Being clean
Children's sermon
Object:
a bow tie
"Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates." (v. 14)
Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) How many of you have seen someone in your family get all dressed up to go somewhere fancy? (allow answers) Where were those people going? (allow answers) Sometimes people get dressed up to go out to a nice dinner, or maybe to go to a fancy party. Sometimes people get dressed up for a wedding or for a funeral; maybe to go see an opera or a play. What are some things that your family members wear when they get all dressed up? (allow answers) They might wear special jewelry, like gold or pearls; they might wear fancy jackets or a bow tie like this one. They probably have their hair done in a special way and take a shower or a bath before they get dressed. When you get dressed up in fancy clothes, you feel clean and spiffy!
There are some places that require you to dress in fancy clothes like these. Some very expensive parties and restaurants may not let you in unless you are dressed properly! When you have to wear something special in order to get into a place like a restaurant or a party, we say that that restaurant or party has a specific dress code.
Our reading today talks about a dress code. Can you believe it? A dress code for God? (allow answers) It sounds ridiculous! God says that he loves us no matter what we wear! But listen to this verse; it sure sounds like it's talking about a dress code! It says: "Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates." Sounds like this city has people standing at the gates to check whether your robes are clean! What kind of city is this? Can you guess what city this verse is talking about? (allow answers) It is talking about the city of heaven! Well, what's that all about? Heaven isn't supposed to have a dress code!
Actually, this verse isn't talking about clothes. It is talking about being clean; but it's talking about being clean on the inside, not the outside. How can we be clean on the inside? Does that mean doing things like brushing our teeth and taking vitamins every day? (allow answers) No, it doesn't. When we talk about being clean on the inside, we are talking about being clean from sin. How can we be clean from sin? We are clean from sin when we repent. When we repent, that means we tell God we are sorry for our sins and ask him to forgive us. When God forgives us, we are clean. The verse isn't telling us that we have to be dressed up for heaven; it is telling us that we need to ask for God's forgiveness so that we can enter heaven's gates with a clean heart. Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) How many of you have seen someone in your family get all dressed up to go somewhere fancy? (allow answers) Where were those people going? (allow answers) Sometimes people get dressed up to go out to a nice dinner, or maybe to go to a fancy party. Sometimes people get dressed up for a wedding or for a funeral; maybe to go see an opera or a play. What are some things that your family members wear when they get all dressed up? (allow answers) They might wear special jewelry, like gold or pearls; they might wear fancy jackets or a bow tie like this one. They probably have their hair done in a special way and take a shower or a bath before they get dressed. When you get dressed up in fancy clothes, you feel clean and spiffy!
There are some places that require you to dress in fancy clothes like these. Some very expensive parties and restaurants may not let you in unless you are dressed properly! When you have to wear something special in order to get into a place like a restaurant or a party, we say that that restaurant or party has a specific dress code.
Our reading today talks about a dress code. Can you believe it? A dress code for God? (allow answers) It sounds ridiculous! God says that he loves us no matter what we wear! But listen to this verse; it sure sounds like it's talking about a dress code! It says: "Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates." Sounds like this city has people standing at the gates to check whether your robes are clean! What kind of city is this? Can you guess what city this verse is talking about? (allow answers) It is talking about the city of heaven! Well, what's that all about? Heaven isn't supposed to have a dress code!
Actually, this verse isn't talking about clothes. It is talking about being clean; but it's talking about being clean on the inside, not the outside. How can we be clean on the inside? Does that mean doing things like brushing our teeth and taking vitamins every day? (allow answers) No, it doesn't. When we talk about being clean on the inside, we are talking about being clean from sin. How can we be clean from sin? We are clean from sin when we repent. When we repent, that means we tell God we are sorry for our sins and ask him to forgive us. When God forgives us, we are clean. The verse isn't telling us that we have to be dressed up for heaven; it is telling us that we need to ask for God's forgiveness so that we can enter heaven's gates with a clean heart. Amen.
