Keep struggling to win
Children's sermon
Object:
something that represents struggling, like learning to read; for example, a book with many difficult words
Good morning, boys and girls. I am so glad you are here today because I have really been struggling with a problem and it has me befuddled. Do you ever struggle? (let them answer) What kind of struggling do you do? (let them answer) I struggle with lots of things. I struggle with my diet. I want to lose weight, but it is hard because I keep eating things I should not eat. I want to lose weight, but I like ice cream, donuts, apple pie, and mashed potatoes with butter and gravy. It is a struggle.
But there are other ways to struggle. How many of you like to read? (let them answer) Good. I brought along a book that I have wanted to read, but I am struggling with some of the words. Is there anyone here who would like to help me read my book? (choose a bright child and let him or her struggle for a few sentences with your book) Well, that is pretty good. I heard that Mandy is a very good reader and she did pretty well. It is a struggle to read a book when we are not familiar with the words, isn't it, Mandy? (let him or her answer)
But struggling isn't all bad. It is a challenge. Someday Mandy will read every one of those words and know what every one of them means. But it will take a lot of work and study. And sometimes she will get discouraged and want to quit learning but she will always come back and struggle to make it.
Paul and his friends in Philippi struggled teaching the Good News about Jesus. Not everyone wanted to listen. Sometimes they made it hard for Paul and his friends to teach because they made noise or complained to the police about them. His friends, Euodia and Syntche and Clement, struggled with difficult times, but they never gave up. They got discouraged teaching others about the love of Jesus because some people made fun of them and other people were so mean to them. But Euodia, Syntche, Clement, and some other friends, along with Paul, kept on teaching and living the Christian life.
I know Christians today who are struggling with being Christians. It isn't easy when friends you know don't go to church or read their Bibles and they want you to stay home on Sunday and not go to church. But remember being a Christian isn't always easy. Sometimes we struggle just like we struggle with big words or our diet, but we are determined to learn or lose weight. We will struggle but we will win.
Prayer: Help us to be good Christians, dear Jesus, even when we have to struggle to do so. Amen.
But there are other ways to struggle. How many of you like to read? (let them answer) Good. I brought along a book that I have wanted to read, but I am struggling with some of the words. Is there anyone here who would like to help me read my book? (choose a bright child and let him or her struggle for a few sentences with your book) Well, that is pretty good. I heard that Mandy is a very good reader and she did pretty well. It is a struggle to read a book when we are not familiar with the words, isn't it, Mandy? (let him or her answer)
But struggling isn't all bad. It is a challenge. Someday Mandy will read every one of those words and know what every one of them means. But it will take a lot of work and study. And sometimes she will get discouraged and want to quit learning but she will always come back and struggle to make it.
Paul and his friends in Philippi struggled teaching the Good News about Jesus. Not everyone wanted to listen. Sometimes they made it hard for Paul and his friends to teach because they made noise or complained to the police about them. His friends, Euodia and Syntche and Clement, struggled with difficult times, but they never gave up. They got discouraged teaching others about the love of Jesus because some people made fun of them and other people were so mean to them. But Euodia, Syntche, Clement, and some other friends, along with Paul, kept on teaching and living the Christian life.
I know Christians today who are struggling with being Christians. It isn't easy when friends you know don't go to church or read their Bibles and they want you to stay home on Sunday and not go to church. But remember being a Christian isn't always easy. Sometimes we struggle just like we struggle with big words or our diet, but we are determined to learn or lose weight. We will struggle but we will win.
Prayer: Help us to be good Christians, dear Jesus, even when we have to struggle to do so. Amen.
