A Paper Bag Is Worth A Lot
Children's sermon
The Giant Book Of Children's Sermons
Matthew To Revelation
Object: a paper bag and a bunch of fruit - a dozen apples or oranges or anything that a child would have trouble holding in his or her hands
Good morning, boys and girls. How much are you worth? Has anyone every asked you how much you are worth? (let them answer) It isn't the kind of question that very many people ask one another, but people like to know how much they are worth to other people. Sometimes we think we are worth a lot to some people and not very much to others.
There was a man who came to Jesus one day and asked him to heal his servant. The servant must have been very good to him because the man who was asking was very important to most people. Yet when he asked Jesus to heal his servant the man did not think that he himself was worth very much to Jesus.
I suppose that a lot of us who know Jesus would feel as the important man did. Parents feel as though they are worth a lot to their children, and children feel that they are worth a lot to their parents. The members of a congregation are worth a lot to the pastor, and the pastor is important or worth a lot to his or her members. The same is true of doctors and their patients, teachers and their classes, and so on.
But how important are any of us to Jesus? Can we be worth much to Jesus?
Suppose that a person was a paper bag. Can you imagine that? (hold up the paper bag) A paper bag does not look very important and there are a lot of paper bags. I don't think that many of you would agree with me if I told you that this paper bag is worth a lot. But let me show you something. I need a volunteer for this little experiment. (choose someone to help you) Now I want you to hold some oranges for me. (begin to hand the child one at a time) It is important to me that you hold all of the oranges, so try hard. (keep handing them until the child can hold no more) That's too bad. I wanted you to be able to hold all of the oranges but I can see that you are not able to. If you had something to hold them in, you would be able to carry all of them. Maybe you understand now how important a paper bag can be. It is worth a lot to someone who needs one.
Every person is worth something to God. As a matter of fact, God tried to show how much all of us were worth when he sent Jesus into the world to work with us, and for us. We are really important to God, and we all have worth to him. The important man in our story did not think that he could be worth much to Jesus, but Jesus showed him that he cared a lot by healing his servant.
Jesus feels the same way about us. We are all worth a lot to him, and he uses us to do good for him and for others.
Good morning, boys and girls. How much are you worth? Has anyone every asked you how much you are worth? (let them answer) It isn't the kind of question that very many people ask one another, but people like to know how much they are worth to other people. Sometimes we think we are worth a lot to some people and not very much to others.
There was a man who came to Jesus one day and asked him to heal his servant. The servant must have been very good to him because the man who was asking was very important to most people. Yet when he asked Jesus to heal his servant the man did not think that he himself was worth very much to Jesus.
I suppose that a lot of us who know Jesus would feel as the important man did. Parents feel as though they are worth a lot to their children, and children feel that they are worth a lot to their parents. The members of a congregation are worth a lot to the pastor, and the pastor is important or worth a lot to his or her members. The same is true of doctors and their patients, teachers and their classes, and so on.
But how important are any of us to Jesus? Can we be worth much to Jesus?
Suppose that a person was a paper bag. Can you imagine that? (hold up the paper bag) A paper bag does not look very important and there are a lot of paper bags. I don't think that many of you would agree with me if I told you that this paper bag is worth a lot. But let me show you something. I need a volunteer for this little experiment. (choose someone to help you) Now I want you to hold some oranges for me. (begin to hand the child one at a time) It is important to me that you hold all of the oranges, so try hard. (keep handing them until the child can hold no more) That's too bad. I wanted you to be able to hold all of the oranges but I can see that you are not able to. If you had something to hold them in, you would be able to carry all of them. Maybe you understand now how important a paper bag can be. It is worth a lot to someone who needs one.
Every person is worth something to God. As a matter of fact, God tried to show how much all of us were worth when he sent Jesus into the world to work with us, and for us. We are really important to God, and we all have worth to him. The important man in our story did not think that he could be worth much to Jesus, but Jesus showed him that he cared a lot by healing his servant.
Jesus feels the same way about us. We are all worth a lot to him, and he uses us to do good for him and for others.
