Don't be lazy!
Children's sermon
Object:
a potato (with a face carved on it)
Good morning! What do I have here? (Show the potato and let
them answer.) That's right. It is a potato, but this one has a
face on it, so it's a special potato. What do they call people
who lay around watching television and don't do any work? (Let
them answer.) Yes, they call them "couch potatoes" and that's
what this is. It's a couch potato!
In the letter that Saint Paul wrote to the Christians at
Thessalonica he tells them that God doesn't want them to be lazy.
He has heard that some of them are lazy; that they're not working
and they are being "busybodies." That means that they are
sticking their noses into other people's business when they have
no right to do that. He lets them know that this is a bad thing
in the eyes of God. They didn't have television in his day, but
these people he was talking about were real "couch potatoes."
Now, what about us? Are we ever tempted to be lazy? What
would be some good examples of a person being lazy? (Let them
answer.) Yes, those are all good examples. I suppose there might
be some people who aren't in church today because they were tired
and didn't want to get up. Is that an example of being lazy? (Let
them answer.) And do you think God is happy with those people?
(Let them answer.) No, I'm sure that He isn't. God loves us and
He doesn't want us to be lazy Christians. He wants us to work
hard in our lives and do the best we can with the gifts He has
given us. If we are going to school, He wants us to be the best
students we can be. If we are working at a job, He wants us to
work hard and do the best job we can.
So, are any of you going to be lazy? Are you all going to do
the work your parents give you to do without complaining or are
you going to be couch potatoes? (Let them answer.) Good! Now,
let's ask God to help us.
Dear God: We sure don't want to be lazy couch potatoes. Help us
always to be the kind of people You want us to be. Amen.
them answer.) That's right. It is a potato, but this one has a
face on it, so it's a special potato. What do they call people
who lay around watching television and don't do any work? (Let
them answer.) Yes, they call them "couch potatoes" and that's
what this is. It's a couch potato!
In the letter that Saint Paul wrote to the Christians at
Thessalonica he tells them that God doesn't want them to be lazy.
He has heard that some of them are lazy; that they're not working
and they are being "busybodies." That means that they are
sticking their noses into other people's business when they have
no right to do that. He lets them know that this is a bad thing
in the eyes of God. They didn't have television in his day, but
these people he was talking about were real "couch potatoes."
Now, what about us? Are we ever tempted to be lazy? What
would be some good examples of a person being lazy? (Let them
answer.) Yes, those are all good examples. I suppose there might
be some people who aren't in church today because they were tired
and didn't want to get up. Is that an example of being lazy? (Let
them answer.) And do you think God is happy with those people?
(Let them answer.) No, I'm sure that He isn't. God loves us and
He doesn't want us to be lazy Christians. He wants us to work
hard in our lives and do the best we can with the gifts He has
given us. If we are going to school, He wants us to be the best
students we can be. If we are working at a job, He wants us to
work hard and do the best job we can.
So, are any of you going to be lazy? Are you all going to do
the work your parents give you to do without complaining or are
you going to be couch potatoes? (Let them answer.) Good! Now,
let's ask God to help us.
Dear God: We sure don't want to be lazy couch potatoes. Help us
always to be the kind of people You want us to be. Amen.
