The hand of faith
Children's sermon
Object:
write the word "FAITH" on the palm of your hand
Good morning, boys and girls. I want to show you a word
written on my hand. What does it say? (Let them answer.) It says
"Faith." Think of it as a hand of faith as I tell you a story
about a little boy about your age.
Once there was a little boy. He began to learn to do things. As he began to learn to ride a bike, he would often fall down, but there was the hand of his parent to help him back up again. He began to learn to roller skate. As he learned, he would often fall down, but again, there was the hand of his parent to help him back up. This helping hand was always there. It was even there when he was a tiny baby. It held onto him when he learned to walk. It held him when he was sick. This hand of faith (hold out your hand) was always there when he needed it. The little boy always knew that when he would fall, or need help, that hand was there to pull him up. He had faith in the hand.
This hand of faith is like God's hand reaching to us. In this morning's lesson there is a word called "righteousness." It's a big word. It's a word that helped Martin Luther understand God's love for us. Luther found that when we receive God's "righteousness" we have peace and love in our hearts. We experience God's "righteousness" through our faith in Jesus. Remember the little boy and his faith in the hand that would always be there for him? Just like a parent holds out a hand when we need it, so does Jesus. Jesus holds out a hand to us. We receive God's love when we have faith in Jesus.
This week, think of all the times that your parents have held out a hand to help you. Remember that Jesus holds out a hand too. Jesus' hand is one that we can have faith in, just as we have faith in our parents' hand. God's "righteousness" comes through faith in Jesus to all who believe.
Once there was a little boy. He began to learn to do things. As he began to learn to ride a bike, he would often fall down, but there was the hand of his parent to help him back up again. He began to learn to roller skate. As he learned, he would often fall down, but again, there was the hand of his parent to help him back up. This helping hand was always there. It was even there when he was a tiny baby. It held onto him when he learned to walk. It held him when he was sick. This hand of faith (hold out your hand) was always there when he needed it. The little boy always knew that when he would fall, or need help, that hand was there to pull him up. He had faith in the hand.
This hand of faith is like God's hand reaching to us. In this morning's lesson there is a word called "righteousness." It's a big word. It's a word that helped Martin Luther understand God's love for us. Luther found that when we receive God's "righteousness" we have peace and love in our hearts. We experience God's "righteousness" through our faith in Jesus. Remember the little boy and his faith in the hand that would always be there for him? Just like a parent holds out a hand when we need it, so does Jesus. Jesus holds out a hand to us. We receive God's love when we have faith in Jesus.
This week, think of all the times that your parents have held out a hand to help you. Remember that Jesus holds out a hand too. Jesus' hand is one that we can have faith in, just as we have faith in our parents' hand. God's "righteousness" comes through faith in Jesus to all who believe.
