Children need to understand the power and importance of prayer, but it can be a challenging topic to teach. This message describes the way that Jesus has prayed for us and encourages children to recognize that God helps us pray. The illustration involved uses an object that requires tools and assistance to fix, in order to share with kids how God gives us tools and assistance to communicate with Him.
Law/Gospel Theme: Jesus has given us all that we need, including a method through which we can communicate with Him! He gives us demonstrated examples of how to pray, and He has prayed for us as well. Sometimes we don’t know how to come up with the right words to pray, but we know He helps us with that, too. We can rest assured that He cares for us and is with us in all things.
Optional Materials: Item in need of repair or adjustment in some way; tools required to fix or change the item.
Bible Passage: John 17:6-19
More Teaching Ideas:
- Watch the video demonstration of this children’s message and related Bible craft ideas
- Compare our full Sunday School Lesson on John 17
- Compare another Children’s Sermon on Jesus’ Prayer for his Disciples
Message: Feel free to use an item that works best for you in this illustration. It could be a puzzle or challenge that requires special instructions, or something that needs opened or fixed using tools. The idea is to need a little help and equipment.
Children’s Sermon (John 17:6-19) Jesus Gives Us Tools for Prayer
Greet the children, with some sort of item that needs fixed or requires tools…
Hello, children of God! Do you help out at home? Maybe you have chores that you do around the house on a regular basis. Have you ever received a task that felt almost impossible? Maybe you had to do something that was a lot more difficult than your usual responsibilities, and maybe it seemed like you would never accomplish it.
Well, I have something here that I need help with. I have this (item of choice; in this case a clock that needs new batteries) clock, and it doesn’t seem to be working quite right. Can you help me fix it? Here, give it a try! (show the clock, but don’t yet reveal how to adjust it.) Well, I guess you might need a little something else to help…This clock needs batteries. But as you can see, you’ll also need a tool to get the battery compartment to open up. I’m happy to help you. Here, you can have this screwdriver to open the little battery hatch. And here are some fresh new batteries to put inside. If you need extra help, I can show you how to get it opened and closed. We can work together to take care of it! So what might have seemed “impossible” is made much easier with the right tools and a little bit of advice, huh?
You know, sometimes in our lives we are faced with tasks that seem almost impossible. Life becomes very challenging in a lot of ways. There’s great news, though: Jesus gives us the tools we need to get through those tough times. We know that He has given us the greatest gift of all in salvation through His blood. But He has also provided us with a special tool that allows us to communicate with God. What do we call that? Yes, prayer! Prayer is a powerful and essential tool that helps us get through life’s challenges. Jesus actually demonstrated how to pray several times in the Bible. He gave us examples of how we can talk to God. And He even prayed for us! In the Gospel of John, one of the last things that Jesus did before going to the cross was pray for His disciples. In doing so, He prayed for us, as well. Jesus knew that life would be difficult. He knew we would face a lot of challenges and seemingly impossible tasks. So He prayed that God would protect and comfort us. We can take joy in knowing that He has prayed on our behalf!
And we can also be glad that we have opportunity to pray, as well. We can talk to God any time, anywhere! He wants to hear from us. He loves us as His children and listens when we come to Him. Sometimes we might have trouble praying. We might not know just what to say or how to say it. There’s good news there, too. Even when we aren’t sure how to talk to God, the Bible assures us that the Holy Spirit can fill in the gaps for us. We have helpers when we get stuck! He helps us, just like I helped you with the clock. God knows what’s on our hearts, even if we lack the words to express it. He will always answer our prayers. Sometimes it might not be the answer we want, or we might have to be patient, but He does answer.
So we can be thankful that Jesus has loved us and prayed for us, and that we can pray to Him! It goes both ways and is a blessing for us. It comforts and helps us with tough tasks in our lives.
Why don’t we pray right now and thank God for that wonderful tool?
Thank you for giving us tools to pray
Help us come to you for all that we need
And remind us to pray at all times
Thank you that Jesus prayed for us
Thank you for your love
We love you, God!
In Jesus’s name, Amen!
Bible Verses/story to Reference:
“I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. -John 17:6-19