Peter and the rooster
Children's sermon
Object:
a rock
Good morning, boys and girls. I brought a rock with me to help
me tell you this morning's Bible lesson. Do you know which
disciple Jesus named "the rock?" (Let them answer.) The answer is
Peter. Jesus named Peter "the rock," because Jesus once said to
Peter "on this rock I will build my church." Jesus meant that he
would build his church with Peter as the beginning point, or the
foundation stone. When I think of a rock, I think of something
very solid, very hard and something that I can trust to stand on.
Large rocks seldom chip or crumble. That's the interesting thing
about Peter. Even though Peter is the rock or foundation of the
church, Peter had a weakness. Peter is just like you and I. We
all have weaknesses.
I want to tell you about Peter's weakness. Jesus knew that he was soon going to die on the cross. Peter didn't know this, however. Jesus told his disciples that they were all about to run away from him and deny that they even knew him. Peter -- remember, Jesus called him "the rock" -- stood up and declared, "Jesus I will never desert you." Do you know how Jesus replied to Peter? Jesus said, "Peter, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows in the morning you will deny me three times." Do you know that Jesus was correct? Jesus was soon arrested. All the disciples ran and hid, just as Jesus said they would. Peter, however, followed behind the crowd. Three times that night different people asked Peter if Peter knew Jesus. Peter said "I do not know this man." The next morning Peter heard the rooster crow -- as roosters do each morning -- and he remembered what Jesus told him. Peter then remembered that he would say three times that he did not know Jesus. When he realized this, Peter went out and cried.
Even though Peter the "rock" (hold up your rock), the foundation of the Christian church, was very faithful, he had a weakness. He was human, like all of us. It is important to know even though we are faithful, sometimes we have weaknesses also. Peter overcame many of his weaknesses. He went on to be a great leader in the Christian church. That's why we remember Peter as "the rock."
I want to tell you about Peter's weakness. Jesus knew that he was soon going to die on the cross. Peter didn't know this, however. Jesus told his disciples that they were all about to run away from him and deny that they even knew him. Peter -- remember, Jesus called him "the rock" -- stood up and declared, "Jesus I will never desert you." Do you know how Jesus replied to Peter? Jesus said, "Peter, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows in the morning you will deny me three times." Do you know that Jesus was correct? Jesus was soon arrested. All the disciples ran and hid, just as Jesus said they would. Peter, however, followed behind the crowd. Three times that night different people asked Peter if Peter knew Jesus. Peter said "I do not know this man." The next morning Peter heard the rooster crow -- as roosters do each morning -- and he remembered what Jesus told him. Peter then remembered that he would say three times that he did not know Jesus. When he realized this, Peter went out and cried.
Even though Peter the "rock" (hold up your rock), the foundation of the Christian church, was very faithful, he had a weakness. He was human, like all of us. It is important to know even though we are faithful, sometimes we have weaknesses also. Peter overcame many of his weaknesses. He went on to be a great leader in the Christian church. That's why we remember Peter as "the rock."
