What's the good news?
Children's sermon
Object:
a dictionary
Good morning! When Jesus was beginning his ministry, he said
to people, "Repent and believe the gospel." Can any of you tell
me what it means to repent? (Let them answer.) Let's look the
word up in this dictionary and see what it says. (Read the
dictionary meanings of the word.)
Based on those meanings, what would you say Jesus was
telling people to do? Was he telling them that they needed to
change their way of living and tell God that they were sorry for
all the things that they had been doing wrong? (Let them answer.)
Yes, I think that's what he was telling them. He wanted them to
know that God didn't like what they were doing, and they needed
to see that and be sorry about it.
If they would do that, Jesus could then tell them some real
good news. He said, "Repent and believe the gospel." Do any of
you know what the gospel is? What was it he wanted them to
believe? What does he want you and me to believe today? (Let them
answer.) Well, gospel means "good news," and Jesus has good news
for anybody who will repent and listen to him. The good news is
that we don't have to pay for our sins. Jesus paid for all our
sins when he died on the cross. Because of that good news, that
gospel, we know that everybody who believes the good news will go
to Heaven. Do all of you believe that good news? (Let them
answer.) Good! You do believe the gospel, so you can be sure that
you will go to Heaven. Let's thank Jesus for giving us this good
news.
Dear Jesus: We hear you telling us to repent and believe the
gospel. We know that you give us the power to believe when you
give us faith. We thank you for giving us faith so that we can
believe. We do believe. Amen.
to people, "Repent and believe the gospel." Can any of you tell
me what it means to repent? (Let them answer.) Let's look the
word up in this dictionary and see what it says. (Read the
dictionary meanings of the word.)
Based on those meanings, what would you say Jesus was
telling people to do? Was he telling them that they needed to
change their way of living and tell God that they were sorry for
all the things that they had been doing wrong? (Let them answer.)
Yes, I think that's what he was telling them. He wanted them to
know that God didn't like what they were doing, and they needed
to see that and be sorry about it.
If they would do that, Jesus could then tell them some real
good news. He said, "Repent and believe the gospel." Do any of
you know what the gospel is? What was it he wanted them to
believe? What does he want you and me to believe today? (Let them
answer.) Well, gospel means "good news," and Jesus has good news
for anybody who will repent and listen to him. The good news is
that we don't have to pay for our sins. Jesus paid for all our
sins when he died on the cross. Because of that good news, that
gospel, we know that everybody who believes the good news will go
to Heaven. Do all of you believe that good news? (Let them
answer.) Good! You do believe the gospel, so you can be sure that
you will go to Heaven. Let's thank Jesus for giving us this good
news.
Dear Jesus: We hear you telling us to repent and believe the
gospel. We know that you give us the power to believe when you
give us faith. We thank you for giving us faith so that we can
believe. We do believe. Amen.
