Childrens Sermon Service

Good morning, boys and girls. I brought something that's dangerous, beautiful, hot, exciting and necessary. Can anyone guess what it is? (Let them guess.) You all have good guesses. But it's a match. Can someone tell me how a match can be dangerous? (Choose someone.) That's right, our parents tell us never to play with matches because we might start a fire by accident. That's dangerous! How is a fire beautiful? (Let them respond.) A fire in a campground can be beautiful to sit around in the evening after the sun goes down. The colors are pretty and the flames jump up and down. Of course we all know that fires are hot. But they are also warmth to people who are cold, such as some homeless people gathered around a burning trash barrel to keep warm. Can fire be exciting? (Let them respond.) I think it is exciting to stay up later than your bedtime at a campfire to roast hotdogs and marshmallows. How is fire necessary? (Let them respond.) Fire is what the sun is. We couldn't live without the sun. The sun is burning gases that just keep on burning providing warmth and life for our planet.

Our lesson today is about Jesus telling his disciples that he came to bring fire to the earth. Do you think he meant the kind of fire started by a match? (Let them respond.) No, I think the kind of fire he meant was the things we said fire is: danger, beauty, warmth, excitement and a necessity of life. Jesus came to tell us new exciting ways to live with love and care for everyone. It's exciting when we put Jesus' fire to work. Jesus' fire is love. Jesus' fire brought a new and different way to live and love. Not everyone wanted Jesus' message of love. That's what made it dangerous. When we really love like Jesus wants us to we feel warm inside just like a fire burning in us.