Login / Signup

Free Access

Finding Life

Children's sermon
Object: 
a can of paint
Good morning! I am so happy to see you.

I want to tell you something that Jesus said and see if you catch the meaning of it. Jesus said, "For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it." What do you think Jesus was saying to us? (let them answer)

Pretty hard to figure out, isn't it? But I brought along something that will help us. I brought a big can. Do you know what is in my can? (let them answer) That's right; it is paint.

I know a little about this paint. Living inside of the can is Perry Paint. I talked to Perry Paint the other day and I asked him how he liked living in a can. Perry said he just loved it. It was so warm and peaceful. Perry hoped he could stay in the can. But I said to Perry Paint, "You can't stay in the can. You were meant to be on a wall or on the side of a house. Perry Paint," I said, "you are supposed to make something very pretty and bright."

"I don't care," said Perry. "I like it in here where it is dark and I can sleep and no one is stirring me up or sticking a brush into me. Besides, I'll be all spread out from one end of the wall to the other. I want to stay together in this nice warm can."

Did you ever think a can of bright (yellow, blue, red) paint would feel like that? (let them answer)

Perry thinks he is saving his life, but really as long as he stays in the can he is losing his life. Perry was meant to bring joy and happiness with his bright color. But no one knows Perry exists. Saving his life by not being spread on a wall is losing his life.

Finally, I opened the lid. You should have heard Perry yell. I took a paint paddle and stirred him up, and he just moaned. I took my brush and stuck it in Perry, and he screamed bloody murder. I felt kind of sorry for Perry Paint until I spread him on the wall. All of a sudden I heard this very nice purring sound. I looked in the can and there was a smile on Perry Paint. "I love it," said Perry. "I was afraid to give my life up, but now I see what I was meant to be, and I am so happy to be giving my life to bring joy and happiness to others."

Well, that is the story of Perry Paint, but it can be your story as well. Some people are afraid if they give their life to Jesus they will lose it. But instead, when we give our life to Jesus we will find it will be made beautiful in our service to God.

Prayer: Help us to serve you gladly, O Lord. Amen.

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 23 | OT 28 | Pentecost 18
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 24 | OT 29 | Pentecost 19
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 25 | OT 30 | Pentecost 20
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
Tom Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
George Reed
Christopher Keating
For October 26, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Kalas
I am a scoreboard watcher. I follow a lot more games than I actually watch, but since technology makes it easy to check scores on a moment’s whim, I watch a lot of scoreboards of teams and games that I am at least mildly interested in. And as I check those scores, I find myself having immediate reactions: “Great!” “Oh, that's too bad.” “Excellent!” “Nuts.” And in the midst of that sports-fan roller coaster, I must continually remind myself that not all scores are final.
Bill Thomas
Mark Ellingsen
Frank Ramirez
Joel 2:22-32
Martin Luther sings the praises of God’s love revealed in this lesson. He wrote:

The love of God which lives in man loves sinners, evil persons, fools and weaklings in order to make them righteous, good, wise, and strong. Rather than seeking its own good, the love of God flows forth and bestows good. (Luther’s Works, Vol. 31, p.57)

John Wesley nicely summarizes the Spirit’s role in fighting the lure of our old sinful habits:

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This message is a role-play story. You will need two children to play the roles of the Pharisee and the tax collector. I usually ask two children if they will help me as they are all coming forward for the message, but you may select them however you choose.

* * *

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
Trouble and anguish have overtaken me, but your commandments are my delight.
Your statutes are always righteous; give me understanding that I may live.
(vv. 143-144)

When I was an associate pastor in Janesville, Wisconsin one of my responsibilities was to give a lecture on spirituality once a month at a drug treatment facility. The students who attended were persons who had been convicted of drunk driving and were required to attend the class as a condition of their sentence. Attendance was always good.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

We all dislike people who blow their own trumpets, although sometimes we may be in awe of them. Jesus too deplored such behaviour and was never in awe of those who practised it. In our worship today let us open ourselves to Jesus, allowing him to see what is in our hearts.



Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes we allow other people's behaviour to intimidate us.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we refuse to reach our own fullest potential because we are afraid.

SermonStudio

Schuyler Rhodes
Every morning when sleep leaves and waking comes there is cause for praising God. Caught up, as we are, in the currents and eddies of our lives, this is easy to forget. This wonderful psalm is a reminder. God's bounty and abundance spill into our lives like waters over a causeway. God's delight in creation explodes in a million different colors. In every moment there is reason to give God praise.
Robert R. Kopp
When I was a little boy growing up in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania's First Presbyterian Church, one of those Christian chalk artists with black light, neon colors, and black felt canvas who made pictures of Jesus look like those Elvis portraits for sale on the side of the road at the beach showed up as entertainment for a Sunday evening potluck dinner.
John E. Berger
Today's sermon begins with this little one-person drama.
Mark Ellingson
Have you ever felt that you were absolutely at the end of your rope, left without hope? Sometime during the years of 539 B.C. to 331 B.C. that is the way the people of Judah felt. It seems that their land had been ravaged by a plague of locusts which had had catastrophic consequences.

Once a harvest has been destroyed, you cannot repair it. If a building has burned to the ground, you cannot repair it. In those instances you need to start from scratch with a fresh start.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL