Symbols We Wear
Children's sermon
Ping-Pong Words
And 30 More Children's Sermons
Object:
Scripture Reference
... and I by my works will show you my faith.
-- James 2:18b
Materials Needed
Three samples of symbols/identification that people wear, such as an employee name tag, a police officer's badge, a military medal, a Scout badge, a wedding ring, a martial arts belt
Cross necklace or pin
Cardstock printed with the scripture reference and verse
Telling The Story
Today we're going to talk about identification. Identification is something that helps us discover or show who or what someone or something is. Scientists study the characteristics of plants to identify it, and detectives study clues to discover who committed a crime, but did you know that sometimes human beings wear things for the purpose of identifying us?
(Show each piece of identification, explain what it is, how it identifies the person who wears it, and if applicable, what he or she did to earn it. For example: What's this? That's right. It's a wedding ring. I wear it to identify myself as a married person. When people see this ring, they know to call me Mr./Mrs. ______ . Not everyone wears a wedding ring. Not even all married people wear wedding rings, but in our culture, people who want to be identified as married people often do.)
(After each identification piece has been shown, continue with the cross necklace or pin.) What's this? (Let the children answer.) That's right. It's a cross. The day I asked Jesus into my heart, someone gave this to me so that everyone would know that I'm trying to follow Jesus and do what he wants me to do, right? Actually, no. I did ask Jesus into my heart, and I am trying to do what he wants me to do, but no one gave me this jewelry to remember the day. Many stores sell cross necklaces, and anyone can buy one. In fact, some people wear cross jewelry just because they like it, without having any idea who Jesus is!
So if you want to tell people that you follow Jesus, what can you do? You have to remember that it's not what you wear, but what you do that identifies you. When you help someone or encourage that person, when you tell the truth, and when you do the right thing even when it's hard, you are doing something that Jesus wants you to do. When people look at you, they won't remember what you are wearing. They'll remember that you showed Jesus' love, and then they'll know that you love him.
James tells us that in the book of James. (Hold up the card stock printed with scripture reference and verse.) In the second half of verse 18 of chapter 2, James says, "... and I by my works will show you my faith." Although we want to be careful that our clothes don't embarrass Jesus, nothing that we wear will tell people that we're following him. James reminds us with this verse that if we want to be identified as people who love Jesus, we need to show that to people by what we do.
Prayer
Dear Lord,
Thank you for this beautiful day, and thank you for loving us so much. Please help us to remember that people are watching and learning from what we do and that the best way to show them that we love you is to do what you want us to do. Thank you for helping us every day.
In Jesus' name. Amen.
... and I by my works will show you my faith.
-- James 2:18b
Materials Needed
Three samples of symbols/identification that people wear, such as an employee name tag, a police officer's badge, a military medal, a Scout badge, a wedding ring, a martial arts belt
Cross necklace or pin
Cardstock printed with the scripture reference and verse
Telling The Story
Today we're going to talk about identification. Identification is something that helps us discover or show who or what someone or something is. Scientists study the characteristics of plants to identify it, and detectives study clues to discover who committed a crime, but did you know that sometimes human beings wear things for the purpose of identifying us?
(Show each piece of identification, explain what it is, how it identifies the person who wears it, and if applicable, what he or she did to earn it. For example: What's this? That's right. It's a wedding ring. I wear it to identify myself as a married person. When people see this ring, they know to call me Mr./Mrs. ______ . Not everyone wears a wedding ring. Not even all married people wear wedding rings, but in our culture, people who want to be identified as married people often do.)
(After each identification piece has been shown, continue with the cross necklace or pin.) What's this? (Let the children answer.) That's right. It's a cross. The day I asked Jesus into my heart, someone gave this to me so that everyone would know that I'm trying to follow Jesus and do what he wants me to do, right? Actually, no. I did ask Jesus into my heart, and I am trying to do what he wants me to do, but no one gave me this jewelry to remember the day. Many stores sell cross necklaces, and anyone can buy one. In fact, some people wear cross jewelry just because they like it, without having any idea who Jesus is!
So if you want to tell people that you follow Jesus, what can you do? You have to remember that it's not what you wear, but what you do that identifies you. When you help someone or encourage that person, when you tell the truth, and when you do the right thing even when it's hard, you are doing something that Jesus wants you to do. When people look at you, they won't remember what you are wearing. They'll remember that you showed Jesus' love, and then they'll know that you love him.
James tells us that in the book of James. (Hold up the card stock printed with scripture reference and verse.) In the second half of verse 18 of chapter 2, James says, "... and I by my works will show you my faith." Although we want to be careful that our clothes don't embarrass Jesus, nothing that we wear will tell people that we're following him. James reminds us with this verse that if we want to be identified as people who love Jesus, we need to show that to people by what we do.
Prayer
Dear Lord,
Thank you for this beautiful day, and thank you for loving us so much. Please help us to remember that people are watching and learning from what we do and that the best way to show them that we love you is to do what you want us to do. Thank you for helping us every day.
In Jesus' name. Amen.
