Jesus to the rescue
Children's sermon
Object:
a big rope, a flashlight, and a first aid kit
Good morning, boys and girls. Life can be dangerous, can't it? (let them answer) Have you ever been in any danger? (let them answer) How did you get into that kind of trouble? (let them answer) Sometimes we get into danger because we do things that we have been warned not to do. Once, I climbed a ladder, even though I was told not to, and I fell and hurt myself. I knew better, but I wanted to try it anyway.
Saint Paul wondered a lot about things like this. He wondered why he kept on committing the same sins when he knew better. He saw it happening in other people, too. They knew they were going to sin but they went ahead anyway. Paul also knew that it wasn't just a few people who sinned against God, but everyone. What were they going to do? It almost seemed that people were helpless.
This got me thinking about heroes. People who help others when they are in danger are often called heroes. Do you know any heroes? (let them answer) I went looking around my house to see what tools a hero might need. I found a rope, a flashlight, and a first aid kit. Why would someone use a rope? (let them answer) Very good! Why would a flashlight be necessary? (let them answer) I think you have the answer. What would someone do with a first aid kit? (let them answer) Wonderful.
Paul thought of Jesus as a hero. He rescues people from their wrongdoings. People are always making mistakes. For instance, sometimes we lie or don't treat people with respect. We take something that does not belong to us. We often feel awful, but we can't quit being this way. Sometime during the night or maybe during the day we think about how sorry we feel. We haven't told anyone of the sin or how sorry we are. But we have talked in prayer to Jesus and asked him to help us stop sinning.
This is the time that Jesus comes to our help and rescues us from our sin. No longer do we have to stand around wishing that things would be different. Jesus is the rescue for life and he gives it to us freely. Jesus may not use a rope, a flashlight, or a first aid kit, but he knows where to go to find us and save us from our sins.
The next time you hear about a rescue or see someone use a rope, flashlight, or a first aid kit, think about Jesus and how he knows how to rescue us from the plans of the devil and all of his ugliness.
Saint Paul wondered a lot about things like this. He wondered why he kept on committing the same sins when he knew better. He saw it happening in other people, too. They knew they were going to sin but they went ahead anyway. Paul also knew that it wasn't just a few people who sinned against God, but everyone. What were they going to do? It almost seemed that people were helpless.
This got me thinking about heroes. People who help others when they are in danger are often called heroes. Do you know any heroes? (let them answer) I went looking around my house to see what tools a hero might need. I found a rope, a flashlight, and a first aid kit. Why would someone use a rope? (let them answer) Very good! Why would a flashlight be necessary? (let them answer) I think you have the answer. What would someone do with a first aid kit? (let them answer) Wonderful.
Paul thought of Jesus as a hero. He rescues people from their wrongdoings. People are always making mistakes. For instance, sometimes we lie or don't treat people with respect. We take something that does not belong to us. We often feel awful, but we can't quit being this way. Sometime during the night or maybe during the day we think about how sorry we feel. We haven't told anyone of the sin or how sorry we are. But we have talked in prayer to Jesus and asked him to help us stop sinning.
This is the time that Jesus comes to our help and rescues us from our sin. No longer do we have to stand around wishing that things would be different. Jesus is the rescue for life and he gives it to us freely. Jesus may not use a rope, a flashlight, or a first aid kit, but he knows where to go to find us and save us from our sins.
The next time you hear about a rescue or see someone use a rope, flashlight, or a first aid kit, think about Jesus and how he knows how to rescue us from the plans of the devil and all of his ugliness.
