Scripture: Genesis 7
Supplies: Imagination and a fun spirit
Remind the children of how Adam and Eve made a mistake that caused the world to be an unhappy place where people didn’t treat God or each other the right way.
Begin by asking the children if they know what an ark is. They may respond by stating that an ark is a boat or something that Noah built. Validate and affirm these answers while also incorporating the larger meaning of an ark, which is a box that holds someone’s greatest treasures.
Tell the children that God wanted to save the world from the bad things that were happening. God decided to send a flood to clean the earth of evil. Before the flood came, God asked Noah to build a huge boat—an ark. Then God told him to gather all the animals (because God had created them and loved them) and put them in the ark to keep them safe during the flood.
Invite the children to stand and walk around the sanctuary with you, imagining it as one large ark filled with animals of every kind. As you reach different areas or sections in your sanctuary, ask the children what animals they imagine are there.
When the children answer, invite the congregation to make the appropriate noises of the animals the children name. Use phrases such as, “I wonder if we can hear the animals?” or “Adults, can you show me your best impression of a zebra?” If applicable, don’t forget about the members in the balcony (in my experience, children usually refer to the balcony as monkeys) or choir (invite the children to name an animal that sings sweet music).
As you finish your tour of the ark, mention that God also put humans on the ark to protect them and keep them safe. God trusted humans to take care of all God’s animals. It was a pretty important job!
Close with a prayer of thanksgiving, thanking God for caring for and protecting all the animals and Noah’s family. Thank God for trusting humans with caring for God’s creations.
This post originally appeared in Live the Stories: 50 Interactive Children’s Sermons.
