How good are you?
Children's sermon
Object:
candy bars (one for each child)
Good morning! Once Jesus told a whole crowd of people who
had come to hear him preach that they couldn't get into Heaven
unless they were more "righteous" than all the religious leaders
of that day. Does anyone know what that word means? What does it
mean to be righteous? (Let them answer.) It means to be good, to
be fair, and to be honest. Now, what do you think he meant by
that? Was he telling people that they had to do everything
perfectly in this life in order to get into Heaven? (Let them
answer.)
Let's see if I can explain to you what he was saying. I
brought this candy with me today and I would like to give one to
each of you. Now, if I say that I will only give the candy to
those who have been entirely righteous this week, I wonder how
many of you will qualify. Is there anyone among you who went
through all of last week without sinning? Did anyone do
everything perfectly all week with no mistakes, no bad actions or
thoughts of any kind? (Let them answer.) If we are honest about
it, we will all admit that we sinned in many ways last week, so
we can't get the candy on the basis of our righteousness, can we?
(Let them answer.)
However, this is my candy and if I want to give it to you, I
can. Here's what I will do. I will give a candy bar to anyone who
believes that I am here and that I am the pastor of this church.
Do all of you believe that? (Let them answer.) Okay, you all get
a candy bar. (Give them the candy.)
Jesus was telling the people that there was no way to get
into Heaven by their own righteousness. The only way to get into
Heaven was to believe in him, and then Heaven would be given to
them as a gift, just as I gave you the candy as a gift. You
didn't earn it by your own righteousness; it was a gift. God
allows those who believe in Jesus to come into Heaven as a gift.
Let's thank Him for that.
Dear God in Heaven: We thank You so much for giving us Heaven as
a free gift because we believe in Your Son, Jesus, our Lord and
Savior. We know we could never earn it by our own righteousness.
Amen.
had come to hear him preach that they couldn't get into Heaven
unless they were more "righteous" than all the religious leaders
of that day. Does anyone know what that word means? What does it
mean to be righteous? (Let them answer.) It means to be good, to
be fair, and to be honest. Now, what do you think he meant by
that? Was he telling people that they had to do everything
perfectly in this life in order to get into Heaven? (Let them
answer.)
Let's see if I can explain to you what he was saying. I
brought this candy with me today and I would like to give one to
each of you. Now, if I say that I will only give the candy to
those who have been entirely righteous this week, I wonder how
many of you will qualify. Is there anyone among you who went
through all of last week without sinning? Did anyone do
everything perfectly all week with no mistakes, no bad actions or
thoughts of any kind? (Let them answer.) If we are honest about
it, we will all admit that we sinned in many ways last week, so
we can't get the candy on the basis of our righteousness, can we?
(Let them answer.)
However, this is my candy and if I want to give it to you, I
can. Here's what I will do. I will give a candy bar to anyone who
believes that I am here and that I am the pastor of this church.
Do all of you believe that? (Let them answer.) Okay, you all get
a candy bar. (Give them the candy.)
Jesus was telling the people that there was no way to get
into Heaven by their own righteousness. The only way to get into
Heaven was to believe in him, and then Heaven would be given to
them as a gift, just as I gave you the candy as a gift. You
didn't earn it by your own righteousness; it was a gift. God
allows those who believe in Jesus to come into Heaven as a gift.
Let's thank Him for that.
Dear God in Heaven: We thank You so much for giving us Heaven as
a free gift because we believe in Your Son, Jesus, our Lord and
Savior. We know we could never earn it by our own righteousness.
Amen.
