Children’s Message Rejoice with Gladness Zephaniah 3 for the Third Sunday of Advent
Note: During the season of Advent, messages and lessons will include a unifying focus that coincides with the four themes of the Advent Sundays (hope, peace, love, and joy). Additionally, each week a Christmas song will be featured, which also incorporates the theme.
Main Objective: In this message, children are encouraged to consider the importance of joy and what it means to rejoice. As the third lesson in this Advent series, the focus here is on the joyful anticipation of Christmas and how it is similar to the long-awaited Messiah. In the Bible, prophets foretold the coming of Christ and promised a restoration for the people. This message brought hope in a time of darkness. As people of God today, we also can rejoice in knowing that God restores us and promises His constant presence and salvation. That understanding gives us joy all year long!
Law/Gospel Theme: This passage from Zephaniah offers an excellent balance of God’s justice and mercy. The people of God had sinned, and were experiencing the consequences of that. However, God provided assurance that there was renewal and restoration at hand. This was possible through Jesus Christ. Without knowing who or what the Messiah would look like, the Israelites had reason to rejoice, knowing their sins would not be remembered forever. This is our hope, too, as people of God redeemed by Jesus.
Zephaniah 3:14-20 Children’s Sermon- Rejoice in Restoration
Optional Materials: Items representing Christmas or another time that would bring joy.
Bible Passage: Zephaniah 3:14-20
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 exciting Christmas joys…If using this message outside of Advent season, adapt to suit your needs.
Hello, children of God!
You know, we are getting pretty close to Christmas now! Christmas is a wonderful and joyful season, don’t you think? What are some things that you look forward to at Christmas time? Take some suggestions. Then, as you discuss, hold up items that might represent different holiday elements. Do you like decorating and looking at other decorations that people put up on their houses? I think that’s fun. Or maybe you enjoy gathering with family and friends, or singing special songs and eating fun foods, or going to special church services. Do you have an Advent calendar full of chocolates to count down the days? Or, of course, one of the big thrills of Christmas is…presents! Are you excited to see what’s waiting under the tree for you this year?
I think having these things to look forward to at Christmas is helpful for us. Our Christmas season takes place during a season that can be a bit cold, dark, and dreary. Having bright colorful decorations and gatherings to anticipate helps us to have hope in the midst of that. Despite outside circumstances, we know that something good is happening, and we can be joyful even in the darkness. This truth applies to our lives in other ways, too. When we have good things to expect and get excited about, we can cling to joy no matter what else is happening.
This also reminds me of the very first Christmas. God had promised to send a savior, but the Israelites had waited many years for Him to come. They looked forward to it, but they had no idea how long it would be before the Messiah came. Prophets assured the people that God would be faithful to His promise and that the rescuer was coming. One of these prophets was a man named Zephaniah. Zephaniah unfortunately had to tell the people of Jerusalem that they had made a lot of mistakes and done things wrong. For that, God would punish them. There were consequences for rebellious and stubborn behavior.
However, the prophet had a message of joy for the Israelites, as well. God wasn’t done with them yet! In fact, forgiveness and blessing were on the way. God would not judge and deal harshly forever. Zephaniah called the people to sing and rejoice, because God was with them and had a plan to restore them, making them new and clean again. In fact, a passage in the book of Zephaniah says that God would “rejoice over you with gladness and exult over you with singing” (3:17). That’s pretty amazing when you think about it. Of course we should rejoice and praise God with songs, but did you know He rejoices over us, too? We are His beloved creation. Even though the people had messed up, they weren’t doomed. And how would God’s plan be fulfilled? In Jesus! Zephaniah’s words were not just a reassuring message but a prophecy about Christ. In Him we have life and joy. Through Him God makes all things new.
For the people of Zephaniah’s time (many years before Jesus), there were a lot of hardships and challenges that came as a consequence of sin. God in His justice punished the Israelites. But the prophet Zephaniah spoke comfort that God would not remain angry. He would give good things to His people and provide for them. Of course, He did. He sent His son to redeem us.
This is the joy and assurance we still have as Christians. We know that we are saved by the blood of Christ. We still make mistakes and disobey, but there is hope. God is with us and rejoices over us. He offers us Heaven one day. We can look forward to a life with Him there, and we can enjoy a life with Him now. That joy will last long after the decorations are put away and the presents are unwrapped. We have joy in Jesus every day!
Let’s pray now and thank God for the joy of knowing His son…
Prayer:
(Have kids repeat each line)
Dear God,
Thank you for restoring us
And saving us from sin.
Help us to rejoice in you
And share your joy with others.
Thank you for your love
We love you, God!
In Jesus name, Amen!
Bible Verses/story to Reference:
Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away the judgments against you;
he has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall never again fear evil.
16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Fear not, O Zion;
let not your hands grow weak.
17 The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.
18 I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival,
so that you will no longer suffer reproach.
19 Behold, at that time I will deal
with all your oppressors.
And I will save the lame
and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
and renown in all the earth.
20 At that time I will bring you in,
at the time when I gather you together;
for I will make you renowned and praised
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
before your eyes,” says the Lord. -Zephaniah 3:14-20