Compassion

OBJECTS: None

Today I wanted to introduce you to a new word: compassion. Is that a word you’ve heard before? Would anyone like to take a guess as to what it means to be compassionate? (Solicit children’s responses.)

We show compassion when we notice someone else’s problems and take steps to help solve them.

The Bible is full of stories of Jesus’ compassion – and this week’s gospel lesson is a great example. It even uses that word to describe him.

Jesus has been performing miracles and word of his power has been spreading. In this week’s story a large group has gathered hoping to be near him. The story explains that Jesus had compassion for these people – he could tell right away that they needed his help – and he sets to work teaching them. or a honeybee. You could add hundreds of things to these lists.

SERMON CONTINUES

SOURCE: Sermon Writer

Come Away and Rest

OBJECT:  Metal coat hanger

Do you ever wonder why we need to sleep? When your mom or dad says, “It’s time for bed,” you may be having a lot of fun and going to bed is not the thing you want to do right then.

Let’s talk about why rest is so important. We find, in nature, examples of what happens when things get tired. In a place where it snows, you will see snow pile up on tree branches. The snow gets heavier and heavier. We could say the tree gets tired from holding up all that snow and sometimes when that happens a branch will break. If we were able to go out and shake snow from the branch, give the tree a rest, the branch would still be attached to the tree.

Let’s think about another example––a simple coat hanger. If I twist the hanger in opposite directions, like this, you will feel the metal get hot at the spot where it is moving back and forth. We could say the hanger is getting tired and might even break.

SERMON CONTINUES

SOURCE: Sermon Writer