The truth will make you free
Children's sermon
Object:
some blocks or dominoes
Good morning! Today is Reformation Sunday. What does the
word "reformation" mean? (Let them answer.) Let me show you what
it means using these blocks. I can take these blocks and form
something. For instance, let's take them and form a cross.
(Arrange the blocks in the form of a cross.) Now, let's add
blocks to that form and make it into something else. (Add blocks
to form something different.) Now, you can see that it is no
longer a cross, but something different. If we want to turn it
back into a cross, we have to "reform" it by removing those
things that were added which changed it. Do that for me. (Let
them remove the extra blocks so that it is again a cross.) What
we did was a "reformation." We changed it back into a cross.
This is what happened in the church many years ago. The
Bible tells us that Jesus did all that was necessary for us to be
saved and that those who believe in him are saved without doing
anything else. But the church had changed this message so that
people thought they had to do things in order to go to Heaven.
They were even told that they could pay money in order to get
into Heaven. Martin Luther and the other Reformers changed the
church back to what it had been. In other words, they "reformed"
the church so that it was teaching the truth again; the truth
that we are saved by faith in Jesus and not by our own actions.
That's why we have this special Sunday to celebrate the
reformation of the church. Aren't you glad that our church
continues to teach this truth? (Let them answer.) Yes, we are
very happy to belong to a church that teaches the truth as it is
written in the Bible. Let's thank God for leading men like Martin
Luther to see the truth and risk their lives to teach it.
Dear Father in Heaven: We thank You for revealing to us the truth
that we are saved by faith and not by our works, and for raising
up men like Martin Luther who reformed the church when it fell
into error. Amen.
word "reformation" mean? (Let them answer.) Let me show you what
it means using these blocks. I can take these blocks and form
something. For instance, let's take them and form a cross.
(Arrange the blocks in the form of a cross.) Now, let's add
blocks to that form and make it into something else. (Add blocks
to form something different.) Now, you can see that it is no
longer a cross, but something different. If we want to turn it
back into a cross, we have to "reform" it by removing those
things that were added which changed it. Do that for me. (Let
them remove the extra blocks so that it is again a cross.) What
we did was a "reformation." We changed it back into a cross.
This is what happened in the church many years ago. The
Bible tells us that Jesus did all that was necessary for us to be
saved and that those who believe in him are saved without doing
anything else. But the church had changed this message so that
people thought they had to do things in order to go to Heaven.
They were even told that they could pay money in order to get
into Heaven. Martin Luther and the other Reformers changed the
church back to what it had been. In other words, they "reformed"
the church so that it was teaching the truth again; the truth
that we are saved by faith in Jesus and not by our own actions.
That's why we have this special Sunday to celebrate the
reformation of the church. Aren't you glad that our church
continues to teach this truth? (Let them answer.) Yes, we are
very happy to belong to a church that teaches the truth as it is
written in the Bible. Let's thank God for leading men like Martin
Luther to see the truth and risk their lives to teach it.
Dear Father in Heaven: We thank You for revealing to us the truth
that we are saved by faith and not by our works, and for raising
up men like Martin Luther who reformed the church when it fell
into error. Amen.
