Your hometown
Children's sermon
Object:
a book, some pictures of where you were three years ago, some treasure that you brought with you from your home town
Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with
him fifteen days ... (v. 18)
Good morning, boys and girls. I did not always live in our town. I grew up in a city and I always think of it as my hometown. I remember my friends Skip, Ernie, Henry, and Norman. When I go home we sometimes get together. I have some pictures of where I grew up. (let them see the pictures) Most of all I just have good memories.
Saint Paul wrote to some of his disciples in Galatia about a trip he took back to Jerusalem. Paul had not been back to Jerusalem for over three years. Paul was not a Christian in Jerusalem. As a matter of fact, he was in charge of hunting Christians and killing them. Paul's name was Saul back then. Saul became Paul, his baptized name. He wanted to go back to Jerusalem and talk with all of the disciples of Jesus. He knew that they did not trust him. Paul thought that Peter, Andrew, James, and John would think about Stephen and how Saul had caused his death. But he decided to go to Jerusalem anyway. He packed his small bag and made the trip.
I know that Paul had books with him. I also know that he had a mat that he slept on that could have been from Jerusalem. The most important thing was that he wanted to see the disciples of Jesus and tell them about his ministry to people that lived in other countries. He wanted to hear about their ministries, too.
Finally, he met Peter, and they talked for a long time. It was not easy at first. Both men were worried about the other person. First, Paul would look at Peter while he poured tea into his cup and then Peter would watch Paul as he drank the tea. They talked about Jesus. Peter told Paul of the last days of Jesus' life and how Jesus suffered. Paul told Peter about how Jesus had come to him on a road like the brightest of all lights and made him blind. Paul told him about new friends that were Christians and how they cared for him. Both men agreed that they were going to spend the rest of their lives teaching others about Jesus.
The next time you visit your grandparents or friends I want you to remember about the time Paul went back to Jerusalem and met his friend Peter. I also want you to remember how much they both loved Jesus and promised each other that they would be disciples of Jesus for the rest of their lives. Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls. I did not always live in our town. I grew up in a city and I always think of it as my hometown. I remember my friends Skip, Ernie, Henry, and Norman. When I go home we sometimes get together. I have some pictures of where I grew up. (let them see the pictures) Most of all I just have good memories.
Saint Paul wrote to some of his disciples in Galatia about a trip he took back to Jerusalem. Paul had not been back to Jerusalem for over three years. Paul was not a Christian in Jerusalem. As a matter of fact, he was in charge of hunting Christians and killing them. Paul's name was Saul back then. Saul became Paul, his baptized name. He wanted to go back to Jerusalem and talk with all of the disciples of Jesus. He knew that they did not trust him. Paul thought that Peter, Andrew, James, and John would think about Stephen and how Saul had caused his death. But he decided to go to Jerusalem anyway. He packed his small bag and made the trip.
I know that Paul had books with him. I also know that he had a mat that he slept on that could have been from Jerusalem. The most important thing was that he wanted to see the disciples of Jesus and tell them about his ministry to people that lived in other countries. He wanted to hear about their ministries, too.
Finally, he met Peter, and they talked for a long time. It was not easy at first. Both men were worried about the other person. First, Paul would look at Peter while he poured tea into his cup and then Peter would watch Paul as he drank the tea. They talked about Jesus. Peter told Paul of the last days of Jesus' life and how Jesus suffered. Paul told Peter about how Jesus had come to him on a road like the brightest of all lights and made him blind. Paul told him about new friends that were Christians and how they cared for him. Both men agreed that they were going to spend the rest of their lives teaching others about Jesus.
The next time you visit your grandparents or friends I want you to remember about the time Paul went back to Jerusalem and met his friend Peter. I also want you to remember how much they both loved Jesus and promised each other that they would be disciples of Jesus for the rest of their lives. Amen.
