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Free Workshop Rotation Model Lessons - Season 2

Children’s Sermon

Matthew 14:22-33


Jesus And Peter Walk On Water


August 13, 2023

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Year A


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ASK    (a.k.a The On-Ramp)

  • Good morning!
  • I have a plastic egg here. Nothing is in it [crack it open and show  everyone; then close it again]
  • And I have a container with water here.
  • I was thinking of putting this plastic egg in the water. If I put this egg in the water, do you think it will float or sink? [listen to their answers]
  • Thank you for sharing! Now, let's find out if the egg will float or sink! [put egg in water]
  • Well look at that – it floats! [leave the egg floating in the water, because you're going to come back to it]


TELL    (a.k.a. The Freeway)

  • In today's scripture story, we hear about two people staying above the water, just like this one egg is staying above the water.
  • Those two people were Jesus and Peter.
  • The story starts with Jesus praying by himself. And then, he goes out on the water and stays above it.
  • When Peter sees what Jesus is doing, Peter wants to do it, too.
  • So Jesus tells him to go ahead and do so.
  • At first, Peter is able to stay above the water just like Jesus did.
  • But then Peter looked at the waves and the storm and it made him afraid.
  • And, once he's afraid, that’s when Peter starts to sink into the water.
  • By looking at the storm and waves and being scared by it, Peter let the storm and the waves get inside of his heart and mind.
  • [point to the egg in the water] If we pretend this egg is like Peter, we can then see what happens when we let water inside of it.
  • [crack the egg open to let water in, and then close it back up]
  • What happens to the egg once it gets water inside of it? (it sinks into the water)
  • Which is exactly what happened to Peter, isn't it? Once the storm gets inside of him, it causes him to sink into the water.


SHARE the Good News   (a.k.a. The Destination)

  • But why didn't Jesus sink, too?
  • I think it was because he had been praying beforehand.
  • While praying, Jesus was filled with God's breath and God's Holy Spirit.
  • By being filled with God's Holy Spirit instead of fear of the wind and waves, Jesus was able to stay above the water [put second egg into the water so that you have one floating egg and one sinking egg], even when there were stormy seas and waves around him.
  • And, just like Jesus spent time in prayer to receive and be filled with God’s Holy Spirit, so can we.
  • When we spend time in prayer like Jesus did, we too can receive and be filled with God's spirit, love and peace.
  • And, when we are filled with God’s spirit, love, and peace, there’s a lot less room for the storms of life to get inside of us.
  • Which then allows us to help others during those stormy times, just like Jesus was able to help Peter in the storm in today’s scripture story.
  • And that's the good news for today. Let’s pray.


CLOSING Prayer

  • This is a repeat-after-me prayer.

Dear God,
Dear God,

Thank you for Jesus…

Thank you for Jesus…


…who shows us…

…who shows us…


…how to receive and share…

…how to receive and share…


…your help during stormy times.

…your help during stormy times.


  Thank you and Amen



Originally posted August 5, 2017
Updated on July 13, 2023

Written and edited by Nathanael Vissia



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Supplies: Two plastic Easter eggs (putty eggs from the dollar store work as well) and a clear container or clear glass with water in it (enough for the egg to sink into).

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