Have faith
Children's sermon
Object:
a set of car keys
I have a set of keys to my car here. When I am through later
today, I will get in my car and put the keys in the ignition. I
have faith that the keys will start my car. Then, when I start
the car, I have faith that the engine will pull the car, the
tires will turn safely, and that the steering wheel will turn the
car as I turn the steering wheel. It takes a lot of this thing
called faith for me to just get home today! On the highway I may
travel 55 miles per hour -- fast and efficient. But if something
went wrong, I might have to sit and wait for help to come so that
my car could be fixed. It takes faith for me to trust my car this
much.
Can anyone here tell me what "faith" is? (Let them answer.) Faith is something we have and use every day and yet it is hard to say exactly what it is. I guess you could say that faith means we depend on something or someone to do what we expect it or them to do.
The word faith is a big word we use often here at this church. Today we talk about faith as our trust that Jesus is who he said he is and that he will do what he said he would do. I believe Jesus is trustworthy and so I have faith in Jesus.
My faith in Jesus is much different from my faith in my car. I can't see Jesus -- I can see my car. I can't hear Jesus -- I can hear my car. I can't touch Jesus -- I can touch my car. In fact I'm touching my car keys now. Yet I believe Jesus is trustworthy and that Jesus is my Lord and my Savior. I trust in Jesus. I know that Jesus hears me when I pray to him. I know that Jesus loves me. I know that Jesus is watching out for me. I know that Jesus is protecting me. My faith in Jesus is different from my faith in my car. I have more faith in Jesus than I do my car -- even though I cannot see, hear, or touch Jesus.
Dear Jesus: We believe in you; we have faith in you; we trust you and we thank you for being who you are and for loving us and giving us faith. Amen.
Alternative: Ask the children about various objects and how we have faith in them. (e.g. We have faith that our clothes will withstand our wearing them; our money will buy what we want or need; our building will not leak and let the rain in; and so forth.)
Can anyone here tell me what "faith" is? (Let them answer.) Faith is something we have and use every day and yet it is hard to say exactly what it is. I guess you could say that faith means we depend on something or someone to do what we expect it or them to do.
The word faith is a big word we use often here at this church. Today we talk about faith as our trust that Jesus is who he said he is and that he will do what he said he would do. I believe Jesus is trustworthy and so I have faith in Jesus.
My faith in Jesus is much different from my faith in my car. I can't see Jesus -- I can see my car. I can't hear Jesus -- I can hear my car. I can't touch Jesus -- I can touch my car. In fact I'm touching my car keys now. Yet I believe Jesus is trustworthy and that Jesus is my Lord and my Savior. I trust in Jesus. I know that Jesus hears me when I pray to him. I know that Jesus loves me. I know that Jesus is watching out for me. I know that Jesus is protecting me. My faith in Jesus is different from my faith in my car. I have more faith in Jesus than I do my car -- even though I cannot see, hear, or touch Jesus.
Dear Jesus: We believe in you; we have faith in you; we trust you and we thank you for being who you are and for loving us and giving us faith. Amen.
Alternative: Ask the children about various objects and how we have faith in them. (e.g. We have faith that our clothes will withstand our wearing them; our money will buy what we want or need; our building will not leak and let the rain in; and so forth.)