Children’s Sunday Sermon
May 5, 2019
Good morning boys and girls.When people have trouble falling asleep at night they sometimes try counting sheep. That’s just a way to get their mind off the troubles of the day. It’s their worries that are probably keeping them awake. Someone once came up with a better idea. Instead of counting sheep he said he “listens to the shepherd.” What does that mean? Well, you know that in our Bibles Jesus calls Himself “The Good Shepherd.” That’s because just like a shepherd who takes extra special care of his flock, Jesus takes special care of us, each member of His flock. Church members are even sometimes called “the flock.”
If one a shepherd’s sheep gets in trouble and is lost, the shepherd will search and search until he finds it and brings it back to the rest of the flock. It’s the same way when we are lost in our troubles. That’s when it’s time, like the man said, to “listen to the shepherd.” And we read in our Bibles today that Jesus asked His disciple Peter if He loved Him. When Peter said “Yes,” Jesus told him then he must go out and become a good shepherd. And that’s the same thing He asks of each of us who love Him. In other words, when one of our flock is in trouble, it’s good shepherd time for us!
Children’s Sunday Sermon
May 12, 2019
Good morning boys and girls. Today we read in our Bibles that Jesus said, “the sheep that belong to Me listen to My Voice. I know them and they follow Me.”
We’ve talked many times before about how Jesus teaches us through parables. A parable is just another name for a story that Jesus tells us so we can better understand the Lesson He is teaching. What is He saying to us in today’s parable? Is He talking about sheep, or is He talking about us? That’s right, He is talking about us. Jesus has been called the Good Shepherd and His followers are sometimes called His flock. He is telling us that as members of His loyal family of followers, as members of His flock, we listen to Him and we follow Him. And that’s just what it means to be a member of our Christian community — we listen to and follow the Voice of Jesus.
When we listen, what do we hear Him say?
Be caring and kind with one another.
Help one another.
Share with one another.
Open up your heart to one another.
These are the things that the Good Shepherd is saying, and these are the commands that we must follow, as loyal disciples of Jesus.
Jesus said, “The sheep that belong to Me listen to My Voice. I know them and they follow Me.” In other words, Jesus knows everything about us and we listen to Him. That is why we follow Him.
Children’s Sunday Sermon
May 19, 2019
Good morning boys and girls. I want all of you to take a minute now to think of someone you really like or admire. Maybe it’s a brother or sister. Maybe it’s a best friend at school. Okay, is everyone thinking of that person? Good! Now let’s think about the qualities that person has that makes them an especially good friend, or an especially good brother or sister. What are some of those things? That’s right. Kindness, caring, sharing, even a sense of humor. These are the kinds of qualities they should see in us.
We read in our Bibles today that Jesus said, “By the love that you have for each other, everyone will know that you are My disciples.” You see boys and girls it’s not enough to say that you believe in Jesus and His teachings. The important question is do you do the things that He is asking of you. Do you practice the things that He is teaching you? When a friend needs your help do you act like a loyal follower of Jesus?
When a family member is sick, or lonely or sad, do you act like a loyal follower of Jesus?
When you see a boy or girl at school being picked on or ridiculed, do you act like a loyal follower of Jesus?
Through the loving things we do for each other, God will know us as a loyal disciples of Jesus.
Children’s Sunday Sermon
May 26, 2019
Good morning boys and girls. How many of you take music lessons at home or at school? That’s great! Some of you are learning to play the piano, and some are learning the guitar. And if someone is learning to play the drums your mom and dad might have to buy some earplugs! But no matter what instrument you are learning music is a wonderful way to express yourself and to learn a fun new pastime. There’s an old story about a tourist who stopped to ask a passerby for directions one day in New York City. The tourist was looking for a famous concert hall and it just so happened that the person he stopped was a very famous violinist. The tourist asked the man, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?’ The famous musician answered, “Practice, my boy, practice!”
That’s a funny story boys and girls but of course it is true. If you want to get to Carnegie Hall (a famous music hall) or if you want to go to a good college or if you want to be a good artist you have to practice, boys and girls, practice! But there is something even more important that we must practice, each and every day, no matter how old or how smart we are, or how good we get at music, or anything else for that matter.
Each and every day we must continue to practice our Christian Faith. If we really want to be true, loyal followers of Jesus Christ we must always be practicing to be good Christians. And what do you suppose the most important things are that we need to practice as members of our Christian family? Well, we have learned over and over again from the Bible that God has given us instructions for what to practice: “First of all the commandments is this,” Jesus said, “you must Love God with all your heart.” And the second is, “You must love your neighbor.”
Boys and girls these things sound simple, but believe me — they take practice. If you practice these things, not just today, but everyday, Jesus has promised that you will always be on the right path that will lead you to the Kingdom of Heaven. And the best road map, the best directions to get there are the instructions Jesus has given us right here in our Bible. Now let’s all get out there and practice!
