Children’s Sermon on Luke 10:1-11; 16-20.
Being and Making Citizens of Heaven – Everyone is proud of their nation and it’s birthday, this lesson reminds kids they are also citizens of Heaven because they follow Jesus.
This object lesson message is perfect for teaching on the Fourth of July weekend or any other patriotic occasion.
Main Objective: National pride can be a popular and much celebrated thing, especially nearing Independence Day or surrounding big sporting events. For some, patriotic enthusiasm can reach near-religious levels, in fact. Being a citizen has special privileges associated with it, and it’s fine to take joy in our homeland. However, we must also take care not to lose our identity as citizens of Heaven. God has made us part of His Heavenly family, and because of that we have the right to inherit His kingdom. We should remember that important truth and have a delight in sharing it with others.
Law/Gospel Theme: We have been given an important task as heirs of the Kingdom of God. We should be thankful and joyous that we are in God’s family and have been saved from sin. As a result, we should also desire to influence others to access the good news of the Gospel, as well.
Optional Materials: American flags and/or other national gear; patriotic stickers/clothing; fake fireworks or confetti.
Bonus Ideas: Some more inspiration for your teaching (offsite links)
- Watch our teaching example of this children’s lesson
- Browse all our free ministry ideas for the 4th of July
- See the message “Freedom Isn’t Free” from Sermons 4 Kids
Note: All
elements are open to adjustment. Cater to the needs and ages of your group
Children’s Message: Citizens of Heaven
Come in with American flags, patriotic paraphernalia, etc.…
Hi everyone!
So we have been celebrating our country lately, and I am ready to display some American pride. Do you know what Independence Day is about? We are honoring the time when we decided to declare ourselves a separate nation. People do that in several ways. Sometimes there are picnics and barbecues. Sometimes we have parades. Sometimes we have fireworks and special songs…What do you like to do for the Fourth of July?
Well, it is fine to have pride in our country. Being a citizen is a privilege and responsibility. Sometimes people become citizens by where they are born, and other times they take special tests and classes to become citizens. Either way, being a citizen means that we have rights and can live and work in this country. It is a wonderful thing.
Did you know
that we have another kind of citizenship, too? The Bible talks about being
citizens of Heaven. That means that our lives on this Earth are only a
temporary home. We belong to God’s family and have a home ready in His country
someday. What does that mean? We do not live in Heaven yet, but we have the
rights of being children of the King and we will gain Heaven as an inheritance.
You know what else? God has given us a special job to tell other people about
that Heavenly home. We get excited about national pride, but we should get even
more excited about Heaven. We should be so excited we want to tell our friends
and people around us about it! In the Gospel, Jesus sent out disciples to share
the news of the Kingdom with others. He warned them that some people might not
receive them well or be as eager over the message, but that He tasked them with
spreading the good news to everyone.
That is still our job today. If we are thankful for our Heavenly citizenship, we should demonstrate that by sharing our joy and Gospel knowledge with other people. We can do this through showing them love, and through telling them explicitly about Jesus and His work for us. We want to invite others to join the Heavenly citizenship, and the great news is we don’t have to do any tests or paperwork for it! We just need to trust God and the good news of His son. What a wonderful message to spread!
Let’s pray to thank God for our Heavenly hope, and ask Him to help us communicate that hope with others around us.
Prayer: Offer thanks for God’s love and adoption as Heavenly citizens,
and help in making other disciples and Heavenly citizens:
(Have kids repeat each line, if desired)
Dear God,
Thank you for making us part of your family.
Thank you for our citizenship in Heaven.
Help us understand how special that is
Please give us courage to share the good news of Jesus
With all those around us
Thank you for your love
We love you, God!
Thank you for Jesus
In His name, Amen!
Luke 10:1-11; 16-20
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
8 “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you.9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’
“Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”
18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”