Love your neighbor
Children's sermon
Object:
pictures of people from other countries in native dress
Good morning! In the Gospel today we heard the parable of
the "Good Samaritan." We heard about how this Samaritan man
helped another man who had been beaten and robbed and left in a
ditch. What do you think would have happened to that man if
nobody had helped him? (Let them answer. They will probably say
that he would have died, or you can lead them to this response.)
That's right. The man would have died without the help of this
Samaritan.
Jesus was telling this story to Jews, and the Jews didn't
like Samaritans at all. They would not talk with them or have
anything to do with them. So do you think these Jews would be
surprised to hear how this Samaritan helped a Jewish man who was
in trouble? (Let them answer.)
Yes, this story really surprised them, but Jesus was trying
to tell them that everyone we meet in this world is a neighbor,
and God wants us to love our neighbors.
I brought with me today some pictures of people that I want
to show you. Look at this picture. (Show one of the pictures.)
Now I ask you, does anybody in your neighborhood dress like that?
(Let them answer.) Or how about like this? (Show more pictures
and let them answer.) No, we don't dress like that and we don't
even speak the same language these people do, but are these
people our neighbors? (Let them answer.) Yes, all these people
are our neighbors because God wants us to love all the people in
the world and help them when we can.
So, children, when God tells us that we should love our
neighbors, what is He saying to us? (Let them answer.) Yes, He is
telling us that we need to love all the people of the world no
matter how different they are, no matter what language they speak
or what color their skin is. All the people of the world are our
neighbors, and we should be willing to help them whenever we can,
just as the Samaritan helped the Jewish man.
Dear God: Help us to understand that everyone is our neighbor and
that You want us to love all the people of this world and do
whatever we can to help them. Amen.
the "Good Samaritan." We heard about how this Samaritan man
helped another man who had been beaten and robbed and left in a
ditch. What do you think would have happened to that man if
nobody had helped him? (Let them answer. They will probably say
that he would have died, or you can lead them to this response.)
That's right. The man would have died without the help of this
Samaritan.
Jesus was telling this story to Jews, and the Jews didn't
like Samaritans at all. They would not talk with them or have
anything to do with them. So do you think these Jews would be
surprised to hear how this Samaritan helped a Jewish man who was
in trouble? (Let them answer.)
Yes, this story really surprised them, but Jesus was trying
to tell them that everyone we meet in this world is a neighbor,
and God wants us to love our neighbors.
I brought with me today some pictures of people that I want
to show you. Look at this picture. (Show one of the pictures.)
Now I ask you, does anybody in your neighborhood dress like that?
(Let them answer.) Or how about like this? (Show more pictures
and let them answer.) No, we don't dress like that and we don't
even speak the same language these people do, but are these
people our neighbors? (Let them answer.) Yes, all these people
are our neighbors because God wants us to love all the people in
the world and help them when we can.
So, children, when God tells us that we should love our
neighbors, what is He saying to us? (Let them answer.) Yes, He is
telling us that we need to love all the people of the world no
matter how different they are, no matter what language they speak
or what color their skin is. All the people of the world are our
neighbors, and we should be willing to help them whenever we can,
just as the Samaritan helped the Jewish man.
Dear God: Help us to understand that everyone is our neighbor and
that You want us to love all the people of this world and do
whatever we can to help them. Amen.
