Children's Sermon (Hebrews 11:29-12:3) "What is Faith" (2024)

Children’s Message: What is Faith? Trusting God’s Promises

Main Objective: Faith can be a difficult concept for youngstersto grasp, as it is not necessarily tangible or easily explained. This messageaims to communicate to kids that we can trust God no matter what, and know thatHe will provide for us in this life and the next. It is not always easy to livefor the Lord, but we can remember His promises past and present, and trust Hewill fulfill future hopes as well.

Law/Gospel Theme: Sometimes we grow concerned that we need to “domore” for God, and that He requires certain actions out of us. The good news offaith is that we recognize our powerlessness. Faith is not about us, but aboutGod and what He has already done for us through the work of Christ. The goodnews of the Gospel is joy in knowing our Savior is powerful and trustworthy.

Optional Materials: Hidden item (toy, treat, etc.) in a paper bag

Bible Passage: Hebrews 11:29-12:3

Children’s Sermon based on the Lectionary Reading (August 18, 2019) PROPER 15 (20) Tenth Sunday after Pentecost Year C

Bonus Ideas: Some more inspiration for your teaching

• video teaching example of this message
• sermons for kids
• Object lessons on Faith
• “Faith is theKey” children’s sermon and activities from Sermons 4 Kids
• “F is for Faith” coloring page (attached below)from the Bible Alphabet series.

Note: All elements are open to adjustment. Cater tothe needs and ages of your group.

“Faith”Children’s Message & Object Lesson from Hebrews 11:29-12:3

Message: Greetstudents, and display a paper sack with a hidden item in it…

Hello! Iwant to start with a little guessing game…what do you think I have inside thisbag?? (Allow possible guesses).

Do youthink it’s…a puppy? Maybe a pillow? Why not? How about a book? Or a flower?Well, what if I told you that this bag had a cookie inside? Would you believeme? (Allow possible answers).

How couldyou know for sure? Well, I guess I could prove it to you. Why don’t I take itout of the bag? (Remove cookie/treat from bag).

Okay, hereit is! You can see it…looks like a cookie, right? You could touch it if youwanted to, and see that it feels like a cookie. You could smell it. You caneven take a bite and taste that it is definitely a cookie!

But what ifI didn’t take it out of the bag? You would have to trust me, and believe thatit was a cookie even if you couldn’t see it. You’d have to have faith that Iwas saying the truth. Do you know what faith means? (Allow responses)

The Bibletalks about faith, and says some great things about people who demonstratedfaith. The Bible says that faith is being confident and assured of things wehope for, but cannot see. Having faith means that we believe even if we cannotbe physically a hundred percent sure. Can we see God? Not necessarily…we seeevidence of what He has done and continues to do. But we cannot always see Hisface or touch him with our bodily hands.

Faith meanswe still know He is there and that He does wonderful things for us. The Bibletalks about people who demonstrated faith. There were people like Noah, whobuilt an ark in anticipation of a flood that hadn’t started yet…or there wasAbraham, who left his home to follow God; or Rahab, who trusted God when herwhole city was collapsing around her. And we can be like those faith “heroes”,too!

But do youknow the truly wonderful thing? We don’t have to do anything special to havefaith. It does not depend on us or any sort of actions we might do. Faith isnot about us; it’s about God. It is about what He has already done and what Hepromises to do. You see, trust has to do with what we are believing. To trustsomeone, it helps to know they are worthy of trust. If you know me well, andyou know I tell the truth, you might not have much difficulty believing therewas a cookie in the bag. But if you had just met me, it might be harder totrust me.

We knowthat God is worthy of our trust. He has already proven it, because everypromise of the Bible came true! Because of Jesus, we have all we need and ourlives are covered in God’s grace. That’s a pretty amazing thing to put ourfaith in.
It’s also important to know that faith gives us hope.

Sometimesour lives as Christians are not easy. Some of the people in the Bible whodemonstrated faith had extreme challenges. Some of them even died! Trusting Goddoes not mean our lives on earth will always go smoothly. But it does mean thatwe have a future hope for something greater.

We knowthat there’s a Heavenly home awaiting us, and that God has promised ussomething much better than a cookie. We trust in Him and put our hope in whatHe has already done for us. Our Heavenly treasure awaits us one day, and inthat we can place our faith!

Will yousay a prayer with me to thank God for His faithfulness?

SuggestedChildren’s Prayer

(Have kids repeat each line, if desired)

Dear God,
Thank you for being worthy of our trust
Thank you for all you have done
And for all you promise to do
Help us to have faith
And to believe in your Word
Thank you for your love
We love you, God!
Thank you for Jesus
In His name, Amen!

“Faith” Coloring Page for Children

Hebrews11:29-12:3 NIV

By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but whenthe Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.

³⁰By faith the walls ofJericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days. ³¹Byfaith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed withthose who were disobedient.

³²And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak,Samsonand Jephthah,about Davidand Samueland the prophets,³³who through faith conquered kingdoms,administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,³⁴quenched the fury of the flames,and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength;and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.³⁵Women received back their dead, raised to life again.There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection.³⁶Some faced jeers and flogging,and even chains and imprisonment.³⁷They were put to death by stoning;they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword.They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—³⁸the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in cavesand in holes in the ground.

³⁹These were all commendedfor their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised,⁴⁰since God had planned something better for us so that only together with uswould they be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us runwith perseverancethe race marked out for us,²fixing our eyes on Jesus,the pioneerand perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,scorning its shame,and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. –Hebrews 11:29-12:3

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