Be Careful!
Children's sermon
Object: A Bible. I begin with it in a paper sack.
* * *
Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent!
But before I tell you the story, I need to warn you that today’s story is about something that is VERY dangerous! (Let them respond.) In fact, let me show you what is so dangerous about our story. (Pick up the sack.) I have one here in my sack. (Open and peek in the sack, being very cautious.) Don’t worry. I’ll hold onto it so you don’t need to worry. (Slowly and dramatically pull the Bible out of the sack.) Here it is. (Let them respond.) It is a Bible! I’ll bet you didn’t know the Bible was dangerous, did you? (Let them respond.) Let me tell you our story so you know what I mean.
One day, Jesus was with his friends when he saw some Pharisees and Sadducees standing across the street watching them. You know about the Pharisees and Sadducees, don’t you? (Let them respond.) They were some of the important religious leaders in Jerusalem. They spent all of their time reading and studying the books in their Bible. (Hold up your Bible.) They knew more about God’s old laws than anyone else, anywhere, They believed they were the only ones who knew what God wanted them to do, so their job was to go around and tell everyone when they broke one of God’s old laws.
Jesus’ friends looked at the Pharisees and Sadducees standing there. The Pharisees and Sadducees wanted everyone to know how important they were, so they were all dressed up in their colorful robes and hats. They had long tassels on their robes and had little Bibles strapped to their arms so it was always with them wherever they went. They wore nice clothes, lived in nice houses, and went to nice places. They were so successful, the people thought they must be doing what God wanted them to be doing.
Then Jesus told his friends, “Don’t be like those people. You may have to do what those people tell you to do, but you don’t have to be like them!”
His friends didn’t understand what he meant, so he said that religious leaders might have the power to make you follow their laws, but that doesn’t mean you have to be the kind of person they are. Don’t be like them. They may know more about the old laws than anyone else, but they sure don’t do what God wants them to do.
And that’s the dangerous part about our Bible. (Hold up your Bible.) Sometimes when we read our Bible, we get confused. There is a lot to read in our Bible isn’t there? (Let them respond.) Sometimes it is hard to know what is really important, and what isn’t, isn’t it? (Let them respond.) And, sometimes when we read our Bible, we start believing that we are better than some other people, don’t we? (Let them respond.) That’s what makes it dangerous. That’s what happened to the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Jesus pointed to the religious leaders and said, “All they care about is themselves and how they look. Everything they do is done for people to see. They look important, act important, and do a lot of fancy things, but they are not doing the one thing that God wants them to do. They care about themselves and their laws, but they do not about God’s people.
Jesus said we shouldn’t be like them. He said, “The greatest of you will be your servant.” (Hold up your Bible.) He meant that no matter how much we read and learn, no matter what we might do as we grow up, remember that the most important thing that God wants us to do is to take care of each other.
Let’s pray and ask God to remind us that Jesus loves every one of us and wants us to follow him and take care of each other the way God takes care of us.
Prayer
Dear God, thank you for reminding us how much you love us and for forgiving us when we forget that. And please help us remember that you love all of the people you have created and help us let the people around us know that we love them just like Jesus loves us. Amen.
* * *
Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent!
But before I tell you the story, I need to warn you that today’s story is about something that is VERY dangerous! (Let them respond.) In fact, let me show you what is so dangerous about our story. (Pick up the sack.) I have one here in my sack. (Open and peek in the sack, being very cautious.) Don’t worry. I’ll hold onto it so you don’t need to worry. (Slowly and dramatically pull the Bible out of the sack.) Here it is. (Let them respond.) It is a Bible! I’ll bet you didn’t know the Bible was dangerous, did you? (Let them respond.) Let me tell you our story so you know what I mean.
One day, Jesus was with his friends when he saw some Pharisees and Sadducees standing across the street watching them. You know about the Pharisees and Sadducees, don’t you? (Let them respond.) They were some of the important religious leaders in Jerusalem. They spent all of their time reading and studying the books in their Bible. (Hold up your Bible.) They knew more about God’s old laws than anyone else, anywhere, They believed they were the only ones who knew what God wanted them to do, so their job was to go around and tell everyone when they broke one of God’s old laws.
Jesus’ friends looked at the Pharisees and Sadducees standing there. The Pharisees and Sadducees wanted everyone to know how important they were, so they were all dressed up in their colorful robes and hats. They had long tassels on their robes and had little Bibles strapped to their arms so it was always with them wherever they went. They wore nice clothes, lived in nice houses, and went to nice places. They were so successful, the people thought they must be doing what God wanted them to be doing.
Then Jesus told his friends, “Don’t be like those people. You may have to do what those people tell you to do, but you don’t have to be like them!”
His friends didn’t understand what he meant, so he said that religious leaders might have the power to make you follow their laws, but that doesn’t mean you have to be the kind of person they are. Don’t be like them. They may know more about the old laws than anyone else, but they sure don’t do what God wants them to do.
And that’s the dangerous part about our Bible. (Hold up your Bible.) Sometimes when we read our Bible, we get confused. There is a lot to read in our Bible isn’t there? (Let them respond.) Sometimes it is hard to know what is really important, and what isn’t, isn’t it? (Let them respond.) And, sometimes when we read our Bible, we start believing that we are better than some other people, don’t we? (Let them respond.) That’s what makes it dangerous. That’s what happened to the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Jesus pointed to the religious leaders and said, “All they care about is themselves and how they look. Everything they do is done for people to see. They look important, act important, and do a lot of fancy things, but they are not doing the one thing that God wants them to do. They care about themselves and their laws, but they do not about God’s people.
Jesus said we shouldn’t be like them. He said, “The greatest of you will be your servant.” (Hold up your Bible.) He meant that no matter how much we read and learn, no matter what we might do as we grow up, remember that the most important thing that God wants us to do is to take care of each other.
Let’s pray and ask God to remind us that Jesus loves every one of us and wants us to follow him and take care of each other the way God takes care of us.
Prayer
Dear God, thank you for reminding us how much you love us and for forgiving us when we forget that. And please help us remember that you love all of the people you have created and help us let the people around us know that we love them just like Jesus loves us. Amen.
