Children’s Sermon

Acts 1:1-11

Promises!

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Acts 1:1-11

Promises!

By Dell Smith Klein

Have any of you made a promise to another person? (Give the children time to respond.) One time I promised a friend that I would come to her birthday party. My friend knew that I would be there because I had promised.

It is not a good thing to break a promise is it? Why not? (Give the children time to respond. All will agree that it’s not good to break a promise, but may need help with the, “Why not?” question. You might mention disappointment, or that it would make someone sad if we break a promise.)

We’ve talked quite a bit in the past about Jesus resurrection. You’ll remember that at first the disciples didn’t believe Mary Magdalene and the other Mary when they said that Jesus was alive. But, after Jesus visited with them in person, they knew he was alive.

One day, Jesus met with the disciples and talked with them again. That time he told them to go to Jerusalem and “wait for the promise of the Father.” (vs. 4) Of course, Jesus was talking about the promise His Father in Heaven planned to give them. He explained, “For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days for now.” (vs. 5)

His friends didn’t really understand what he was talking about, so they began to ask him about something else that was on their minds. They had been waiting a long, long time for the Kingdom to be back in the hands of their own people, and they thought Jesus might make that happen, so they asked him about those kinds of changes in government.

But Jesus wasn’t talking about changes in the government. He was talking about Holy Spirit who would forever be with the people who believed in God. Jesus explained that the disciples would be stronger once they were baptized in the Holy Spirit. In fact, they would be able to tell other people about Jesus and explain that Jesus is the Savior of the world.

And, while Jesus’ friends were watching, Jesus began to rise up from the earth and they watched until he was no longer there and they could only see clouds in the sky. Jesus had gone back to be with the Father in Heaven.

What do you think Jesus’ friends did then? (Listen to the children’s responses.) They turned right around and started to Jerusalem. Do you think they would wait in Jerusalem until the promise of the Father appeared? Or, do you think they would go on to their own homes? Yes, I agree. I believe they would wait for the promise that Jesus told them about and people would be baptized in the Holy Spirit.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for your promise. And thank you that Jesus’ friends believed you and waited for your promise. Amen.

Scripture quotations from the World English Bible

Copyright 2012, Richard Niell Donovan.