5-Minute Children’s Sermons

Free children’s sermons you can teach this Sunday. Each one takes about five minutes, uses an object you can find around the house or church, and points kids to Jesus.

Open any sermon below and the script is right there to read or print. No sign-up needed. Most also have a short video of the sermon being taught.

Want a set to hand out? Get 25 children’s sermons in one free PDF. It’s a free checkout on our store, and the download link comes by email.

On this page: 5 Full Sermons · More Easy Sermons · Watch Kristin · About Jesus · Trusting God · Growing in Christ · Parables · Old Testament · Holidays · Lord’s Prayer · Creative Ideas · Free PDF

Five Full Sermons to Read Aloud

Each one takes about five minutes. Read it word for word or put it in your own words. The bold words (Start, Tell, Jesus, Point, Pray) are cues for you, not lines to read. Take a screenshot or print the page to bring it with you.

Jesus Hears When We Call

Passage: Mark 10:46-52
You’ll need: Just your hands. No prep. Noise makers are a fun extra.

Start: Want to do something you usually can’t do in church? When I raise my hand, make as much noise as you can. Clap, cheer, stomp your feet. When I drop my hand, stop. Ready? Go! (Let them go a few seconds, then drop your hand.) Wow! Usually if you get loud in church, someone says, “Shh!” Today we’ll meet a man who got loud, and people told him to hush.

Tell: His name was Bartimaeus, and he was blind. Close your eyes for a second. Imagine you could never open them again. Bartimaeus couldn’t work, so he sat by the road and begged for coins. One day he heard that Jesus was walking by. So he shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Son of David was a special name. It meant he believed Jesus was the King God had promised. The crowd told him, “Be quiet!” But he shouted even louder.

Jesus stopped. He called Bartimaeus over and asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” Bartimaeus said, “I want to see.” Jesus said, “Go your way. Your faith has made you well.” Right away he could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.

Jesus: Bartimaeus asked for mercy, and that is the best thing any of us can ask for. Jesus went to the cross so that everyone who calls on him is forgiven. And one day he will make every sick body and every sad heart new.

Point: The crowd thought Jesus was too busy for a man like Bartimaeus. They were wrong. Jesus stopped for him, and Jesus hears you too. You can bring him anything: when you’re scared, when you’re sick, even when you’ve done something wrong.

Pray: (Have the kids repeat each line.) Jesus, thank you for hearing us. Have mercy on us. Help us follow you, like Bartimaeus did. Amen.

More sermons like this: Jesus Heals · Have Faith: Jairus’ Daughter · Jesus Heals a Deaf Man

Adapted from Kristin Highley’s full sermon with video.

My Help Comes from the Lord

Passage: Psalm 121
You’ll need: A phone. A map or a toolbox works too.

Start: (Hold up the phone.) Where do you go when you need help? If I get lost, I use the map on this phone. If I don’t know something, I look it up, or I call my mom. Phones are pretty helpful. But sometimes the battery dies. Sometimes nobody answers. Sometimes the internet gives the wrong answer. Every helper we have can let us down sometimes.

Tell: There’s a song in the Bible, Psalm 121, for people walking a long road up to Jerusalem. The hills were steep and the road could be dangerous. The song says, “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

Then it says something amazing. God “will neither slumber nor sleep.” Who here has to sleep at night? Me too. Your mom and dad do too. God never does. He never gets tired, he never runs out of battery, and he never misses your call. He watches over you in the daytime and at night, when you go out and when you come home.

Jesus: How do we know God really will help us? Because of Jesus. When we needed help the most, because of our sin, God didn’t leave us on our own. He sent Jesus, who died and rose again to rescue us. If God gave us his own Son, we can trust him with everything else.

Point: This week, when you need help, it’s good to ask people. But first, talk to God. He is always listening.

Pray: Lord, our help comes from you. Thank you that you never sleep and you always watch over us. Thank you for sending Jesus. Help us trust you. Amen.

More sermons like this: Elijah Hears God’s Whisper · Our Father in Heaven Cares for Us · Chosen by God for a Purpose

Adapted from Kristin Highley’s full sermon with video.

The Fruit of the Spirit

Passage: Galatians 5:22-23
You’ll need: A candy bar and an apple (any fruit with seeds works).

Start: (Hold up the candy bar.) Who has ever planted a garden? I’m going to plant this candy bar and grow a chocolate tree. Will that work? Why not? Right. A candy bar isn’t alive. People made it in a factory. (Hold up the apple.) But inside this apple are seeds. Plant one, give it time, and you get an apple tree full of apples. Fruit only comes from something alive.

Tell: The Bible says God wants to grow fruit in us. Not apples. It’s called the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Let’s count them on our fingers. Nine! Now, can you make yourself more patient just by trying really hard? It’s a little like planting a candy bar. We try, and we still lose our temper.

Jesus: Here’s the good news. When we trust Jesus, God gives us his Holy Spirit to live in us. Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches.” A branch doesn’t grow fruit by squeezing hard. It grows fruit by staying connected to the vine. The Spirit grows the fruit, and it’s his work in us. And when we fail, Jesus already paid for that on the cross, so we can start fresh.

Point: Which fruit would you like God to grow in you this week? (Let a few kids answer.)

Pray: Holy Spirit, grow your fruit in us. Make us more loving, more patient, and more kind. Keep us close to Jesus. Amen.

More sermons like this: Put on the New Self · Transformed by Christ · Spiritual Gifts

Adapted from Kristin Highley’s full sermon with video.

That’s Not Fair: Workers in the Vineyard

Passage: Matthew 20:1-16
You’ll need: A sheet of stickers.

Start: (Hand out stickers unevenly. Give one child several and the rest one each.) Hmm. Some of you got more than others. Is that fair? Kids are really good at saying “That’s not fair!” Today Jesus tells a story where grown-ups said the very same thing.

Tell: A man owned a vineyard, a big field of grapes. Early in the morning he hired workers and promised them a full day’s pay. At nine o’clock he hired more. At noon, more. At three, more. He even hired some at five o’clock, just one hour before quitting time.

At the end of the day, he paid the five o’clock workers first, and they got a full day’s pay. The early workers thought, “We’ll get way more!” But they got the same. They grumbled, “That’s not fair! We worked all day in the hot sun.” The owner said, “I didn’t cheat you. I paid what I promised. Can’t I be generous with what is mine?” Then Jesus said, “The last will be first, and the first last.”

Jesus: Jesus told this story to show what God’s kingdom is like. Nobody earns their way in. If God gave us what we deserve for our sins, none of us would want that. Instead, Jesus took the punishment we deserved on the cross, and God gives eternal life as a free gift. That’s called grace. Grace isn’t fair. It’s better than fair.

Point: (Now give every child more stickers so everyone ends up with plenty.) Look, now everybody gets the gift. When God is generous to someone else, we don’t have to grumble. We can be glad, because his grace is for us too.

Pray: God, thank you that you don’t give us what we deserve. Thank you for the free gift of Jesus. Help us be glad when you are generous to others too. Amen.

More sermons like this: Everyone’s Welcome: The Wedding Feast · The Pharisee and the Tax Collector · Adam’s Sin and Christ’s Gift

Adapted from Kristin Highley’s full sermon with video.

The Valley of Dry Bones

Passage: Ezekiel 37:1-14
You’ll need: A balloon.

Start: Do you think I can bring something to life? Watch. (Blow up the balloon, then let it go so it flies around.) Was that balloon alive? No. It moved because I put my breath in it, but it isn’t alive. What’s the least alive thing you can think of? A rock? How about a skeleton?

Tell: God gave a prophet named Ezekiel a vision. Ezekiel stood in a valley full of bones, very dry bones, scattered everywhere. God asked him, “Can these bones live?” Ezekiel said, “O Lord God, you know.” God told him to speak God’s word to the bones. And there was a rattling sound! The bones came together, bone to bone. Muscles and skin covered them. But they still weren’t breathing.

Then God sent his breath into them, and they stood up on their feet, a huge army. God told Ezekiel that his people felt like dry bones. They felt hopeless. But God promised, “I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live.”

Jesus: The Bible says that without God we are like those bones. We can’t make ourselves alive to God any more than a skeleton can stand up. But God can. Jesus died and rose from the dead, and through him God gives his Spirit and new life to everyone who trusts him. One day Jesus will raise our bodies too.

Point: Nobody is too far gone for God. When you feel sad or stuck, remember the valley of dry bones.

Pray: God, you are the one who gives life. Thank you for raising Jesus from the dead. Breathe new life into us by your Spirit. Amen.

More sermons like this: God Saves Noah, and Us · Abraham and Isaac · Moses on the Mountain

Adapted from Kristin Highley’s full sermon with video.

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More Easy Sermons to Start With

• Jesus Calms the Storm (Mark 4:35-41). You’ll need a clear cup, vinegar, oil, baking soda.
• Light and Salt (Matthew 5:13-20). You’ll need salt and a flashlight.
• Jesus Is the Bread of Life (John 6:24-35). You’ll need a loaf of bread.
• Clean Pennies, Clean Heart (Psalm 51:10). You’ll need dirty pennies and vinegar.
• Give It All to God (Mark 12:38-44). You’ll need a few coins and bills.

Watch Kristin Teach One First

Kristin Highley wrote and taught most of the sermons on this page. Her videos are for you, the teacher. Watch one on Saturday, then teach it your way on Sunday.

See all of Kristin’s videos on our YouTube channel.

Children’s Sermons by Theme

Each link opens a complete sermon or object lesson you can teach, with the Bible passage and what you’ll need.

About Jesus

• Good News: John Points to Jesus (Mark 1:1-8). You’ll need a newspaper, a letter, a phone.
• Point the Way (John 1:6-8, 19-28). You’ll need Christmas lights or candles.
• Jesus Has Authority (Mark 1:21-28). You’ll need a newspaper, a phone, a Bible.
• Jesus Heals (Mark 1:29-39). You’ll need bandages and first aid items.
• Have Faith: Jairus’ Daughter (Mark 5:21-43). You’ll need paper bags with small objects inside.
• Jesus Heals a Deaf Man (Mark 7:31-37). You’ll need a project that didn’t turn out well.
• Jesus, the Suffering Hero (Mark 8:31-38). You’ll need pictures of heroes, a cross.
• Jesus and the Rich Young Ruler (Mark 10:17-31). You’ll need a few treasured items.
• Jesus Is Reliable and True (Mark 13:1-8). You’ll need an ID card and a Bible.
• Miracles of Jesus (Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26)
• Don’t Miss Jesus (Luke 2:41-52). You’ll need household items and a cross.
• Jesus Cleans the Temple (John 2:13-22). You’ll need a special cup or book.
• Jesus Died to Give Life (John 12:20-33). You’ll need a plant, flour, a cross.
• Jesus Is the Real Thing (John 15:9-17). You’ll need an off-brand and a real product.
• Jesus Gives Us Tools for Prayer (John 17:6-19). You’ll need something broken and the tools to fix it.
• Imitate Jesus (Ephesians 4:17-5:2). You’ll need imitation products.

Trusting God

• Elijah Hears God’s Whisper (1 Kings 19:1-15)
• God Looks at the Heart (1 Samuel 15:34-16:13). You’ll need two wrapped gifts.
• God’s Big Picture (John 3:14-21). You’ll need zoomed-in photos of everyday things.
• Chosen by God for a Purpose (Ephesians 1:3-14). You’ll need simple tools or fruit.
• Our Father in Heaven Cares for Us (Matthew 10:24-39)
• Choose Life (Deuteronomy 30:15-20). You’ll need items that stand for choices.

Growing in Christ

• Put on the New Self (Colossians 3:1-14)
• Transformed by Christ (Romans 6:1-14)
• Spiritual Gifts (1 Corinthians 12)
• Adam’s Sin and Christ’s Gift (Romans 5:12-21). You’ll need a small treat.
• Act Justly, Love Mercy (Micah 6). You’ll need an offering plate.

Parables of Jesus

• Good Dirt and Good Seeds (Mark 4:1-20). You’ll need seeds, soil, cups.
• The Wheat and the Weeds (Matthew 13:24-30)
• Everyone’s Welcome: The Wedding Feast (Matthew 22:1-14). You’ll need party supplies.
• The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). You’ll need soap, a towel, a toothbrush.
• The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14)

Old Testament Stories

• God Saves Noah, and Us (Genesis 6)
• Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 22:1-14)
• Moses on the Mountain (Exodus 24:12-18). You’ll need camping gear.
• Elisha and the Army That Went Blind (2 Kings 6:8-23)

Holidays and Church Seasons

• Advent: Waiting on Jesus (Luke 21:25-36). You’ll need pictures of people waiting.
• Christmas: Elizabeth and Mary Praise God (Luke 1:39-55). You’ll need noise makers.
• Epiphany: Follow God’s Guidance (Matthew 2:1-12). You’ll need maps, a compass, stars.
• St. Patrick’s Day: Trusting God When You Doubt. You’ll need “lucky” charms.
• Easter: The Hope of Easter (John 20:1-18). You’ll need pictures of surprise victories.
• After Easter: Doubting Thomas (John 20:19-31). You’ll need pictures for strange-but-true facts.
• After Easter: Jesus Proves Who He Is (Luke 24:36-49). You’ll need a driver’s license or passport.
• Ascension Sunday (Luke 24:44-53; Acts 1:1-11)

Watch Kristin’s Easter and Holy Week playlist.

The Lord’s Prayer Series, Parts 4 to 8

• Our Ultimate Hope: Heaven (Revelation 21). You’ll need pictures of a favorite place.
• Give Us Our Daily Bread: Elijah and the Widow (1 Kings 17:8-24). You’ll need oil, flour, pantry items.
• Forgive Us: Lifting the Burden (Matthew 18:21-35). You’ll need something heavy to hold.
• Lead Us Not into Temptation (Genesis 3:1-15; Matthew 4:1-11). You’ll need a small treat.
• Deliver Us from Evil: Moses and the Red Sea (Exodus 14:5-31). You’ll need an umbrella or hat with holes.

Parts 1 to 3 and all the videos are on one Lord’s Prayer page, or watch the series playlist.

Creative Ideas

• Children’s Sermon in a Sack. You’ll need a paper sack and a mystery object.
• Popcorn: The Aroma of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:15). You’ll need a bag of microwave popcorn.
• The Egg and Salvation (Acts 3:19). You’ll need a hard-boiled egg.
• Dominoes: Kids Share the Gospel (Matthew 28:16-20). You’ll need dominoes.
• Obey Your Parents (Ephesians 6:1-3)

Free PDF: 25 Children’s Sermons

Want them all in one place to print or hand to a volunteer? Get 25 children’s sermons in one free PDF. It’s a free checkout on our store, and the download link comes by email.

A Note from Tony

I spent ten years as a children’s pastor at a small church, and I’ve taught plenty of mixed-age rooms. You don’t need a stage or a script you’ve memorized. You need one passage, one object, and one point about Jesus.

I really value churches that still open the Bible, look kids in the eye, and tell them about Jesus, and not just try to play a video.

Tony Kummer, founder of Ministry-to-Children

New to Children’s Sermons?

A children’s sermon is a short Bible message for kids during the main worship service. The kids come up front, you show one object, read the passage, and make one point about Jesus. Then you pray and send them back to their seats or on to kids’ church.

Looking for more? Our sister site, Sunday School Works, has more free children’s sermons and Bible lessons.