By love and not command
Children's sermon
Object:
a small bottle of vinegar and another small container of
honey
I have with me some vinegar. Who would like to taste it? Ugh!
I don't like to drink vinegar! It doesn't taste good by itself.
I also have some honey. Who would like to taste it? Yummy! I like the taste of honey!
If I told you to do something and that the reward would be one of these -- honey or vinegar -- what do you suppose most people would choose as their reward? (Let them answer.) I believe most people would choose honey. The Apostle Paul wanted his friend to do something for him. Pa
ul was an older man and had great respect. Paul could command Philemon (his friend) to release his slave, whose name was Onesimus. Or, Paul could ask Philemon to release Onesimus out of Christian love. The difference between command and ask is the same difference as between vinegar and honey. It is much better to ask for a favor than demand one.
Our Christian love demands that we use this power of love to do God's will on earth. It is much better to be kind and gentle with people than bossy and unfriendly. That's a good lesson all of us need to learn again and again because we keep forgetting that "you can attract more flies with honey than with vinegar." (And more people, too!)
Dear God: Help us be kind and gentle to everyone. Amen.
I also have some honey. Who would like to taste it? Yummy! I like the taste of honey!
If I told you to do something and that the reward would be one of these -- honey or vinegar -- what do you suppose most people would choose as their reward? (Let them answer.) I believe most people would choose honey. The Apostle Paul wanted his friend to do something for him. Pa
ul was an older man and had great respect. Paul could command Philemon (his friend) to release his slave, whose name was Onesimus. Or, Paul could ask Philemon to release Onesimus out of Christian love. The difference between command and ask is the same difference as between vinegar and honey. It is much better to ask for a favor than demand one.
Our Christian love demands that we use this power of love to do God's will on earth. It is much better to be kind and gentle with people than bossy and unfriendly. That's a good lesson all of us need to learn again and again because we keep forgetting that "you can attract more flies with honey than with vinegar." (And more people, too!)
Dear God: Help us be kind and gentle to everyone. Amen.
