Saying or doing?
Children's sermon
Object:
A dust rag
A girl named Sara told her mother she would clean her room.
She really meant to clean her room, but she had so much fun
playing with her neighbor friend that she never quite got it
done. Her room was a mess! Do you think Sara's mother was
pleased? (Let them answer.) I doubt it! She was more likely
upset! Sara said she would clean her room, but she didn't do it.
Sara's sister Abigail had a messy room, too. Abigail's mother told her to clean her room. But Abigail really wanted to play with her friends and watch television instead. She didn't tell her mother she would clean her room, instead she said she would not! After she told her mother she would not clean her room, Abigail thought, "I really should clean my room. Mother is right. It is messy and I would be much happier in a clean room where I can find things than in a messy one where I can't find what I'm looking for." So, Abigail cleaned her room.
Which is the best thing to do -- what Sara did? (Let them answer.) Or, what Abigail did? (Let them answer.) I think Abigail had the best behavior. Even though she said "no," her actions were "yes."
It is easy to say what others or God might want us to say. We can make our mouths say anything. What is important, though, is what we do. Our actions say more than our mouths! That is always true. What we do speaks louder than our words.
Jesus once told a story very much like the story I just told you about Sara and Abigail. He said that God wants us to be people who do what God wants and not just people who say what God wants. Our actions are more important than words alone.
God wants us to help feed hungry people. It's not enough to say we want to help the hungry, our actions show that we help the hungry. That's why we have a food pantry (or "give to our church's 'world hunger appeal' " and so forth. Highlight a ministry members of your congregation are involved in that shows their doing.)
Dearest God: Help us show our love for you and others not only by what we say, but also by what we do. Amen.
Sara's sister Abigail had a messy room, too. Abigail's mother told her to clean her room. But Abigail really wanted to play with her friends and watch television instead. She didn't tell her mother she would clean her room, instead she said she would not! After she told her mother she would not clean her room, Abigail thought, "I really should clean my room. Mother is right. It is messy and I would be much happier in a clean room where I can find things than in a messy one where I can't find what I'm looking for." So, Abigail cleaned her room.
Which is the best thing to do -- what Sara did? (Let them answer.) Or, what Abigail did? (Let them answer.) I think Abigail had the best behavior. Even though she said "no," her actions were "yes."
It is easy to say what others or God might want us to say. We can make our mouths say anything. What is important, though, is what we do. Our actions say more than our mouths! That is always true. What we do speaks louder than our words.
Jesus once told a story very much like the story I just told you about Sara and Abigail. He said that God wants us to be people who do what God wants and not just people who say what God wants. Our actions are more important than words alone.
God wants us to help feed hungry people. It's not enough to say we want to help the hungry, our actions show that we help the hungry. That's why we have a food pantry (or "give to our church's 'world hunger appeal' " and so forth. Highlight a ministry members of your congregation are involved in that shows their doing.)
Dearest God: Help us show our love for you and others not only by what we say, but also by what we do. Amen.
