Simeon and Anna waited: a children’s sermon for the Sunday after Christmas

What you need

Bring a kitchen timer that ticks and rings. A wind-up timer is best, but a phone timer with a loud ring works too. A Bible marked at Luke 2:38 is helpful, so the children can see that the story comes from Scripture.

This talk fits the First Sunday after Christmas Day in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary, December 27, 2026, when the readings are Isaiah 61:10–62:3, Psalm 148, Galatians 4:4–7, and Luke 2:22–40. It also works on February 2, the Presentation of the Lord, or on any Sunday when the story of Simeon and Anna is read.

The talk

(Invite the children to come forward and sit with you. Hold up the timer.)

Good morning, and merry Christmas! Did you know that Christmas lasts twelve days in the church? We are still in Christmas today.

I brought something with me. What is this? (Let them answer.) That’s right, it’s a timer. What do we use timers for? (Let them answer: baking cookies, taking turns, bedtime.)

Let’s try it. I’m going to set it for thirty seconds, and we will all wait together without talking. Ready? (Set the timer. Wait together, making waiting faces. When it rings, cheer.) We did it! Was that hard? (Let them answer.)

Waiting can be really hard. Some of you waited a long time for Christmas to come!

Today’s Bible story is about two people who were very good at waiting. One was a man named Simeon. The other was a woman named Anna, and Anna was very, very old. Both of them loved God. Both of them were waiting for God to keep a promise. God had promised to send someone to help and save God’s people.

Simeon and Anna waited and prayed. They waited for days, and weeks, and years. That’s a lot longer than thirty seconds!

Then one day a young mom and dad came into the temple in Jerusalem, carrying their new baby. The baby’s name was Jesus. (Make the timer ring, or say it.) Ding! The waiting was over!

Simeon took baby Jesus in his arms and praised God. He said, “My eyes have seen your salvation!” That means, “I have seen the one God sent to save us.”

(Open the Bible to Luke 2.) Now listen to what Anna did: “Coming up at that very hour, she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of him to all those who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem.”

At that very hour! Right on time, like a timer going off. Anna said thank you to God. Then she told everybody about Jesus.

(Hold up the timer.) We all have to wait for things. We wait for birthdays. We wait to grow bigger. Sometimes we wait for someone to get well, or for a hard time to be over. While we wait, God is with us. And when the good thing comes, we can do what Anna did. We can say thank you to God, and we can tell other people the good news.

A question to ask the children

Ask: “What is something you are waiting for?”

Children may name a birthday, a visit from family, snow, or losing a tooth. Receive every answer with delight. If a child names something hard, such as a parent coming home or someone getting well, answer gently: “Thank you for telling me. God is with you while you wait, and God loves you very much.”

Then say: “Simeon and Anna knew that God was with them while they waited. God is with us too.”

Closing prayer

Ask the children to repeat each line after you.

Dear God,
thank you for Simeon and Anna.
Thank you for keeping your promises.
Be with us while we wait,
and help us tell others about Jesus.
Amen.