Children’s Sunday Sermon
May 3, 2009
Good morning boys and girls! Who are your favorite musicians that you like to listen to on the radio?
The Jonas Brothers? Yes that’s a popular group. Miley Cyrus? O.K. Now can someone tell me the name of your favorite song by one of them? O.K. great! Now can you tell me the words to that song? Very good — you and most everyone here seem to know all of the words to that song! You must all be good listeners!
But wait a minute! How many times have you heard your parents or your teachers say to you, “You weren’t listening!” Maybe you didn’t listen when you were asked to do your homework or your chores. Maybe you weren’t listening when you were watching TV and were called to the dinner table. Maybe you weren’t listening when you were asked to be kinder to a brother or sister, or someone who needed you. Maybe you weren’t listening when your teacher announced your homework assignments.
You see girls and boys, we can all be great listeners when we want to. The hard part is sometimes we don’t want to listen to what is being asked of us!
As a member of our Christian family there are certain things that have been asked of you like . . .
. . . being kind to your friends and neighbors.
Have you been listening?
. . . sharing with one another.
Have you been listening?
. . . being respectful of one another.
Have you been listening?
. . . giving to those who have less than you.
Have you been listening?
. . . being obedient to your parents and teachers.
Have you been listening?
. . . listening with your heart to those who need you.
Have you been listening?
. . . to Love one another!
Have you been listening?
Boys and girls, these are just a few of the things you have been asked to do as one of “God’s ministers” here on earth. And if you’ve really been listening — I mean listening with your heart — then these are things you won’t forget. You too can become a great listener, not just when it comes to your favorite music, but also when listening to the things that are most important.
A little girl was watching TV in her bedroom when her mother called out, “Michelle, come to dinner!” But the girl didn’t answer. A little bit later her mother again called out, “Michelle, come to dinner.” Again, no response. Finally, the mother shouted, “Michelle, come to dinner!” Afraid that her mother was angry, the little girl ran out of her room into the kitchen and said, “I’m Sorry Mommy, I didn’t hear you when you called me the first two times.”
Of course, that little girl really did hear her mother but she didn’t want to admit it. This week, as we go to school and spend time with our family and friends, let’s not be like the girl in that story. Instead, let’s all try to be good listeners, especially to the important lessons that God has asked us to learn!
Children’s Sunday Sermon
May 10, 2009
Good morning girls and boys! Today we read in the Bible that Jesus said, “You shall bear much fruit and then you can be my disciples.” What do you suppose that means, boys and girls?
In this case the fruit that Jesus is talking about is the good things that God has called on us to do. And if we all do these things, we will be true followers of Jesus.
Let’s think again about what some of these things are that we have talked about many times before. Being kind and considerate; listening with your heart; sharing with your friends; being obedient to your parents — yes, those are just a few of the things God has asked us to do — and that’s what Jesus meant when He said “You shall bear much fruit.”
Have any of you ever helped plant a tree? That’s great! Can anyone name a tree that grows fruit? That’s right — there are apple trees and pear trees, even banana trees. All of those trees grow the delicious fruit that we eat everyday.
One of the miracles that God has given us can been seen very easily when you plant a tree. First you start with a little seed. Then you plant it in good soil where it can grow. What else will it need? That’s right it will need sunshine. What else? That’s right, it will need water — and maybe some fertilizer. And before you know it, you’ll see a little shoot pointing out of the ground up towards the sun. I’m sure you know boys and girls that the little stick pointing out of the ground won’t have apples or pears or bananas on it. No — it still has a long way to go before it begins to bear fruit.
The tree will need to be watered — that’s a good work. It will need to have some of it’s branches trimmed — that’s a good work. And in it will have to be cared for and protected from the harsh winds or maybe the freezing temperatures– and that’s a good work. And before you know it boys and girls, after all of those good works, you’ll have a big beautiful tree — with a large umbrella of branches, and strong sturdy roots. And once it has all of those things it will begin to bear fruit.
Are you thinking what I’m thinking boys and girls? You and I are kind of like that tree. There are lots of good works we can do to help grow and bear much fruit. You already know what those things are — and the most important one of all is to love one another. And today’s lesson teaches that by doing those good works, by bearing much fruit, you will grow to become a good loyal follower of Jesus.
Children’s Sunday Sermon
May 17, 2009
Good morning boys and girls! Today we read in the Bible the most important thing that Jesus has said to us: “What I command you is this…TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER”
Wow! That’s sounds like Jesus is serious boys and girls, doesn’t it? He is commanding us! And the more we learn about what Jesus has told us in the Bible, the more we understand that it is the most important lesson of all! To love one another!
I know all of you know the words to the “Barney the purple dinosaur” song:
“I Love you,
You Love Me,
We’re a happy fam-i-ly”
That song was very popular a few years ago and maybe you are sick of hearing it so many times. But it’s a good, simple song to remember boys and girls because it says exactly what I want to talk about today. All of us here, each one of you boys and girls are part of our happy, Christian fam-i-ly. And as members of this family, Jesus has commanded us to love each other.
What do we think about when we say we should love each other? Well love makes us think about giving and sharing and caring;
It makes us think about listening to others with tenderness and kindness and gentleness and forgiveness;
It’s makes us think about considering our friends, our neighbors and family members — before thinking about ourselves.
I know many of you have a dog or a cat at home that you take care of. Think about how you feed him, and play with him and walk him. It’s your responsibility to do all of those things for your pet — and without you and the other members of your family that dog or cat would be in big trouble! I want you to know boys and girls that we are much more important to God than our pets are to us. And without that love from God that we have been commanded to share with each other — we would all be in big trouble!
This week boys and girls, every time you see a little dog or cat remember the love that God has for us and what He expects us to do with that love — share it with all of God’s family.
Children’s Sunday Sermon
May 24, 2009
Good morning boys and girls! I know it’s still pretty early in the day but I want to ask you an important question: “What have you done so far today to make someone else happy?” That’s kind of a hard questions isn’t it?
Maybe you helped your Mom or Dad around the house this morning. And I’m sure that made them happy.
Maybe you visited with one of your grandparents or other relatives. And I’m sure that made them happy.
Maybe you were nice to your brother or sister before coming to Church. And I’m sure that made them happy!
Now think about how different our world would be if every morning of every day each one of us tried to make at least one other person happy. We’d all be a lot happier I think. And boys and girls, that’s what God has asked us to do. By showing our love to each other, we will make them happy!
Hey, boys and girls — did you hear the joke about the boy who asked his father if he would punish him for something he didn’t do? His father said, “Of course not son, if you really didn’t do it.”
“Great,” said the boy, “I didn’t do my homework!”
Well I’m sure that didn’t make that boy’s father happy, did it?
Let’s try something this week — instead of being like that boy, let’s remember what we talked about today. After your evening prayers, take a minute to think if you tried to make someone happy that day. And if your answer is, “I didn’t do it,” then you better try harder!
Children’s Sunday Sermon
May 31, 2009
Good morning boys and girls! Today we are going to talk about a word you have heard many times. The word is FAITH.
What is faith? One of the meanings is the belief in something without being able to prove it. Another meaning is trust. Of course the most important meaning for us is our belief in God — our trust in God. And we can prove it!
For us members of the Christian family it can be easy to trust in God. We see signs of God everywhere. In the miracle of the plants and animals and all of the good things that God created on earth; in the love that we have for each other. But sometimes it’s not easy to have faith.
Boys and girls did you know that the radio was invented just a little more that 100 years ago? And television an even shorter time ago? And the radar that helps planes fly through the sky an even shorter time ago? And all of those inventions have one thing in common. They use something called “waves” — invisible radio and other kinds of waves to transmit music and pictures and other important information through he air. The remote control that you use everyday for your TV uses invisible “waves” to work. Amazing, isn’t it!
Believe it or not these “waves” were first discovered by a teenager named Giuglielmo Marconi who was experimenting one night in the attic of his house. Marconi believed that this invisible energy existed, and he wanted to prove it.
At one end of a table he placed something like a doorbell, and at the other end a switch. In his experiment he pressed the switch and electric sparks flew into the air and instantly at the other end of the table the bell rang — and there were no wires connecting them! Amazing, isn’t it! Marconi had discovered that he could use invisible “waves” in the air to transmit things.
Boys and girls when you turn on the radio at your house you know that music will come out of the speakers. But when Marconi pressed the switch in his experiment and expected the bell to ring on the other end he had faith that it would work. It was something that he couldn’t see, but he believed that these invisible waves did exist. And because of his faith in his experiment he made the invention of so many wonderful things we have today possible.
And it’s the same way with our faith. Through our faith in God all things are possible. We can’t see God exactly but we can see Him through His miracles — the miracle of the birds and the bees and the mountains and the moon and the stars are all signs we can see that prove the existence of God. And the biggest miracle, the biggest proof of all is the miracle of you!
Oh, one more thing boys and girls. God also created radio waves. Amazing, isn’t it!
