Winning the race
Children's sermon
Object:
a blue ribbon
When a person wins a race by running faster than the others in
the race, that person gets a blue ribbon. It is a real honor to
get a blue ribbon. It means that person is the champion.
Some races are such big races that just to complete the race is something very important. I think of a marathon as an example of a race in which anyone who completes it has done something important. Does anyone know how far a marathon is? (Answer yourself by comparing the 26 miles of a marathon with a similar distance in your locality.) Anyone who can run that far deserves a ribbon!
The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to a young man named Timothy, telling him that he has completed a great race. The race he speaks of is not really a race, but it's like a race -- a long race! It is the race of faith -- believing in Jesus. Like the marathon race, sometimes life can be hard and there are times when a person wants to forget about Jesus and living the Christian life. A person can get tired of being Christian sometimes. Sometimes people get bored with church. Sometimes Christians question the power of prayer -- we wonder if God hears us. Like a long, long race where you get tired and thirsty and wonder if you can keep going, our Christian faith can sometimes be hard. Just as some people give up and don't complete the marathon race, so some people give up on our Christian faith. When they get to the end of their lives, they no longer believe.
I am glad you believe and I hope you live a long, long time. I hope you always keep believing like Paul did. Our Christian faith can be hard, but it is worth it! God gives us the gift of heaven!
Dear God: Help us always believe. Amen.
Some races are such big races that just to complete the race is something very important. I think of a marathon as an example of a race in which anyone who completes it has done something important. Does anyone know how far a marathon is? (Answer yourself by comparing the 26 miles of a marathon with a similar distance in your locality.) Anyone who can run that far deserves a ribbon!
The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to a young man named Timothy, telling him that he has completed a great race. The race he speaks of is not really a race, but it's like a race -- a long race! It is the race of faith -- believing in Jesus. Like the marathon race, sometimes life can be hard and there are times when a person wants to forget about Jesus and living the Christian life. A person can get tired of being Christian sometimes. Sometimes people get bored with church. Sometimes Christians question the power of prayer -- we wonder if God hears us. Like a long, long race where you get tired and thirsty and wonder if you can keep going, our Christian faith can sometimes be hard. Just as some people give up and don't complete the marathon race, so some people give up on our Christian faith. When they get to the end of their lives, they no longer believe.
I am glad you believe and I hope you live a long, long time. I hope you always keep believing like Paul did. Our Christian faith can be hard, but it is worth it! God gives us the gift of heaven!
Dear God: Help us always believe. Amen.
