Producing good fruit
Children's sermon
Object:
a branch from a fruit tree
Good morning! I brought this branch along to show you today.
Can anybody tell me what kind of branch this is? (Let them
answer.) This is a _______ branch. What kind of fruit will grow
on this _______ branch? (Let them answer.) Yes, since this is a
__________ branch, we would expect ________ to grow on it. But,
do you think any fruit will actually grow again on this
particular branch? (Let them answer.) No, it won't, and why won't
it grow? (Let them answer.) Yes, of course it won't grow because
this branch is no longer attached to the tree. It can't live and
produce fruit unless it is still attached to the tree.
Jesus tells us that we are like this branch. He wants us to
produce fruit; that is, he wants us to do the good things he has
asked us to do. But, like this branch, we have to be attached to
him in order to do that. He says that we can't do anything that
is really good without him. We have to continue to be his special
people, firmly attached to him so we can continue to produce
fruit. If we are close to him and love him, we can do all the
things that he wants us to do. Do you want to be like that? Do
you want to be firmly attached to Jesus? (Let them answer.)
Let's pray that God will keep us firmly attached to Jesus.
Dear Father: We know that we are branches that can do nothing
that pleases You unless we are firmly attached to Jesus. Help us
always to remain firmly attached to him. Amen.
Can anybody tell me what kind of branch this is? (Let them
answer.) This is a _______ branch. What kind of fruit will grow
on this _______ branch? (Let them answer.) Yes, since this is a
__________ branch, we would expect ________ to grow on it. But,
do you think any fruit will actually grow again on this
particular branch? (Let them answer.) No, it won't, and why won't
it grow? (Let them answer.) Yes, of course it won't grow because
this branch is no longer attached to the tree. It can't live and
produce fruit unless it is still attached to the tree.
Jesus tells us that we are like this branch. He wants us to
produce fruit; that is, he wants us to do the good things he has
asked us to do. But, like this branch, we have to be attached to
him in order to do that. He says that we can't do anything that
is really good without him. We have to continue to be his special
people, firmly attached to him so we can continue to produce
fruit. If we are close to him and love him, we can do all the
things that he wants us to do. Do you want to be like that? Do
you want to be firmly attached to Jesus? (Let them answer.)
Let's pray that God will keep us firmly attached to Jesus.
Dear Father: We know that we are branches that can do nothing
that pleases You unless we are firmly attached to Jesus. Help us
always to remain firmly attached to him. Amen.
