Childrens Sermon Service

Most of us have flashlights at home. We don't use them very much because we usually don't need to. The electricity keeps our lights on and so we don't need a flashlight. But have any of you been at home when the lights went out because the electricity stopped? (Let them answer.) If that happens, it's good to have a flashlight around. But flashlights need something to make them work. What do they need? (Let them answer.) They need fresh batteries. If the batteries are old, the flashlight won't work well and won't work long. Having a flashlight ready and fresh batteries is one way of preparing for something that might not happen for a long time. But we like to prepare -- just in case the lights go out soon.

Now, let me ask you about another kind of preparation. See those signs over the doors of our church? What do they say? (Let them answer.) They say "Exit." What do they mean? (Let them answer.) In other words an Exit sign tells us where to go if the building were on fire or something. Does the building usually catch fire? (Let them answer.) It doesn't, but we need to have signs up to be prepared should that ever happen. We hope it never, ever happens. But the signs are there -- just in case.

One time Jesus told a story about being prepared. He told about being prepared for his return. Someday Jesus will return to earth to take us to heaven. Life on earth is a wonderful gift, but we will not live on this earth forever. Someday we shall go to heaven to live with God. Jesus will come and get us and it will be a wonderful day. The problem is we have no idea when Jesus will return. So we always want to be ready. We want to be prepared. We live every day as if this were the day Jesus was coming to get us to be with him in heaven.

Dearest Jesus: Help us always be prepared to go with you. Amen.