SermonStudio

I need a few helpers this morning. (Select several children and/or youth, and arrange them in equal teams on each end of the rope.) Have you ever seen a tug-of-war competition? There are two teams, one on each side of the rope. There is a line in the dirt or sometimes even a mud hole between the two teams. Each team pulls and pulls, just as hard as it can, using all of its strength to pull the other team across the line or into the mud. One team wins by making the other team cross the line or fall in the mud.

People often act as if they are playing tug-of-war. One group pulls and fights against another group or tries to make themselves look better by pulling others down. They are mean to each other and sometimes they even do cruel things to hurt one another. When people play tug-of-war, all they care about is winning. They don't care about who falls in the mud or who gets hurt.

But in the church things should be different. We should all be on the same team, all of us pulling on the same side, never trying to pull anyone down or into the mud. (Have all the children or youth move to the same side of the rope.) Because God loves us, we do our best to love one another. We may not agree on everything, but we all agree that we love God and we want to do what makes him happy, and that includes pulling together!

This week I want you to find ways of pulling together with others to make things better instead of pulling or fighting against them. I will be praying for you. God bless you.