Do You Love Me?
Children's sermon
Object: A sheep or lamb stuffed animal.
Note: For the best experience, when you ask the questions, take the time to draw the children out a bit and help them come up with answers. Make it more of a conversation if you can.
* * *
Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent! Let’s get started! (Hold the sheep in your lap as you continue.)
But first, I’m curious. Do any of you have a pet at home? (Let them respond.) I have a question for those of you who have a dog. What kind of things do you do to show your dog that you love and care about them? (Let them respond and continue to draw them out.) How about those who have cats? What kind of things do you do to show your cat that you love and care about them? (Let them respond and continue to draw them out.) What about some of our other pets? Does anyone have a bird? Or a lizard? Or maybe a snake? What kinds of things do you do to show your pet that you love and care about them? (Continue getting them to respond until you have several examples or everyone is talked-out.)
My next question is, how many of you have friends? (Let them respond.) So, what kind of things do you do to show your friends that you care about them? Maybe you talk to them? Or sit with them? Or play with them? Or go visit them at their house? Or maybe you help them when they need help? (Let them respond and continue to draw them out.)
And my next question is, what kind of things can we do to show that we love and care about God? (Let them respond.) We can’t scratch God’s ears, or give him food and water, can we? (Let them respond and continue to draw them out.) So, how can we show that we love and care about God? That’s what our story is about today.
Our story is about one day when Jesus’ friends had been out in their boat fishing, and when they came back to the shore, they saw Jesus standing there with a big fire burning. Jesus asked them to cook up some of their fish so they could eat together. When they were finished eating, Jesus looked at his friend Simon Peter and said, “Simon, do you love me?” Simon said, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” And Jesus said, “Then feed my lambs.” (Show the stuffed animal.)
Then Jesus looked at him again and said, “Simon, do you love me?” Simon said again, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” And Jesus said, “Then take care of my sheep.” (Show the stuffed animal.)
Jesus looked at him a third time and said, “Simon, do you love me?” I wonder if Simon was confused because Jesus kept asking the same question? (Let them respond.) But Simon just looked at Jesus and said, “Lord, you know all things and you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.” (Show the stuffed animal.)
So, in our story, what did Jesus say Simon should do if he really loved him? (Let them respond as you hold up the stuffed animal.) Jesus told Simon that if he really loved him, he should take care of Jesus’ sheep, didn’t he? (Let them respond.) Does anyone know who Jesus’ sheep are? (Let them respond as you put down the stuffed animal.) We are God’s sheep. All of us. All people, everywhere. So, our story says that if we love God, we will help take care of all of the people God has created. All of them.
But how can we do that? We can’t just go to everyone and scratch their ears like we do to show our dog we care about them, can we? (Let them respond.) But what if we just treat everyone the same way we treat our friends? What if, whenever we see someone lonely, we sit with them for a while or at least just say “Hi!” and wave to them? (Let them respond.) Or what if anytime we see someone sad, we spend time and visit with them? (Let them respond.) Or, what if anytime we see someone who needs help we try to do something to help them? If we did things like that, it would show them that we care about them, wouldn’t it? (Let them respond.)
There are a lot of people in the world, aren’t there? (Let them respond.) And some of them are very different than we are, aren’t they? (Let them respond.) But if we love God, what did Jesus say he wants us to do with every person we ever meet? (Let them respond.) He said that he wants us to show them that we care about them, doesn’t he? (Let them respond.)
I hope our story will help us remember that God wants us to take care of each other, just like a good shepherd takes care of their sheep.
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.
Note: For the best experience, when you ask the questions, take the time to draw the children out a bit and help them come up with answers. Make it more of a conversation if you can.
* * *
Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent! Let’s get started! (Hold the sheep in your lap as you continue.)
But first, I’m curious. Do any of you have a pet at home? (Let them respond.) I have a question for those of you who have a dog. What kind of things do you do to show your dog that you love and care about them? (Let them respond and continue to draw them out.) How about those who have cats? What kind of things do you do to show your cat that you love and care about them? (Let them respond and continue to draw them out.) What about some of our other pets? Does anyone have a bird? Or a lizard? Or maybe a snake? What kinds of things do you do to show your pet that you love and care about them? (Continue getting them to respond until you have several examples or everyone is talked-out.)
My next question is, how many of you have friends? (Let them respond.) So, what kind of things do you do to show your friends that you care about them? Maybe you talk to them? Or sit with them? Or play with them? Or go visit them at their house? Or maybe you help them when they need help? (Let them respond and continue to draw them out.)
And my next question is, what kind of things can we do to show that we love and care about God? (Let them respond.) We can’t scratch God’s ears, or give him food and water, can we? (Let them respond and continue to draw them out.) So, how can we show that we love and care about God? That’s what our story is about today.
Our story is about one day when Jesus’ friends had been out in their boat fishing, and when they came back to the shore, they saw Jesus standing there with a big fire burning. Jesus asked them to cook up some of their fish so they could eat together. When they were finished eating, Jesus looked at his friend Simon Peter and said, “Simon, do you love me?” Simon said, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” And Jesus said, “Then feed my lambs.” (Show the stuffed animal.)
Then Jesus looked at him again and said, “Simon, do you love me?” Simon said again, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” And Jesus said, “Then take care of my sheep.” (Show the stuffed animal.)
Jesus looked at him a third time and said, “Simon, do you love me?” I wonder if Simon was confused because Jesus kept asking the same question? (Let them respond.) But Simon just looked at Jesus and said, “Lord, you know all things and you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.” (Show the stuffed animal.)
So, in our story, what did Jesus say Simon should do if he really loved him? (Let them respond as you hold up the stuffed animal.) Jesus told Simon that if he really loved him, he should take care of Jesus’ sheep, didn’t he? (Let them respond.) Does anyone know who Jesus’ sheep are? (Let them respond as you put down the stuffed animal.) We are God’s sheep. All of us. All people, everywhere. So, our story says that if we love God, we will help take care of all of the people God has created. All of them.
But how can we do that? We can’t just go to everyone and scratch their ears like we do to show our dog we care about them, can we? (Let them respond.) But what if we just treat everyone the same way we treat our friends? What if, whenever we see someone lonely, we sit with them for a while or at least just say “Hi!” and wave to them? (Let them respond.) Or what if anytime we see someone sad, we spend time and visit with them? (Let them respond.) Or, what if anytime we see someone who needs help we try to do something to help them? If we did things like that, it would show them that we care about them, wouldn’t it? (Let them respond.)
There are a lot of people in the world, aren’t there? (Let them respond.) And some of them are very different than we are, aren’t they? (Let them respond.) But if we love God, what did Jesus say he wants us to do with every person we ever meet? (Let them respond.) He said that he wants us to show them that we care about them, doesn’t he? (Let them respond.)
I hope our story will help us remember that God wants us to take care of each other, just like a good shepherd takes care of their sheep.
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.
