Love Your Neighbor As Yourself
Children's sermon
Ping-Pong Words
And 30 More Children's Sermons
Object:
Scripture Reference
Love your neighbor as yourself.
-- Matthew 22:39b
Materials Needed
Amelia Bedelia book by Peggy Parish
Card stock printed with scripture reference and verse
Telling The Story
Have you ever noticed that some words have more than one meaning? They can mean different things, depending on the way we use them, and sometimes, that can cause a little confusion. (Show the cover of Amelia Bedelia.) Many of you have probably read this book. It's called Amelia Bedelia, and it was written by Peggy Parish. This book is fun because the main character, Amelia Bedelia, gets a little confused by words that mean more than one thing.
(Open the book to the first page and show the children.) Amelia Bedelia is starting a new job cooking and cleaning for the Rogers family. They have to be out of the house on her first day, so they leave her a list of things to do. The fun starts when Amelia Bedelia gets a little confused.
(Turn to the page on which the list says, "Change the towels in the green bathroom." Read that page, show the picture, turn the page, and show the next picture.) But look what Amelia Bedelia did! She cut the towels. That is changing them, isn't it? But do you think that's what Mrs. Rogers meant? (Repeat for two more instructions.)
Amelia Bedelia meant well. She just didn't always understand the instructions because she didn't know which meaning of the words to use. There is a verse in the Bible that we might misunderstand in the same way. (Show the card stock printed with the scripture reference and read it aloud.) "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Our neighbors are the people who live in the house or apartment next door, right? (Allow children a moment to answer.) The people next door are our neighbors, but they aren't the only people we can describe with that word. When Jesus asks us to love our neighbors, he's using the word in another way. "Neighbor" can be used to mean anyone we meet. The person who lives in another part of town but rides your school bus is your neighbor. The stranger in line in front of you at the grocery store is your neighbor, too. Any person who you come into contact with, whether you talk to them or not, whether you see that person once or many times, is your neighbor, and Jesus wants us to love all of these people, not just the ones in the house next door.
Now let's look at the word "love." Love is when you see someone special, and your palms get sweaty, your knees feel weak, your mouth feels dry, you're suddenly nervous and giggly, and you don't know what to say, right? (pause) Well, that's one of the ways we use the word "love," but it isn't the only way.
Do you love chocolate? Maybe you've said, "I love you," to your grandma. You might love chocolate, but you don't love chocolate the same way that you love your grandmother. You love your little brother and you love your pet, but they are not the same thing. You certainly don't love everyone the way an adult might love a girlfriend or boyfriend. We use the same word, but we mean different things when we say "love."
One reason that love means different things when we're talking about people is that you know some people better than you know others. Another reason is that some people are difficult to even like. It would be hard for you to feel love for everyone in the same way.
Well, that's where some of the confusion comes in. Love is sometimes a feeling, but love is also used to describe action. Jesus isn't telling us to feel anything. He's telling us to do something. When Jesus says to "love your neighbor," he wants us to show love by acting with respect, compassion, and concern, and we can do these things whether we like a particular person or not.
One way we can show love is by telling people about Jesus. Maybe you can invite a friend to Sunday school or tell a new family in your neighborhood about your church. If you meet people who are sad, you can remind them that Jesus loves them and will help if they ask.
What are some other ways can we act with respect, compassion, and concern? We can use polite words, take turns, and share. When we do these things, we show Jesus' love. Can you think of some other ways? (Allow the children time to make several suggestions.) These are great suggestions. By practicing these ideas, and others, we can show Jesus' love to all of our neighbors: the ones we stand next to in the grocery store, the ones we sit next to on the school bus, the people who live next door, and to anyone else we meet.
Prayer
Dear Lord,
Thank you so much for this beautiful day, and thank you for loving us. Please help us to remember that everyone we meet is a neighbor, and help us see ways we can show your love to all of them.
In Jesus' name. Amen.
____________
Peggy Parish, Amelia Bedelia (New York: HarperCollins, 1963). Used by permission.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
-- Matthew 22:39b
Materials Needed
Amelia Bedelia book by Peggy Parish
Card stock printed with scripture reference and verse
Telling The Story
Have you ever noticed that some words have more than one meaning? They can mean different things, depending on the way we use them, and sometimes, that can cause a little confusion. (Show the cover of Amelia Bedelia.) Many of you have probably read this book. It's called Amelia Bedelia, and it was written by Peggy Parish. This book is fun because the main character, Amelia Bedelia, gets a little confused by words that mean more than one thing.
(Open the book to the first page and show the children.) Amelia Bedelia is starting a new job cooking and cleaning for the Rogers family. They have to be out of the house on her first day, so they leave her a list of things to do. The fun starts when Amelia Bedelia gets a little confused.
(Turn to the page on which the list says, "Change the towels in the green bathroom." Read that page, show the picture, turn the page, and show the next picture.) But look what Amelia Bedelia did! She cut the towels. That is changing them, isn't it? But do you think that's what Mrs. Rogers meant? (Repeat for two more instructions.)
Amelia Bedelia meant well. She just didn't always understand the instructions because she didn't know which meaning of the words to use. There is a verse in the Bible that we might misunderstand in the same way. (Show the card stock printed with the scripture reference and read it aloud.) "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Our neighbors are the people who live in the house or apartment next door, right? (Allow children a moment to answer.) The people next door are our neighbors, but they aren't the only people we can describe with that word. When Jesus asks us to love our neighbors, he's using the word in another way. "Neighbor" can be used to mean anyone we meet. The person who lives in another part of town but rides your school bus is your neighbor. The stranger in line in front of you at the grocery store is your neighbor, too. Any person who you come into contact with, whether you talk to them or not, whether you see that person once or many times, is your neighbor, and Jesus wants us to love all of these people, not just the ones in the house next door.
Now let's look at the word "love." Love is when you see someone special, and your palms get sweaty, your knees feel weak, your mouth feels dry, you're suddenly nervous and giggly, and you don't know what to say, right? (pause) Well, that's one of the ways we use the word "love," but it isn't the only way.
Do you love chocolate? Maybe you've said, "I love you," to your grandma. You might love chocolate, but you don't love chocolate the same way that you love your grandmother. You love your little brother and you love your pet, but they are not the same thing. You certainly don't love everyone the way an adult might love a girlfriend or boyfriend. We use the same word, but we mean different things when we say "love."
One reason that love means different things when we're talking about people is that you know some people better than you know others. Another reason is that some people are difficult to even like. It would be hard for you to feel love for everyone in the same way.
Well, that's where some of the confusion comes in. Love is sometimes a feeling, but love is also used to describe action. Jesus isn't telling us to feel anything. He's telling us to do something. When Jesus says to "love your neighbor," he wants us to show love by acting with respect, compassion, and concern, and we can do these things whether we like a particular person or not.
One way we can show love is by telling people about Jesus. Maybe you can invite a friend to Sunday school or tell a new family in your neighborhood about your church. If you meet people who are sad, you can remind them that Jesus loves them and will help if they ask.
What are some other ways can we act with respect, compassion, and concern? We can use polite words, take turns, and share. When we do these things, we show Jesus' love. Can you think of some other ways? (Allow the children time to make several suggestions.) These are great suggestions. By practicing these ideas, and others, we can show Jesus' love to all of our neighbors: the ones we stand next to in the grocery store, the ones we sit next to on the school bus, the people who live next door, and to anyone else we meet.
Prayer
Dear Lord,
Thank you so much for this beautiful day, and thank you for loving us. Please help us to remember that everyone we meet is a neighbor, and help us see ways we can show your love to all of them.
In Jesus' name. Amen.
____________
Peggy Parish, Amelia Bedelia (New York: HarperCollins, 1963). Used by permission.
