This Children’s Sermon was written to accompany a sermon January 20, 2019, based on the scripture John 2:1-11, the story of Jesus turning wash water into wine for a wedding in Cana. The minister focused on our worth to God, just as we are. The series of sermons is called Rooted- how we are rooted in our faith, in our worth to God, etc. One of the goals of this Children’s Sermon was to help children think about what it means to be rooted in our faith.

Good morning, girls and boys. Do you know what I have to show you today? It’s a root from a cedar tree. When I was about in about 3rd grade, my dad, who is a scientist, took this out of a peat bog, where it had been preserved a long, long time. Other scientists estimated that it is about 10,000 years old, so it’s been around thousands of years before Jesus was even alive!

Before it was a mass of roots that my dad pulled out of a peat bog, it belonged to a tree. A cedar tree that looked like this.

If we were a tree, what would our roots do for us?    1) collect water and nutrients- to grow       2) Helps it stand tall and not fall over

I could ask you as a person- what roots you? How do you get your water and nutrients so you can grow?  And what helps you stand tall and not fall over? (Allow children to respond.)

Last week and for the next several weeks we’ll be talking about being ROOTED– in our faith, in our baptism, in all sorts of different ways. If I asked you, “What roots you in your faith?” that could mean, “What helps your love of God grow?” “What helps keep your love and belief in God, stand tall and not fall down?”

One thing that roots my faith is that I know how much God loves me and you and everyone on earth. The Bible says that God knows and loves each one of us, no matter what we do or don’t do. We’re important to God. When I have a bad day where I make wrong choices or hurt people’s feelings, I can ask their forgiveness and I can ask God’s forgiveness and I know God will give it. God will help me do better. This helps me grow and helps me stand tall. When you’re loved, you can make it through anything. We are loved. We’re rooted in LOVE.

Let’s pray: Dear God, thank you for helping us grow our love for you. Thank you for helping us stand tall when hard things happen. We love you, God. Amen.