A fitting monument
Children's sermon
Object:
pictures of the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you have heard of the Washington Monument or the Lincoln Memorial? (let them answer) Have you ever visited Thomas Jefferson's home at Monticello? Have you ever been to Gettysburg or Mount Rushmore or the Alamo? (let them answer) (mention some places near your community)
When you visit Nazareth in Israel, they cannot show you the house in which Jesus was raised as a child. They do show you a well where his mother probably came to get water. In Bethlehem they have built a church over a place where they think the inn was where Jesus was born, but they are not sure. The same thing is true about where Jesus died and where he was buried. Men have built places where they think Jesus did things but they do not know for sure.
Our churches are not monuments to Jesus. Our churches are built as places to worship, meet, and work with other Christians. The disciples did not go out and build a monument to Jesus or try to keep Jesus in a tomb. Do you know why? (let them answer) That's right, because Jesus is not here on earth as a living person walking around and he is not buried in a tomb as a dead person. The Bible tells us that Jesus returned to heaven to be with his father.
Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be with us wherever we are. If we go to China, Jesus will be in heaven. The Holy Spirit will be with us. If we go to Germany, Jesus will not be there, but the Holy Spirit will be there. Jesus is not in a statue, he is not hiding behind the altar. Jesus is not buried in a grave like other people. Jesus is in heaven.
George Washington in not buried in the Washington Monument. Abraham Lincoln is not buried in the Lincoln Memorial. But they are buried in graves somewhere here on earth. The same thing is true of every soldier who died or of your ancestors.
A lot of times people would like to think that Jesus is in a statue or in some special place like the altar, but it isn't true. The Bible teaches us that Jesus returned to his father where he rules forever and ever.
The next time you see one of these special places, I want you to remember that we build them so that we will remember how they lived and died here on earth. But when you think of Washington, Lincoln, Kennedy, or any other great person, please remember that Jesus was resurrected and returned directly to heaven.
When you visit Nazareth in Israel, they cannot show you the house in which Jesus was raised as a child. They do show you a well where his mother probably came to get water. In Bethlehem they have built a church over a place where they think the inn was where Jesus was born, but they are not sure. The same thing is true about where Jesus died and where he was buried. Men have built places where they think Jesus did things but they do not know for sure.
Our churches are not monuments to Jesus. Our churches are built as places to worship, meet, and work with other Christians. The disciples did not go out and build a monument to Jesus or try to keep Jesus in a tomb. Do you know why? (let them answer) That's right, because Jesus is not here on earth as a living person walking around and he is not buried in a tomb as a dead person. The Bible tells us that Jesus returned to heaven to be with his father.
Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be with us wherever we are. If we go to China, Jesus will be in heaven. The Holy Spirit will be with us. If we go to Germany, Jesus will not be there, but the Holy Spirit will be there. Jesus is not in a statue, he is not hiding behind the altar. Jesus is not buried in a grave like other people. Jesus is in heaven.
George Washington in not buried in the Washington Monument. Abraham Lincoln is not buried in the Lincoln Memorial. But they are buried in graves somewhere here on earth. The same thing is true of every soldier who died or of your ancestors.
A lot of times people would like to think that Jesus is in a statue or in some special place like the altar, but it isn't true. The Bible teaches us that Jesus returned to his father where he rules forever and ever.
The next time you see one of these special places, I want you to remember that we build them so that we will remember how they lived and died here on earth. But when you think of Washington, Lincoln, Kennedy, or any other great person, please remember that Jesus was resurrected and returned directly to heaven.
