Who is for us?
Children's sermon
Object:
red and blue face paint, two small brushes or two kinds of stickers
Whoever is not against us is for us. (v. 40)
Good morning, boys and girls. Today we are going to try an experiment. (divide the group into equal halves) I want to put a dot of red paint on the face of everyone that is in this group and a dot of blue paint on the face of everyone in this group. (with a brush, put a small circle of paint on each child) This morning we will call the group with the red dots, Red Helpers, and everyone with a blue dot, Blue Builders. Everyone that is a Red Helper, raise his or her hand. (make sure they all raise their hands) Everyone that is a Blue Builder, stand up. (make sure they all stand up while the Red Helpers are sitting down)
I want to ask the Blue Builders if they are happy they are Blue Builders. What is your favorite color? Is it blue? (let them answer) Are Red Helpers nice people or are they sometimes mean? (let them answer) Now I want the Blue Builders to sit down and I would like the Red Helpers to stand. Are you happy that you are a Red Helper? (let them answer) Does anyone in the Red Helpers want to be a Blue Builder instead of a Red Helper? (let them answer) Are Red Helpers happy people? (let them answer) Are Blue Builders happy people? (let them answer) How many of you would like to be friends with the Blue Builders? (let them answer) How many of you would let the Blue Builders become Red Helpers? (let them answer)
Remember before you were Blue Builders or Red Helpers you were all friends and all of you belonged to the same group. The only thing that is different is the red or blue paint on your face. Did the color of paint on your face change you? If you have red paint, are you better than someone with blue paint? (let them answer) If you have blue paint, are you prettier than people with red paint? (let them answer)
Paint doesn't change us and neither should other things. If we go to one school and your friend goes to another school, you should still be friends. If you are a football player and she is a dancer, you should both be friends.
Jesus had to talk to his disciples and tell them to stop being jealous of other people. The other people, people that the disciples did not know, were healing people in the name of Jesus. They didn't like other people using the name of Jesus when they were not part of their group. They wanted Jesus to stop them. But Jesus told them to stop fretting and being jealous or angry. These people were using the name of Jesus to do good things. It did not matter that they were from a different town or talked in a different way, they were all for Jesus.
Sometimes we get mixed up because we go to different churches than our friends. They love Jesus just like we love Jesus. It's all right to be a Methodist or a Lutheran or a Catholic or a Presbyterian or whatever. We all love God and God loves all of us. Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls. Today we are going to try an experiment. (divide the group into equal halves) I want to put a dot of red paint on the face of everyone that is in this group and a dot of blue paint on the face of everyone in this group. (with a brush, put a small circle of paint on each child) This morning we will call the group with the red dots, Red Helpers, and everyone with a blue dot, Blue Builders. Everyone that is a Red Helper, raise his or her hand. (make sure they all raise their hands) Everyone that is a Blue Builder, stand up. (make sure they all stand up while the Red Helpers are sitting down)
I want to ask the Blue Builders if they are happy they are Blue Builders. What is your favorite color? Is it blue? (let them answer) Are Red Helpers nice people or are they sometimes mean? (let them answer) Now I want the Blue Builders to sit down and I would like the Red Helpers to stand. Are you happy that you are a Red Helper? (let them answer) Does anyone in the Red Helpers want to be a Blue Builder instead of a Red Helper? (let them answer) Are Red Helpers happy people? (let them answer) Are Blue Builders happy people? (let them answer) How many of you would like to be friends with the Blue Builders? (let them answer) How many of you would let the Blue Builders become Red Helpers? (let them answer)
Remember before you were Blue Builders or Red Helpers you were all friends and all of you belonged to the same group. The only thing that is different is the red or blue paint on your face. Did the color of paint on your face change you? If you have red paint, are you better than someone with blue paint? (let them answer) If you have blue paint, are you prettier than people with red paint? (let them answer)
Paint doesn't change us and neither should other things. If we go to one school and your friend goes to another school, you should still be friends. If you are a football player and she is a dancer, you should both be friends.
Jesus had to talk to his disciples and tell them to stop being jealous of other people. The other people, people that the disciples did not know, were healing people in the name of Jesus. They didn't like other people using the name of Jesus when they were not part of their group. They wanted Jesus to stop them. But Jesus told them to stop fretting and being jealous or angry. These people were using the name of Jesus to do good things. It did not matter that they were from a different town or talked in a different way, they were all for Jesus.
Sometimes we get mixed up because we go to different churches than our friends. They love Jesus just like we love Jesus. It's all right to be a Methodist or a Lutheran or a Catholic or a Presbyterian or whatever. We all love God and God loves all of us. Amen.
