Spare Change
Children's sermon
Cows In Church
80 Biblically Based Children's Sermons
Object:
Two quarters and a nickel.
"How many of you know there is a soda machine downstairs?" I begin. Virtually every one of the assembled children raises a hand.
"Oh, good!" I continue. "Since all of you know the church has a soda machine, you probably also all know how much a soda costs."
"Fifty cents!" comes their unified response.
"That's right," I agree. "And already this morning, I have been downstairs to buy a soda. I put one dollar into the machine. If a soda costs fifty cents, how much change do you think I got back?"
"Fifty cents!" they answer again.
"Well, that's what I expected to get back," I continue. "But, in addition to two quarters, I also got a nickel!
I got fifty-FIVE cents in change." I hold up the two quarters and the nickel as I speak.
"I don't know why I got the nickel. I don't know if someone else had received it as change and just forgot to pick it up or if the machine somehow got confused and gave me back more than I should get. But however it happened, what I need to know is this: Is the nickel mine?"
Several children shake their heads negatively. Others say, "No."
"Well, I wonder to whom it belongs?"
"The soda company," Mary announces.
"The church?" Albert questions almost simultaneously.
"Yes," I affirm, "it probably does belong either to the company that fills the machine or to the church, which pays the company to fill the machine. I think, since the church pays for the soda in the machine, the nickel probably belongs to the church.
"That being the case, if I keep the nickel, will I be stealing?"
Some of the younger children look doubtful, but several of the older ones nod affirmatively.
"We've been talking about the Ten Commandments for several weeks now, as you know. Today our pastor will be talking about the commandment that says, 'Don't steal.'
"Usually, when we think of stealing, we think about someone taking something that isn't his or hers on purpose. I did not mean to receive this extra nickel. I didn't decide to take something from the church or the soda company that wasn't mine. But even so, if I keep it, I think I would be stealing -- because I know it belongs to someone else. That being the case, what do you think I should do with the nickel?"
"Put it back in the machine," David suggests.
"That would be one solution," I agree. "However, if I do, the next person will get it back in change. Then that person would have the same problem I have now."
"You need to put it in the offering tray," Sally tells me.
"I think you're right," I answer. "Does anyone know why I need to do that?"
"Because it belongs to the church."
"Because it isn't yours."
"Yes," I agree. "And there is one more reason. You see, if I hadn't mentioned what happened this morning, none of you would ever have known I had gotten a nickel that wasn't mine. No one would have known, except me ... and God. And God said, 'Don't steal.' Now, I value my relationship with God. And because I do, even if I hadn't told all of you about the spare change I got back this morning, I wouldn't have kept it. Because keeping it would mean I had to break one of God's commandments, one of the rules God gave to help me live my life. Doing that would disappoint God. Because I love God, I try to live as God would have me live. That's how it is with friends, with folks you care about and who care about you. You try not to have to disappoint them."
Prayer: "God, thank you for the lesson of the spare change this morning and for the commandments you have given us to help us live. Grant us the courage to keep them with love, following the example set for us by your son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, in whose name we pray. Amen."
"Oh, good!" I continue. "Since all of you know the church has a soda machine, you probably also all know how much a soda costs."
"Fifty cents!" comes their unified response.
"That's right," I agree. "And already this morning, I have been downstairs to buy a soda. I put one dollar into the machine. If a soda costs fifty cents, how much change do you think I got back?"
"Fifty cents!" they answer again.
"Well, that's what I expected to get back," I continue. "But, in addition to two quarters, I also got a nickel!
I got fifty-FIVE cents in change." I hold up the two quarters and the nickel as I speak.
"I don't know why I got the nickel. I don't know if someone else had received it as change and just forgot to pick it up or if the machine somehow got confused and gave me back more than I should get. But however it happened, what I need to know is this: Is the nickel mine?"
Several children shake their heads negatively. Others say, "No."
"Well, I wonder to whom it belongs?"
"The soda company," Mary announces.
"The church?" Albert questions almost simultaneously.
"Yes," I affirm, "it probably does belong either to the company that fills the machine or to the church, which pays the company to fill the machine. I think, since the church pays for the soda in the machine, the nickel probably belongs to the church.
"That being the case, if I keep the nickel, will I be stealing?"
Some of the younger children look doubtful, but several of the older ones nod affirmatively.
"We've been talking about the Ten Commandments for several weeks now, as you know. Today our pastor will be talking about the commandment that says, 'Don't steal.'
"Usually, when we think of stealing, we think about someone taking something that isn't his or hers on purpose. I did not mean to receive this extra nickel. I didn't decide to take something from the church or the soda company that wasn't mine. But even so, if I keep it, I think I would be stealing -- because I know it belongs to someone else. That being the case, what do you think I should do with the nickel?"
"Put it back in the machine," David suggests.
"That would be one solution," I agree. "However, if I do, the next person will get it back in change. Then that person would have the same problem I have now."
"You need to put it in the offering tray," Sally tells me.
"I think you're right," I answer. "Does anyone know why I need to do that?"
"Because it belongs to the church."
"Because it isn't yours."
"Yes," I agree. "And there is one more reason. You see, if I hadn't mentioned what happened this morning, none of you would ever have known I had gotten a nickel that wasn't mine. No one would have known, except me ... and God. And God said, 'Don't steal.' Now, I value my relationship with God. And because I do, even if I hadn't told all of you about the spare change I got back this morning, I wouldn't have kept it. Because keeping it would mean I had to break one of God's commandments, one of the rules God gave to help me live my life. Doing that would disappoint God. Because I love God, I try to live as God would have me live. That's how it is with friends, with folks you care about and who care about you. You try not to have to disappoint them."
Prayer: "God, thank you for the lesson of the spare change this morning and for the commandments you have given us to help us live. Grant us the courage to keep them with love, following the example set for us by your son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, in whose name we pray. Amen."
