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Gratitude Day

Children's sermon
Luke 17:11-19
Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C
Arley K. Fadness
Object: 
roll of toilet paper
“He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. (v. 16a)

Good morning boys and girls,

Thank you, thank you for being here today. I am so grateful for many things in my life, and this morning, I am especially thankful for you. You are God’s beloved children.

I am God’s beloved child. Together we are sisters and brothers in Jesus. Wow!

You have heard the story of the Good Samaritan? (children respond) (review if necessary) This morning we hear the story of the Grateful Samaritan.

This Grateful Samaritan story in Luke’s Gospel is both shocking and amazing, because Jesus shows that the disliked Grateful Samaritan by the Jews, is really God’s hero.

One day, ten lepers, (people diseased with a flesh eating ailment) see Jesus on his way to Jerusalem. They cry out for help, “Jesus, master, have mercy on us.” Jesus tells them to go to show themselves to the priests because the priests make determinations of the health or unhealth of lepers. They believe. They go. They are healed on the way!

One of them, a Samaritan, turns back to Jesus. He drops to his knees before Jesus and thanks him. Jesus probably says, “You are welcome,” but then Jesus asks him, “where are the other nine?” They obviously had forgotten to be grateful and to give thanks.

We, children and adults have a lot of blessings to be thankful for. Can you mention something you are thankful for? (children respond)

If I were to unroll this roll of toilet paper how far would it go? (show toilet paper) (children respond) If this roll of toilet paper was really a roll of writing paper and we were to write all the blessings, gifts and healings, God has given us on it, that would be a long, long list wouldn’t it? How long would that take us to do it? (children respond)

Let’s make today “gratitude day.” I want you to tell 3 people today something you are grateful for that they have provided for you. To give you a gratitude example, here is what I am going to do. (presenter gives some personal examples)

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, fill us with gratitude like the healed Samaritan leper. Amen.
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Jesus was aware of people's deepest needs and what prompted their actions. In our worship today let us consider how we can discover people's deepest needs and the motives for their actions.

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