What is God like? What does God look like? This children’s sermon on Moses and the Burning Bush (Exodus 3:1-15) deals with those questions in a creative object lesson for kids. Download the message notes below and then watch our teaching example. It’s everything you need to prepare for the kids message at church next Sunday.
Moses and the Burning Bush
Children’s Sermon Object Lesson from Exodus 3:1-15
Children’s Message: A Fiery Bush
Who God is and who we are
Main Objective: It’s difficult for children to grasp the concept of who God is, especially since we cannot physically see or touch Him. This lesson is meant to communicate the importance of God as a loving and know-able entity, as well as the blessing that He has given us His name.
Law/Gospel Theme: Throughout history, God protected His people and revealed Himself in various ways. The most essential way that He did so, and the way in which He bridged the gap between humanity and Heavenly, was through Jesus.
Optional Materials / Object Lesson Props: Lighter, picture of old man; cotton batting or pillow; lion/animal toy; cross
Bible Passage: Exodus 3:1-15
Bonus Ideas:
- Watch the video teaching example of this children’s sermon
- See more children’s sermon object lessons on our website
- Compare our full Moses and the Burning Bush Sunday School Lesson
- Download our Moses and the Burning Bush coloring pages
- Don’t miss our free resources for teaching the 10 Commandments to Kids
As with most messages, the details of how you choose to communicate this are adaptable and should cater to timing as well as to your audience and student needs. These suggestions are merely one possible way to demonstrate the message.
Moses & the Burning Bush (Exodus 3:1-15) Children’s Message / Object Lesson
Hello, children of God!
So I have a question for you: what do you think God looks like? People have a lot of ideas about this…what do you imagine? (Take responses)
Some people think of God as a really old man (hold up picture) like this… or sometimes people say God lives on a big cloud (hold up cotton/batting).
Some people describe Him as a roaring lion (hold up lion toy) or some other kind of animal…and a lot of times, in the Bible and in our lives, God is seen as a fire (flick lighter).
In fact, that happened to Moses in the Bible! He was out taking care of sheep, and he saw this bush that was on fire, but it didn’t burn up. When he got closer, He heard a voice coming out of the bush, telling him to take his shoes off because He was in a very special holy place.
Moses knew that God was mighty and powerful. Then God gave Moses some instructions that included some scary elements telling him how to lead the people out of slavery and into the promised land.
Moses was nervous, but God told him he would be with the people. Then Moses asked God what His name was. Do you know what God said? He said “I AM.”
This was very special. God told Moses who He was by giving him His name. That’s an important part of someone. In Hebrew, this name translates to “Yahweh”, and by saying “I am” God was promising to be with the people. He was saying He would be present with them and that He wanted to know them.
God is powerful and mighty, but He also loves each
of us and wants to know us. We might not always see Him with our eyes (which is
good, because He is so holy we might blow up!), but we can be confident He is
with us.
And you know what else? God gave us another way of knowing who He is and what
He looks like. Do you know what that is?? (Pull
out cross)
Jesus! God loved us and wanted us to know Him so much that He became one of us. He came and lived with people and was present in Christ. He even gave up His life to be able to allow us into God’s presence forever. Isn’t that great news?
We can look to the cross to remember God’s love. And we can talk to Him anytime, too, when we pray. Why don’t we say a prayer now?
Children’s Prayer Moment
Prayer for Kids
(Have kids repeat each line)
Dear God,
Thank you for your Word the Bible
And for showing us who you are
Help us to love and serve you and one another
Thank you for your love
We love you, God!
Thank you for Jesus
In His name, Amen!
Exodus 3:1-15 “Moses and the Burning Bush”
Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” 4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
7 Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. – Exodus 3:1-15