The bread of life
Children's sermon
Object:
an unsliced loaf of bread
I am the bread of life. (v. 48)
Good morning, boys and girls. I brought something with me that almost everyone likes very much. (show the loaf of bread) What is this? (let them answer) That's right, it is a loaf of bread. Just a few hours ago, it was in an oven being baked. It smells good and I am sure it tastes wonderful. How many of you like bread? (let them answer)
What happens when the bread is gone? (let them answer) Suppose we ate all of this bread until there was no more to be eaten. Then what would we do? (let them answer) That's right, we would go out and buy some more, but until we bought some more bread, we would be out of bread, right? (let them answer)
When Jesus fed people bread or healed them when they were sick, the people were very happy with Jesus. They wanted Jesus to feed them more bread and heal more sick people. When he was telling them stories they wanted him to tell more stories. When he led them in worship they wanted him to lead more worship services. People always wanted more, more, more. They kept running out of the bread, they kept running out of healing, they kept running out of everything that Jesus gave them and they wanted more. We have the same problems. We are bored with our television programs and we want new programs. We want new cereal, new games, new friends, new books, new, new, new! There are not enough new things to make us happy and keep us from being bored.
Jesus taught something different. Jesus taught the people to believe beyond the bread. There is living bread that we cannot see, smell, feel, hear, or taste. That kind of bread is believing in Jesus and the things God gives us free. It is God that gives us breath, love, understanding, forgiveness, and trust. Life is big. God is big and God gives us all of the big things. He gives us the earth and water. He gives us the animals and the things that grow like trees and grass. The colors of the flowers, the warmth of the sun, and the snow on mountains that melts and makes rivers are all gifts from God. God gives us parents and children and he gives us love.
Jesus told the people this: "Don't follow me just because I gave you bread. Follow me and believe me and I will give you life forever." When you believe in Jesus you never get bored, and you do not have to wait until you die to know that you belong to God. God's way of living begins the day you believe in Jesus as the food for your life.
The next time you see a loaf of bread and taste how good it is, I want you to remember that Jesus is the unseen bread. He fills you with hope and love and trust and most of all with a new life that makes you feel like you are one of God's very own people. Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls. I brought something with me that almost everyone likes very much. (show the loaf of bread) What is this? (let them answer) That's right, it is a loaf of bread. Just a few hours ago, it was in an oven being baked. It smells good and I am sure it tastes wonderful. How many of you like bread? (let them answer)
What happens when the bread is gone? (let them answer) Suppose we ate all of this bread until there was no more to be eaten. Then what would we do? (let them answer) That's right, we would go out and buy some more, but until we bought some more bread, we would be out of bread, right? (let them answer)
When Jesus fed people bread or healed them when they were sick, the people were very happy with Jesus. They wanted Jesus to feed them more bread and heal more sick people. When he was telling them stories they wanted him to tell more stories. When he led them in worship they wanted him to lead more worship services. People always wanted more, more, more. They kept running out of the bread, they kept running out of healing, they kept running out of everything that Jesus gave them and they wanted more. We have the same problems. We are bored with our television programs and we want new programs. We want new cereal, new games, new friends, new books, new, new, new! There are not enough new things to make us happy and keep us from being bored.
Jesus taught something different. Jesus taught the people to believe beyond the bread. There is living bread that we cannot see, smell, feel, hear, or taste. That kind of bread is believing in Jesus and the things God gives us free. It is God that gives us breath, love, understanding, forgiveness, and trust. Life is big. God is big and God gives us all of the big things. He gives us the earth and water. He gives us the animals and the things that grow like trees and grass. The colors of the flowers, the warmth of the sun, and the snow on mountains that melts and makes rivers are all gifts from God. God gives us parents and children and he gives us love.
Jesus told the people this: "Don't follow me just because I gave you bread. Follow me and believe me and I will give you life forever." When you believe in Jesus you never get bored, and you do not have to wait until you die to know that you belong to God. God's way of living begins the day you believe in Jesus as the food for your life.
The next time you see a loaf of bread and taste how good it is, I want you to remember that Jesus is the unseen bread. He fills you with hope and love and trust and most of all with a new life that makes you feel like you are one of God's very own people. Amen.
