Jesus, the honest teacher
Children's sermon
Object:
none
I'm sure that all of you have been to the doctor before. What things do you like about the doctor's office? (see what they think) We go to the doctor when we are sick. The doctor can help us get better. Are there things in the doctor's office that you don't like? (get responses) I've never really liked getting shots. Ouch! One time I had to have stitches to fix a big cut I had. I didn't really like that very much, even though the doctor was doing it to help me get better.
Doctors have hard jobs. They get to help people, but sometimes they also have to give people bad news. They have to be very honest with people about things that might make them sad, like when someone gets a very big illness. Doctors always have to be honest with people, even when it means telling them something they may not like.
Jesus was an honest teacher. Just like doctors, sometimes Jesus had to tell people things that were hard for them to hear. It wasn't easy, but he had to tell them. In today's Gospel reading Jesus tells people that they will have hard times because they follow him. He lets them know that being a Christian can be very, very hard. Sometimes people won't like you, just like some people didn't like Jesus. Sometimes they may even want to hurt you, and all because you love Jesus. In some places in this world people are beaten, thrown in jail and even killed because they follow Jesus Christ. I don't like hearing that, do you?
It's important that we know, though. Jesus wants us to know the truth: all the good news and all the bad news. In order for us to love him completely we have to know exactly what loving him means. Yes, there may be some hard times for people who follow him. But the good news is that God promised we would never be alone. He has promised to give us the strength to handle any problem that comes our way. He has promised that our lives will be better for loving him and that he will give us everlasting life. There may be bad news, but the good news is much, much more powerful than the bad.
Prayer: Thank you, God, for being honest with us. Give us the strength to follow you always, even through the hard times. Amen.
Doctors have hard jobs. They get to help people, but sometimes they also have to give people bad news. They have to be very honest with people about things that might make them sad, like when someone gets a very big illness. Doctors always have to be honest with people, even when it means telling them something they may not like.
Jesus was an honest teacher. Just like doctors, sometimes Jesus had to tell people things that were hard for them to hear. It wasn't easy, but he had to tell them. In today's Gospel reading Jesus tells people that they will have hard times because they follow him. He lets them know that being a Christian can be very, very hard. Sometimes people won't like you, just like some people didn't like Jesus. Sometimes they may even want to hurt you, and all because you love Jesus. In some places in this world people are beaten, thrown in jail and even killed because they follow Jesus Christ. I don't like hearing that, do you?
It's important that we know, though. Jesus wants us to know the truth: all the good news and all the bad news. In order for us to love him completely we have to know exactly what loving him means. Yes, there may be some hard times for people who follow him. But the good news is that God promised we would never be alone. He has promised to give us the strength to handle any problem that comes our way. He has promised that our lives will be better for loving him and that he will give us everlasting life. There may be bad news, but the good news is much, much more powerful than the bad.
Prayer: Thank you, God, for being honest with us. Give us the strength to follow you always, even through the hard times. Amen.
