God's test
Children's sermon
Object:
a Bible
But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of
the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our
hearts. (v. 4)
Good morning, boys and girls! How many of you have started school? (allow answers) Are any of you in preschool? Kindergarten? Higher than kindergarten? (allow answers each time) How many of you have taken tests in school before? How did you like it? Did you do well? Do you get scared about tests? On a test, the teacher wants to know what you have learned in class. If you were taking a test at school, would you write a joke on it like you would write a note to your friend? Do you think your teacher would like that? When we take tests, we write down what the teacher asks for. We don't write down what our friends would think is cool or funny. That doesn't win any points!
The Bible verse for today is from the second reading. It talks about God testing our hearts. The verse says, "But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts." Uh-oh. There will be a test over this. Do you want God to give you a test? (allow answers) I sure don't! I don't know if I will pass!
The verse for today is telling us to live our lives as if they are a test. Instead of doing things that our friends will think is cool or funny, we should do things that God approves of. For example, if our friends think it's fun to laugh at a person in a wheelchair, what would you do? (allow answers each time) Would God think that was the right thing to do? What if your friends want you to lie to somebody? Would God want you to put that on your test? What would God want you to do instead? What other things could you do that God would like to see on your test?
When you get older, you will have to study out of textbooks for your tests. God has a textbook, too. (hold up Bible) It's a great textbook, because it's full of stories! It's not full of math problems or science experiments, but full of stories about God and how much he loves us. It can be fun to study this book! Not only does the Bible help prepare our hearts for God's final test, but it helps us live our lives as we read it. It's the best textbook you'll ever own. Your challenge this week is to have your mom or dad help you read one Bible story every day whenever you want to. Find stories that tell you about how much God loves you, and see how much fun it can be to study God's word. Study hard and you can ace any test! Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls! How many of you have started school? (allow answers) Are any of you in preschool? Kindergarten? Higher than kindergarten? (allow answers each time) How many of you have taken tests in school before? How did you like it? Did you do well? Do you get scared about tests? On a test, the teacher wants to know what you have learned in class. If you were taking a test at school, would you write a joke on it like you would write a note to your friend? Do you think your teacher would like that? When we take tests, we write down what the teacher asks for. We don't write down what our friends would think is cool or funny. That doesn't win any points!
The Bible verse for today is from the second reading. It talks about God testing our hearts. The verse says, "But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts." Uh-oh. There will be a test over this. Do you want God to give you a test? (allow answers) I sure don't! I don't know if I will pass!
The verse for today is telling us to live our lives as if they are a test. Instead of doing things that our friends will think is cool or funny, we should do things that God approves of. For example, if our friends think it's fun to laugh at a person in a wheelchair, what would you do? (allow answers each time) Would God think that was the right thing to do? What if your friends want you to lie to somebody? Would God want you to put that on your test? What would God want you to do instead? What other things could you do that God would like to see on your test?
When you get older, you will have to study out of textbooks for your tests. God has a textbook, too. (hold up Bible) It's a great textbook, because it's full of stories! It's not full of math problems or science experiments, but full of stories about God and how much he loves us. It can be fun to study this book! Not only does the Bible help prepare our hearts for God's final test, but it helps us live our lives as we read it. It's the best textbook you'll ever own. Your challenge this week is to have your mom or dad help you read one Bible story every day whenever you want to. Find stories that tell you about how much God loves you, and see how much fun it can be to study God's word. Study hard and you can ace any test! Amen.
