Love your neighbor
Children's sermon
Object:
smashed tin can from the trash
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you ever have to
carry out the trash? (Let them answer.) I brought along some of
my trash this morning. This trash is ready to be recycled. This
trash makes me think of this morning's lesson.
I want to tell you the story about a little boy who lived next door to an older man. In church the boy heard the story about loving your neighbor as yourself. He wasn't certain that he knew what that meant. He hoped that he loved his neighbor as himself, but he wasn't certain how to do it.
One day he was going out the door to play. It was trash day. Everyone on his street had trash and recycling containers ready to be picked up. He noticed that for some reason his neighbor's trash had been knocked over. The trash was all over the sidewalk. Have any of you ever noticed this on your street? (Let them answer.) The boy's neighbor was an older man who walked with a cane. It was hard for him to stoop over. Without thinking, the boy went over and picked up the trash that was on the sidewalk. He put the trash back into the container. Then he went on his way. His neighbor was watching from his window. He was very happy to see that the boy picked up his trash. It made the older man feel good about the boy.
Do any of you know why this trash of mine (hold it up) and my story about the boy picking up the trash reminds me of loving your neighbor? (Let them answer.) That's right. The boy didn't think about it at all, but he loved his neighbor as himself, didn't he? He loved his neighbor when he picked up the older man's trash. The boy didn't do it so that he would get a reward. He didn't do it because someone asked him. He did it really without thinking. He did it because he loved his neighbor.
Here's what I want you to remember this week. Jesus said that we should love God with all our hearts. Jesus also said that we should love our neighbor as we love ourselves. This week see if there is something you can do for your neighbor. It might be just saying hello to your neighbor. It might be that you may pick up some trash of your neighbor's without even thinking of it. Remember to love your neighbor as you love yourself.
I want to tell you the story about a little boy who lived next door to an older man. In church the boy heard the story about loving your neighbor as yourself. He wasn't certain that he knew what that meant. He hoped that he loved his neighbor as himself, but he wasn't certain how to do it.
One day he was going out the door to play. It was trash day. Everyone on his street had trash and recycling containers ready to be picked up. He noticed that for some reason his neighbor's trash had been knocked over. The trash was all over the sidewalk. Have any of you ever noticed this on your street? (Let them answer.) The boy's neighbor was an older man who walked with a cane. It was hard for him to stoop over. Without thinking, the boy went over and picked up the trash that was on the sidewalk. He put the trash back into the container. Then he went on his way. His neighbor was watching from his window. He was very happy to see that the boy picked up his trash. It made the older man feel good about the boy.
Do any of you know why this trash of mine (hold it up) and my story about the boy picking up the trash reminds me of loving your neighbor? (Let them answer.) That's right. The boy didn't think about it at all, but he loved his neighbor as himself, didn't he? He loved his neighbor when he picked up the older man's trash. The boy didn't do it so that he would get a reward. He didn't do it because someone asked him. He did it really without thinking. He did it because he loved his neighbor.
Here's what I want you to remember this week. Jesus said that we should love God with all our hearts. Jesus also said that we should love our neighbor as we love ourselves. This week see if there is something you can do for your neighbor. It might be just saying hello to your neighbor. It might be that you may pick up some trash of your neighbor's without even thinking of it. Remember to love your neighbor as you love yourself.
