Role models
Children's sermon
Object:
a photograph of Gandhi
As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. (v. 10)
Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) How many of you have heard of a "role model"? (allow answers) Does anyone know what a role model is? (allow answers) A role model is someone who you look up to. Maybe your role model is a big brother or sister. Maybe your role model is your mom or dad. Maybe it's your babysitter. Do any of you have a role model? (allow answers) Who is your role model? (allow answers)
Lots of us have role models that are people we know personally. But we can also have role models that are people we have never met. Have any of you ever heard of a person named Mahatma Gandhi? (allow answers, show photo) Mahatma Gandhi was a man who lived in India at the beginning of the 1900s. At that time, India was ruled by England. The people who lived in India wanted to be their own nation -- not a nation controlled by England. Mahatma Gandhi was a leader of the Indian people against the English. However, Gandhi did not believe in violence. How many of you know about the American Revolution? (allow answers) During the American Revolution, people in America started a war against the English so that the English would let America be its own country. Well, Gandhi did not want to start a war! Gandhi wanted India to be independent through peaceful negotiations. But Gandhi did not just want England to leave. Gandhi also fought for civil rights. He wanted all people in India to be treated equally, no matter how rich they were, how poor they were, or what they looked like. Gandhi worked to educate all Indians and help them lead better, healthier lives.
Many people think of Gandhi as a role model because he worked to make people's lives better and he worked to make a difference without using violence. Gandhi is definitely not the only role model we can find in history! Our New Testament reading today tells us to look in the Bible for our role models. It says, "As an example of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord." The Bible is full of people who went through hardships in order to do God's work. They are great role models for us as we try to follow God's will in modern times.
Do you know the best part about role models? You can have more than one! We can have role models of people that we know, of people that we have learned about in history books, and of people we know from our Bible stories. This week, think about all the people who you look up to. How many role models do you have? Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) How many of you have heard of a "role model"? (allow answers) Does anyone know what a role model is? (allow answers) A role model is someone who you look up to. Maybe your role model is a big brother or sister. Maybe your role model is your mom or dad. Maybe it's your babysitter. Do any of you have a role model? (allow answers) Who is your role model? (allow answers)
Lots of us have role models that are people we know personally. But we can also have role models that are people we have never met. Have any of you ever heard of a person named Mahatma Gandhi? (allow answers, show photo) Mahatma Gandhi was a man who lived in India at the beginning of the 1900s. At that time, India was ruled by England. The people who lived in India wanted to be their own nation -- not a nation controlled by England. Mahatma Gandhi was a leader of the Indian people against the English. However, Gandhi did not believe in violence. How many of you know about the American Revolution? (allow answers) During the American Revolution, people in America started a war against the English so that the English would let America be its own country. Well, Gandhi did not want to start a war! Gandhi wanted India to be independent through peaceful negotiations. But Gandhi did not just want England to leave. Gandhi also fought for civil rights. He wanted all people in India to be treated equally, no matter how rich they were, how poor they were, or what they looked like. Gandhi worked to educate all Indians and help them lead better, healthier lives.
Many people think of Gandhi as a role model because he worked to make people's lives better and he worked to make a difference without using violence. Gandhi is definitely not the only role model we can find in history! Our New Testament reading today tells us to look in the Bible for our role models. It says, "As an example of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord." The Bible is full of people who went through hardships in order to do God's work. They are great role models for us as we try to follow God's will in modern times.
Do you know the best part about role models? You can have more than one! We can have role models of people that we know, of people that we have learned about in history books, and of people we know from our Bible stories. This week, think about all the people who you look up to. How many role models do you have? Amen.
