ll bet most of you did. Raise your hand if you got ready to come to church in any of these ways.

For instance, did any of you set an alarm clock to wake up on time?

How many of you brushed your teeth before you came?

Did any of you take a shower or a bath?

Did any of you put on your church clothes instead of coming in what you slept in?

It looks like we all got ready to come to church. I hope we also came expecting God to move and determined to learn more of God’s Word.

Emergency workers like fire fighters, police officers and hospital emergency workers have code word that they use when an emergency happens. Whenever anyone says Code Red, emergency workers know that they need to be ready to act immediately. They expect to be needed to help someone right away and they are determined to do whatever it takes. We should do the same as Christians. We need to be ready to do what God wants. We should expect God to move when we pray. We must be determined to live for Christ.

Emergency workers are ready to jump, whenever an emergency alarm is sounded. Whenever I say, “Emergency”, during Kid’s Church today, I want you to jump up and yell “I’m ready. I’m expecting. I’m determined”. Let’s try it.

Yell Emergency a couple of times until the children get use to jumping up and saying the phrase. At various times during Kid’s Church today, yell Emergency when you think the children aren’t expecting it. You could also have a contest between the boys and the girls. See who jumps up first and yells the loudest.

Whose Thought Are You Thinking? Skit

This skit shows children not every thought that pops in their head in theirs. They can control their thoughts.

Woman comes in singing This Is The Way We Go To Church and sits down.

WOMAN: So here we are at church again?

DEMON: This is boring.

WOMAN: Did I hear something?

DEMON: I hear my own thoughts.

WOMAN: Oh, I hear my own thoughts.

DEMON: Church is boring.

WOMAN: Church is boring.

DEMON: They want me to stand up and sing those boring songs again.

WOMAN: They want me to stand up and sing those boring songs again.

DEMON: I don’t feel like praising God today.

WOMAN: I don’t feel like praising God today.

DEMON: Besides if I raise my hands and dance around, I’ll look silly.

WOMAN: Besides if I raise my hands and dance around, I’ll look silly.

DEMON: What a boring sermon.

WOMAN: What a boring sermon. That’s an interesting point. I never knew you could control what thoughts you listen to.

DEMON: That can’t be true.

WOMAN: It has to be true if it’s in the Bible. Maybe I should think more about God and about praising Him.

DEMON: That’s stupid. I don’t want to praise God.

WOMAN: Maybe I should decide to praise God whether I feel like it or not.

DEMON: No I don’t want to praise God.

WOMAN: I praise you Lord whether I feel like it or not because I know you are worthy of praise. I ask you right now to help me renew my minds so that my thoughts please you. I love you Lord. I’m going to fill my mind with scripture and with Christian music so that my mind is renew even more. I’m not going to listen to the lies the devil puts in my mind. I’m not going to conform to the pattern of the world. I’m going to feel my mind with God. I feel so much better now. Thank you Lord.

DEMON: Oh no. She’s not listening to me anymore. I better try to find someone else to plant thoughts into.