Login / Signup

Free Access

Love Your Enemies

Children's sermon
Luke 6:27-38
Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C
Arley K. Fadness
Object: 
Make a red heart out of tag board approximately one to three feet in diameter, a yellow or bright smiley face sticker and a frowning face sticker
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you....” (v. 27)

Good morning boys and girls,

First thing I want to say is, I love you little ones. Know why? I just love to give love and to receive love. How many of you know how to hug? (children respond)

Love and hugs are about the same aren't they? (children respond)

Well this morning I'm going to talk about love.

The greatest sermon Jesus ever preached shocked the people. He told them who to love.

He said don't just love the easy people but love the nasty people too.

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you....” (display large heart)

It's easy to love your parents, right? (children respond)

It's easy to love your brothers and sisters, right? (children respond)

It's easy to love kind and caring adults, right? (children respond)

It's easy to love kids who you get along with, right? (children respond)

It's easy to love people who love you. Right? (children respond)

But would you believe that Jesus, in that amazing sermon, said, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you....”

For kids, a bully can be like an enemy. It's hard to love bullies, isn't it? (attach frowning face to the red heart)

There is no easy way on how to love a bully. If love is doing the best for an enemy then tough love may the right love for a bully. A bully needs help. Tough love may simply be going and talking to an adult about the problem.

But the main reason why one would love one's enemies is this. (attach smiley face on other side of the heart) We love because God first loved us. God loves us as we are. God loved us so much, in Jesus, he suffered and died for us. Then Jesus rose again from the dead. And Jesus is now with us pouring love into us and through us by the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Loving Lord, show us how and why to love those who dislike us. Amen.
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 13 | OT 18 | Pentecost 8
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 9
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 15 | OT 20 | Pentecost 10
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Thomas Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
For August 10, 2025:

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A treasure chest containing photos of some of your family members and friends, and a small, worn-out bag or purse. The treasure chest could be as simple as a small, metal lockbox, or you could have some fun with a larger box that actually looks like a treasure chest.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Great! But before I tell you the story, I have something that I want to show you. (Show the treasure chest.)

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Frank Ramirez
Personal rant here — since childhood I’ve been annoyed that the winners of the 100-meter dash at the Olympics are hailed as the world’s fastest humans. To me it’s been obvious that the greatest, and fastest, athletes are the women and men who endure the trials and tribulations throughout the 26.2-mile marathons, and who then somehow find it within themselves to sprint to the finish line.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Isaiah 1:1, 10-20 and Psalm 50:1-8, 22-23

StoryShare

Frank Ramirez
Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return… (Luke 12:35-36)

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus calls us to be ready for him, for we shall encounter him at unexpected times and in unexpected ways. In our worship today, let us prepare to meet with Jesus.



Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes we don't bother to make ourselves ready for you.

Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes it doesn't occur to us that we might meet with you.

Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we miss you because we haven't expected you.

SermonStudio

Stephen P. McCutchan
Those who bring thanksgiving as their sacrifice honor me; to those who go the right way I will show the salvation of God.
-- Psalm 50:23

Clayton A. Lord Jr.
I want to talk about heroes today. We all have them. Our heroes are men and women that we look up to. Our heroes are those individuals that inspire us and help us to strive to be our very best.

There is a cute story about a Texan who was trying to impress on a Bostonian, the valor of the heroes of the Alamo. After finishing his story about Sam Houston, Davy Crockett, and countless others, he says "I'll bet you never had anyone so brave around Boston."

"Did you ever hear of Paul Revere?" asked the Bostonian.

Thomas A. Renquist
Jesus tells us, "Don't be afraid," but it seems to me there is a lot to be afraid of. "Sell your possessions," he says, "give alms ... risk ... be dressed for action ... have your lamps lit ... be prepared ... be alert." Sounds very ominous, quite scary to me.

Christopher Reeves, the actor, knows what it is to be afraid. On Memorial Day weekend, 1995, in a tragic fall from his horse, he was instantly paralyzed from the neck down and fighting for his every breath.
John W. Wurster
"Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom. Listen to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah" (1:10; cf. Genesis 19).

Sodom. Gomorrah. Remember? Places of wickedness, of violence, of perversity. Do you know any place like that? Places where sexuality is twisted and relationships are corrupted and social order is breaking down? Places where people seek to gratify personal desires at the expense of others, where individual pursuits take precedence over common well-being, where anything goes as long as it feels good?

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL