Missed opportunities
Children's sermon
Object:
a newspaper
They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants,
the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. (Romans 9:4)
Good morning, boys and girls. Do you ever look at the ads in a newspaper? (let them answer) I am sure you don't but grownups look at the ads in the newspaper all of the time. (show them some ads in the newspaper) They want to see what the bargains are so they can pay less money when they buy certain items. Some of the ads tell you that you have to buy them on a certain day or even at a certain time. If you go to a movie in the afternoon it is usually less than it is if you go at night. Sometimes you can save a dollar on coffee or many dollars on a television set if you watch the newspaper closely and wait until things go on sale.
Once I saw an ad in the paper for a new desk that I need for my study. I was excited about buying the desk but when I read the ad in the paper I found out that the sale was over. I missed a great opportunity. The same thing happened to me when I saw that someone was selling a saw that I wanted for my workshop. I waited too long and when I called the man, he said someone had already bought the saw.
Have you ever missed an opportunity? Have you ever been too late to do something that you really wanted to do? (let them answer) I remember a night when I wanted to sit in front of my fireplace and read. I was ready to start the fire when I found out I didn't have any wood. When I went outside to get the wood for the fire, the wood was all wet from rain. You can't burn wet wood so I missed another opportunity.
I am telling you this is because there is a teaching in the Bible about missed opportunities. The people in the time of Jesus had all of the scriptures to read and know about the coming of Jesus but they didn't think Jesus would come when they were living. The people who lived in the same town with Jesus knew all of God's promises to them but they were too busy with other things to know that God was living in that town. The people went to the same temples and heard Jesus tell them he was the one who God had promised them. They didn't believe him. They missed the opportunity again. It happened over and over again. Every time it happened, most of the people missed the opportunity.
We need to be alert and listen to things that are happening. God is with us now and gives us great opportunities to know him better by attending church, going to Sunday school, praying with our families, and sharing and forgiving with our friends and neighbors. God is with us but we cannot miss our opportunities.
The next time you look in the newspaper, I want you to look at an ad and ask about it. Then I want you to think about the opportunities God gives you to know and be with him every day. Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls. Do you ever look at the ads in a newspaper? (let them answer) I am sure you don't but grownups look at the ads in the newspaper all of the time. (show them some ads in the newspaper) They want to see what the bargains are so they can pay less money when they buy certain items. Some of the ads tell you that you have to buy them on a certain day or even at a certain time. If you go to a movie in the afternoon it is usually less than it is if you go at night. Sometimes you can save a dollar on coffee or many dollars on a television set if you watch the newspaper closely and wait until things go on sale.
Once I saw an ad in the paper for a new desk that I need for my study. I was excited about buying the desk but when I read the ad in the paper I found out that the sale was over. I missed a great opportunity. The same thing happened to me when I saw that someone was selling a saw that I wanted for my workshop. I waited too long and when I called the man, he said someone had already bought the saw.
Have you ever missed an opportunity? Have you ever been too late to do something that you really wanted to do? (let them answer) I remember a night when I wanted to sit in front of my fireplace and read. I was ready to start the fire when I found out I didn't have any wood. When I went outside to get the wood for the fire, the wood was all wet from rain. You can't burn wet wood so I missed another opportunity.
I am telling you this is because there is a teaching in the Bible about missed opportunities. The people in the time of Jesus had all of the scriptures to read and know about the coming of Jesus but they didn't think Jesus would come when they were living. The people who lived in the same town with Jesus knew all of God's promises to them but they were too busy with other things to know that God was living in that town. The people went to the same temples and heard Jesus tell them he was the one who God had promised them. They didn't believe him. They missed the opportunity again. It happened over and over again. Every time it happened, most of the people missed the opportunity.
We need to be alert and listen to things that are happening. God is with us now and gives us great opportunities to know him better by attending church, going to Sunday school, praying with our families, and sharing and forgiving with our friends and neighbors. God is with us but we cannot miss our opportunities.
The next time you look in the newspaper, I want you to look at an ad and ask about it. Then I want you to think about the opportunities God gives you to know and be with him every day. Amen.
