It's good to be a sheep
Children's sermon
Object:
a deck of cards
Good morning! Today is the first day of a brand new year.
What year is this? (Let them answer.) Yes, this is 2001. How many
more years do you think it will be before Jesus comes back and
this whole world that we live in will come to an end? (Let them
answer.) Well, I don't know either. Only God knows. It might be
this year or next or a thousand years from now. But, when it does
happen, the Bible tells us that Jesus is going to separate all
the people who have ever lived into two groups. To show you what
that means, let's take this deck of cards. (Show the deck.) Now,
if you look at this side of the cards, they all look the same,
don't they? But, if you look at the cards face up, they are all
different. Let's say that this deck of cards represents all the
people who ever lived. Jesus takes the deck and separates the red
cards from the black. (Go through part of the deck separating red
and black cards.) He calls this group goats and the other group
sheep. The sheep are going to stay with him in Heaven forever and
the goats are all going to be condemned. Which group do you want
to be in? (Let them answer.) Yes, indeed. We all want to be in
the sheep group. So how do we get to be sheep? (Let them answer.)
The sheep are those who believe in Jesus. Do all of you believe?
(Let them answer.) Then you are sheep right now, and if Jesus
comes back today, he will take you with him into Heaven. Let's
thank God for making us believing sheep.
Dear God: When that final day comes when Jesus separates everyone
into two groups, we are thankful that, because You have given us
faith, we believe in Jesus and will therefore always be in his
group of sheep. Amen.
What year is this? (Let them answer.) Yes, this is 2001. How many
more years do you think it will be before Jesus comes back and
this whole world that we live in will come to an end? (Let them
answer.) Well, I don't know either. Only God knows. It might be
this year or next or a thousand years from now. But, when it does
happen, the Bible tells us that Jesus is going to separate all
the people who have ever lived into two groups. To show you what
that means, let's take this deck of cards. (Show the deck.) Now,
if you look at this side of the cards, they all look the same,
don't they? But, if you look at the cards face up, they are all
different. Let's say that this deck of cards represents all the
people who ever lived. Jesus takes the deck and separates the red
cards from the black. (Go through part of the deck separating red
and black cards.) He calls this group goats and the other group
sheep. The sheep are going to stay with him in Heaven forever and
the goats are all going to be condemned. Which group do you want
to be in? (Let them answer.) Yes, indeed. We all want to be in
the sheep group. So how do we get to be sheep? (Let them answer.)
The sheep are those who believe in Jesus. Do all of you believe?
(Let them answer.) Then you are sheep right now, and if Jesus
comes back today, he will take you with him into Heaven. Let's
thank God for making us believing sheep.
Dear God: When that final day comes when Jesus separates everyone
into two groups, we are thankful that, because You have given us
faith, we believe in Jesus and will therefore always be in his
group of sheep. Amen.
