Make new friends
Children's sermon
Object:
a baseball glove
So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us. (v. 8)
Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) Today we are going to talk about baseball. How many of you know how to play baseball? (allow answers) If you don't know how to play baseball, what other sports or games do you know how to play? (allow answers)
Each of us has special knowledge about different things and sometimes we know things that other people don't know! We'll use baseball as our example. Let's pretend that all of us know how to play baseball. We're all really good at baseball and we want to teach others how to play this game too. So we go out with some baseball gloves and some baseballs and find people who don't know how to play the game.
Then what would we do? (allow answers) We would start teaching the people how to play! We would show them how to hold a glove, how to throw the ball, and how to bat. We would spend hours and hours with them playing catch or practicing a batting stance. We would work hard with them to make sure that they understood every single part of our game.
We would end up spending a lot of time with them. In fact, we might become more than just their teacher. We might become their friend too! Do you think you could become friends with someone you were teaching? (allow answers) Of course you could! You would have some of the same interests -- in this case, baseball -- and you would be spending a lot of time together. You would have things to talk about, practices to plan, and experiences to share. Not only would you be teaching a new baseball player but you would also be able to make a new friend.
And guess what? The same thing is true when we try to teach other people about God's love. We can't just go up to them and say, "Here's a Bible, read it, know God!" That's like handing someone and bat and ball and saying, "Learn the game!" Most of us do not know God just by reading the Bible. We know God because we are part of a community that helps us understand the words we read in the Bible. We learn about God from our families, from our Sunday school teachers, and from our pastors. As we learn from these people, they become not only our teachers, but also our friends.
When we want to teach others about God, we want to bring them into this community. That doesn't just mean bringing them to church and saying, "See ya!" As we help them learn about our faith, we become not only teachers, but also friends. Whether it's baseball or Jesus Christ, the most important thing we can do when we are teaching others is give them our selves -- our friendship -- as well as our lessons. Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) Today we are going to talk about baseball. How many of you know how to play baseball? (allow answers) If you don't know how to play baseball, what other sports or games do you know how to play? (allow answers)
Each of us has special knowledge about different things and sometimes we know things that other people don't know! We'll use baseball as our example. Let's pretend that all of us know how to play baseball. We're all really good at baseball and we want to teach others how to play this game too. So we go out with some baseball gloves and some baseballs and find people who don't know how to play the game.
Then what would we do? (allow answers) We would start teaching the people how to play! We would show them how to hold a glove, how to throw the ball, and how to bat. We would spend hours and hours with them playing catch or practicing a batting stance. We would work hard with them to make sure that they understood every single part of our game.
We would end up spending a lot of time with them. In fact, we might become more than just their teacher. We might become their friend too! Do you think you could become friends with someone you were teaching? (allow answers) Of course you could! You would have some of the same interests -- in this case, baseball -- and you would be spending a lot of time together. You would have things to talk about, practices to plan, and experiences to share. Not only would you be teaching a new baseball player but you would also be able to make a new friend.
And guess what? The same thing is true when we try to teach other people about God's love. We can't just go up to them and say, "Here's a Bible, read it, know God!" That's like handing someone and bat and ball and saying, "Learn the game!" Most of us do not know God just by reading the Bible. We know God because we are part of a community that helps us understand the words we read in the Bible. We learn about God from our families, from our Sunday school teachers, and from our pastors. As we learn from these people, they become not only our teachers, but also our friends.
When we want to teach others about God, we want to bring them into this community. That doesn't just mean bringing them to church and saying, "See ya!" As we help them learn about our faith, we become not only teachers, but also friends. Whether it's baseball or Jesus Christ, the most important thing we can do when we are teaching others is give them our selves -- our friendship -- as well as our lessons. Amen.
