Children’s Sunday Sermon
January 1, 2011
Good morning girls and boys. I want to wish each one of you a very Happy New Year! Of course today is New Year’s Day — the very first day of our new year 2011. And just like each New Year’s Day there will be parades and football games on television and maybe a nice New Year’s Day dinner at home. What are some of the other things we do on the first day of the New Year? That’s right — this is the day most people make their “resolutions” for the coming year. They decide to change things in their lives like quitting smoking, or exercising more, or maybe they just decide to be a little kinder to their friends and neighbors. And these are all good things, aren’t they boys and girls?
Some people have other traditions that they observe on New Year’s Day. There was a very famous writer who used to give away many of his possessions on the first day of each year. He explained that the reason he gave so many things away was to prove that he owned them, instead of his things owning him. In other words he was saying that his possessions were not the most important thing to him — instead his friends and family were more important. And that’s a valuable lesson, isn’t it boys and girls? Making our family and friends more important than money and possessions in one of the Lessons we have learned in our Bibles.
Long, long ago New Year’s Day was a tine for settling disputes with neighbors and friends. The people felt that was the best way to start off the new year. Back then, instead of greeting each other by saying, “Happy New Year,” people would shake hands and say, “Forgive me for the New Year.” Even people who had not been fighting or arguing during the year would greet one another one that day saying, “If I have done you any wrong during the past year I want you to forgive me for the new one. Isn’t that wonderful, boys and girls? Forgiving one another is one of the Lessons we have learned in our Bibles.
Today boys and girls, as you gather with your friends and family it is nice to wish them a “Happy New Year.” But today, I want you to think about something as you say those words — “Happy New Year.” I want you think about being a little kinder in the new year 2011. I want you to think about how much more important all of God’s children are to you — much more important than money or possessions. And I want you to think about forgiving those who may have done something wrong to you in the past — and for you to think about asking for forgiveness from anyone you may have wronged this past year. And if you do that, boys and girls, this year can be even happier than the last. And you will be doing the good work that God has asked of you. Happy New Year!
Children’s Sunday Sermon
January 2, 2011
Good morning boys and girls. Today I would like to start by reading a little poem — a poem about a little packet of seeds just like the one I am holding in my hand (hold up seed packet). I’m sure all of you have seen these packets in the stores, especially during the Spring-time planting season. Now let’s listen . . .
I paid a dime for a package of seeds,
the clerk tossed them down with a flip.
We have them assorted to everyone’s needs,”
he said with a smile on his lip.
Pansies, poppies, asters and peas, ten cents a
package, now pick as you please.”
Now seeds are just dimes to the clerk in the store,
and dimes are the things that he needs.
And I’ve been to buy them in the store before,
and thought of them merely as seeds.
But it flashed through my mind as I took them this time, “You’ve purchased a miracle here for a dime.”
You’ve a dime’s worth of power which no man can create, you’ve a dime’s worth of life in your hand.
You’ve a dime’s worth of mystery, destiny, faith,
which the wisest man can’t understand.
In this bright little package, now isn’t it odd, you’ve a dime’s worth of something known only to God!”1
A dime for a packet of seeds. That poem may be a little out of date because I think that a package of seeds costs a bit more today. But you know what boys and girls? This packet of seeds contains a priceless mystery know only to God. It contains the miracle of life itself. Scientist can explain many things about how a flower grows but science cannot explain how God has created the miracle of new life. That is a mystery!
This week boys and girls, as you look around at all of the places where the flowers are now dormant for the winter — remember the Spring — when the beautiful buds will start to poke through the ground. And think about the most awesome mystery of all — God’s mystery of life!
1- anonymous
Children’s Sunday Sermon
January 9, 2011
Good morning girls and boys. I have a riddle for you: What do you call a gorilla wearing ear-muffs? Anything you like, he can’t hear you.
Here’s another one: Why is tennis such a loud game? Because each player raises a racquet. Those are funny riddles, aren’t they boys and girls? And they both have something to do with what I want to talk about today — listening!
Each week we learn more and more from the greatest recipe book for living — our Holy Bible. Our Bible is filled with Lessons that Jesus wants us to learn. What are some of those lessons that we have read in our Bibles? Let me read some to you this morning:
That’s right, Jesus has asked us to be kind and forgiving and helpful to all of his children.
That’s right, Jesus has asked us to think more about our family and friends and less about money and material possessions.
That’s right, Jesus has asked us to give to others who have less than us and to visit the sick and the lonely.
Yes boys and girls you have remembered your Bible lessons, but unless you have been living these lessons then you haven’t really been listening, have you?
Now ask yourself: Have I been kind and forgiving and helpful to God’s children during the past year? Have you been really listening?
Ask yourself: Have I thought more about the needs of my family and friends and less about money and material possessions? Have you been really listening?
Ask yourself: Have I visited a sick family member or tired to be a friend of someone who is lonely. Have you really been listening?
Boys and girls, even if you said “No” to some of those questions the good news is that you can start today — in this New Year 2011— to show God, by the way you are loving that you really have been listening!
Children’s Sunday Sermon
January 16, 2011
Good morning girls and boys. There is an old song that most of your grandparents may remember. It’s called “The World is Waiting for the Sunrise.” They’ll also remember a song called “New World Coming.” These songs, and many others like them, seem to be saying that even though there may be bad things going on all around us, we can hope for a better world. And, you know, boys and girls, sooner or later, whether or not the world does get better depends a lot on you — the children of this world. And that’s because as you grow up, it will be your job to bring good into the world. And how good a job you do will depend on how well you have been listening to your Bible Lessons.
The Bible tells us that when Jesus had grown to be about thirty-years-old, a man we call John the Baptist said to his people, “Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” John the Baptist was asking his people to look at Jesus, to listen to Jesus, and to learn from Jesus what they ought to do to make the world a better place to live in.
Now, you are being asked to look at the Lamb of God, to look at the Lord Jesus, and listen to Him and learn from Him what you ought to be doing in order to make the world a better place to live in.
If I should ask you the question, “What have you learned from Jesus about how to make a new and better world, how would you answer? Some of you I am sure would have a lot to say about this. Some of your answers might even be very long. But, I am sure also, that many of you would come up with a very short answer. And this could be the best of all answers.
LOVE ONE ANOTHER!
Jesus wants you to believe in that answer and to do as it commands.
Jesus wants you to believe Him when he says that Love is the answer to the question of how to make things better in this world.
And, oh yes, there is another song most of your grandparents and great grandparents will remember. It is called “Love is the Sweetest Thing!”
Children’s Sunday Sermon
January 23, 2011
Good morning boys and girls. Do any of you know what the word “inflation” means? Ask any person your grandmother or grandfather’s age about inflation and he or she might tell you that the popcorn you buy at the movies for $3.50 once cost only twenty or thirty cents. Or a candy bar that sells for a dollar today, used to sell for only a nickel. Well, you get the idea, right: inflation means the cost of things is going up.
The people in government and elsewhere who have to deal with such things tell us that too much inflation can be bad for the country. And they try to keep it from getting out of control — they try to keep prices from getting too high.
We read in our Bibles that Jesus is also concerned about inflation. And we find that He wants inflation to go higher rather than lower. That’s because Jesus is talking about spiritual inflation.
Whether or not we are growing spiritually — getting to be better and better persons — depends on the price we are willing to pay, Jesus tells us. There are times when it isn’t easy to obey Jesus’ command to love one another.
There are times when we would rather look the other way when someone needs our help.
There are times when we’d rather make enemies than make friends.
There are times when we would rather do things our way than to do things God’s way.
In such times we must be willing to turn things around and do what is right. In such times, Jesus is telling us, we must be willing to pay the price of being the kind of person God wants us to be. And Jesus goes on to tell us that the price is never too high.
“Love one another” says the Lord Jesus. “Love one another” whatever the cost. It may involve giving something away, it may involve forgiving another person. It may involve spending more of your time with another. It may involve being more attentive to your parent’s needs. But, whatever it involves, Jesus wants you to pay the price, because He wants you to inflate your soul with the love of God!
Children’s Sunday Sermon
January 30, 2011
Good morning girls and boys. Let’s start with a riddle: What is white when it’s dirty and black when it’s clean? A blackboard.
Well you all look so nice and clean today. That means that you probably used some soap when you washed up this morning. And whether you took a bath or a shower or just washed up at the sink, to do a good job you need soap to get rid of the dirt and impurities — things that might spoil your good looks!
The people who make a certain kind of soap have a slogan that says that their soap is ninety-nine and nine-tenths percent pure. That means that there is practically nothing in the soap that is unclean.
Jesus tells us to make ourselves one-hundred percent pure in heart. That means He wants all of our thoughts and all of our deeds to be free from anything that spoils our ability to think good thoughts and to do good things. It means our thoughts about one another should be loving thoughts. And it means that we are to treat one another lovingly. It means we are to be kind to one another. It means we should care for one another in ways that show we are willing to help one another when help is needed.
And it means that our minds and hearts should be unspoiled by anything that keeps us from seeing and thinking about God who loves us with the purest love we could ever imagine!
“Blessed are the pure in heart,” Jesus tells us in our Bibles, “For they shall see God.” Boys and girls, the next time you wash your hands to keep them clean and pure, let’s also think about keeping our hearts pure and full of the good thoughts God wants us to have for one another.
