Where Your Heart Is . . .

Children’s Chapel

August 7, 2016
Proper 14C

Welcome: Children will enter quietly and sit together on the floor. Welcome all children and ask if there are any new friends today. Remind children of good listening skills (Sit on the floor with hands to yourself, eyes on speaker, ears open, mouths in closed position.)

Theme: Treasure in Heaven        

Introduction: Last week we talked about treasure and how trusting God with our treasure brings us joy and love. Let’s put on our thinking caps and think again about what treasure is. When you have an idea, raise your hand (allow answers.) All of your answers are right! A treasure can be anything we see that is valuable such as jewels, or money, or gold. Treasure may also be something that is very important to us such as our favorite blanket, or stuffed animal. A treasure may even be something that we are good at, like being able to play soccer really well or being able to paint or sing. Even people can be a treasure to us! In today’s Bible story, Jesus again talks about our treasure. Let’s listen to what he says in the Gospel of Luke.

Bible Reference (Read Aloud)

Luke 12.32-34

³²“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. ³³Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. ³⁴For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Response: Jesus tells us that God enjoys giving us many blessings or treasures. These blessings are always freely given to us and we don’t ever have to do anything to earn God’s gifts of love, joy, and grace. These treasures such as joy, love and grace are things that no one can ever take from us. These are treasures from heaven. God asks us to share our treasure with others, but sometimes that is not always easy. We may be distracted by things of the world that we think we may need, or we may think we need to keep anything we have as a treasure just for ourselves. But God says, when we trust in him with our treasure  we are filled with greater treasures from heaven that can never be taken with us. When our heart is filled with God’s love, God shines his light through each of us and gives us strength to share our treasures with others. I wonder how we can be filled with God’s love. Did you know that God enjoys spending time with each one of us? Just as you spend time with your mom and dad and brothers and sisters and friends, we can also spend time with God. What are some ways we spend time with God? (Allow answers.) We can pray to God, we can read God’s words in the Bible, we can sing to God, we can see God in nature and in other people. As we spend time with God we are also trusting in God with our treasure. We are strengthened by our relationship with God and we receive God’s treasure of love, joy and grace in our hearts.

Let us now bow our heads and pray.

Pray: Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us heavenly treasures of your love, grace and joy. Help us to grow in our relationship with you and strengthen us as we continue to trust you. Amen

Response Activity: Treasure in Heaven Craft