Man overboard!
Children's sermon
Object:
a life jacket
"When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea." (v. 7b)
Good morning, boys and girls! How many of you have ever been on a boat? (allow answers) What kind of boat was it? Was it a sailboat, a motorboat, or a paddleboat? (allow answers) When you were in the boat, did you have to wear anything special -- maybe a life jacket like this one? (allow answers)
When we are on a boat, we have to stay safe. We don't want to fall in the water and get lost or drown! If you are on a boat or a ship and someone falls off, do you know what they yell? (allow answers) They yell "Man overboard!" Usually when someone falls off a boat, they do not do it on purpose! When you are on the water, you want to stay on your boat where it is safe.
Our gospel lesson talks about people on a boat. Jesus' disciples are fishing in a sailboat in the sea. As they are catching fish, Jesus calls out to them from the shore. The disciples look at each other. "It's Jesus!" they say. They prepare to sail toward the shore.
One of the disciples -- named Simon Peter -- can't wait for the ship to sail to shore. So Simon Peter jumps off of the boat. Man overboard!
If you were Simon Peter, would you have jumped off the boat or waited until it sailed in to the shore? (allow answers) Most of the disciples chose to stay in the safety of the boat instead of jumping into the water. Jumping into the water is dangerous, especially if -- like Peter -- you don't have life jacket! What can happen if you jump into the water without a life jacket? (allow answers) You could get swept underwater by the waves, or a boat could sail right over you! If you get stuck under the water, you could drown. It is very dangerous to jump from a moving boat into the water!
Simon Peter didn't care about the risk. He was eager to meet Jesus! Even though it was not reasonable for Peter to jump into the water, Peter knew that there was a time for reason and a time for faith. Jumping in the lake, for Peter, was a matter of putting his trust in Jesus and living out his faith -- not a matter of what's the smartest thing to do.
Sometimes we could all be a little more like Peter. He doesn't always do the right thing, but the things that he does are from the heart. Peter doesn't always think things through. After all, he jumped off of a moving boat to try and swim to shore! But the things he does reflect his faith and courage to do what he thinks needs to be done.
Don't go around jumping off boats, but think about Simon Peter this week. Find ways that you can work for God without over thinking it. Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls! How many of you have ever been on a boat? (allow answers) What kind of boat was it? Was it a sailboat, a motorboat, or a paddleboat? (allow answers) When you were in the boat, did you have to wear anything special -- maybe a life jacket like this one? (allow answers)
When we are on a boat, we have to stay safe. We don't want to fall in the water and get lost or drown! If you are on a boat or a ship and someone falls off, do you know what they yell? (allow answers) They yell "Man overboard!" Usually when someone falls off a boat, they do not do it on purpose! When you are on the water, you want to stay on your boat where it is safe.
Our gospel lesson talks about people on a boat. Jesus' disciples are fishing in a sailboat in the sea. As they are catching fish, Jesus calls out to them from the shore. The disciples look at each other. "It's Jesus!" they say. They prepare to sail toward the shore.
One of the disciples -- named Simon Peter -- can't wait for the ship to sail to shore. So Simon Peter jumps off of the boat. Man overboard!
If you were Simon Peter, would you have jumped off the boat or waited until it sailed in to the shore? (allow answers) Most of the disciples chose to stay in the safety of the boat instead of jumping into the water. Jumping into the water is dangerous, especially if -- like Peter -- you don't have life jacket! What can happen if you jump into the water without a life jacket? (allow answers) You could get swept underwater by the waves, or a boat could sail right over you! If you get stuck under the water, you could drown. It is very dangerous to jump from a moving boat into the water!
Simon Peter didn't care about the risk. He was eager to meet Jesus! Even though it was not reasonable for Peter to jump into the water, Peter knew that there was a time for reason and a time for faith. Jumping in the lake, for Peter, was a matter of putting his trust in Jesus and living out his faith -- not a matter of what's the smartest thing to do.
Sometimes we could all be a little more like Peter. He doesn't always do the right thing, but the things that he does are from the heart. Peter doesn't always think things through. After all, he jumped off of a moving boat to try and swim to shore! But the things he does reflect his faith and courage to do what he thinks needs to be done.
Don't go around jumping off boats, but think about Simon Peter this week. Find ways that you can work for God without over thinking it. Amen.
