Rich in so many ways
Children's sermon
Object:
some money, a checkbook, and a credit card
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you know what it means to be wealthy? (let them answer) Are any of you wealthy? (let them answer) Do you know anyone who is wealthy? (let them answer) Some people call the wealthy rich! Are any of you rich? (let them answer)
Most people think of wealth as having a lot of money. If you put money in a bank, they will give you a checkbook and you can write checks when you go to the store or buy a gift. That sounds wealthy, doesn't it? Some people have credit cards. The banks give these to you also if you put money in the bank. With a credit card you can buy almost anything today. That sounds wealthy, doesn't it? (let them answer) Or some people even carry money in their billfolds and purses. They use this money to buy newspapers, candy bars, gasoline for the car, and tickets to the movies. That sounds wealthy, doesn't it? Those all sound like good things to me, doesn't it to you? (let them answer)
But Jesus said wealthy people are going to have a hard time getting into heaven. Do you think you will be wealthy someday? If you have a job, earn money, put it in the bank, and get a checkbook and credit cards, does that mean you will be wealthy? Will you be able to enter into the kingdom of God? (let them answer)
So how does it work? How do wealthy people stay in God's kingdom? Jesus teaches us that things we have, like money, food, and lots of other things, are gifts from God. Since God gives these things to us, we must be willing to share them with our families and friends and even strangers. If we can't share them, then we can't follow Jesus, and if we don't follow Jesus, then we will not enter God's kingdom. If things like money and credit cards and checkbooks are so important to us that we will not share them, then they are more important to us than God.
Jesus taught that God's kingdom is the most important gift of all and all of the money, checkbooks, and credit cards in the whole world are not as important as loving like Jesus wants us to love. Be ready to give everything away if Jesus asks you to give it up, and if he doesn't, then share the gifts that God gives you with your family, friends, and even strangers. When you do this, you are following Jesus right into the kingdom of God.
Most people think of wealth as having a lot of money. If you put money in a bank, they will give you a checkbook and you can write checks when you go to the store or buy a gift. That sounds wealthy, doesn't it? Some people have credit cards. The banks give these to you also if you put money in the bank. With a credit card you can buy almost anything today. That sounds wealthy, doesn't it? (let them answer) Or some people even carry money in their billfolds and purses. They use this money to buy newspapers, candy bars, gasoline for the car, and tickets to the movies. That sounds wealthy, doesn't it? Those all sound like good things to me, doesn't it to you? (let them answer)
But Jesus said wealthy people are going to have a hard time getting into heaven. Do you think you will be wealthy someday? If you have a job, earn money, put it in the bank, and get a checkbook and credit cards, does that mean you will be wealthy? Will you be able to enter into the kingdom of God? (let them answer)
So how does it work? How do wealthy people stay in God's kingdom? Jesus teaches us that things we have, like money, food, and lots of other things, are gifts from God. Since God gives these things to us, we must be willing to share them with our families and friends and even strangers. If we can't share them, then we can't follow Jesus, and if we don't follow Jesus, then we will not enter God's kingdom. If things like money and credit cards and checkbooks are so important to us that we will not share them, then they are more important to us than God.
Jesus taught that God's kingdom is the most important gift of all and all of the money, checkbooks, and credit cards in the whole world are not as important as loving like Jesus wants us to love. Be ready to give everything away if Jesus asks you to give it up, and if he doesn't, then share the gifts that God gives you with your family, friends, and even strangers. When you do this, you are following Jesus right into the kingdom of God.
