That's not fair!
Children's sermon
Object:
newspaper article about someone sentenced to prison
Good morning! Here is a clipping from the newspaper which
tells us about a person who was found guilty of committing a
crime and has been sentenced to prison. In our system of
government everyone is entitled to a fair trial, but if they are
found to be guilty of a crime, they must pay the penalty. Do you
think that's fair? (Let them answer.)
Now what would you think if this article said that this
person had been found guilty of a crime, so they sentenced his
brother to prison? Would you think that was fair? (Let them
answer.) No, I think we would all agree that that wouldn't be
fair, and it certainly wouldn't be legal under our system of
government. People are responsible for their own actions, and if
they break the law, they must pay the penalty themselves.
But, you know something? That's not how it works with God.
All of us have broken God's laws and deserve to be punished, but
God has given our punishment to Jesus. Jesus suffered for us on
the cross, and we are all healed by his wounds. It's just like
having another person go to prison to pay for our crimes. Jesus
went to the cross and suffered there to pay for our sins. It's
not fair, but aren't you glad that he did it? (Let them answer.)
Let's thank him for doing that for us.
Dear Jesus: We know that we are guilty of breaking God's laws and
deserve to be punished, but you have taken our place and suffered
death for us. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Amen.
tells us about a person who was found guilty of committing a
crime and has been sentenced to prison. In our system of
government everyone is entitled to a fair trial, but if they are
found to be guilty of a crime, they must pay the penalty. Do you
think that's fair? (Let them answer.)
Now what would you think if this article said that this
person had been found guilty of a crime, so they sentenced his
brother to prison? Would you think that was fair? (Let them
answer.) No, I think we would all agree that that wouldn't be
fair, and it certainly wouldn't be legal under our system of
government. People are responsible for their own actions, and if
they break the law, they must pay the penalty themselves.
But, you know something? That's not how it works with God.
All of us have broken God's laws and deserve to be punished, but
God has given our punishment to Jesus. Jesus suffered for us on
the cross, and we are all healed by his wounds. It's just like
having another person go to prison to pay for our crimes. Jesus
went to the cross and suffered there to pay for our sins. It's
not fair, but aren't you glad that he did it? (Let them answer.)
Let's thank him for doing that for us.
Dear Jesus: We know that we are guilty of breaking God's laws and
deserve to be punished, but you have taken our place and suffered
death for us. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Amen.
