Produce or perish
Children's sermon
Object:
A picture of a fruit tree
Good morning! I'd like to show you a picture this morning.
What is this? (Show the picture and let them answer.) Yes, this is
a fruit tree and what is it that a fruit tree is supposed to do?
Why do we plant fruit trees and take care of them? (Let them
answer.) That's right. A fruit tree is planted and taken care of
so that it will produce fruit for us.
Now, if you had a fruit tree and it didn't produce any fruit
no matter how much you did for it, what would you do with that
tree? (Let them answer.) Of course, that's what we would do. If a
fruit tree doesn't produce fruit, it's no good, so we might just
as well cut it down and use it for firewood.
You know, boys and girls, you and I are God's fruit trees.
God has made us his people and he made us his people so that we
would produce fruit. The fruit God wants us to produce is "good
works." Good works are all the good things we do, like helping
other people, obeying our parents and teachers, coming to church,
going to Sunday school, and trying to follow all of God's
commandments. Those are the good works that God expects from us.
We do all these kinds of things because we love God and want
to be good fruit trees for him. We don't do them out of fear, but
we do need to remember what happens to bad fruit trees that don't
produce fruit. What happens to them? (Let them answer.) Yes,
they're cut down and thrown away! We certainly don't want that to
happen to us, do we? We want to be good fruit trees for God
because God loves us and we love God.
Dear Heavenly Father: By the power of your Holy Spirit, help us to
be good fruit trees that produce the fruit of good works. Amen.
What is this? (Show the picture and let them answer.) Yes, this is
a fruit tree and what is it that a fruit tree is supposed to do?
Why do we plant fruit trees and take care of them? (Let them
answer.) That's right. A fruit tree is planted and taken care of
so that it will produce fruit for us.
Now, if you had a fruit tree and it didn't produce any fruit
no matter how much you did for it, what would you do with that
tree? (Let them answer.) Of course, that's what we would do. If a
fruit tree doesn't produce fruit, it's no good, so we might just
as well cut it down and use it for firewood.
You know, boys and girls, you and I are God's fruit trees.
God has made us his people and he made us his people so that we
would produce fruit. The fruit God wants us to produce is "good
works." Good works are all the good things we do, like helping
other people, obeying our parents and teachers, coming to church,
going to Sunday school, and trying to follow all of God's
commandments. Those are the good works that God expects from us.
We do all these kinds of things because we love God and want
to be good fruit trees for him. We don't do them out of fear, but
we do need to remember what happens to bad fruit trees that don't
produce fruit. What happens to them? (Let them answer.) Yes,
they're cut down and thrown away! We certainly don't want that to
happen to us, do we? We want to be good fruit trees for God
because God loves us and we love God.
Dear Heavenly Father: By the power of your Holy Spirit, help us to
be good fruit trees that produce the fruit of good works. Amen.
