Chapel Talks for Christian Children Originally released for 2002 2003 Featuring 42 lessons on word pictures of the Bible NORTHWESTERN PUBLISHING HOUSE Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. The NIV and New International Version trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society. Use of either trademark requires the permission of International Bible Society. All hymns, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal. Copyright 1993 by Northwestern Publishing House, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. All rights reserved. Order of Service copy masters may be reproduced by the purchaser; however, no other part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise except for brief quotations in reviews, without prior permission from the publisher. Northwestern Publishing House 1250 N. 113th St., Milwaukee, WI 53226-3284 http://www.nph.net 2002 by Northwestern Publishing House
Editor s Preface Chapel Talks for Christian Children was designed as a worship tool for use with children. It can be adapted to a variety of settings and applications, including Christian elementary schools, Sunday schools, vacation Bible schools, and children s sermons. Each chapel talk includes an object lesson with a summary of how it might be presented, a Bible truth, and several applications. A short order of service also accompanies each lesson and may be duplicated for distribution among the worshipers. Permission to copy the order of service is automatically granted to the purchasing organization. Such permission is not transferable. This series of 42 chapel talks focuses on word pictures that are developed throughout the Old and New Testaments. Worship leaders may want to create a permanent bulletin board display on which children can post collections of artwork depicting these beautiful metaphors of the Bible. Children s art might also be used to adorn the covers of the service folders. May the Lord of the church bless you and the children he has given into your care as you use this valuable Bible resource. KJK Acknowledgments Chapel Talks for Christian Children is a joint project of the WELS Commission on Parish Schools and Northwestern Publishing House. We gratefully acknowledge the dedicated efforts of the writing team that created these lessons: Katrina Brohn, Beth Dobberstein, Jennifer Raasch, and Wendy Schibbelhut.
Table of Contents Devotion Bible Text Scheduled Use 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Exodus 20:11 Psalm 103:2,3 Matthew 5:13 Exodus 15:6 Hebrews 10:7 Hebrews 11:30 John 6:35 Exodus 17:15 9 1 Peter 2:4-7 10 11 Psalm 31:2 Jeremiah 24:7 12 13 14 1 John 3:16 1 Peter 1:3,4 1 Peter 2:24 15 16 17 18 John 4:35 Isaiah 52:8 Hebrews 1:8 Revelation 1:8 19 1 John 1:5 20 21 22 Numbers 24:17 Ephesians 5:2 Ephesians 6:13,17
Devotion Bible Text Scheduled Use 23 24 25 26 27 28 Hebrews 4:12 Ephesians 6:16 Ephesians 6:14 Ephesians 6:14 Ephesians 6:14,15 Daniel 9:3-5 29 1 Peter 2:21 30 Matthew 20:28 31 2 Corinthians 4:7 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 Hebrews 10:19,20 Matthew 9:12 John 1:29 Revelation 3:11 Isaiah 61:10 Isaiah 40:11 Isaiah 25:6 John 4:10 Hebrews 12:22 Ezekiel 37:5 Hebrews 11:16
The Sabbath Exodus 20:11 Suggested for Pentecost 13 Visual Materials a large calendar a pillow Object Lesson Show the calendar to the children. Ask: What is this, and what is it used for? To what special place do people go on Sundays? Some people go to church on Thursday or Saturday night too. The day of the week is not important. Setting aside a special time for Jesus is important. Show the children the pillow. Ask: What do we do with pillows? What do you think going to church and resting have in common? Just as we go to church, the people in the Bible celebrated the Sabbath. The word Sabbath means rest. Bible Truth Exodus 20:11 says: [God] rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Since the beginning of time, God has wanted his people to set apart a special day to rest. Throughout the Old Testament, God gave specific instructions on how to keep the Sabbath holy. The people were not allowed to work or even cook. Chores were finished on the day before the Sabbath. On the Sabbath Day, the believers gathered to worship, to thank God, and to ask him for forgiveness. In the New Testament, God also wanted his people to rest. However, the Christians were no longer forbidden to work. God sent Jesus to fulfill the rules of the Old Testament Sabbath. By dying on the cross, Jesus gives everyone true rest, the forgiveness of sins. God wants us to rest. During the week we are busy with school, TV, the computer, and sports. God says to take a break and come to his house for rest. We can also give rest to our souls with a daily devotion. When we know Jesus and the peace he brings with his forgiveness, our hearts are at rest. 1 Discussions and Applications 1. How can we give our faith a quick spiritual nap at home? 2. What can happen when we are tempted to get rest only for our bodies and not for our souls?
CHAPEL TALKS FOR CHRISTIAN CHILDREN Leader: As children of God, we worship the Lord our Savior. Children: Let us unite our hearts and voices to praise his holy name. SONG OF PRAISE All Things Bright and Beautiful Cecil F. Alexander ROYAL OAK & # 4 4 œ œ œ œ & # œ All things bright and œ œ œ œ w œ œ œ œ œ beau - ti - ful, All œ œ œ œ œ crea - tures great and & # œ œ œ œ œ œ won - der - ful, The small, œ All things wise and œ œ œ œ w Lord God made them all. THE MESSAGE The Sabbath [God] rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy (Exodus 20:11). Leader: Dear Jesus, thank you for giving us the opportunity to worship you. Help us set apart a special time for you so that our faith will be strong and well rested when we study your Word and worship you with our songs and our prayers. Hear our prayers as we pray in Jesus name. Amen. HYMN As We Begin Another Week As we begin another week, In Jesus name your grace we seek. God, grant that through these seven days No evil may befall our ways. And keep with angels in your rest The endless Sabbath of the blest. Grant this to us through Christ, your Son, Who reigns with you upon your throne. PSALM 122 Leader: I rejoiced with those who said to me, Children: Let us go to the house of the LORD. Leader: Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem. Children: May there be peace within your walls. Leader: For the sake of my brothers and friends Children: I will say, Peace be within you. PRAYER REQUESTS THE LORD S PRAYER (spoken together) OFFERINGS OF LOVE FOR JESUS Leader: Now, children, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord with gladness. The grace of our Lord + Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Children: Amen.