Children’s Sunday Sermon
January 1, 2017
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 2017. 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? Being kind to each other is 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 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, I want you to think about something as you say those words — “Happy New Year.” I want you to think about being a little kinder in the new year 2017. I want you to think about how important all of God’s children are to you. And I want you to think about forgiving those who may have done something wrong to you in the past and 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 8, 2017
Good morning boys and girls. Today I would like to talk about a word we haven’t talked about before. The word is Epiphany. Have any of you ever heard the word Epiphany before? An Epiphany is like a new discovery. Let me give you an example. Suppose you were having a lot of trouble in school with your math work. And suppose you just didn’t understand how division works. And no matter how many times your teacher explained that 100 divided by four equals 25, you just didn’t get it! Now suppose you are at the store one day and you buy a piece of candy that costs twenty-five cents. You give the cashier one dollar and he hands you your change. You stare at the three quarters in your hand to make sure you didn’t get cheated and all of a sudden you remember your math lesson! All of a sudden it makes sense! All of a sudden you say to yourself, “three quarters equals seventy-five cents, and one more quarter would make a dollar. And since a dollar is one hundred cents, and a quarter is 25 cents, and you need four quarters to make a dollar, then 100 divided by four equals 25!
I hope I didn’t lose any of you along the way but that is a kind of Epiphany. When you see something clearly for the first time-when you understand something for the first time-when you make a certain discovery for the first time-that is an Epiphany.
In today’s Lesson, we read that the Wise Men from the East were searching for the place where Jesus is to be born. And it is the discovery of Jesus that was an Epiphany for the wise men. And today is the day that we celebrate the visit of the Wise Men to the Infant Jesus. Today we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord!
Children’s Sunday Sermon
January 15, 2017
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?
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 may 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 really been listening?
Ask yourself: Have I thought more about the needs of my family and friends and less about money and material possessions? Have you really been listening?
Ask yourself: Have I visited a sick family member or tried 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 2017- to show God, by the way you are loving that you really have been listening!
Children’s Sunday Sermon
January 22, 2017
Good morning girls and boys. There is a song that many of you may have heard of called “We are the World.” I’m sure your parents or maybe grandparents remember a song called “Put on a Happy Face.” 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 you are learning the lessons Jesus is teaching you now.
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 parents and grandparents will remember. It is called “What the World Needs Now, Is Love, Sweet Love!”
Children’s Sunday Sermon
January 29, 2017
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. A loaf of bread cost about ten times as much as it did when your grandparents were your age.
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’d rather be keeping things for ourselves than sharing with others.
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 doing more things for your parents. But, whatever it involves, Jesus wants you to pay the price, because He wants you to inflate your soul with the love of God!
