Children’s Sermon

Matthew 2:1-12

The Light

By Carol J Miller

OBJECTS:

A bag of yellow construction paper stars and a roll of masking tape.

Did you ever have all the lights go out at your house (accept answers). Did you bump into things or get confused about which way to go? It has happened to me, too. How did it feel when the lights came on again? It’s sooo much easier to get around.

Well, the Wise Men could have had a problem like that. God had told them that a very special baby had been born. But they didn’t know where to find him. Sometimes when we don’t know something, we say we are “in the dark”. So God gave them a special light to guide them to the baby. Remember what that light was? That’s right—a star. That made it easy to find baby Jesus. The Wise Men were not “in the dark.”

When Jesus grew up he taught people many things. One of the very important things he said to us was “You are the light of the world.” Jesus said that everyone who follows Him is light for the world.

When people don’t know what God is like, they are “in the dark.” They wonder if God doesn’t like them. They don’t know. They wonder how they should behave. Should they be nice to others or should they grab all they can for themselves? They don’t know.

If people don’t know what God is like and what God wants, they are (say it with me) “in the dark.”

You and I can show people what God is like by helping others, because we know that is what God wants us to do. When we help other people, we become a light that helps them to see God. When we are nice to people, that helps them to see that God loves them.

The Wise Men had their special light, but you and I can be light, too. Wow! We can show people who God is!

Here is a big star for you to wear to help us remember that we are the light of the world. (Use the masking tape to tape a star to each child’s clothing.)

You will probably be able to hear this song if you will Google, “This Little Light of Mine”