From within
Children's sermon
Object:
hands folded in prayer (perhaps even some praying hands
bookends or something like that)
We use our hands for many things and one way we use our
hands is in our prayer. Do you fold your hands like this, with
fingers interlaced? (Show them what you mean.) Or, do you pray
with your fingers straight? (Again, show them and let them
answer.) Some people pray in one way and others the other way.
Some people pray with their hands in front of them like this.
(Show them.) Others have their hands in front of them like this.
(Show them.) Some people pray with their hands behind them.
Some people pray with their arms folded. Some pray with their
hands stretched upward. Do you think it really matters exactly
how we pray? (Let them answer.) I doubt it. What Jesus wants
is sincere prayer. When we pray, we are just talking to God.
How we talk to God is not so important.
One day some people who considered themselves religious came to Jesus very upset. They were upset because Jesus' disciples weren't using their hands in the proper way. It would be like me getting upset with people who pray by holding their hands behind their back. Jesus said that the way a person uses their hands is not nearly as important as what lies within a person.
It would be like this: Anybody can say words in a prayer. (Use a common prayer from memory. The Lord's Prayer might be a good example.) People can say the words and not have any meaning to the words. Jesus said the prayers that have meaning are the prayers that come from our desire to simply talk with God.
There is a fancy word used to describe people who act like they are close to God but who aren't really. That word is "hypocrite." A hypocrite is any person who just uses words to talk to God but doesn't really talk with God. A hypocrite is a person who acts religious because of the things they do, but who really isn't sincere. A hypocrite may act like he or she is praying, without really praying.
Dearest Jesus: We are sincere when we talk to you. Thank you for allowing us to talk with you in our prayers. Amen.
One day some people who considered themselves religious came to Jesus very upset. They were upset because Jesus' disciples weren't using their hands in the proper way. It would be like me getting upset with people who pray by holding their hands behind their back. Jesus said that the way a person uses their hands is not nearly as important as what lies within a person.
It would be like this: Anybody can say words in a prayer. (Use a common prayer from memory. The Lord's Prayer might be a good example.) People can say the words and not have any meaning to the words. Jesus said the prayers that have meaning are the prayers that come from our desire to simply talk with God.
There is a fancy word used to describe people who act like they are close to God but who aren't really. That word is "hypocrite." A hypocrite is any person who just uses words to talk to God but doesn't really talk with God. A hypocrite is a person who acts religious because of the things they do, but who really isn't sincere. A hypocrite may act like he or she is praying, without really praying.
Dearest Jesus: We are sincere when we talk to you. Thank you for allowing us to talk with you in our prayers. Amen.
