Children’s Message on James 5 and The Prayer of Faith
Main Objective: We cannot emphasize enough how important prayer is in our lives, and children need to understand this as early as possible. Sometimes we make the mistake of viewing prayer as a series of requests or a very formal practice, but we want to remember and teach that prayer should be a constant in our lives. God wants to hear from us and we can tell Him anything and everything. This message considers the encouragement we find in James, urging us to pray in all circumstances. We manage life’s challenges in a variety of ways, but should always handle with prayer!
Law/Gospel Theme: God has given us a wonderful treasure in prayer. Because of Jesus, we have direct connection with the master of the universe! We can come directly to God and communicate with Him whatever is on our hearts. 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 always.
James 5:13-20 Children’s Sermon- Pray all the time
Optional Materials: Items that might be used in a variety of life situations (things for comfort, for sickness, for rejoicing, etc.)
Bible Passage: James 5:13-20
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.
Greet the children, and talk about how we handle life’s challenges…
Hello, children of God!
You know, there are a lot of things that we deal with in our lives. And there are a lot of ways that we might handle different challenges. Hold up props to explain as you discuss. For instance, what would you do if you were sick? Probably take some medicine, or maybe eat some chicken soup. What if you had a friend who was sick? In that case, you might call them up or send a card hoping they’d feel better. What if you were feeling sad or lonely? Maybe you’d talk to someone you love or snuggle a favorite toy or blanket. What if you were happy and excited? Then you might make a joyful noise or sing a song or play an instrument. What if you were worried because you had a big test coming up? Hopefully in that case you would study a little.
All of these things are helpful, and they’re all ways that you might react to various situations. But there’s something else that you can and should do, in fact in every circumstance that you face. Do you know what that is? Pray, of course! We are to pray or anything and everything that we face in life. In 1 Thessalonians 5, it says we should give thanks and pray without ceasing. That means nonstop! In James 5, we’re told to pray for everything. Whether someone is sick, suffering, or in need. Whether we are feeling sad or feeling cheerful. Whether we’re suffering or rejoicing.
God wants us to pray. When we pray, we are talking to the master and creator of the universe, and yet He loves us and wants to hear from us. God cares about us and our needs. He is always present and always listening, and He always answers our prayers. Now, this might not always be in the way or timing we’d hope for. Sometimes God says “wait” or “no.’ But He does respond. We are His beloved children. He’s created us with all of our thoughts and emotions and wants us to bring them back to Him.
So how and when do we do it? Any time of day, and all day! 1 Thessalonians says we should pray “without ceasing.” That means nonstop! There are a lot of ways that we can pray. We can pray with a lot of people or all by ourselves. We can pray silently in our heads, or pray out loud. We can even write down prayers or draw pictures. We can pray for our own needs or the needs of others. And we can thank and praise God for His many blessings! Our words don’t have to be fancy and eloquent. God wants us to speak honestly. And sometimes we don’t even know the words to say. God can help us then, too! He will fill in the gaps when we don’t know how to communicate.
Prayer is not just about asking for things. Prayer helps us to have more of a relationship with God. We can talk to Him anytime, anywhere, about anything, and know that He listens and cares. He provides us with all that we need. And He’s given us prayer as a tool to communicate with Him. So when in doubt, pray!
Why don’t we pray right now and thank God for listening to us?
Prayer:
(Have kids repeat each line)
Dear God,
Thank you for the gift of prayer
And for caring about what we say.
Help us come to you for all that we need
And remind us to pray at all times.
Thank you for being near us.
Thank you for your love.
We love you, God!
In Jesus’s name, Amen!
James 5:13-20 Meaning for Kids
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. -James 5:13-20