Children’s Sunday Sermon
September 1, 2013
Good morning boys and girls. There’s a true story about a professional football quarterback who was eating in a restaurant one day. He noticed a little boy, eagerly walking to his table. Seeing this, the football star quickly signed his autograph on the lunch menu, certain that was what the boy wanted. Just as the little boy arrived at the man’s table, the famous quarterback handed him the menu with his autograph. Puzzled, the boy looked at the quarterback and said, “No thanks mister. Can I borrow your ketchup?”
That’s a funny story boys and girls but it also teaches us a lesson. There are times when we might think that we’re a big shot, and along comes a boy like that to bring us back down to earth!
Jesus has taught us a lot about this subject. He said if a man exalts himself he will be humbled. What does this mean boys and girls? It means exactly what we learned in our little story today. The famous quarterback was so used to having everyone ask for his autograph that he was sure that was what the boy wanted. But then came the boy’s surprise answer — and the famous man was humbled by that little boy who didn’t even know who he was! All he wanted from the star football player was the ketchup!
And Jesus has taught us something more in today’s lesson. He also says, the man who humbles himself will be exalted. It’s the opposite of what the quarterback did. If we take time to think that others are also important before thinking we are the most important, then God will put us first. Instead of asking us for the ketchup bottle, God will want our autograph. He’ll know that we have signed our names to the promise of always remembering to practice our faith. He’ll know that we have signed our name to the promise to Love one another as He has loved us! And when you do that, you’ll be a real star in the eyes of God!
Children’s Sunday Sermon
September 8, 2013
Good morning girls and boys! If you’ve ever been to a championship football or baseball game and your team won, you may have heard people chant, “We’re number one! We’re number one!” Let’s think about being number one. Who would you say is the number one basketball player? How about the greatest baseball player of all time? How about the number one person in business, or the number one president, or the number one music star? Boys and girls these are all people who have accomplished great things in their careers and often we look up to people like that for being so successful. And it’s okay for us to want to achieve great things, just as long as we don’t forget, as loyal followers of Jesus, what our number one job should be.
We read in our Bible Lesson today that Jesus said each of us must take up our cross and follow Him. That is our number one job in life as Jesus’ followers. We must take up our cross and follow Him by doing the things that are expected of us. If someone at school is unpopular and needs a friend, then make it your number one job this week to be a friend. If someone has less than you then make it your number one job this week to share with that boy or girl. If a relative is sick or lonely, then make it your number one job this week to visit them.
You have learned from the examples of Jesus that if your priorities are not right, you may get rich and powerful and famous like some of the people we think of as number one, but you will miss out on the most valuable thing of all. You see, if you make money and fame and possessions number one, then those things will surely get in the way of your relationship with God. And you’ll miss out on the number one thing of all—the Love that God has for each one of us.
Children’s Sunday Sermon
September 15, 2013
Good morning boys and girls! Before long we will celebrate Thanksgiving and many of you will probably enjoy a great Turkey dinner that day. Have any of you ever played the little game where you take the wishbone from the turkey and make a wish? Well if you haven’t, all you do is find the wishbone which looks like the letter V. Then you and your brother or sister each takes hold of one side of the V with your little finger. Then you silently think of a wish, and on the count of three you pull! Whoever ends up with the bigger part of the bone wins— and your wish is supposed to be granted. Of course this is just a little game and it really doesn’t have any magical power to make your wish come true, but it is a fun game to play on Thanksgiving.
What are some of the things you would wish for boys and girls? Okay a bicycle, some toys and video games, those are all fun things. Or maybe you wished there would be longer recess and no more homework for the rest of the school year! But how about this for a wish? What if you wished something good for somebody else. Maybe a friend for someone whose is lonely. How about some toys for a child who doesn’t have any. How about friendship for a classmate who gets picked on. And those are the kinds of wishes that Jesus has asked us to wish. This is the important work that Jesus wants us to do as his loyal followers.
This week boys and girls let’s all make a wish. Pick just one person that you know. Maybe that person is lonely or sick or is needy in some way. Make a wish that he or she will make a new friend; or will get some of the things that he or she needs. And you know what boys and girls? You can make that wish come true when you do what Jesus expects of you. And the way to make it come true is to do it yourself! Become that new friend for someone who is lonely or share with that little boy or girl who has less than you. And when you do that, Jesus’ wish for you and the other loyal followers will come true. That wish is that you love one another, as Jesus loves you.
Children’s Sunday Sermon
September 22, 2013
Good morning girls and boys! Today we read in our Bibles that Jesus said, “You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.” In our Bibles, Jesus talks a lot about money. Jesus wants us to understand that we should never put money and things ahead of our relationship with God. He wants us to understand that we should never put money and things at the center of our lives. He wants us to understand they are not the most important part of our lives. We need to put God at the center of our lives.
In today’s Bible Lesson Jesus warns us that we cannot put money and God both in first place. We have to choose one or the other If you put the need for money and things at the center of your life you may get them, but you may miss out on other important things in your life.
If you make money and things number one — if you make getting ahead of everyone else and having more than everyone else number one — it will not only get in the way of your relationship with your friends and neighbors, it will also get in the way of your relationship with God.
Now, this week, let’s all remember to appreciate all the gifts that God has given us — all the beautiful things on this earth that He has created for us. But most of all, let’s appreciate His Love for us! That’s worth more than anything else.
Children’s Sunday Sermon
September 29, 2013
Good morning girls and boys! Today’s Lesson from our Bible is about two men, a rich man and a poor beggar. The story is one of the many parables that Jesus teaches in our Bible. But what exactly is a parable? Well let me tell you a little story . . .
Once upon a time there once was little girl named Nancy whose Mother asked her to go to the store to pick up a carton of milk. Nancy’s mother gave her a ten dollar bill and said, “Please Nancy, make sure you hold on tight to this ten dollar bill. When you get to the store you will need it to buy the milk. This is all the money I have today and I want you to be very careful with it. And promise me you’ll go straight to the store and then come straight home.” Nancy promised her mother these things and with the money held tightly in her hand, she set out for the store. On her way, Nancy noticed a cute little puppy sitting next to the curb whimpering. She felt sorry for the dog and thought to herself, “what harm could it do to stop for a moment to pet the dog.” She sat down on the curb next to the puppy and placed the ten dollar bill beside her. Just then a big wind came blowing by and the ten dollar bill blew up into the sky far, far away—never to be seen again.
And so there she was—sitting next to the puppy with no way to finish the chore her mother had sent her on. Even though Nancy didn’t mean to lose the money, she didn’t do what her mother had asked her to do. Her mother trusted her to carefully watch over the ten dollar bill, but she didn’t listen, did she boys and girls? Her mother trusted her to go straight to the store and straight home, but she didn’t listen, did she boys and girls? And in this case not listening got her into trouble because she lost the only ten dollars that her mother had. And when she returned home, her mother was very disappointed that Nancy didn’t listen.
Boys and girls, that’s a good lesson for each of you. If you don’t listen to what your parents ask of you —if you don’ keep your promise then trouble may happen. You know what else boys and girls? Now you know what a parable is. A parable is a story like the one you just heard that has a lesson in it. And if you think back on our many Bible Lessons I’m sure now you can recognize some parables that Jesus has taught us because now you know what a parable is.
