A new man
Children's sermon
Object:
a large rubber eraser
When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice,
"What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not
torment me" -- for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.
(For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains
and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven into the wilds.) (vv. 28-
29)
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you have seen something really ugly? (let them answer) I want you to tell me about something that is so ugly that when you see it, you are afraid. (let them answer)
When I go to the movies, I see previews of shows that are going to come to the theater. I see some things that are so ugly that I just want to close my eyes and put my hands over my ears until they go away. I always wish I had a big eraser, like this (show the eraser), that could erase the ugly so I never see it again.
One day when Jesus was traveling, he came to an area that was far from Galilee. He and his disciples were traveling by boat. When they came to the shore there was an ugly man waving his arms and screaming for Jesus to leave. He did not have any clothes on and he looked like a wild animal. Jesus got out of the boat and walked toward him. The disciples stayed back near the boat. But as Jesus got near, the ugly man fell down on his knees and begged Jesus not to make fun of him. The ugly man knew that Jesus was the Son of God.
Jesus began to talk to him and ask him his name. He asked him how long he had been ugly and then he blessed him and commanded that the evil spirits come out of him and enter a bunch of pigs that were nearby. The evil spirits went into the pigs and drove them crazy. The pigs ran into the water and drowned. That's how bad the evil spirits were inside that man.
The man did not look ugly anymore. He looked pretty good. He got dressed and thanked Jesus for healing him of the evil spirits. People came out to see the crazy, ugly man but instead they found a man who was calm and filled with love. The people from that area were afraid of Jesus' powerful healing. They wanted Jesus to leave because they had never seen the power of God do what Jesus had done. The healed man wanted to stay with the disciples, but Jesus told him to go back home and tell all of the people what God did for him.
Erasers won't get rid of ugly people but the power of God can do it time after time. Today, I want you to go home and tell all of your friends about the time Jesus changed a scary person into a man of love -- a man of good choices. Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you have seen something really ugly? (let them answer) I want you to tell me about something that is so ugly that when you see it, you are afraid. (let them answer)
When I go to the movies, I see previews of shows that are going to come to the theater. I see some things that are so ugly that I just want to close my eyes and put my hands over my ears until they go away. I always wish I had a big eraser, like this (show the eraser), that could erase the ugly so I never see it again.
One day when Jesus was traveling, he came to an area that was far from Galilee. He and his disciples were traveling by boat. When they came to the shore there was an ugly man waving his arms and screaming for Jesus to leave. He did not have any clothes on and he looked like a wild animal. Jesus got out of the boat and walked toward him. The disciples stayed back near the boat. But as Jesus got near, the ugly man fell down on his knees and begged Jesus not to make fun of him. The ugly man knew that Jesus was the Son of God.
Jesus began to talk to him and ask him his name. He asked him how long he had been ugly and then he blessed him and commanded that the evil spirits come out of him and enter a bunch of pigs that were nearby. The evil spirits went into the pigs and drove them crazy. The pigs ran into the water and drowned. That's how bad the evil spirits were inside that man.
The man did not look ugly anymore. He looked pretty good. He got dressed and thanked Jesus for healing him of the evil spirits. People came out to see the crazy, ugly man but instead they found a man who was calm and filled with love. The people from that area were afraid of Jesus' powerful healing. They wanted Jesus to leave because they had never seen the power of God do what Jesus had done. The healed man wanted to stay with the disciples, but Jesus told him to go back home and tell all of the people what God did for him.
Erasers won't get rid of ugly people but the power of God can do it time after time. Today, I want you to go home and tell all of your friends about the time Jesus changed a scary person into a man of love -- a man of good choices. Amen.
