Beginning
Children's sermon
Object:
An apple, a book, a 1997 calendar, a Bible
Good morning! We are in the second Sunday of our new church year. Before long we will begin yet another year. New Year's Day is coming and that's the day we begin the year 1997. I brought a calendar along to show us that the new year will soon begin. I also brought a book. I brought this book to show that every book has a beginning. Let's see what the beginning of this book says. (Read the opening sentence.) An apple also has a beginning. How does an apple begin? (Let them answer.)
I mention all these beginnings because today we read about the "beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God."
We often think of Christmas as the beginning of Jesus. But according to the Gospel of Mark, the beginning starts with the Old Testament. It starts with a man who came before Jesus. Can anyone tell me that man's name? (Let them answer.) That man's name was John. Since there are several people named John in the New Testament, we call this man John the Baptist.
Mark begins his gospel with John the Baptist, but it is interesting to me that he doesn't have the Christmas story that we find in Luke's and Matthew's gospels. Mark begins with John the Baptist. Luke also begins with John the Baptist. Matthew begins with what is called a "genealogy" ---- a list of all of those related to Jesus who came before him. John's gospel begins with the words "In the beginning was the Word ..." (If time permits, read from the beginning of each gospel ---- or have another adult or older child read from each gospel.)
The gospels are all at the beginning of the New Testament and they all talk about the beginning of Jesus. Each of them talks about the beginning of Jesus in a different way. But all of them end with the good news that all who believe in him not only have a beginning ---- but an end that is with God. That is what makes this "good news."
So all of us have a beginning. You did and I did. And we shall all end our earthly life and die. But we have this wonderful "good news" of Jesus and we know that because of Jesus we shall have eternal life with God. That is truly "good news"!
Dear Lord: Thank you for the good news of Jesus. Amen.
I mention all these beginnings because today we read about the "beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God."
We often think of Christmas as the beginning of Jesus. But according to the Gospel of Mark, the beginning starts with the Old Testament. It starts with a man who came before Jesus. Can anyone tell me that man's name? (Let them answer.) That man's name was John. Since there are several people named John in the New Testament, we call this man John the Baptist.
Mark begins his gospel with John the Baptist, but it is interesting to me that he doesn't have the Christmas story that we find in Luke's and Matthew's gospels. Mark begins with John the Baptist. Luke also begins with John the Baptist. Matthew begins with what is called a "genealogy" ---- a list of all of those related to Jesus who came before him. John's gospel begins with the words "In the beginning was the Word ..." (If time permits, read from the beginning of each gospel ---- or have another adult or older child read from each gospel.)
The gospels are all at the beginning of the New Testament and they all talk about the beginning of Jesus. Each of them talks about the beginning of Jesus in a different way. But all of them end with the good news that all who believe in him not only have a beginning ---- but an end that is with God. That is what makes this "good news."
So all of us have a beginning. You did and I did. And we shall all end our earthly life and die. But we have this wonderful "good news" of Jesus and we know that because of Jesus we shall have eternal life with God. That is truly "good news"!
Dear Lord: Thank you for the good news of Jesus. Amen.
