Pray as Jesus did
Children's sermon
Object:
none
Good morning! How often do you pray? Do you pray before
meals? (Let them answer.) Do you pray before you go to sleep at
night? (Let them answer.) Do you think it is good to say prayers?
(Let them answer.) Will somebody tell me about the last prayer
that you prayed? Tell me what you said to God in that prayer.
(Let a volunteer talk about his/her prayer.)
There is one thing about prayer that we all need to know.
Jesus taught us something very important when he prayed in the
Garden of Gethsemane the night before he died. At that time, he
knew that he was going to suffer and die the next day. Do you
think he was looking forward to that? (Let them answer.) No, he
certainly wasn't. In fact, in his prayer he asked God if there
was any way he could avoid dying like that; he would certainly
like not to have to do it. But, and this is the important part,
he also said to God, "... not what I want, but what you want." In
other words, he asked God to save him from that awful death, but
he also said that he understood that what God wanted was more
important than what he wanted.
God didn't save him, because it was important for all of us
that Jesus die on that cross. In order for you and me to be
saved, Jesus had to die. Did Jesus go ahead and do what God
wanted him to do? (Let them answer.) Yes, he did. Let's thank
Jesus for being willing to do what God wanted instead of what he
wanted.
Dear Lord Jesus: We are so glad that you were willing to do what
God wanted so that all of us could be saved. Help us to pray the
way you prayed, asking God for whatever we want, but always
adding that what God wants is more important than what we want.
Amen.
meals? (Let them answer.) Do you pray before you go to sleep at
night? (Let them answer.) Do you think it is good to say prayers?
(Let them answer.) Will somebody tell me about the last prayer
that you prayed? Tell me what you said to God in that prayer.
(Let a volunteer talk about his/her prayer.)
There is one thing about prayer that we all need to know.
Jesus taught us something very important when he prayed in the
Garden of Gethsemane the night before he died. At that time, he
knew that he was going to suffer and die the next day. Do you
think he was looking forward to that? (Let them answer.) No, he
certainly wasn't. In fact, in his prayer he asked God if there
was any way he could avoid dying like that; he would certainly
like not to have to do it. But, and this is the important part,
he also said to God, "... not what I want, but what you want." In
other words, he asked God to save him from that awful death, but
he also said that he understood that what God wanted was more
important than what he wanted.
God didn't save him, because it was important for all of us
that Jesus die on that cross. In order for you and me to be
saved, Jesus had to die. Did Jesus go ahead and do what God
wanted him to do? (Let them answer.) Yes, he did. Let's thank
Jesus for being willing to do what God wanted instead of what he
wanted.
Dear Lord Jesus: We are so glad that you were willing to do what
God wanted so that all of us could be saved. Help us to pray the
way you prayed, asking God for whatever we want, but always
adding that what God wants is more important than what we want.
Amen.
