Serving only one master
Children's sermon
Object:
No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. (v. 13)
Object: an imaginary friend
Good morning, boys and girls. Today I have a very special person with me and I'd like you to meet her. Her name is Shirley, and she has been my friend for most of my life. Excuse me, would you move over a little bit so Shirley can sit down with you? (ask the children to separate so that your imaginary friend can sit with them) Oh, I forgot to tell you that Shirley is imaginary. Do any of you have a friend like Shirley? (let them answer)
I've been having a problem with Shirley lately. She doesn't seem to get along with other people very well. I almost didn't invite her to church today because I thought I might be embarrassed. We get along fine at home, but when I take her places she seems to bother people. If she begins to act up today, please remind her how to act in our group. Will you do that for me? (let them answer) Shirley always behaves when she's with me, but she doesn't always act the same way when she's with other people.
Is Shirley disturbing you? Sometimes she pretends that she's sleeping and she snores. Would you ask Shirley to sit up straight? And please tell her to put away the cookies.
Did you say something to Shirley about the cookies? (let them answer) There she goes, pretending that she's sleeping. Ask her to stop snoring! I am so embarrassed!
Shirley, come here and sit down next to me. Why do you behave so nicely when we're alone together, but act up when you're with other people? (pretend like you are listening to her answer) Did you hear Shirley's answer? What do you think of her reason for not behaving? (let them answer) You didn't hear her answer? You didn't ask her to sit up or make her stop eating cookies. Then you let her snore right beside you and now you can't hear her answers. What's going on here? (let them answer)
I think I know the answer. Do you know why Shirley isn't listening to you? (let them answer) Shirley is my imaginary friend. I probably can't talk to your imaginary friends, either. We are the only ones our imaginary friends listen to and obey.
The Bible teaches us that we only have one God. We belong to our God and he is our master. We hear his voice and follow his teaching. We have no other gods.
I hope you liked meeting Shirley, today. The next time you're talking with your imaginary friend, remember that we belong to God like Shirley belongs to me.
Object: an imaginary friend
Good morning, boys and girls. Today I have a very special person with me and I'd like you to meet her. Her name is Shirley, and she has been my friend for most of my life. Excuse me, would you move over a little bit so Shirley can sit down with you? (ask the children to separate so that your imaginary friend can sit with them) Oh, I forgot to tell you that Shirley is imaginary. Do any of you have a friend like Shirley? (let them answer)
I've been having a problem with Shirley lately. She doesn't seem to get along with other people very well. I almost didn't invite her to church today because I thought I might be embarrassed. We get along fine at home, but when I take her places she seems to bother people. If she begins to act up today, please remind her how to act in our group. Will you do that for me? (let them answer) Shirley always behaves when she's with me, but she doesn't always act the same way when she's with other people.
Is Shirley disturbing you? Sometimes she pretends that she's sleeping and she snores. Would you ask Shirley to sit up straight? And please tell her to put away the cookies.
Did you say something to Shirley about the cookies? (let them answer) There she goes, pretending that she's sleeping. Ask her to stop snoring! I am so embarrassed!
Shirley, come here and sit down next to me. Why do you behave so nicely when we're alone together, but act up when you're with other people? (pretend like you are listening to her answer) Did you hear Shirley's answer? What do you think of her reason for not behaving? (let them answer) You didn't hear her answer? You didn't ask her to sit up or make her stop eating cookies. Then you let her snore right beside you and now you can't hear her answers. What's going on here? (let them answer)
I think I know the answer. Do you know why Shirley isn't listening to you? (let them answer) Shirley is my imaginary friend. I probably can't talk to your imaginary friends, either. We are the only ones our imaginary friends listen to and obey.
The Bible teaches us that we only have one God. We belong to our God and he is our master. We hear his voice and follow his teaching. We have no other gods.
I hope you liked meeting Shirley, today. The next time you're talking with your imaginary friend, remember that we belong to God like Shirley belongs to me.
