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In The Power Of His Name

Children's sermon
The Giant Book Of Children's Sermons
Matthew To Revelation
Object: a bottle of shampoo


Good morning, boys and girls. I brought one of your best friends with me this morning. (show them the bottle of shampoo) How many of you like shampoo? (let them answer) Do you like to put the shampoo on your head when you are taking a bath? Isn't it fun to feel all of those wonderful suds just working away to make your hair cleaner than a whistle? (let them answer) Most of you like it, some of you think it is a waste of time, and others don't like to get the shampoo suds in their eyes. But have you ever noticed how often your mom and dad shampoo their hair? (let them answer) They like it a bunch. They can hardly wait to wash their hair. Some parents do it everyday.

Someday you will shower once a day, brush your teeth four times a day, shampoo your hair once a day, comb your hair four or five times a day, and wash your hands six or seven times a day. And guess what? You will love it. That's when you will start telling others to make the big change and to start to do those things as often as you are. Good things happen when you are clean. You have fewer colds and other kinds of sickness and you smell good, too.

Jesus knows about changing sides. One day his disciples were upset because some people who hardly knew Jesus were preaching and teaching and even trying to heal people in the name of Jesus. They were not his disciples, but they went from town to town doing these kinds of things. The disciples were upset because they knew that these people had never even met Jesus. They wanted Jesus to stop them. But Jesus knew something very important and he told the disciples to stop worrying about the other people. Jesus told them that when the other people found out the good things that were happening in the name of Jesus, they would also begin to believe. He said even though they did not know him, they would soon become followers of Jesus. When good things happen to you and to others, you change.

Sometimes we wonder about other Christians who worship differently than we do. We want everyone to be like us. But they talk about Jesus, pray like Jesus, sing songs about Jesus, and read about Jesus, and we realize they are followers of Jesus just like us. We don't all have to be the same; we just need to love Jesus.

So when you see a stranger using the name of Jesus and he/she doesn't sound like you do when you talk about Jesus, remember how Jesus told his disciples to relax and enjoy. Change happens to all of us who know the Lord. Even strangers find Jesus to be good. The next time you have to take a bath, ask your mom or dad if you can also have a shampoo. Tell them you have changed just like Jesus' disciples changed their feelings about strangers who used the name of Jesus.
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"The Way to God" by Peter Andrew Smith
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* * * * * * * *


The Way to God
by Peter Andrew Smith
Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12)

In his story "The Way to God," Peter Andrew Smith tells of a people seeking to know God in their lives who discover the answer is not about what they do but about how they live.

* * *

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Lesson 1: Isaiah 58:1--9a (9b--12) (C); Isaiah 58:7--10 (RC)
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Emphasis Preaching Journal

One of the difficulties that confronts us who drive our vehicles is forgetting to turn off the lights and returning to the car after some hours only to discover a dead battery. I have found that the problem occurs most often when I have been driving during a storm in daytime and had to turn on headlights in order to be seen by other drivers. By the time I get to my destination the rain has often ceased, and the sun is shining brightly. The problem happens, too, when we drive into a brightly lighted parking lot at night.
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CSSPlus

Good morning, boys and girls. I brought some salt with me this morning. (Show the salt.) What do we use salt for? (Let them answer.) We use it for flavoring food. How many of you put salt on your popcorn? (Let them answer.) What else do we use salt for? (Let them answer.) We put salt on the sidewalks in winter to keep us from slipping. We put salt in water softeners to soften our water.

In this morning's lesson Jesus said that we are the salt of the earth. What do you think he meant by that? (Let them answer.) In Jesus' time salt was very important. It was used to keep food
Good morning! Once Jesus told a whole crowd of people who
had come to hear him preach that they couldn't get into Heaven
unless they were more "righteous" than all the religious leaders
of that day. Does anyone know what that word means? What does it
mean to be righteous? (Let them answer.) It means to be good, to
be fair, and to be honest. Now, what do you think he meant by
that? Was he telling people that they had to do everything
perfectly in this life in order to get into Heaven? (Let them
answer.)
Good morning! How many of you own your own Bible? (Let them
answer.) When you read the Bible, do you find some things that
are hard to understand? (Let them answer.) Yes, I think there are
some tough things to comprehend in the Bible. After all, the
Bible is God's Word, and it's not always easy to understand God.
He is so much greater than we are and much more complex.

Now, I brought a New Testament with me this morning and I
want someone to read a verse for us. Can I have a volunteer? (Let
Teachers and Parents: The most common false doctrine, even
among some who consider themselves strong Christians, is that we
can earn our way into Heaven by our own works. Our children must
learn the basic Christian truth that Heaven is a gift of God and
that there is no way to be righteous enough to deserve it. We
must rely on the righteousness of Christ for our ticket into
Heaven.

* Make white paper ponchos with the name JESUS written in
large letters on each one. (A large hole for the head in a big

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