Remembering Peace

KiDZ Message

Prop: Highlighters (have them available for kids who didn’t get one yet)

SLIDE - KiDZ Message

Lesson

Happy second Sunday of Advent!

After today, we only have 2 more Sundays before Christmas and 1 more before your pageant!

How many of you remember what we do during advent?

Advent is the season where we get ready to celebrate that Jesus was born. It’s getting ready for Christmas!

One of the most important things we do during Advent, to get ready for Christmas, is we Remember.

We remember all the amazing things that we have because of Jesus.

Last week I have everyone a highlighter because highlighters help us to do what? Remember!

Give highlighter to anyone who hasn’t recieved one yet.

Now, serious question. How many of you have seen something wrong happen?

Something like someone lied and got away with it, or someone hurt someone else and didn't get in trouble.

Did that feel good to see? No, of course not.

Whether something bad is done to you, OR you see something bad happen to someone else, you feel bad about it.

It’s a good thing to feel bad about bad things being done. but you know what’s better?

When wrongs are made right. We have a word for that. It’s PEACE

Jesus is really good at making peace.

But sometimes, when we see wrong things, we forget to turn to him for help and guidance.

Way back in the day the country of Egypt had made God’s people slaves. It was wrong, and they asked God for help. And guess what God did?

That’s right! He set them free. He created peace, and promised he would give them a new place to live.

But, before they went into the new land, God gave them something to do. a special ritual, kind of like our giving liturgy, to help them remember.

It’s kind of like a highlighter for God’s story. Highlighting a time when God created PEACE

And you can do the same thing. Next time you see something wrong done, you can remember how God rescued his people, and turn to him to rescue you.

Candle Lighting

Here is where these candles come in.

Move to advent wreath

Each of these candles help us remember an amazing thing we have because of Jesus.

And each week I want to share a verse from the bible that you can practice remembering.

SLIDE - Psalm 29:11

Today the verse is Psalm 29:11 “The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.”

Today as we light the Peace candle, we remember that God has helped his people over and over again throughout the years. We remember that he came into this world by sending his son Jesus to save us.

Let’s all say this out loud to highlight it in our minds. “The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.”

Now, you will be heading back to prepare for your pageant, but also ask your grown ups to help your memorize Psalm 29:11, so that you can keep it highlighted in your mind.

PRAY

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Main Sermon

SLIDE - Title

Onramp

What are your waiting rituals?

When you are anticipating something that isn't here yet, what do you do with the time?

Unfortunately, I have found myself getting into a bad habit of scrolling on my phone while waiting.

Some waiting rituals are unhelpful like that. That’s just disconnecting from the discomfort of waiting.

But there are other options. Options that help us wait well.

A good waiting ritual doesn't just pass the time. Instead it helps us prepare for what’s to come.

In Advent we are waiting to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

So, while we wait, we are taking this time to remember what his birth has already done.

each week we are remembering a story of How Jesus has made a difference in the life of someone in our church community.

And today, we are going to particularly remember Jesus’ ability to create peace.

Exposition

The passage we read today is instruction to the people of Israel.

Like I told the kids, God has rescued Israel from immense injustice, and God knew that it would only be a matter of time before they forget and try to handle things on their own.

God taught them to do this ritual.

1 - Take the best of what you earn each year, your top 10%

2 - Bring it to the church (or at this time the temple)

3 - Say a line the shows you remember what God did “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. 6 But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, subjecting us to harsh labor. 7 Then we cried out to the LORD, the God of our ancestors, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. 8 So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. 9 He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey;”

4 - Bow down before God

5 - Celebrate this with your community

Before I invite up _________________________ to share their testimony, I want to invite you to take a moment.

Think back on a time in your life when God righted a wrong.

Remember that it was God who made that wrong right.

By doing so, he created peace where there was conflict.

This is what we can do while we wait

SLIDE - “We Remember Peace”

Testimony:_TO BE DETERMINED_ GAIL OR SAM? Sherri?

Conclusion

Pray for the person and everyone who heard.

My prayer is that this story has show you God’s power to create peace today.

If you have a story of how God created peace that you would like to share, then mark it on your connect card

If you would like to become a Christian and commit your life to Jesus today, then mark it on your connect card