The sin-disease connection
Children's sermon
Object:
two glasses of water, one with clean water and the other
dirty
Good morning! Once Jesus healed a man who was a paralytic,
that is, the man couldn't walk. His friends brought him to Jesus,
but they couldn't get into the house because it was so crowded.
So they went up on the roof, took off some of the roof, and
lowered the man into the house. I guess they really wanted to
help their friend, didn't they? (Let them answer.)
Well, Jesus did heal the man, but instead of just telling
him that he was healed, he said to the man, "Son, your sins are
forgiven." Now, why do you think he said that to the man? Was he
paralyzed because he had committed some bad sin? (Let them
answer.) Actually we don't know why the man was paralyzed. It may
have been that he became paralyzed in the act of doing something
bad. Perhaps he was robbing someone and was injured by the
police. We don't know, but it really doesn't matter because all
bad things are caused by sin. All the disease, the accidents, and
deaths are caused by sin. If there were no sin, there would be no
disease or death.
Let me show you what I mean with these two glasses of water.
Which of these two would you want to drink? (Show the two glasses
and let them answer.) Yes, I agree. I would want to drink the
clean one. Well, this clean water is like the world before sin
entered into the world. This dirty water represents sin. Look
what happens to the clean water when I pour sin into it. (Pour
some of the dirty water into the clean.) Now, both are polluted.
That's what sin does. It pollutes our world.
So when Jesus told the man his sins were forgiven, that was
the same as saying that he was healed. Jesus wants to forgive our
sins too. Let's thank him for giving all of us forgiveness just
like he did that poor man.
Dear Jesus: We thank you so much for forgiving our sins when we
come to you and ask for forgiveness. Help us to overcome all the
temptations we face so that we will continue to honor you with
our lives. Amen.
that is, the man couldn't walk. His friends brought him to Jesus,
but they couldn't get into the house because it was so crowded.
So they went up on the roof, took off some of the roof, and
lowered the man into the house. I guess they really wanted to
help their friend, didn't they? (Let them answer.)
Well, Jesus did heal the man, but instead of just telling
him that he was healed, he said to the man, "Son, your sins are
forgiven." Now, why do you think he said that to the man? Was he
paralyzed because he had committed some bad sin? (Let them
answer.) Actually we don't know why the man was paralyzed. It may
have been that he became paralyzed in the act of doing something
bad. Perhaps he was robbing someone and was injured by the
police. We don't know, but it really doesn't matter because all
bad things are caused by sin. All the disease, the accidents, and
deaths are caused by sin. If there were no sin, there would be no
disease or death.
Let me show you what I mean with these two glasses of water.
Which of these two would you want to drink? (Show the two glasses
and let them answer.) Yes, I agree. I would want to drink the
clean one. Well, this clean water is like the world before sin
entered into the world. This dirty water represents sin. Look
what happens to the clean water when I pour sin into it. (Pour
some of the dirty water into the clean.) Now, both are polluted.
That's what sin does. It pollutes our world.
So when Jesus told the man his sins were forgiven, that was
the same as saying that he was healed. Jesus wants to forgive our
sins too. Let's thank him for giving all of us forgiveness just
like he did that poor man.
Dear Jesus: We thank you so much for forgiving our sins when we
come to you and ask for forgiveness. Help us to overcome all the
temptations we face so that we will continue to honor you with
our lives. Amen.
