God's humble servant
Children's sermon
Object:
a toy mouse
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you have ever been
to a zoo? (Let them answer.) When you go to the zoo, what animals
do you like to watch? (Let them answer.) Do you ever see a mouse
at a zoo? I don't think I've ever seen one. I brought a mouse
with me (show the mouse) because it reminded me of this morning's
Bible story. The story asks a question. The question is: What is
the best way to honor God? I am going to tell you about some
animals who were talking among themselves. See if you can decide
which animal is the one that honors God in the best way.
This story is about a lion, a bear, an elephant and a mouse. Each animal went to church every Sunday. The lion said, "I honor God better than the rest of you because God has made me very rich and I give a lot of money to the church. I also sit in the front row every Sunday."
The bear said, "I honor God better than the rest of you because I pray five times a day. In my prayers I thank God that I'm better off than other animals."
The elephant said, "I honor God better than the rest of you because I read my Bible day and night. I've read it through four times. I know more about God than anyone else."
At that moment the mouse walked in the room. The three other animals ignored the mouse. They kept on arguing about which one of them honored God the most. The mouse was late to the meeting because she had just taken a hot meal to a sick church member. The mouse was always doing things like that. She would drive older persons to church -- persons who couldn't walk very well. She was a Sunday school teacher and she also helped with any volunteer job the church needed.
Now, let me ask you the question. How do you honor God the best, by giving a lot of money to the church, by praying often, by reading the Bible often or by doing little things like my mouse friend? (Let them answer.) That's right, by doing things like the mouse. Jesus told his disciples that the greatest among you will be a servant. Jesus said that God will reward those like the mouse, who are humble to God.
This story is about a lion, a bear, an elephant and a mouse. Each animal went to church every Sunday. The lion said, "I honor God better than the rest of you because God has made me very rich and I give a lot of money to the church. I also sit in the front row every Sunday."
The bear said, "I honor God better than the rest of you because I pray five times a day. In my prayers I thank God that I'm better off than other animals."
The elephant said, "I honor God better than the rest of you because I read my Bible day and night. I've read it through four times. I know more about God than anyone else."
At that moment the mouse walked in the room. The three other animals ignored the mouse. They kept on arguing about which one of them honored God the most. The mouse was late to the meeting because she had just taken a hot meal to a sick church member. The mouse was always doing things like that. She would drive older persons to church -- persons who couldn't walk very well. She was a Sunday school teacher and she also helped with any volunteer job the church needed.
Now, let me ask you the question. How do you honor God the best, by giving a lot of money to the church, by praying often, by reading the Bible often or by doing little things like my mouse friend? (Let them answer.) That's right, by doing things like the mouse. Jesus told his disciples that the greatest among you will be a servant. Jesus said that God will reward those like the mouse, who are humble to God.
