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Pictures of Jesus

Children's sermon
Matthew 25:31-46
Christ The King (Proper 29) - A
New Year's Day - B
Object: 
A picture Bible or Bible story book and a recent news magazine
Good morning! I brought a Bible with me that shows some pictures. Would someone be willing to find me a picture of Jesus? (Let one of the children thumb through the Bible or Bible story book looking for an artist's rendition of Jesus.) Now that is not really a picture of Jesus, but the way an artist thinks Jesus might have looked.

Many people think there were no pictures of Jesus ever taken because the camera was not developed until the 1800s and Jesus lived 1,800 years before the invention of the camera. But I happen to have some pictures of Jesus with me this morning. Let me show you his picture. (Show the various photographs from the news magazine.)

Most of us don't think of these as pictures of Jesus, but we do think of these as pictures of people. They are pictures of people. And yet, they are pictures of Jesus as well. Let me explain.

Jesus once told his disciples that whenever we do something to help feed a hungry person, it's just like feeding a hungry Jesus. He said that when we give water to someone who is thirsty, it's like giving water to Jesus. When we welcome a stranger, it's not only the stranger we welcome, but Jesus himself. When we help give clothing to people who cannot afford good clothing, it's like giving clothing to Jesus. And when we visit the sick or those who are in jail, it's like visiting Jesus himself. Now do you see why I say these are pictures of Jesus in this magazine? The pictures of people in this magazine are actually better pictures of Jesus than the artist's picture in this Bible! Whenever we do good to other people, it's like doing good to Jesus himself! Wow! That puts a whole new meaning on what we think about others, doesn't it?

Dearest Jesus: Teach us that you are in everyone we meet and that we are to love and help others as best we can. Amen.
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