Login / Signup

Free Access

Our Rising Faith

Children's sermon
Object: 
A small bowl of water, a spoon, and a packet of instant yeast.
He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.” (v. 33)

Does anyone remember the stories we have been talking about, called parables? (Let them answer.) Great. And does anyone remember just what a parable is? (Let them answer.) Yes, a parable is a story that has kind of a hidden meaning. Jesus told a lot of parables when he talked with people because he thought it helped them understand what he was saying. When he was talking to farmers, he told parables about seeds and plants because they would understand what he meant. When he was with fishing people, he told parables about fish and water because they would understand his message better. So, I wonder if anyone can figure out why in today’s parable, Jesus talked about making bread? (Let them answer.) Well, maybe he was talking to bakers? Let’s listen to the story and see if we can figure out why Jesus told it.

He was talking to those people who had just met him and were wanting to know how to be more like Jesus. I think some of them were kind of nervous. Being like Jesus sounded like something pretty hard to do. I know sometimes it sure sounds hard to me. Sometimes I just don’t think I can do it. I get tired, or I get angry, and sometimes I just want to say or do things that I know aren’t what Jesus would say or do. Yes, I think some of those people were worried they weren’t going to be able to be like Jesus. They just didn’t think they were strong enough.

That’s when Jesus told them the short parable about a woman putting yeast into her bowl of flour. He said that following him was like yeast that you put in bread. Do you know what yeast is? (Let them answer.) Yeast is a tiny little organism that does something very special for bread. When you put yeast in the flour and add a little water, something happens. (Mix the yeast, water, and flour together.) The yeast eats the sugar it finds in the flour and turns it into little bubbles of gas. And as it creates more gas, the flour starts to rise up and get bigger, and turns into a big loaf of bread. It starts out really small, but the yeast helps it become something really big.

I think that’s why Jesus told them that parable. They are like the flour in the woman’s bowl and believing in Jesus is like the yeast. The more we believe, the more the yeast grows and the more we grow with it. The more we believe, the stronger our faith gets, and the more things we can do the way Jesus would do them. Everyone knew about how bread rises, so they all understood what Jesus was saying.

But I think there might have been another reason Jesus talked about making bread. Did you smell it when we mixed the flour and yeast together? (Let them answer.) Boy, it smells great! If anyone walked into the room, they would know that someone is making bread! I think Jesus was reminding the people of that, too. As we try to be more like Jesus, other people see what we are doing, and it reminds them of Jesus. And then, just like yeast, we can help other people follow Jesus too.
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 16 | OT 21 | Pentecost 11
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 17 | OT 22 | Pentecost 12
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 18 | OT 23 | Pentecost 13
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
Christopher Keating
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
For August 31, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Kalas
When one of our children was young, she pretended to throw something at me from close range, and then she cheerfully declared, “Ha! Made you flinch!” I remember from my own elementary years that that was always regarded as something of an achievement — to make someone blink or to make someone flinch. In reality, of course, it is little more than a test of one’s reflexes. It’s my reflex to blink or to brace when I think something is coming at me, and the reflex is a good one.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Jeremiah 2:4-13
Regarding verses 6-7 of the lesson John Calvin observes:

… there is nothing more common than for the ungodly when they are proved guilty, to have recourse to this subterfuge, that they acted with good intention, when they gave themselves up to their own superstitions. (Calvin’s Commentaries, Vol.IX/1, p.78)

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. (v. 2)

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This is a role play activity for the children. You will want a container of some kind of treat to give to all of the children.

Note: This is a fairly brief message as presented, but that may help keep an emphasis on the simplicity of the message if you stress it.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Great! Let’s get started.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:
Jesus knew the importance of humility and used a banquet to teach people about it. As we feast on him today, let us make sure we come to him with unassuming spirits.

Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes we are unaware of our own arrogance.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we spot other people's haughtiness but fail to recognise it in ourselves.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are so humble that we become victims of inverted pride.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

Stephen P. McCutchan
Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.
-- Hebrews 13:1-2

James Evans
The writer of Psalm 81 employs a most interesting mixed metaphor. It is not mixed, however, because the psalmist was careless and neglected his subject matter. On the contrary, it is because of an important insight into human nature that the psalmist has us "eating with our ears."

Verse 10 rehearses what was, and is, the most basic confession of faith for followers of the Lord. God speaks and says, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth and I will fill it."

Ron Lavin
There are three words I hope you will take home from church today. The words are "Only The Lonely." As you think about these words, the assurances of God's Word will comfort and strengthen you. But I'm getting ahead of my story. Before we get to these three words, we need to look at the full text of Luke 14:1, 7-14. That involves looking at three other words: humility, hospitality, and hope.

Humility
Chrysanne Timm
It is never a pleasant prospect to deal with someone who has a complaint with you. As a new pastor, and a very young one at that, one of the things I struggled with most was the experience of conflict with members. I remember as if it were yesterday a significant misunderstanding that developed between the congregation's "matriarch" and me very early in my time there. I prayed about the difficulty we were having, and I knew that I needed to go to her home and ask for the opportunity to talk things out.
H. Burnham Kirkland
Words Of Assurance
In this be confident: that the grace of God is active enough to forgive, and the love of God is powerful enough to transform.

Pastoral Prayer

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL