Ouch!
Children's sermon
Object:
a whole box of bandages
Good morning! This morning I brought with me a box of
bandages. I got this box on sale. I don't get hurt too often, but
I have a bunch of bandages here, don't I? (Show them.) I need to
use these up, so they don't become out of date and useless.
Sin is like a hurt. Whenever we sin, we hurt ourselves or others. If I tell a lie, for example, then I hurt myself because others will not know if they can ever believe what I say in the future. The sin of my lie hurts my relationship. If I kick somebody hard because I'm angry with them, then that hurts others. My sin hurts their bodies and their feelings. If I cheat on a test at school, then my teacher will not know if I learned the material or not. My sin of cheating hurts my education -- even if I never get caught. Sin hurts -- it hurts the sinner and those sinned against. God doesn't want us hurting ourselves or others.
Jesus has forgiven us our sins. He is like a bandage on a sore. Forgiveness brings healing. If I lie, God forgives me. If I kick someone in anger, God forgives me. If I cheat, God forgives me. That is wonderful news!
Since God forgives us so much, should we keep on sinning so that God has more opportunities to forgive us? (Let them answer.) The answer is, "Of course not!" God does not want us sinning in the first place. Even though God forgives sin, sin still hurts -- us and others.
To keep on sinning because I know that God has forgiven me would be like injuring myself so that I could use up this box of bandages. That would be a very silly thing to do! Sinning is also very silly. Even though we are forgiven, sin still hurts. God does not like to see people hurt -- ourselves or others. In fact, it hurts God to see creation hurting.
I am glad we are forgiven for our wrongs, but I do want to stop hurting others or myself by my sinning. Would you pray with me?
Dear God: Thank you for forgiving us when we sin and hurt ourselves or others. Give us the power to stop sinning whenever possible. Amen.
Sin is like a hurt. Whenever we sin, we hurt ourselves or others. If I tell a lie, for example, then I hurt myself because others will not know if they can ever believe what I say in the future. The sin of my lie hurts my relationship. If I kick somebody hard because I'm angry with them, then that hurts others. My sin hurts their bodies and their feelings. If I cheat on a test at school, then my teacher will not know if I learned the material or not. My sin of cheating hurts my education -- even if I never get caught. Sin hurts -- it hurts the sinner and those sinned against. God doesn't want us hurting ourselves or others.
Jesus has forgiven us our sins. He is like a bandage on a sore. Forgiveness brings healing. If I lie, God forgives me. If I kick someone in anger, God forgives me. If I cheat, God forgives me. That is wonderful news!
Since God forgives us so much, should we keep on sinning so that God has more opportunities to forgive us? (Let them answer.) The answer is, "Of course not!" God does not want us sinning in the first place. Even though God forgives sin, sin still hurts -- us and others.
To keep on sinning because I know that God has forgiven me would be like injuring myself so that I could use up this box of bandages. That would be a very silly thing to do! Sinning is also very silly. Even though we are forgiven, sin still hurts. God does not like to see people hurt -- ourselves or others. In fact, it hurts God to see creation hurting.
I am glad we are forgiven for our wrongs, but I do want to stop hurting others or myself by my sinning. Would you pray with me?
Dear God: Thank you for forgiving us when we sin and hurt ourselves or others. Give us the power to stop sinning whenever possible. Amen.