Beggars And Braggers
Children's sermon
Object:
Soccer ball
“...all who humble themselves will be exalted.” (v.14b)
Good morning girls and boys,
Thank you for joining me today for my children’s message.
Here’s a made-up story: Once upon a time after a soccer game, Big Duke bragged to his friends how good he was. Big Duke bragged how he was the strongest, fastest, and smartest player on coach Egger’s soccer team. Big Duke boasted about the time he kicked a score even though other team mates had done the same many times before.
Then there was quiet Quentin. Quiet Quentin played soccer too. But he admitted he sometimes made mistakes. Quiet Quentin told his friends about errors he had made while playing. He said he scored points but only with the help of his teammates.
Now children, who was the boastful soccer player, and who was the modest humble soccer player? (children respond)
Jesus told a parable about bragging and humility. A religious braggart, a Pharisee, went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee prayed to God about how superior he was to other sinners. He went on to brag about his tithe (ten percent of his earnings) which he gave to God. A tax collector, on the other hand, who everybody hated (they collected taxes from the people for the despised Roman rulers) prayed a prayer of sadness for his sins and short comings. He asked God for mercy.
Jesus then announced to the boasting and bragging religious people that the humble tax collector was blessed, but the pompous Pharisee was not.
What does it mean to be humble? (children respond)
To be humble is to have a true sense of oneself. It is to know the truth about oneself.
The truth is this: We all sin. We all are on the same level before God. All of us need to be saved. To be humble is to flee from bragging. It is to love and practice the gift of modesty. Since Jesus humbled himself and died for our sins, followers of Jesus like you and me are given the gift of humility. We live humbly by grace.
Prayer: Jesus in your love give us each day the gift of modesty and humility. Amen.
Good morning girls and boys,
Thank you for joining me today for my children’s message.
Here’s a made-up story: Once upon a time after a soccer game, Big Duke bragged to his friends how good he was. Big Duke bragged how he was the strongest, fastest, and smartest player on coach Egger’s soccer team. Big Duke boasted about the time he kicked a score even though other team mates had done the same many times before.
Then there was quiet Quentin. Quiet Quentin played soccer too. But he admitted he sometimes made mistakes. Quiet Quentin told his friends about errors he had made while playing. He said he scored points but only with the help of his teammates.
Now children, who was the boastful soccer player, and who was the modest humble soccer player? (children respond)
Jesus told a parable about bragging and humility. A religious braggart, a Pharisee, went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee prayed to God about how superior he was to other sinners. He went on to brag about his tithe (ten percent of his earnings) which he gave to God. A tax collector, on the other hand, who everybody hated (they collected taxes from the people for the despised Roman rulers) prayed a prayer of sadness for his sins and short comings. He asked God for mercy.
Jesus then announced to the boasting and bragging religious people that the humble tax collector was blessed, but the pompous Pharisee was not.
What does it mean to be humble? (children respond)
To be humble is to have a true sense of oneself. It is to know the truth about oneself.
The truth is this: We all sin. We all are on the same level before God. All of us need to be saved. To be humble is to flee from bragging. It is to love and practice the gift of modesty. Since Jesus humbled himself and died for our sins, followers of Jesus like you and me are given the gift of humility. We live humbly by grace.
Prayer: Jesus in your love give us each day the gift of modesty and humility. Amen.
