Children’s Sunday Sermon
November 4, 2012
Good morning boys and girls. We read in our Bibles today that Jesus was asked which is the greatest commandment from God. He answered, “The greatest commandment is that you must love God and love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Jesus is telling us that by putting our faith in this commandment it will be the one thing that will make us most happy.
But what does it mean to put our faith in something, boys and girls? One of the definitions of faith is the belief in something without being able to prove it — without being able to see it or touch it or hear it. Another meaning is trust. Of course the most important meaning for us is our belief in God — our trust in God and His commandments. And today we have learned which of these is the most important of all!
For us members of the Christian family it can be easy to trust in God. We see signs of God everywhere. In all of God’s miracles of creation: like the trees, and flowers and animals, and mountains, and oceans! We see signs of God in the love that we have for each other. In other words we see signs of God in our neighbors. But sometimes it’s not easy to have faith.
Boys and girls these days everywhere you look you see people on their cell phones. Even though there are no wires, we can talk to people almost anywhere in the world using a cell phone! But how is that possible? Cell phones use something called “waves” – invisible waves to transmit voices and music and pictures through he air. Like faith, you can’t see the waves or touch he waves but they are there – and they are real.
Boys and girls when your mother or father turns on the car radio, you know that music will come out of the speakers. When they do this, you have faith that the radio will work. Even though it is something that you can’t see, you know that the invisible radio waves will make the radio work.
And so it is 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, the mountains and the oceans, the moon and the stars. And the biggest miracle, the biggest proof of all is the miracle of you!
Oh, one more thing boys and girls. God also created the invisible waves that make our cell phones and radios and televisions work. Amazing, isn’t it!
Children’s Sunday Sermon
November 11, 2012
Good morning boys and girls. Today we read in our Bible about a poor woman who gave everything she could to God. In her church offering, she gave only a few pennies. Not much, huh boys and girls? But the awesome part of the story is that a few pennies was all the poor woman had! It would be like the richest man in the world giving away billions of dollars!
The lesson for us is that God wants you to give everything you can. God is telling you that you should be less concerned about how much you can get from others and more concerned about how much you can give, to help others.
Boys and girls have you ever noticed how after a championship game is broadcast on television, the newscaster will go around and interview the fans of the winning team. What do the fans always say. That’s right. They chant, “We’re Number One. We’re Number One!” Those people who are chanting are all very happy and proud that their team has won. And that’s okay boys and girls to be happy about a sporting event and to be proud of your team. It’s okay to chant “We’re number one” as a fun way to celebrate a sport’s victory, as long as you don’t go overboard. You see there is a time when it’s not so good. When winning is your number one priority in life that is not good. When putting yourself first is your number one priority in life that is not good. When getting more things and more money is your number one priority in life that is not good. In other words boys and girls it’s not what you can get that is most important it’s how much you can give to help others.
So what is the number one thing in your life? What is it that you think you can’t live without? Perhaps some of you had a birthday recently and you are thinking of a great birthday present you received. Maybe others here today are cherishing something you received for Christmas last year. Or maybe it’s all of the money you saved in your piggy bank. Or maybe it is having your football team win the Super Bowl. Am I right? Everyone who thought of one of those kinds of things please raise your hand. O.K. Those are mostly material things – possessions – things that we sometimes think we could never live without – things like computers, and video games and DVD players and television sets, and money so we can buy more of those things! Or they are things that make us feel good like having a winning sports team. But I know girls and boys, if you really think about it, if you take the time to look deep into your hearts, I think you’ll discover what you really can’t live without.
Now let’s try this again. Are you thinking about what is most important to you? Good. Now I hope you’re thinking about your family and your teachers, or the other boys and girls in this room. And you know what’s different about this list? That’s right – now you are thinking about God’s children. And remember, the important job you have as children of God to is show those who are most important to you how much you care about them. Now let’s think about that this week! Let’s remember what’s really most important! Let’s show all of the members of our Christian family that they are number one on our list!
Children’s Sunday Sermon
November 18, 2012
Good morning girls and boys! I’m sure all of you have heard the popular song from the musical Annie called Tomorrow. In it we hear Annie signing that Tomorrow. . .
The sun’ll come out, Tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there’ll be sun!
Just thinkin’ about tomorrow, wears away the cobwebs, and the sorrow. ’Til there’s none!
When I’m stuck with a day, that’s gray, and lonely,
I just stick out my chin, and Grin, and Say,
Oh, the sun’ll come out, tomorrow. So ya gotta hang on ’til tomorrow, come what may,
Tomorrow, tomorrow! I love ya, tomorrow! You’re always a day away!
This song offers a lesson for each one of us here today because tomorrow is always there with the promise of better things to come.
Boys and girls, as you sit here today maybe you have a lot of things that you are looking forward to – tomorrow. Let’s all take a moment to think about some of these things. What did you think of? Okay, you might have thought about your birthday that will soon be here. Or you might have thought about Thanksgiving and Christmas, and having some time off from school. Or you might have thought about a vacation, or maybe visiting a grandparent or relative who lives in another city. Those are all wonderful things to look forward to. And if you think even farther ahead you can imagine your high school graduation, going to college, starting your career.
And you know what, boys and girls, it doesn’t end there — that’s just the beginning. These things are all beginnings. There are many more wonderful things that adults look forward to throughout their lives. But whether we are eight or eighty-eight, all of us have something even greater to look forward to. There’s a “Tomorrow” story for us all. And that is the story of the place that God has reserved for each of His children – in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus has given us His sacred Word that this is true. And we can believe this all of our lives because we read in our Bible today that Jesus’ words will never pass away. His word will be with us forever. And God loves you so much that He wants you to be happy for all eternity. That means “forever,” and that’s awesome! So now you know, boys and girls, that the best really will come – “Tomorrow”! And the next time that song plays on the radio, turn up the volume!
Children’s Sunday Sermon
November 25, 2012
Good morning girls and boys! Today I want us to talk about two words: King and Kingdom. What do these words mean? A King is a ruler and a Kingdom includes the land and the people that the King rules over. There were many different kinds of rulers over the centuries — some bad, and some very good. Because we are Christians — followers of Christ — we are ruled by a King. We are ruled by the greatest King there ever was. We are ruled by the “King of Kings.”
Jesus was the King of Kings, sent here on earth to tell us that God is with us to rule over every area of our lives. And His Kingdom includes every one of His children here on earth. His Kingdom includes each follower of Jesus, who has been asked to do the good work of God here on earth. And that’s why I can tell you boys and girls that the Kingdom of God is the one true Kingdom that we all have a place in.
As members of the Kingdom of God, as people ruled by the Kings of Kings, what are the things that are expected of us as good and true citizens? Jesus has given instructions in the Bible on exactly how to behave. He tells us exactly what to do: to be kind to other members of the Kingdom; to help others in the Kingdom who need you; to listen to others in the Kingdom with your heart; to give to others in the Kingdom who have less; to love all the others in the Kingdom, even when it isn’t easy to do. Those are just a few of the things that are expected of us as citizens of God’s Kingdom. Boys and girls, throughout history there have been a great many earthly Kings. Some have have ruled over millions of people in their Kingdoms. Some were good – many were bad. But there is only one King of Kings who teaches us about a different kind of Kingdom. And that Kingdom is not ruled with force or fear. No, instead it is ruled by the Love of God.
The Bible tells us that when Jesus appeared before the earthly ruler Pilate, he was asked “Are you a king?” We ourselves can answer that question, boys and girls. We can say “Yes!” Jesus, our Lord and Savior is King over all!
