Asleep in Jesus
Children's sermon
Object:
a telescope (or a picture of the moon and stars)
Good morning, boys and girls. I have a hobby called star
gazing. I really enjoy looking at the moon through a telescope. I
also enjoy looking at the stars at night. Do any of you enjoy
looking at the moon and the stars? (Let them answer.) The stars
are so far away that we really don't know much about them. As I
gaze into the heavens at night I start to ask myself many
questions about things that I don't understand, like stars.
When I look at the stars I begin to think about other things that I don't understand. One of the things that I often wonder about is what happens to people who die. Do any of you ever wonder what happens to people who die? (Let them answer.) Do you know that many adults wonder the same question? The world of the dead is as unknown to us as a distant star. It makes people curious about death. It makes us ask many questions. Some of our questions about death are answered in this morning's Bible story. I want to share some of it with you, so that you will better understand death.
Here is what Paul said in today's Bible story. He said that people who have died and have had faith in Jesus are asleep in Jesus. These people are living with Christ. He also says that when Christ comes for us, all those living with Christ will come with him. I am really glad to know this. I'm glad to know that because of my faith and your faith in Jesus, that someday when I die, I too, will be asleep in Jesus. I will be living with Christ. This is true for all of us here this morning. When we have faith in Jesus we can all look forward to a time when we will all be with Jesus.
Paul said one more thing that I want you to remember. He said to encourage one another with these words. That means that whenever someone who had faith in Jesus dies, we should encourage their family members. We should encourage them and let them know that their loved one is living with Jesus. We know very little about death. But, as Christians, we know that death for us means being with Jesus.
When I look at the stars I begin to think about other things that I don't understand. One of the things that I often wonder about is what happens to people who die. Do any of you ever wonder what happens to people who die? (Let them answer.) Do you know that many adults wonder the same question? The world of the dead is as unknown to us as a distant star. It makes people curious about death. It makes us ask many questions. Some of our questions about death are answered in this morning's Bible story. I want to share some of it with you, so that you will better understand death.
Here is what Paul said in today's Bible story. He said that people who have died and have had faith in Jesus are asleep in Jesus. These people are living with Christ. He also says that when Christ comes for us, all those living with Christ will come with him. I am really glad to know this. I'm glad to know that because of my faith and your faith in Jesus, that someday when I die, I too, will be asleep in Jesus. I will be living with Christ. This is true for all of us here this morning. When we have faith in Jesus we can all look forward to a time when we will all be with Jesus.
Paul said one more thing that I want you to remember. He said to encourage one another with these words. That means that whenever someone who had faith in Jesus dies, we should encourage their family members. We should encourage them and let them know that their loved one is living with Jesus. We know very little about death. But, as Christians, we know that death for us means being with Jesus.
