Jesus And The Ten Commandments
Children's sermon
... Let the Children Come
Fifty-two Object Lessons For Children In Worship
Object:
Bookmarks or cards with Ten Commandments
Good morning, boys and girls. In the Old Testament book of Exodus, and repeated in Deuteronomy, there is the story of the tablets of stone that Moses received from God when he went up onto Mount Sinai. Can anyone here tell me what we call the words written on those stone tablets? (Response.) Yes, they have come to be known as the Ten Commandments. How many of you have learned something about the Ten Commandments? (Hands.) Okay, now which of you can tell me what the Commandments say? (Responses -- You may get them all or most of them. You may even have some children who can say them all.)
Why do you suppose God gave his people these Commandments? (Responses -- To tell them how to behave; so they might learn to be good; to regulate society; to teach them, and so forth. You want to get to a basic standard of relationship between God and man, and man to man.)
God expects humankind to respond to him and to each other in ways which will honor him. The Ten Commandments have long been the standard by which we measure how well we are doing in these relationships.
Lots of times people have tried to ignore these and other laws that God has given. Often this is because they don't want to do what God has told them to do. They try to excuse their behavior. Do you know what it means to try to excuse the way you act? (Response -- Encourage examples from the children of what that means.)
When Jesus was on earth, people questioned him on which one of the Commandments He thought was the most important. Do you know what He said? (Read Matthew 22:36.)
Jesus said that the fulfillment of all the law and the teachings of the prophets in the Old Testament depends upon LOVE, love for God and love for our neighbors. It is important, boys and girls, that we learn how to really love God and one another. The Bible is our guide and the Holy Spirit is our teacher. Won't you ask God to help you each day to learn how to love?
(Prayer to ask God for help in learning to love.)
(Give them Ten Commandment bookmarks or cards.)
Why do you suppose God gave his people these Commandments? (Responses -- To tell them how to behave; so they might learn to be good; to regulate society; to teach them, and so forth. You want to get to a basic standard of relationship between God and man, and man to man.)
God expects humankind to respond to him and to each other in ways which will honor him. The Ten Commandments have long been the standard by which we measure how well we are doing in these relationships.
Lots of times people have tried to ignore these and other laws that God has given. Often this is because they don't want to do what God has told them to do. They try to excuse their behavior. Do you know what it means to try to excuse the way you act? (Response -- Encourage examples from the children of what that means.)
When Jesus was on earth, people questioned him on which one of the Commandments He thought was the most important. Do you know what He said? (Read Matthew 22:36.)
Jesus said that the fulfillment of all the law and the teachings of the prophets in the Old Testament depends upon LOVE, love for God and love for our neighbors. It is important, boys and girls, that we learn how to really love God and one another. The Bible is our guide and the Holy Spirit is our teacher. Won't you ask God to help you each day to learn how to love?
(Prayer to ask God for help in learning to love.)
(Give them Ten Commandment bookmarks or cards.)
