God is not partial
Children's sermon
Object:
three or four school shirts, including a rival if possible, with logos on them
Good morning, boys and girls. Some of you might have a shirt with your school's name on it. Maybe you have a shirt from a favorite sports team. Grown-ups say they are partial to the teams they like. When this sermon is almost over I will tell you the teams I am partial to.
I've got some school jerseys here. (hold up each shirt) Are you partial to any of these schools? (let them answer) Many of us feel partial to the school we go to or will go to when we are older. We root for our teams when they play football, basketball, or soccer.
I wonder if God is partial. Do you think God likes big people more than small people? (let them answer) Does God like white people more than black or tan people? (let them answer) Do you think God loves American people more than Japanese, German, or Iraqi people? (let them answer) Is God partial? (let them answer)
I looked this up in the Bible and in the book of Acts it says God is not partial. Peter, who was Jewish, thought for a long time that God was partial to Jewish people. Peter thought Jesus came only for the Jews. Then one day Peter was visited by God and learned that his thinking was wrong. After Peter learned that God was not partial to one kind of people, he began to tell everyone how wrong he had been.
God loves all people and Jesus came to share his message with the whole world. Jesus died for everyone's sins and not for just a few people. God is not partial. He loves Americans, Russians, Italians, Chinese, Australians, Africans, South Americans, and everyone in the world. God is not partial.
It is all right for people to be partial toward their schools and teams, but we should not be partial toward people when it comes to sharing God with others. God does not have favorites. God does not like tall people more than short people. He doesn't like the old more than the young or the fast more than the slow. God loves all of the people he created.
So the next time someone asks you if you are one of God's favorites, you can tell them that God does not have favorites, he is not partial to anyone.
Okay, it is time to tell you my favorite teams. I like the Cincinnati Reds, the Cleveland Browns, the Detroit Pistons, and the Ohio State Buckeyes. If you want to tell me your favorite teams right after church you may.
I've got some school jerseys here. (hold up each shirt) Are you partial to any of these schools? (let them answer) Many of us feel partial to the school we go to or will go to when we are older. We root for our teams when they play football, basketball, or soccer.
I wonder if God is partial. Do you think God likes big people more than small people? (let them answer) Does God like white people more than black or tan people? (let them answer) Do you think God loves American people more than Japanese, German, or Iraqi people? (let them answer) Is God partial? (let them answer)
I looked this up in the Bible and in the book of Acts it says God is not partial. Peter, who was Jewish, thought for a long time that God was partial to Jewish people. Peter thought Jesus came only for the Jews. Then one day Peter was visited by God and learned that his thinking was wrong. After Peter learned that God was not partial to one kind of people, he began to tell everyone how wrong he had been.
God loves all people and Jesus came to share his message with the whole world. Jesus died for everyone's sins and not for just a few people. God is not partial. He loves Americans, Russians, Italians, Chinese, Australians, Africans, South Americans, and everyone in the world. God is not partial.
It is all right for people to be partial toward their schools and teams, but we should not be partial toward people when it comes to sharing God with others. God does not have favorites. God does not like tall people more than short people. He doesn't like the old more than the young or the fast more than the slow. God loves all of the people he created.
So the next time someone asks you if you are one of God's favorites, you can tell them that God does not have favorites, he is not partial to anyone.
Okay, it is time to tell you my favorite teams. I like the Cincinnati Reds, the Cleveland Browns, the Detroit Pistons, and the Ohio State Buckeyes. If you want to tell me your favorite teams right after church you may.
