Children’s Message on John 18 on “Jesus is the King of all Kings.”
Main Objective: Children answer to various authorities in their lives, and are well aware of people who are in power of countries. This message reminds them that Jesus is the ruler over all things. He is king not just of one place, but every place, and not just temporarily, but for all time. The Lordship of Christ was prophesied long before He lived on Earth, but He was and is in authority always. The kingdom of Jesus Is not just of this world, but of Heaven and the spiritual world also. He is king of all things!
Law/Gospel Theme: Jesus came to Earth to live and die for us…unfortunately, there were many alive at the time who did not recognize the significance of who He was or what He was doing. They expected a ruler who might free them from political oppression or overthrow the human powers of the time. Jesus came to be king, but He did so by service and sacrifice. He came to free us from the powers of sin and death. This message reminds us all that Jesus is king of Heaven, and king of our hearts.
John 18:33-37 Children’s Sermon- Jesus Christ is the King of all Nation
Optional Materials: Pictures of people in power (presidents, monarchs, etc.).
Bible Passage: John 18:33-37; 2 Samuel 23:1-5; Psalm 93:1-5
Message: 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.
Greet children and discuss rulers.
Hello, children of God!
Did you know that I’m the President? That’s right, I’m in charge. I make the rules! You better listen to me. Okay, you’re probably thinking that I am not actually the president, and you’d of course be right to think so. In fact, it would be ridiculous for me to make that claim, unless somehow I was actually President. Otherwise I’d look quite silly, and you might even want me to talk to a mental health professional. But who is the president? In the United States, we have a president as the leader of the country. Currently, the president’s name is…display a picture of the current president and describe who it is. To become president, you run a campaign, and then get elected by the votes of the people. The President runs things for a term of four years, and can serve two terms, which means that he or she can be in office for eight years total. That’s the American practice. In other countries, leaders operate differently. For example, in Great Britain, the country is run by what is called a monarchy. A king or queen is in charge of things. Show pictures of the current monarch. Kings and queens are not elected, but born into their roles. Unless the king does something awful, he remains in power until he dies.
There’s another ruler we follow, though. He’s king not of a region or country, but of the world. He rules not for a few years or even for a lifetime, but for all time, past, present, and future. He always has been and always will be in authority. You might have figured out who I am talking about…it’s Jesus! He is our king, and ruler of all things. He is the one we ultimately answer to at all times. He is God, and came to Earth as a human.
Before His birth, the kingship of Jesus was prophesied. Sadly, while He lived and worked on Earth, not everyone recognized that Jesus was the king. Before being crucified, Jesus went on trial before Pontius Pilate, who was the governor. Pilate asked Jesus if He was a king. He responded that His kingdom was not of this world. Yes, Jesus was most certainly THE king, but not in the way that people might have expected. He had a different kind of reign, and His kingdom was a spiritual one. He wasn’t leader for a temporary time but forever.
Knowing this, we can and should offer Jesus all of our respect and reverence. A world ruler deserves honor, and in their presence people often use special language or gestures. We should be giving Christ all of that veneration and then some! We worship Him above all else. We might not always love the temporary leaders of the country, and even the greatest of them are still human. But Jesus is not just a powerful ruler. He is a compassionate and caring one. He loves us and provides for us at all times. We can pray to Him, sing to Him, and celebrate that He is our great king!
Let’s pray and thank God for our wonderful king Jesus…
Prayer:
(Have kids repeat each line)
Dear God,
Thank you for giving us Jesus
He is the king!
Help us to keep Him king of our lives
We want to serve you with all we have
Thank you for your love
We love you, God!
In Jesus name, Amen!
John 18:33-37 Meaning for Kids
So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” -John 18:33-37
(Secondary passages to reference)
Now these are the last words of David:
The oracle of David, the son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man who was raised on high,
the anointed of the God of Jacob,
the sweet psalmist of Israel:
2 “The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me;
his word is on my tongue.
3 The God of Israel has spoken;
the Rock of Israel has said to me:
When one rules justly over men,
ruling in the fear of God,
4 he dawns on them like the morning light,
like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning,
like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth.
5 “For does not my house stand so with God?
For he has made with me an everlasting covenant,
ordered in all things and secure.
For will he not cause to prosper
all my help and my desire? -2 Samuel 23:1-5
The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty;
the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt.
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.
2 Your throne is established from of old;
you are from everlasting.
3 The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
the floods have lifted up their voice;
the floods lift up their roaring.
4 Mightier than the thunders of many waters,
mightier than the waves of the sea,
the Lord on high is mighty!
5 Your decrees are very trustworthy;
holiness befits your house,
O Lord, forevermore. -Psalm 93:1-5