Children’s Sunday Sermon
April 3, 2011
Good morning girls and boys. Today we read in our Bibles that Jesus said, “I must carry out the work of the One that sent Me” (John 9:4). Of course Jesus is talking about the work that God sent Him to do here on earth. And like Jesus, we also must carry out the Work that is expected of each one of His loyal followers. We know that we must always be doing the good works that Jesus has assigned to us in the greatest instruction book ever written for living a happy life – our Holy Bible.
As one of Jesus’ loyal followers, you can be a good worker, helping to spread the healing power of God to people who need it most. You can do this good work by listening to to others with your heart, by sharing with those who have less, by being kind to someone who is feeling bad. Those are just some of the good works you know are expected of you. You know boys and girls that as students, you have certain work that you must do in school Monday through Friday, throughout the school day — and then some homework at night! And you know that your parents who work at their jobs have certain things that are expected of them during their work day, or maybe they have a job that requires them to work at night. But no matter if it’s a 25 hour school week, or a 40 hour work week, when the work day is over there is free time to spend doing other things. But it is not so for the work that God has in mind for us. No, God’s assignment for us is a seven-day-a week, twenty-four-hour a day job! That’s right! 24-7! And you have heard over-and-over again what’s the most important work of all — and that is to Love One Another! Now let’s all get to work!
Children’s Sunday Sermon
April 10, 2011
Good morning boys and girls. Almost three hundred years ago a great funeral was held for a great king of France named Louis the XIV. At that time in history the king was the most powerful of all people. At his funeral service, the Bishop of Paris was to preach the eulogy. Many thousands of people had come to the huge Cathedral, and others lined up outside as far as the eye could see. All had come to honor their great king. When it was time for the bishop to go up into the pulpit, the people expected him to speak about what a great king he was and all of the great things that he had done. Instead, the Bishop spoke just four words. He said, “ONLY GOD IS GREAT!”
We learn in our bibles today that on the Sunday before the first Easter, Jesus was being called a great King — the great Messiah sent to help His people to defeat their enemies. But Jesus was not sent to earth to fight wars. Jesus was not sent here to be an earthly king. No, Jesus was sent to earth to tell us that the way to live good lives is to put our absolute trust in the Greatness of God. Jesus our King of Kings was sent here to tell us that only God is great!
Boys and girls, as loyal followers of Jesus we live in the Kingdom of God, ruled by the Greatest King there ever was. Christ our King is not a warrior king. He is a merciful, forgiving and loving King who opens His arms and welcomes us into His life of love, forever and ever!
Children’s Sunday Sermon
April 17, 2011
Good morning girls and boys. Today I want to talk about the words, loyalty and betrayal. Can someone tell me what loyalty is? That’s right. If we are loyal to our family or to our fiends, it means that we stick by them — that we don’t say bad things about them behind their back — that we always try to help and support them — that we value them in our lives. Now how about the word betrayal? Right. It’s kind of the opposite of being loyal. When we betray someone we break the trust that we have with that person. It means that we let that person down. Boys and girls these are important words for us to consider in our Bible Lesson today. We have learned that Jesus Himself was betrayed by someone who was supposed to be one of His loyal followers. He was betrayed by one of the twelve Apostles — the first followers of Jesus who were chosen to help Him spread the Good News. He was betrayed by a man named Judas (Iscariot).
We read in our Bibles that Jesus said to His Apostles who were sitting with Him at dinner, on the night before His death, “I tell you solemnly, one of you is about to betray Me.” (Matthew 26:21). He knew that Judas would turn him over to those who wished to kill Him. He knew that one of His followers, who said he was loyal to Jesus, really was not.
Boys and girls, just like the other eleven loyal Apostles, you and I are expected to be loyal. That means we are expected to do the things that have been assigned to us in our 24 hour a day, seven day a week job as members of our Christian family. And in a way, when we stop doing the goods works that we know we should, we are betraying the message of Jesus — we are letting Him down. But remember, God is always right there by our side, ready to pick us back up just as soon as we decide that we are willing to once again be loyal followers.
Boys and girls, you all the know the game “Follow the Leader.” In the game, you are expected to do what the leader does, and if you don’t, you’re out! But if you follow the Greatest Leader who ever was you are never out! Instead, you are always in the game of life on God’s side!
Children’s Sunday Sermon
April 24, 2011
Good morning girls and boys. Happy Easter! I’m sure many of you have gone to an Easter Egg Hunt, either at home or at school. And when you got out of bed on this Easter morning perhaps you found an Easter basket containing brightly colored eggs and other good things to eat! It seems at Easter time everywhere we look we see candy eggs, or colored eggs, and egg decorations. But do you know, boys and girls what eggs have to do with Easter? Exactly what is the meaning of the Easter Egg?
For a very long time, people have thought of the egg as something very special. When you look at an egg it just seems like a solid object. But when it hatches, out comes a live baby chick or other bird. The hatching of the egg truly is a miracle! And the life it produces has become a symbol of many wonderful things. Things like springtime when everything comes alive — when the trees and grass turn green, and all of the beautiful flowers start to bloom.
It is also a symbol of Jesus. After His Resurrection, the egg became a religious symbol. And many years ago the tradition was for Christians to exchange colored Easter Eggs with each other and announce “Christ is Risen.”
Boys and girls that’s how the Easter egg — this wonderful symbol of life — became so important at Easter time.
So, the next time someone asks you if you know what the meaning of the Easter Egg is, you can say, “Yes, I know egg-zactly how it started!”
Boys and girls, this week, as you enjoy all of the treats in your Easter basket, especially the Easter Eggs, remember those special words, “Christ has Risen.” Today and every day, those words have special meaning for us because we have Jesus Christ in our hearts!
