The eye of the needle
Children's sermon
Object:
a needle with an eye big enough to see and a camel stuffed animal
Children, how hard is it to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God! (vv. 24b-25)
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you know what the word "rich" means? (let them answer) How many of you want to be rich? (let them answer) How many of you do not want to be rich? (let them answer) Most of you would like to be rich. Is there anyone here that would like to be poor? (let them answer) Not many of you want to be poor.
Jesus had a follower that wanted to be a disciple of Jesus and he especially wanted to live forever in God's kingdom. Jesus told him that if he wanted to live forever with God, he should give up all of his money, his houses, his boats, his camels, and everything he owned and follow Jesus. The young rich man could not do what Jesus asked and he left a very sad person. The riches he had were more important to him than God's kingdom.
Jesus said it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it would be for a rich man to get into heaven. How many of you know how big a camel is? (let them answer) Camels are very big animals, aren't they? I brought along a stuffed animal camel so we could see what Jesus was talking about and I also brought a needle. Do you know what the eye of a needle looks like? (show them the eye of the needle) How many of you think you could get my camel through the eye of the needle? Not one person thinks they could push the camel through the eye of a needle. How many rich men do you think there are in heaven? (let them answer) Not many will be there.
Of course the real test is the calling that Jesus gives each one of us. The real test is if Jesus calls us and we refuse to go because it will keep us from getting rich or from using our riches. If your television set is more important to you than Jesus, then you may not be in heaven. The things we have can be very important to us, so important are they that we do not want to give them up for Jesus. Maybe it is a video game, a baseball glove, a new bike, or an old bike that we really love. None of them will fit through the eye of the needle, will they?
To get through the eye of the needle, you must make Jesus and God first in your life. Jesus says that God is more important than father, mother, brothers, sisters, and children. God is first.
We are to love God with all of our hearts and all of our minds to be brothers and sisters of Jesus. Don't wish to be rich. Instead, pray that God will give you the courage and strength to be one of his very own people. Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you know what the word "rich" means? (let them answer) How many of you want to be rich? (let them answer) How many of you do not want to be rich? (let them answer) Most of you would like to be rich. Is there anyone here that would like to be poor? (let them answer) Not many of you want to be poor.
Jesus had a follower that wanted to be a disciple of Jesus and he especially wanted to live forever in God's kingdom. Jesus told him that if he wanted to live forever with God, he should give up all of his money, his houses, his boats, his camels, and everything he owned and follow Jesus. The young rich man could not do what Jesus asked and he left a very sad person. The riches he had were more important to him than God's kingdom.
Jesus said it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it would be for a rich man to get into heaven. How many of you know how big a camel is? (let them answer) Camels are very big animals, aren't they? I brought along a stuffed animal camel so we could see what Jesus was talking about and I also brought a needle. Do you know what the eye of a needle looks like? (show them the eye of the needle) How many of you think you could get my camel through the eye of the needle? Not one person thinks they could push the camel through the eye of a needle. How many rich men do you think there are in heaven? (let them answer) Not many will be there.
Of course the real test is the calling that Jesus gives each one of us. The real test is if Jesus calls us and we refuse to go because it will keep us from getting rich or from using our riches. If your television set is more important to you than Jesus, then you may not be in heaven. The things we have can be very important to us, so important are they that we do not want to give them up for Jesus. Maybe it is a video game, a baseball glove, a new bike, or an old bike that we really love. None of them will fit through the eye of the needle, will they?
To get through the eye of the needle, you must make Jesus and God first in your life. Jesus says that God is more important than father, mother, brothers, sisters, and children. God is first.
We are to love God with all of our hearts and all of our minds to be brothers and sisters of Jesus. Don't wish to be rich. Instead, pray that God will give you the courage and strength to be one of his very own people. Amen.
