Words
Children's sermon
Object:
a dictionary
When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. (v. 1)
Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) Today we're going to talk about words. How many of you know someone who uses really big words when they talk? (allow answers) Do you always understand what they are saying? (allow answers) Do you ever have to ask what a word means? (allow answers) Sometimes you might have to have someone help you look a word up in the dictionary!
Why do you think people use big words that not everybody knows? (allow answers) Sometimes people use big words because they use big words at their job, or because they know a lot of words and forget that other people might not know all the words they use. Sometimes people use big words just so they can show off how smart they are.
Whatever reason people use big, complicated words, sometimes it can be a problem -- especially if they are trying to tell others something important! If someone doesn't understand what you're saying, it doesn't do you any good to use fancy words! If you are talking to a lawyer, a doctor, or a college professor, big words might be okay; these people use lots of complex words in their jobs. However, if you are talking to kids at school or people who learned English as a second language, big words cause more problems than they're worth.
Our second reading today touches on this topic. Our reading is another letter from Saint Paul. Saint Paul writes, "When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom." Paul is saying, "Hey guys! When I told you about Jesus, I kept it simple. I didn't use big words or complicated philosophy. I told you the story and told you about God's love." Paul is telling the early Christians that they should make the good news as easy to understand as possible so that they can reach as many people as possible. Christians are not a special, members-only club. Christians should try to spread the good news to everyone -- whether they are lawyers and professors or whether they are children or people who don't speak the language very well.
That doesn't mean we shouldn't want to learn big words and to be well educated. It just means that we have to remember who we are talking to when we use those words. There is a time and place to use eloquent locution -- that means "fancy words" -- and there is a time and place to use words that are simple and direct. We don't need to show off how smart we are or how many words we know. When it comes to sharing God's love, it's about what we're saying -- not how we're saying it. Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) Today we're going to talk about words. How many of you know someone who uses really big words when they talk? (allow answers) Do you always understand what they are saying? (allow answers) Do you ever have to ask what a word means? (allow answers) Sometimes you might have to have someone help you look a word up in the dictionary!
Why do you think people use big words that not everybody knows? (allow answers) Sometimes people use big words because they use big words at their job, or because they know a lot of words and forget that other people might not know all the words they use. Sometimes people use big words just so they can show off how smart they are.
Whatever reason people use big, complicated words, sometimes it can be a problem -- especially if they are trying to tell others something important! If someone doesn't understand what you're saying, it doesn't do you any good to use fancy words! If you are talking to a lawyer, a doctor, or a college professor, big words might be okay; these people use lots of complex words in their jobs. However, if you are talking to kids at school or people who learned English as a second language, big words cause more problems than they're worth.
Our second reading today touches on this topic. Our reading is another letter from Saint Paul. Saint Paul writes, "When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom." Paul is saying, "Hey guys! When I told you about Jesus, I kept it simple. I didn't use big words or complicated philosophy. I told you the story and told you about God's love." Paul is telling the early Christians that they should make the good news as easy to understand as possible so that they can reach as many people as possible. Christians are not a special, members-only club. Christians should try to spread the good news to everyone -- whether they are lawyers and professors or whether they are children or people who don't speak the language very well.
That doesn't mean we shouldn't want to learn big words and to be well educated. It just means that we have to remember who we are talking to when we use those words. There is a time and place to use eloquent locution -- that means "fancy words" -- and there is a time and place to use words that are simple and direct. We don't need to show off how smart we are or how many words we know. When it comes to sharing God's love, it's about what we're saying -- not how we're saying it. Amen.
