What's more important?
Children's sermon
Object:
a Bible and a piece of bread
Good morning! In the Gospel reading today, we heard about a
bunch of people coming to see Jesus. Now, Jesus wanted people to
come to him, but he wanted them to come for the right reason!
Some of these people were only coming because he had fed them
bread at another time. In other words, they were just coming to
get a free lunch. They were not all that interested in what he
had to tell them. If you had been living at that time, why would
you go to see Jesus? (Let them answer.) Well, I hope you would
all go to hear what he had to say, not just to get something to
eat.
Now, I'll bet that there are some people in our church who
think that you children come up here every Sunday for the
children's sermon just because we sometimes/always have candy or
other gifts for you. You and I know that that isn't true. You
come up here to hear me tell you something about Jesus or to hear
something about the Word of God. Isn't that right? (Let them
answer.)
Just to check on this, let me ask a question. How many of
you would stop coming up here for this children's sermon if I
quit giving out candy or other gifts? (Let them answer.) If you
only come up because you want to get something like candy, you
are like those folks that Jesus was talking to who only came
because he gave them bread.
This (hold up the Bible) should be the reason you come: to
hear the Word of God. If you are coming only for the candy or
some other gift, you are missing out on something that is more
important than candy. This is what Jesus was telling those people
who came to him. He had something for them that was much more
important than bread (hold up the bread).
He had God's Word! (Hold up the Bible again.) The wonderful
thing for them and for you is that if you come for the right
reason -- to hear the Word of God -- the goodies are added!
People come to hear Jesus and he fed them also. You come here to
hear what I have to tell you about Jesus -- and you get the
goodies, too! Isn't that great! (Let them answer.)
Dear Jesus: We want to hear your words. Please forgive us if we
sometimes let material things seem more important than your
words. Amen.
bunch of people coming to see Jesus. Now, Jesus wanted people to
come to him, but he wanted them to come for the right reason!
Some of these people were only coming because he had fed them
bread at another time. In other words, they were just coming to
get a free lunch. They were not all that interested in what he
had to tell them. If you had been living at that time, why would
you go to see Jesus? (Let them answer.) Well, I hope you would
all go to hear what he had to say, not just to get something to
eat.
Now, I'll bet that there are some people in our church who
think that you children come up here every Sunday for the
children's sermon just because we sometimes/always have candy or
other gifts for you. You and I know that that isn't true. You
come up here to hear me tell you something about Jesus or to hear
something about the Word of God. Isn't that right? (Let them
answer.)
Just to check on this, let me ask a question. How many of
you would stop coming up here for this children's sermon if I
quit giving out candy or other gifts? (Let them answer.) If you
only come up because you want to get something like candy, you
are like those folks that Jesus was talking to who only came
because he gave them bread.
This (hold up the Bible) should be the reason you come: to
hear the Word of God. If you are coming only for the candy or
some other gift, you are missing out on something that is more
important than candy. This is what Jesus was telling those people
who came to him. He had something for them that was much more
important than bread (hold up the bread).
He had God's Word! (Hold up the Bible again.) The wonderful
thing for them and for you is that if you come for the right
reason -- to hear the Word of God -- the goodies are added!
People come to hear Jesus and he fed them also. You come here to
hear what I have to tell you about Jesus -- and you get the
goodies, too! Isn't that great! (Let them answer.)
Dear Jesus: We want to hear your words. Please forgive us if we
sometimes let material things seem more important than your
words. Amen.
