I'm telling the truth
Children's sermon
Object:
a children's cereal box
Good morning, boys and girls. I brought a box of my favorite
cereal with me this morning. Do any of you eat this cereal? (Let
them answer.) What breakfast cereals are your favorite? (Let
each child answer.) One of the reasons that I like this cereal is
that there is usually something free inside. If not, there is
usually a game to play on the back, or something free that I can
send for. Have you ever noticed that the cereal boxes persuade
you to buy the cereal? Maybe you've not noticed this, but your
parents are no doubt aware of it!
This cereal box makes me think of Paul, who wrote this morning's lesson. The offer on this cereal box persuades me to want to buy it and eat the cereal. Paul was doing the same thing except he was trying to persuade Jews to accept Jesus as their Messiah. Here's what he said, "I am speaking the truth in Christ I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit ..." then he goes on to try to persuade Jews that Jesus is their king. Paul was trying to tell the Jewish people how wonderful Jesus was. He was trying to tell them all the good things that Jesus offered to them. Paul was doing just what this cereal box does to us. It tells us how wonderful this cereal is. It tells us what wonderful gifts we'll get if we buy it.
Even though we know that Jesus is our king, Paul was having real problems persuading his Jewish friends that Jesus was their king. Even so, Paul worked very hard at telling Jews about Jesus. He said that he was not lying to them -- he was telling the truth that Jesus was their king.
The next time you are in the store, being persuaded to buy the right breakfast cereal, think about Paul. Like all the cereal boxes try to persuade you to buy them, Paul spent much of his time trying to persuade people to follow Jesus.
This cereal box makes me think of Paul, who wrote this morning's lesson. The offer on this cereal box persuades me to want to buy it and eat the cereal. Paul was doing the same thing except he was trying to persuade Jews to accept Jesus as their Messiah. Here's what he said, "I am speaking the truth in Christ I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit ..." then he goes on to try to persuade Jews that Jesus is their king. Paul was trying to tell the Jewish people how wonderful Jesus was. He was trying to tell them all the good things that Jesus offered to them. Paul was doing just what this cereal box does to us. It tells us how wonderful this cereal is. It tells us what wonderful gifts we'll get if we buy it.
Even though we know that Jesus is our king, Paul was having real problems persuading his Jewish friends that Jesus was their king. Even so, Paul worked very hard at telling Jews about Jesus. He said that he was not lying to them -- he was telling the truth that Jesus was their king.
The next time you are in the store, being persuaded to buy the right breakfast cereal, think about Paul. Like all the cereal boxes try to persuade you to buy them, Paul spent much of his time trying to persuade people to follow Jesus.
