New Year, New Life in Christ – Children’s Sermon from John 1:10-18

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New Year, New You!  Children’s Message on Transformation through Jesus. A new year is often a time when people make goals and resolutions to transform and change themselves. However, we know that on our own we can do nothing. True change must come from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This message reminds children that we are adopted into God’s family, and we have new identity in Him. Any change we hope to achieve comes through Him and new life we have in Him. All things are possible through Christ! 

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Law/Gospel Theme: Jesus came to Earth to live and die for us, and to provide us with the opportunity to have new identity and life in Him. We cannot change or improve ourselves based on our own power, but through Christ all things are possible!

Optional Materials: Goal lists or notebooks; items representing goals (workout gear, water bottles, healthy food, etc.).

Bible Passage: John 1:10-18

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Message Note: Note: As with most messages, the details of how you choose to communicate this are adaptable and should cater to timing as well as to your audience and student needs.

Children’s Sermon (John 1:10-18) New Year, New Life in Christ

Greet children and discuss (perhaps with some distraction) some of your New Year’s goals…

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Hello, children of God! Let’s see here…what’s on my list for the year? I need to exercise more, and drink more water, and eat more vegetables, and I need to write a book, and read some books, and do my homework, and pray more, and read my Bible, and… phew. I’m already tired just thinking about this stuff! There’s no way I’ll keep this up.

Have you ever made goals or resolutions for yourself? It’s the start of a new year, and that’s a time when a lot of people try to say that they are going to improve themselves in various ways. People might try to say they’re going to work out, or eat more healthfully, or sleep more, or work harder. They think that a new calendar year means they should make changes for themselves. And it’s good to have goals. It’s good to try and improve our habits. But it can be difficult, too. Did you know that statistically, of people who make New Year’s Resolutions, only eight or nine percent actually say that they kept up and followed through during the whole year? That’s a pretty small percentage. The truth is, it’s tough to do things on our own. If we are trying to muscle through and accomplish progress based on sheer personal will power, we are likely to fail.

In fact, we really aren’t capable of doing anything on our own. To truly improve, change must come from the inside. Only in Christ can we have strength to do anything, and through Him we can do all things! As Christians, we receive new life when we are adopted into God’s family. The Bible tells us that Jesus came to make us new. All who receive Him and believe in Him are born of God, and become His children. When we believe and receive Christ, it changes Whose we are, and that changes who we are. It’s not about telling ourselves to get better or do more; it’s recognizing that God loves us and wants to be with us. God can transform our lives better than any New Year’s resolution! God can help us to achieve what we hope to do. But the most important thing we can do is seek Him. When we pray, read our Bibles, and engage in worship, we can grow stronger spiritually.

This new year, focus on being changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Exercising more or eating better are fine, but true joy comes through Jesus. Allow God to work in and through you as you embrace His love. Remember that all things are possible through Christ who strengthens you!

Let’s pray and thank God for the strength that comes through Christ…

Prayer: 
(Have kids repeat each line)
Dear God,
Thank you for sending Jesus
He is the true way to new life
We can do nothing on our own
But all things through You
Thank you for giving us what we need
Thank you for your love
We love you, God!
In Jesus name, Amen!

Bible Verses/story to Reference:

He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.    –John 1:10-18

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