What labels tell us
Children's sermon
Object:
items with labels (such as canned food, canned soda, pea
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one
another. (v. 35)
Good morning, boys and girls. We only have one more week in the Easter season. I am so happy that we have learned something to say to each other as we do our devotions every day. Will you stand up and answer me? "Christ is risen!" (do the drill as you have done the preceding weeks)
I want to ask you a question. How do people know that you are Christians? (let them answer) Does anyone ever come up to you and say, "I know that you are a follower of Jesus"? (let them answer) Don't you think people should know that you are a follower of Jesus? (let them answer) You don't wear a sign on your chest that says, "I am a Christian, a follower of Jesus," do you? (let them answer this question and the following ones) There isn't a sign in front of your house that says, "Joe lives here and he and his family are Christians," is there? Do any of you have haloes? You know, one of those beautiful circles over the heads of angels. Does anyone ring a bell when you walk down the street and tell everyone that you are a Christian? None of those things happen, so how do we know that you are a Christian? Do you carry your Bible with you everywhere you go?
There is a very easy way to tell if you are a Christian. Do you know what that way is? (let them answer) The answer comes from Jesus. He told his followers that one day everyone would know they were disciples of Jesus because of the way they loved one another. Christians love one another. If you go into a store and you want a can of green beans do you know how to find it? (show them the appropriate labels when indicated) Of course you do. You look for the can with green beans on it. If you want to buy a can of soda, you look for the can that looks like your favorite kind. If you want peanut butter, you look for the jar that is labeled "peanut butter." Isn't that right? (let them answer) You won't find eggs in the peanut butter jar, chocolate milk in a soda can, or celery in a green beans can.
Jesus says, if you want to find a Christian, find someone who loves people and shows that love. Christians show love toward each other every day. They show them kindness, they speak the truth, and they care for them when they are sick or bruised. Christians love each other and that is the way you can tell Christians apart from anyone else. The next time someone asks you if you are a Christian, you should have one answer: "Yes, I am a Christian because I love my friends in the name of Jesus." If you are kind to others, help when they need help, and give whatever you can to people who have less than you, those are signs that you are a Christian. God bless you. Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls. We only have one more week in the Easter season. I am so happy that we have learned something to say to each other as we do our devotions every day. Will you stand up and answer me? "Christ is risen!" (do the drill as you have done the preceding weeks)
I want to ask you a question. How do people know that you are Christians? (let them answer) Does anyone ever come up to you and say, "I know that you are a follower of Jesus"? (let them answer) Don't you think people should know that you are a follower of Jesus? (let them answer) You don't wear a sign on your chest that says, "I am a Christian, a follower of Jesus," do you? (let them answer this question and the following ones) There isn't a sign in front of your house that says, "Joe lives here and he and his family are Christians," is there? Do any of you have haloes? You know, one of those beautiful circles over the heads of angels. Does anyone ring a bell when you walk down the street and tell everyone that you are a Christian? None of those things happen, so how do we know that you are a Christian? Do you carry your Bible with you everywhere you go?
There is a very easy way to tell if you are a Christian. Do you know what that way is? (let them answer) The answer comes from Jesus. He told his followers that one day everyone would know they were disciples of Jesus because of the way they loved one another. Christians love one another. If you go into a store and you want a can of green beans do you know how to find it? (show them the appropriate labels when indicated) Of course you do. You look for the can with green beans on it. If you want to buy a can of soda, you look for the can that looks like your favorite kind. If you want peanut butter, you look for the jar that is labeled "peanut butter." Isn't that right? (let them answer) You won't find eggs in the peanut butter jar, chocolate milk in a soda can, or celery in a green beans can.
Jesus says, if you want to find a Christian, find someone who loves people and shows that love. Christians show love toward each other every day. They show them kindness, they speak the truth, and they care for them when they are sick or bruised. Christians love each other and that is the way you can tell Christians apart from anyone else. The next time someone asks you if you are a Christian, you should have one answer: "Yes, I am a Christian because I love my friends in the name of Jesus." If you are kind to others, help when they need help, and give whatever you can to people who have less than you, those are signs that you are a Christian. God bless you. Amen.
