Action, not words
Children's sermon
Object:
some pictures (the larger the better) of some hungry children, some homeless people sleeping in the street or on a bench, and some people who are sick
Good morning, boys and girls. Today we have some real evidence to look over and make a decision about what we should do. First, I have a picture of some very hungry children. (hold up the picture) I am told that hundreds, maybe thousands, of children die everyday because they don't have food to eat. Have any of you ever seen pictures like this? (let them answer)
I think we should talk about it, don't you? (let them answer) You could even give a speech about it. Tell the whole world that there are hungry children. Maybe we can get lots of people to talk about it. Okay! Will you do a lot of talking? (let them answer)
Here's another picture. This is a picture of a homeless person. Homeless people don't have a home or anywhere to go when it gets cold. They wear the same clothes almost every day, beg for food, and sleep under bridges, in alleys, or in old buildings where no one lives. What can we do about it? (let them answer) Hard question, isn't it? I guess we can talk about it just like we did the hungry children. We can make speeches and tell all of the same people we told about the children. We are very good at speeches, aren't we? (let them answer)
I have one more picture. It is a picture of a lot sick people. Do you know any of them? (show them the picture close up) What can we do about them? How about one more speech? We are getting pretty good about speeches. Remember all of the people you can tell? Maybe you will find some new people with this story. People don't like being around sick people. It scares them because they are afraid they will get sick. Don't get near them; just talk about them.
The Bible has an answer also. In 1 John we read that our love should not be just words or speeches. No, instead the Bible says we should take action. What action can we take to feed hungry children? (let them answer) Great, give them food. What should we do about people that live on the street and are homeless? (let them answer) Right, we should help them find shelter and feed them and give them clothes. What about the sick? (let them answer) Make sure they have medicine and find a doctor and a nurse.
The Bible says that people need action, not words. Talk to your mom and dad and ask them what you can do to show real love, the kind of love that Jesus shares.
I think we should talk about it, don't you? (let them answer) You could even give a speech about it. Tell the whole world that there are hungry children. Maybe we can get lots of people to talk about it. Okay! Will you do a lot of talking? (let them answer)
Here's another picture. This is a picture of a homeless person. Homeless people don't have a home or anywhere to go when it gets cold. They wear the same clothes almost every day, beg for food, and sleep under bridges, in alleys, or in old buildings where no one lives. What can we do about it? (let them answer) Hard question, isn't it? I guess we can talk about it just like we did the hungry children. We can make speeches and tell all of the same people we told about the children. We are very good at speeches, aren't we? (let them answer)
I have one more picture. It is a picture of a lot sick people. Do you know any of them? (show them the picture close up) What can we do about them? How about one more speech? We are getting pretty good about speeches. Remember all of the people you can tell? Maybe you will find some new people with this story. People don't like being around sick people. It scares them because they are afraid they will get sick. Don't get near them; just talk about them.
The Bible has an answer also. In 1 John we read that our love should not be just words or speeches. No, instead the Bible says we should take action. What action can we take to feed hungry children? (let them answer) Great, give them food. What should we do about people that live on the street and are homeless? (let them answer) Right, we should help them find shelter and feed them and give them clothes. What about the sick? (let them answer) Make sure they have medicine and find a doctor and a nurse.
The Bible says that people need action, not words. Talk to your mom and dad and ask them what you can do to show real love, the kind of love that Jesus shares.
