Take up your cross
Children's sermon
Object:
a cross
For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. (v. 25)
Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) Today we are going to talk about sacrifice. Who can tell me what "sacrifice" means? (allow answers) A sacrifice is something that is important to us that we give up or give away. A sacrifice could be an object -- a toy or a piece of clothing. A sacrifice could be an action -- going to the park, eating candy.
But not just anything can be a sacrifice. It's only a real sacrifice if we give up something we like. What are some things that you could give up that would not be a sacrifice -- things that you don't like? (allow answers) What are some things that would be a sacrifice -- things that you would be sad if you gave up? (allow answers)
Our faith is based on a story of sacrifice. Do you know what sacrifice that was? (allow answers) That sacrifice was Jesus. When Jesus died on the cross, God sacrificed him so that we could have eternal life. It was a real sacrifice because God loved his Son very much. And thanks to his sacrifice, we will be with him in paradise.
But dying on a cross wasn't the only sacrifice Jesus made. Jesus made many small sacrifices during his life. He left his home and family behind so that he could do God's work. Sometimes he sacrificed friends or a good reputation so that he could befriend tax collectors and sinners and share God's love. He gave up possessions so that he could travel with his disciples and preach the good news.
Our job as Christians is to follow Jesus' example. That doesn't mean dying on a cross -- that would be extreme! Instead, it means that in our lives, we, like Jesus, should make sacrifices for God's word. What are some sacrifices we might make in our lives? (allow answers) Maybe we give away clothes or toys that we have outgrown to those who need them. Maybe instead of buying things for ourselves, we put our extra money in the offering plate on Sunday or use it to help the church and missionaries do good things in the world. We may not like to make these sacrifices, but they are an important part of our work as Christians. We need to show by example what it means to be a follower of God. Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) Today we are going to talk about sacrifice. Who can tell me what "sacrifice" means? (allow answers) A sacrifice is something that is important to us that we give up or give away. A sacrifice could be an object -- a toy or a piece of clothing. A sacrifice could be an action -- going to the park, eating candy.
But not just anything can be a sacrifice. It's only a real sacrifice if we give up something we like. What are some things that you could give up that would not be a sacrifice -- things that you don't like? (allow answers) What are some things that would be a sacrifice -- things that you would be sad if you gave up? (allow answers)
Our faith is based on a story of sacrifice. Do you know what sacrifice that was? (allow answers) That sacrifice was Jesus. When Jesus died on the cross, God sacrificed him so that we could have eternal life. It was a real sacrifice because God loved his Son very much. And thanks to his sacrifice, we will be with him in paradise.
But dying on a cross wasn't the only sacrifice Jesus made. Jesus made many small sacrifices during his life. He left his home and family behind so that he could do God's work. Sometimes he sacrificed friends or a good reputation so that he could befriend tax collectors and sinners and share God's love. He gave up possessions so that he could travel with his disciples and preach the good news.
Our job as Christians is to follow Jesus' example. That doesn't mean dying on a cross -- that would be extreme! Instead, it means that in our lives, we, like Jesus, should make sacrifices for God's word. What are some sacrifices we might make in our lives? (allow answers) Maybe we give away clothes or toys that we have outgrown to those who need them. Maybe instead of buying things for ourselves, we put our extra money in the offering plate on Sunday or use it to help the church and missionaries do good things in the world. We may not like to make these sacrifices, but they are an important part of our work as Christians. We need to show by example what it means to be a follower of God. Amen.
