Keep awake! A children’s sermon for the first Sunday of Advent

What you need

Bring an Advent wreath and a flashlight small enough to hide behind your back. The church’s own wreath works well if the children can gather near it; otherwise bring a small one. Do not light candles where children crowd close. If an acolyte lights the first candle earlier in the service, point to it. A Bible marked at Mark 13:37 is helpful too, so the children can see that the words come from Scripture.

This talk fits the First Sunday of Advent in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary (November 29, 2026), when the Gospel reading is Mark 13:24–37. It also works on any Sunday when the first Advent candle is lit.

The talk

(Invite the children to come forward and gather near the Advent wreath. Keep the flashlight hidden behind your back.)

Good morning! Look at this. What do you see? (Let them answer: candles, a circle, green branches.) That’s right. This is an Advent wreath. Today is the first Sunday of Advent. Advent is the time when the church gets ready for Christmas.

Who here is waiting for something? (Let them answer: Christmas, a birthday, snow, a visit from Grandma.) Waiting is hard, isn’t it? Sometimes it feels like the day will never come.

Jesus told a story about waiting. A man went away on a long trip. He gave each of his helpers a job. And he told one helper, the doorkeeper, to keep watch by the door. Why? Because nobody knew when the man would come home. Maybe in the evening. Maybe at midnight. Maybe very early, when the rooster crows. Maybe in the morning.

Have you ever tried to stay awake really late? (Let them answer.) It’s hard! Your eyes get heavy. (Give a big yawn.) And it gets very dark.

(Bring out the flashlight and switch it on.) What helps when it is dark? (Let them answer.) A light! If I were the doorkeeper, I would want a light like this one. I could see the door. I could see the road. And I could see who was coming home.

(Open the Bible to Mark 13.) At the end of the story, Jesus said this: “What I tell you, I tell all: Watch!” Jesus said that to his friends long ago. And he says it to all of us. That means you, and you, and you, and me too!

(Point to the first candle on the wreath.) In Advent we light one more candle each week. Many churches call this first candle the candle of hope. Hope is like my flashlight. It is a small light in a dark place. Hope means we know something good is coming, even before we can see it.

What good thing are we waiting for? We are waiting for Christmas, when we remember that Jesus was born. Jesus came to bring God’s light to everyone. And we wait with hope for the day God makes the whole world right.

So this Advent, let’s keep awake! Keep your eyes open for God’s light. You might see it when someone shares, or helps, or says, “I’m sorry.” Every time you see love, you are seeing a little bit of God’s light.

A question to ask the children

Ask: “What is something good you are hoping for?”

Children may name Christmas, presents, snow, or a visit from someone they love. Some hopes are tender: a grandparent who is sick, a parent who is far away, a pet that died. Receive every answer with care, and say: “Thank you for telling us. God holds your hopes with you, and God’s light is with you while you wait.”

If you have more time, ask a second question: “Where could you shine God’s light this week?” Children might say they could help at home, share a toy, or be kind to someone who is sad.

Closing prayer

Ask the children to repeat each line after you.

Dear God,
thank you for the light of hope.
Help us stay awake
and watch for your love.
Come, Lord Jesus!
Amen.