Being Real
Children's sermon
Object: A disguise to put on one of the children. I have used a simple wig, a stick-on mustache, glasses, a hat, and a big shirt for them to wear. And even though I use a mustache, it can be even more effective (and fun) if the child you dress up is not a boy. My approach is to go through the steps of fixing them up while I tell the story, but you can do it however works best for your group.
* * *
Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) I need someone to help me with our story today. (Have your volunteer child stand with you.) While I tell you the story, we’re going to have a bit of fun, so keep watching.
One day, when Jesus was talking to people, he recognized some of the people who were in the crowd. And some of them were not very nice and did things that hurt other people. So Jesus said some things he wanted those people to hear.
(Add a piece of the disguise as you continue.) Some of the people in the crowd were just mean and did mean things to people to make them do what they wanted them to do. Jesus looked around at them and said, “You have all heard that you aren’t supposed to kill anyone, haven’t you?” Everyone in the crowd said, “Yes!” Then Jesus said, “Well, I tell you that God doesn’t want you to ever be mean to, or even get in fights with anyone at all.”
(Add a piece of the disguise as you continue.) And there were some people in the crowd who were very religious and went to the temple every day to give a gift to God. The rules were that you can only give a gift at the temple if you are friends with everyone and are not arguing with anyone. But Jesus knew that most of those people who went to the temple every day had a lot of people they were arguing with. So he said, “And before you try to give a gift to God, go around and make up with and apologize to everyone you have an argument with.”
(Add a piece of the disguise as you continue.) And Jesus saw some tax collectors and other important people in the crowd. Tax collectors promised to always be honest, but everyone knew they cheated people and took more than they were supposed to and kept it for themselves. So, Jesus said, “If you make a promise, make sure you are honest and keep that promise.”
(Add a piece of the disguise as you continue.) Jesus looked at all of the people and said, “Don’t pretend to be someone you aren’t, and don’t say things you don’t mean. If you say “Yes,” you should mean “Yes,” and if you say “No,” you should mean “No.”
(Show your finished costume.) How do you like our costume here? (Let them respond.) We all know who is really inside this costume, but it sure makes her look different, doesn’t it? (Let them respond.) She looks a lot different on the outside.
It was almost like those people in our story were all wearing a costume, wasn’t it? (Let them respond.) They were trying to look like they were doing what God wanted them to do, but they were just pretending. What they looked like on the outside wasn’t what they were like on the inside, was it? They were lying, weren’t they? (Let them respond.)
I wonder if any of us have ever promised someone something, but we really didn’t mean that we were going to do it. (Let them respond.) Or if we have ever been nice to someone but then said mean things about them when they weren’t there? (Let them respond.) I think we have all done that sometimes, haven’t we? (Let them respond.) Sometimes, it’s like we put on a costume that makes us look like we really like someone, or that we will do what we promise to do, but that’s not what we really feel inside. We just pretend. We aren’t being honest with them, are we? (Let them respond.)
When Jesus saw those people that day, he told them they should stop pretending and just be honest. If they say “Yes,” they should mean “Yes,” and if they promise something, they should keep their promise. If they want to be with God, they need to take off their costumes. (Begin taking the costume off.) He said they needed to stop pretending and just take care of each other the way God wants them to take care of each other.
There are two big problems with not being honest with people. First, when someone finds out we aren’t being honest, they stop trusting us and have a hard time ever trusting us again, don’t they? (Let them respond.) And the second problem when we aren’t honest is that we can end up hurting people. Jesus told us that the one thing God wants us to do is to take care of each other, so let’s pray and ask God to help us not just pretend to care about other people, and to be honest and show people how much we really do care.
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.) I need someone to help me with our story today. (Have your volunteer child stand with you.) While I tell you the story, we’re going to have a bit of fun, so keep watching.
One day, when Jesus was talking to people, he recognized some of the people who were in the crowd. And some of them were not very nice and did things that hurt other people. So Jesus said some things he wanted those people to hear.
(Add a piece of the disguise as you continue.) Some of the people in the crowd were just mean and did mean things to people to make them do what they wanted them to do. Jesus looked around at them and said, “You have all heard that you aren’t supposed to kill anyone, haven’t you?” Everyone in the crowd said, “Yes!” Then Jesus said, “Well, I tell you that God doesn’t want you to ever be mean to, or even get in fights with anyone at all.”
(Add a piece of the disguise as you continue.) And there were some people in the crowd who were very religious and went to the temple every day to give a gift to God. The rules were that you can only give a gift at the temple if you are friends with everyone and are not arguing with anyone. But Jesus knew that most of those people who went to the temple every day had a lot of people they were arguing with. So he said, “And before you try to give a gift to God, go around and make up with and apologize to everyone you have an argument with.”
(Add a piece of the disguise as you continue.) And Jesus saw some tax collectors and other important people in the crowd. Tax collectors promised to always be honest, but everyone knew they cheated people and took more than they were supposed to and kept it for themselves. So, Jesus said, “If you make a promise, make sure you are honest and keep that promise.”
(Add a piece of the disguise as you continue.) Jesus looked at all of the people and said, “Don’t pretend to be someone you aren’t, and don’t say things you don’t mean. If you say “Yes,” you should mean “Yes,” and if you say “No,” you should mean “No.”
(Show your finished costume.) How do you like our costume here? (Let them respond.) We all know who is really inside this costume, but it sure makes her look different, doesn’t it? (Let them respond.) She looks a lot different on the outside.
It was almost like those people in our story were all wearing a costume, wasn’t it? (Let them respond.) They were trying to look like they were doing what God wanted them to do, but they were just pretending. What they looked like on the outside wasn’t what they were like on the inside, was it? They were lying, weren’t they? (Let them respond.)
I wonder if any of us have ever promised someone something, but we really didn’t mean that we were going to do it. (Let them respond.) Or if we have ever been nice to someone but then said mean things about them when they weren’t there? (Let them respond.) I think we have all done that sometimes, haven’t we? (Let them respond.) Sometimes, it’s like we put on a costume that makes us look like we really like someone, or that we will do what we promise to do, but that’s not what we really feel inside. We just pretend. We aren’t being honest with them, are we? (Let them respond.)
When Jesus saw those people that day, he told them they should stop pretending and just be honest. If they say “Yes,” they should mean “Yes,” and if they promise something, they should keep their promise. If they want to be with God, they need to take off their costumes. (Begin taking the costume off.) He said they needed to stop pretending and just take care of each other the way God wants them to take care of each other.
There are two big problems with not being honest with people. First, when someone finds out we aren’t being honest, they stop trusting us and have a hard time ever trusting us again, don’t they? (Let them respond.) And the second problem when we aren’t honest is that we can end up hurting people. Jesus told us that the one thing God wants us to do is to take care of each other, so let’s pray and ask God to help us not just pretend to care about other people, and to be honest and show people how much we really do care.
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.
