Future goals
Children's sermon
Object:
a birthday card, a grade card, a diploma
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (v.
2)
Good morning, boys and girls. Can you tell me how old you are? (let them answer) Can you tell me how old you are going to be on your next birthday? (let them answer) Are you going to have a great grade card when school is over? (let them answer) How many of you want to graduate from grade school and go on to junior high school or high school? (let them answer) How many of you can hardly wait until it is time for vacation? (let them answer)
All of those are really good things because they are in the future. They are good goals. When we are young, we always want to be a year older. It means that we can do things next year that we can't do this year. We want good grades because it means we have done well in school this year and we are going to be ready to learn more next year. All of us want a diploma because it means we have graduated and we are ready for new challenges. It means we are looking sometime far ahead.
That is what Saint Paul told people when they thought about being Christians. He told them to keep their heads up and look toward the day they would be living with Jesus in heaven. This is Easter, the best day of our church year. Jesus is raised from the dead. Hallelujah, Christ is risen! When we look up we see that Jesus is living with his Father in heaven. That is where we want to be someday. We look to the future with joy and love and a lot of happiness.
So, don't look back and don't be sad. Be filled with God's Spirit and live with Christ forever.
The next time you have a birthday, get a grade card, or think about graduating, I hope you think a little bit about the days ahead when you will live with Jesus and eventually live with him in heaven. Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls. Can you tell me how old you are? (let them answer) Can you tell me how old you are going to be on your next birthday? (let them answer) Are you going to have a great grade card when school is over? (let them answer) How many of you want to graduate from grade school and go on to junior high school or high school? (let them answer) How many of you can hardly wait until it is time for vacation? (let them answer)
All of those are really good things because they are in the future. They are good goals. When we are young, we always want to be a year older. It means that we can do things next year that we can't do this year. We want good grades because it means we have done well in school this year and we are going to be ready to learn more next year. All of us want a diploma because it means we have graduated and we are ready for new challenges. It means we are looking sometime far ahead.
That is what Saint Paul told people when they thought about being Christians. He told them to keep their heads up and look toward the day they would be living with Jesus in heaven. This is Easter, the best day of our church year. Jesus is raised from the dead. Hallelujah, Christ is risen! When we look up we see that Jesus is living with his Father in heaven. That is where we want to be someday. We look to the future with joy and love and a lot of happiness.
So, don't look back and don't be sad. Be filled with God's Spirit and live with Christ forever.
The next time you have a birthday, get a grade card, or think about graduating, I hope you think a little bit about the days ahead when you will live with Jesus and eventually live with him in heaven. Amen.
