Eating bugs
Children's sermon
Object:
a jar of bugs and worms (perhaps some things you find under a rock or a piece of rotting wood)
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you like to eat? (let them answer) What is your favorite food? (let them answer) Do you know what a bird eats? (let them answer) Very good. They eat bugs, all kinds of bugs. Today, I brought with me this jar of bugs. They are pretty colorful, and in some ways they look almost good enough to eat. Have you ever eaten a bug? (let them answer) I wonder what a bug tastes like? Is there anyone here who is hungry enough to eat a bug? (let them answer)
Do you think eating bugs would make you feel bad? (let them answer) Would bugs make us bad people if we ate them? (let them answer) Why would a eating a bug be worse than eating a turkey or chicken that eats bugs? (let them answer) Do you think bugs make you dirty inside? (let them answer)
Which is worse: the things we eat that go inside us, or the things we say that come from the inside? (let them answer) Do you know what I mean? When you yell at someone, and you call them a name, is that worse than eating something you don't like? When you lie about something to a friend, is that worse than eating things you don't like? Which one makes you a worse person? (let them answer) When you ask your friend to copy their homework, is that better or worse than filling up your stomach with food that you don't like? (let them answer)
Jesus said that it is the bad things that come out of our mouths that are worse than the things we put into our mouths. Do you believe this? (let them answer) A lot of people don't understand that, and they think as long as they eat the right kind of vegetables, meat, and fruits, that they are clean on the inside. But the same people use their mouths to curse God, tell lies, cheat, steal, brag, and other bad things, and they don't think anything about it.
Jesus said we should be a lot more concerned what comes out of our mouths than what we put in our mouths. Do I think you should eat bugs? (let them answer) No, I don't think you should eat bugs, but I think it would be better for a person to eat a bug than tell a lie or curse God. That's the truth, the real truth. The next time you see a bug, tell them you are not going to eat them but thank them for reminding you not to say bad things about God or people.
Do you think eating bugs would make you feel bad? (let them answer) Would bugs make us bad people if we ate them? (let them answer) Why would a eating a bug be worse than eating a turkey or chicken that eats bugs? (let them answer) Do you think bugs make you dirty inside? (let them answer)
Which is worse: the things we eat that go inside us, or the things we say that come from the inside? (let them answer) Do you know what I mean? When you yell at someone, and you call them a name, is that worse than eating something you don't like? When you lie about something to a friend, is that worse than eating things you don't like? Which one makes you a worse person? (let them answer) When you ask your friend to copy their homework, is that better or worse than filling up your stomach with food that you don't like? (let them answer)
Jesus said that it is the bad things that come out of our mouths that are worse than the things we put into our mouths. Do you believe this? (let them answer) A lot of people don't understand that, and they think as long as they eat the right kind of vegetables, meat, and fruits, that they are clean on the inside. But the same people use their mouths to curse God, tell lies, cheat, steal, brag, and other bad things, and they don't think anything about it.
Jesus said we should be a lot more concerned what comes out of our mouths than what we put in our mouths. Do I think you should eat bugs? (let them answer) No, I don't think you should eat bugs, but I think it would be better for a person to eat a bug than tell a lie or curse God. That's the truth, the real truth. The next time you see a bug, tell them you are not going to eat them but thank them for reminding you not to say bad things about God or people.
