A humble mantle of calling
Children's sermon
Object:
a pastor's stole
Good morning, boys and girls. Today we are going to spend just a couple of minutes talking about me and what I do here. Do you know what they call me? (let them answer) That's right, they call me Pastor. That isn't my name, is it? (let them answer) What is my name? (let them answer) Very good! But people call me pastor and it is for a very good reason that I will tell you later. On Sunday I wear some special clothes. I also wear this around my neck. Do you know what we call this? (hold up the stole) We call it a stole and it is supposed to represent something that animals wear when they are pulling a cart or heavy wagon. It means that I am a servant to God and all of the people who attend this church.
The Bible says that you don't just choose this honor, but you become a pastor when God invites you or calls you to serve him. It is not because I think I am very good or I am better than your dad or mom or anyone else, but because I was called or asked by God to do this.
I do a lot of things besides come here on Sunday morning. I visit the sick at home and in the hospital. I pray with a lot of people. I visit people and share with them God's message for them for that time. Sometimes I visit people who are very sad or angry. Sometimes I visit people who are very happy and filled with joy. I baptize people and give them communion, and because God has asked me to listen to people tell me about their sins, I also share with them God's forgiveness.
Pastors are not God or Jesus. They study their Bibles and say their prayers. They are not God but instead they are servants of God. Pastors are reminded often that they are servants of a mighty God. Only Jesus was perfect and without sin. All of the rest of us, including men like Peter and women like Mary, knew what it was like to be a sinner and ask God for forgiveness. Jesus was a special person made by God to live a life without sin.
So the next time you see someone walking around with something like this hanging around his/her neck, you will be reminded that he/she is a servant of God. You will also know that he didn't volunteer but instead was asked by God to do special work. You will also remember that a person like me is still a sinner and needs God's help and forgiveness.
The Bible says that you don't just choose this honor, but you become a pastor when God invites you or calls you to serve him. It is not because I think I am very good or I am better than your dad or mom or anyone else, but because I was called or asked by God to do this.
I do a lot of things besides come here on Sunday morning. I visit the sick at home and in the hospital. I pray with a lot of people. I visit people and share with them God's message for them for that time. Sometimes I visit people who are very sad or angry. Sometimes I visit people who are very happy and filled with joy. I baptize people and give them communion, and because God has asked me to listen to people tell me about their sins, I also share with them God's forgiveness.
Pastors are not God or Jesus. They study their Bibles and say their prayers. They are not God but instead they are servants of God. Pastors are reminded often that they are servants of a mighty God. Only Jesus was perfect and without sin. All of the rest of us, including men like Peter and women like Mary, knew what it was like to be a sinner and ask God for forgiveness. Jesus was a special person made by God to live a life without sin.
So the next time you see someone walking around with something like this hanging around his/her neck, you will be reminded that he/she is a servant of God. You will also know that he didn't volunteer but instead was asked by God to do special work. You will also remember that a person like me is still a sinner and needs God's help and forgiveness.
