Gary Neal Hansen

Theology. It's good for you.

  • About
    • Speaking
    • Contact
    • Home
  • Books
    • Love Your Bible
    • Christmas Play
    • Kneeling with Giants
    • Review Crew
  • Library
    • Join
    • Login
  • Blog
  • Class Info: Your First Sermon
    • Your 1st Sermon — Course Login
    • Advent Lectio Divina Class Info!
      • Lectio Divina Class Log In
    • Lenten Prayer Class Info
      • Lenten Prayer Class log in
    • “Pray Like a Reformer” Class Info
      • Pray Like a Reformer Login
  • Christmas Play
  • Love Your Bible
  • Kneeling with Giants

Pentecost: A Children’s Sermon on Acts 2:1-21

May 29, 2020 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

A Children’s Sermon on Acts 2:1-21
Pentecost, Duccio di Buoninsegna (public domain)

The story of the first Christian Pentecost is full of evocative details, just waiting for a storyteller to draw them out.

If you want the children to hear only what is explicitly on the page, better than a Children’s Sermon on Acts 2:1-21, you might want to read the text to them. I think, however, it is more fun and more effective to let the biblical details spark my imagination and the imaginations of the kids.

You are, of course, welcome to make use of this in worship as a children’s sermon, or at home as a bedtime story for your kids. If you do, though, please let me know how it goes. (I’m serious. I love to hear from readers, either in the comments section below, or by email through the contact form in the top menu.)

A Children’s Sermon on Acts 2:1-21

It was fifty days since Jesus had risen from the dead on Easter morning. That day was also fifty days after the Jewish celebration of Passover. For the Jewish people, this was another big holiday, called Pentecost. People had come to Jerusalem from many different countries to celebrate the holiday.

Jesus’ disciples were not celebrating. They were sad. They were worried. They were confused.

You remember that on Easter and afterward, Jesus had appeared to show his friends that he was alive again.

But ten days before Pentecost, Jesus appeared one last time, and then he left to be with God in heaven.

Now Jesus’ disciples were on their own. They knew Jesus had given them a job to do. They were supposed to keep doing Jesus’ work in the world.

But they also knew that when Jesus did all the wonderful things he did in the world, people arrested him and killed him.

The disciples were afraid to go outside. They didn’t want to get arrested. They didn’t want people to hurt them.

The best thing they could think of was to stay together. They had a big room where they could hang out.

Sometimes they prayed. Sometimes they sang songs. Sometimes they talked about what they should do.

“I think we should go out!” said Peter.

“But I’m scared!” said James.

“Let’s just stay in here,” said Mary Magdalene. “We’ll think of something.”

But then, while they waited, things got a little weird.

“Hey!” said Mary Magdalene, “Peter! You’re hair’s on fire!”

“Quelle horreur!” said Peter, flapping his hands on his head to put out the flames.

“¿Qué dijiste?” asked James. He was totally confused.

“I said ‘How horrible!’ but I said it in French,” said Peter. “What did you say?”

“I said ‘What did you say?’” said James, “but I said it in Spanish.”

“Hey you guys,” asked Mary, “Woher kennst du diese Sprachen?”

“What did you say?” asked James.

“I said ‘How do you know how to speak those languages?’“ said Mary. “But I said it in German.”

“Au fait,” said Peter, “vos cheveux sont en feu!”

“What was that?” Mary asked.

“I said ‘By the way, your hair is on fire!’”

And Mary started flapping her hands on her head to put out the flames.

Well that was just the beginning. As they looked around, everybody in the room had flames above their heads.

I’ll tell you something: their hair was not on fire. The flames they saw were a sign that the Holy Spirit had come to give them strength and courage and new skills to do what Jesus asked them to do.

“Hey, I know!” said Mary Magdalene. “Now that we speak new languages, let’s go out and tell the people about Jesus! There are people in town for Pentecost from all over the world!”

And so that is what they did. They explained to the people outside that long ago, the prophet Joel had promised that the Holy Spirit would be poured out on all the people. They explained the prophet’s promise that everyone who called on God for help would be saved. And then they explained about Jesus and invited the people to become his disciples.

And a whole lot of people started to follow Jesus that day.

  • I wonder if you’ve ever felt so afraid and confused that you didn’t want to go outside.
  • I wonder if when you are afraid if you like to be together with other people — or if you’d rather be alone.
  • I wonder what it felt like to suddenly see flames of fire on everybody’s heads!
  • I wonder what it felt like to suddenly have the ability to talk other languages.
  • I wonder when the Holy Spirit gives you confidence and abilities, what part of Jesus’ work you might do.

++++++++++++

If you like this children’s sermon, please share it on social media using the buttons down below!

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Filed Under: Bible, Church Year, Ministry Tagged With: Acts 2:1-21, Children's Sermons, Pentecost

Hungry for a better way to go deeper with God?

If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my weekly(ish) newsletter -- I'll send you links to every new article, as well as updates on new projects. Just click the orange button.

Subscribe!
As a thank you, I'll send you the ebook version of my book Love Your Bible: Finding Your Way to the Presence of God with a 12th Century Monk. It's a modern introduction to an ancient, prayerful, Christian approach to Scripture.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Theology. It’s good for you.

I'm a Church historian by trade. My writing, speaking, and teaching explores the Christian past to equip today's disciples. Join me here for regular posts on the best of theology, spirituality, community, and ministry. read more…

Recent Posts

  • Walking in the Light — 1 John 1:1-2:2
  • The Myrrh-Bearing Women — Mark 16:1-8
  • Palm Sunday — Mark 11:1-11
  • Breathe: A Child’s Guide to Ascension, Pentecost and the Growing Time — A new book by Laura Alary
  • We Want to See Jesus — John 12:20-33

Search the site

Need a new and manageable way to dig into Scripture?

Find out how it can be a joy again--or maybe for the first time. Love Your Bible: Finding Your Way to the Presence of God with a 12th Century Monk is a modern introduction to an ancient, prayerful, Christian practice called lectio divina. Click the button to subscribe to my weekly(ish) newsletter with all my new articles and announcements. As my way of thanking you, I'll send you the ebook version for free.

Get my book!

Archives

Let’s connect on social media…

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Search the site

  • Community for Mission
  • Letters to a Young Pastor
  • Christianity as a Second Language
  • Role Models for Discipleship

© 2021 garynealhansen.com · Rainmaker Platform