Threading God's needle
Children's sermon
Object:
needle and thread
Good morning, boys and girls. This morning I brought a needle
and thread with me. How many of you know how to thread a needle?
(Let them answer.) It can be rather difficult to thread a needle
if you haven't done it before. This needle and thread reminds me
of this morning's lesson. In the lesson Jesus tells his disciples
that it is more difficult for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle than it is for a rich person to enter God's kingdom.
I want to tell you a story that may help explain what Jesus meant by this story. Once there was a little boy about your age. The boy was carrying many things with him. He had on a big heavy coat. He was carrying a suitcase. He had a backpack on his back. He was also wearing a large hat. He even had roller skates on his feet. He probably looked pretty funny with all those things on, don't you think? (Let them answer.) He had all these things with him as he was walking up to his house. He wanted to go into the house, but there was something wrong with the door. It wouldn't open all the way. Since the door wouldn't open very far, the boy couldn't get through the door-way. So, he took off his back pack, his hat, his roller skates, and put down his suitcase. Then he was able to squeeze through the door.
The boy was a little like the camel trying to get through the eye of the needle. (Hold up the needle.) Here's what I want you to remember this week. Jesus wants all of us to be in his kingdom. Some people think that the way to get in is to be rich. Others think the way in is to know all of God's laws. Others think it is by doing things better than others.
Jesus wants you to get rid of all those ideas. Get rid of those ideas, just like the boy did when he took off his hat, coat, suitcase and back- pack. When he took them off, he was able to enter his house. The same is true in entering God's kingdom. You enter God's kingdom as a gift from God. You receive the gift when you become a follower of Jesus. It's that simple. You don't need money or other things. You only need to trust Jesus. That's the way to get into God's kingdom.
I want to tell you a story that may help explain what Jesus meant by this story. Once there was a little boy about your age. The boy was carrying many things with him. He had on a big heavy coat. He was carrying a suitcase. He had a backpack on his back. He was also wearing a large hat. He even had roller skates on his feet. He probably looked pretty funny with all those things on, don't you think? (Let them answer.) He had all these things with him as he was walking up to his house. He wanted to go into the house, but there was something wrong with the door. It wouldn't open all the way. Since the door wouldn't open very far, the boy couldn't get through the door-way. So, he took off his back pack, his hat, his roller skates, and put down his suitcase. Then he was able to squeeze through the door.
The boy was a little like the camel trying to get through the eye of the needle. (Hold up the needle.) Here's what I want you to remember this week. Jesus wants all of us to be in his kingdom. Some people think that the way to get in is to be rich. Others think the way in is to know all of God's laws. Others think it is by doing things better than others.
Jesus wants you to get rid of all those ideas. Get rid of those ideas, just like the boy did when he took off his hat, coat, suitcase and back- pack. When he took them off, he was able to enter his house. The same is true in entering God's kingdom. You enter God's kingdom as a gift from God. You receive the gift when you become a follower of Jesus. It's that simple. You don't need money or other things. You only need to trust Jesus. That's the way to get into God's kingdom.
