Don't stop and don't give up!
Children's sermon
Object:
a poster or picture of a person traveling a long road
Do you know what a marathon is? It's a really long race. Most marathons are many, many miles. That's what makes them different from the races you might have with your friends or at school. These races may take several hours, and some even take several days. A person who runs a marathon must be in very good shape, and that person must be very determined not to give up and quit.
Have you ever had a job to do that took a very long time? How about cleaning your room? What about doing your homework? Sometimes that can seem to take forever! Look at this picture. (Hold up the poster.) This person has a long, long way to go before the journey is over. It can be hard to keep going, but it's important to finish the things you begin.
God has asked us to be people who do good things. What are some of those good things? (Get responses.) We should be loving, patient, helpful, forgiving, and kind -- and there are lots of other good things too. God wants us to be these things all the time. We aren't supposed to stop doing them just because we get tired. I know that it's hard to do the right things sometimes, especially when others aren't doing the right things.
Let's say there's a boy at school who isn't always nice to you. How should you treat him? (Responses.) Is it easy to be nice to him? (Responses.) Okay. So you decide to be nice to him when you see him. What if he is still being mean to you a week later? A month later? What about a year later? It would get harder to stay patient and kind, wouldn't it? But God wants us to be patient and kind to him no matter how long it takes. He wants us to run the race even if it turns out to be a marathon. Don't give up, and don't stop. It's okay to rest every once in a while, but keep going. Run the race that God sets before you and finish the things you begin. Like our verse today says, "Let us not become weary in doing good."
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us not get tired of doing the things you ask. Help us make you proud in all that we do. Amen.
Have you ever had a job to do that took a very long time? How about cleaning your room? What about doing your homework? Sometimes that can seem to take forever! Look at this picture. (Hold up the poster.) This person has a long, long way to go before the journey is over. It can be hard to keep going, but it's important to finish the things you begin.
God has asked us to be people who do good things. What are some of those good things? (Get responses.) We should be loving, patient, helpful, forgiving, and kind -- and there are lots of other good things too. God wants us to be these things all the time. We aren't supposed to stop doing them just because we get tired. I know that it's hard to do the right things sometimes, especially when others aren't doing the right things.
Let's say there's a boy at school who isn't always nice to you. How should you treat him? (Responses.) Is it easy to be nice to him? (Responses.) Okay. So you decide to be nice to him when you see him. What if he is still being mean to you a week later? A month later? What about a year later? It would get harder to stay patient and kind, wouldn't it? But God wants us to be patient and kind to him no matter how long it takes. He wants us to run the race even if it turns out to be a marathon. Don't give up, and don't stop. It's okay to rest every once in a while, but keep going. Run the race that God sets before you and finish the things you begin. Like our verse today says, "Let us not become weary in doing good."
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us not get tired of doing the things you ask. Help us make you proud in all that we do. Amen.
