A story of God and grapes
Children's sermon
Object:
a bunch of grapes
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you like to eat
grapes? (Let them answer.) Do any of you have grape vines growing
at your home? (Let them answer.) If you have grape vines at home,
have you gone to them and picked grapes right off the vine and
eaten them? (Let them answer.) This morning's Bible story is a
story about a vineyard. That is a farm with many grape vines. It
is a story that Jesus told. Jesus and God are characters in this
story. As I tell it, see if you can decide which character is
Jesus and which is God.
There was a man who owned a vineyard. He hired some workers to take care of the vineyard. Then the owner went away. While the owner was away, the workers became mean and greedy. They stole many of the grapes for themselves. The owner sent some people to collect the grapes, and the mean workers chased them away.
The owner then sent his own son to collect the grapes. The owner thought that the mean workers would respect his son. The workers, however, killed the man's son. They wanted the vineyard all to themselves.
Can anyone tell me who is God and who is Jesus in this story? (Let them answer.) God is the owner of the vineyard. Jesus is his son. The vineyard is the world. The mean workers are people who didn't like Jesus.
Jesus told this story about himself. He hoped that people would see who he was - the son of God. Even though God sent his son into the world to love people and to treat people with love, many people mistreated Jesus. I want you to remember this week who Jesus was. Jesus was God's son. I want you to remember that Jesus came into the world to bring God's kingdom. If we treat others with love, the way Jesus treated people, we will help bring God's kingdom here.
There was a man who owned a vineyard. He hired some workers to take care of the vineyard. Then the owner went away. While the owner was away, the workers became mean and greedy. They stole many of the grapes for themselves. The owner sent some people to collect the grapes, and the mean workers chased them away.
The owner then sent his own son to collect the grapes. The owner thought that the mean workers would respect his son. The workers, however, killed the man's son. They wanted the vineyard all to themselves.
Can anyone tell me who is God and who is Jesus in this story? (Let them answer.) God is the owner of the vineyard. Jesus is his son. The vineyard is the world. The mean workers are people who didn't like Jesus.
Jesus told this story about himself. He hoped that people would see who he was - the son of God. Even though God sent his son into the world to love people and to treat people with love, many people mistreated Jesus. I want you to remember this week who Jesus was. Jesus was God's son. I want you to remember that Jesus came into the world to bring God's kingdom. If we treat others with love, the way Jesus treated people, we will help bring God's kingdom here.
