Children’s Message – Imagine That!

Scripture: Genesis 1:26-27

Props: Picture of ancient graven image, refrigerator art of person, sketch pad, photo

Has anyone here met the President of the United States?  Do you know what he looks like?  How do you know what he looks like if you haven’t met him? [Talk about, show pictures]

What about Mickey Mouse [You may need to substitute more currently recognized cartoon character]– has anyone met him?  Tell me what he looks like. [You may try drawing their description, exactly as they say it, pretending you have no idea what MM looks like, making obvious errors]

Before the time when they had cameras to take pictures, seeing a drawing was the only way people would know what others looked like.  Now this is a drawing my grand-daughter made of her grandmother.  Do you think that looks like her? [Substitute your own “refrigerator” art here, preferably of someone the children know or who is in worship] Now in the time that the Bible was written the people didn’t even have paper as we know it, so they would make statues of the kings and the many gods they worshiped. They would be made out of stone or metal, often gold.  These were called images, and they were made so that all of the people would know what the king or god looked like.  Now we know that there is only one true God and that is our God in heaven.  Our God wanted everyone to know what He was like too, but He didn’t want people to find out by looking at some statue or picture that a person made with their hands.  That’s why one of the Ten Commandments says that we are not supposed to make any graven images of God.  He wanted everyone to know what He was like by how we acted towards the people around us. Our Bible verse says that God made each of us in His image. He made us in His image.  He made us to be like Him. He wants us to make an image of Him with our hearts, not something out of wood with our hands.  This week and every week, every time you are around someone else, think about what that person is learning about God by watching you.

Prayer: