A Lesson From Lettuce
Children's sermon
The Giant Book Of Children's Sermons
Matthew To Revelation
Object: a good head of lettuce and a spoiled head of lettuce (or some other produce)
Good morning, boys and girls. Today we are going to talk about being able to make choices, good choices. It is easy to be fooled about things and it is easy to be fooled about people unless we know what we are looking for when we are choosing.
Have you ever gone to the store with one of your parents shopping for lettuce? (let them answer) I have watched how carefully customers in the store choose a head of lettuce to buy. I have watched them pick up each head of lettuce until they find just the right one - the best one. They seem to know by feeling whether or not the lettuce is good. Some of the heads of lettuce feel firm and solid like this one that I have with me. Others feel mushy or like there is not much inside of what you can see through the wrapper. I am going to let you feel this lettuce so you will know what I mean. (pass the lettuce around) It takes some experience and some time to shop like this, but that is the way to do it if you want good food.
We must do this with people also, even people who call themselves Christians. I don't mean that you should pick them up and pinch them, but I mean that you must know what Christians are and what they believe in if you are going to follow their example. Some people look like Christians on the outside, but when you listen to them talk or find out how they live, then you are surprised to find that they are different on the inside. Just calling yourself a Christian doesn't mean that you are a Christian. I know some people who say they don't want to be a Christian because they know people who call themselves Christians who talk bad or live bad.
Well, just because someone calls himself a Christian doesn't mean that he or she is Christian. Not every head of lettuce is good to eat, and not every person with the title of Christian can be followed. When you make your choice of which Christian you want to follow, I hope that you do more than look at the clothes they wear or the car they drive. I hope you will listen to them talk and see how they care for the poor, the sick, and the lonely. If they are kind and generous and helpful to people and love others, and call themselves Christians, then you can follow their example and be sure that they are disciples of Jesus.
Good morning, boys and girls. Today we are going to talk about being able to make choices, good choices. It is easy to be fooled about things and it is easy to be fooled about people unless we know what we are looking for when we are choosing.
Have you ever gone to the store with one of your parents shopping for lettuce? (let them answer) I have watched how carefully customers in the store choose a head of lettuce to buy. I have watched them pick up each head of lettuce until they find just the right one - the best one. They seem to know by feeling whether or not the lettuce is good. Some of the heads of lettuce feel firm and solid like this one that I have with me. Others feel mushy or like there is not much inside of what you can see through the wrapper. I am going to let you feel this lettuce so you will know what I mean. (pass the lettuce around) It takes some experience and some time to shop like this, but that is the way to do it if you want good food.
We must do this with people also, even people who call themselves Christians. I don't mean that you should pick them up and pinch them, but I mean that you must know what Christians are and what they believe in if you are going to follow their example. Some people look like Christians on the outside, but when you listen to them talk or find out how they live, then you are surprised to find that they are different on the inside. Just calling yourself a Christian doesn't mean that you are a Christian. I know some people who say they don't want to be a Christian because they know people who call themselves Christians who talk bad or live bad.
Well, just because someone calls himself a Christian doesn't mean that he or she is Christian. Not every head of lettuce is good to eat, and not every person with the title of Christian can be followed. When you make your choice of which Christian you want to follow, I hope that you do more than look at the clothes they wear or the car they drive. I hope you will listen to them talk and see how they care for the poor, the sick, and the lonely. If they are kind and generous and helpful to people and love others, and call themselves Christians, then you can follow their example and be sure that they are disciples of Jesus.
