Children's Sermon - John the Baptist

Did you all have a good Christmas? How many of you saw family? Had aunts, uncles, cousins in?
In the Bible we are introduced to Jesus’ cousin. . .does anyone know who that is? (Note: if you aren't giving this near a holiday, you could show them a genealogy chart and talk about members of your family and then segway to members of Jesus' family.)

That’s right John the Baptist.

We have two stories of Jesus and John the Baptist in the Bible. The first time they meet is actually before they are even born. Jesus’ mother, Mary, goes to stay with her cousin, Elizabeth, who is also pregnant.

"At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" (Luke 1: 39-45, NIV)

We do not hear about the two being together again until Jesus is a grown man and is being baptized. John had been preaching about the coming of Savior. He is telling people to repent for their sins and is performing baptisms.

As people began to wonder if he may be the Messiah or Savior, John the Baptist told them, “After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." (Mark 1: 7-8, NIV)

Finally, one day as he baptized people, his cousin came to him to baptized.
Can you imagine if Jesus came to you and asked you to pray with him, or teach him, or introduce him to your friends? How would you react?

Well, like you, John thought, I can’t do this, I can’t baptize the Savior and he said to Jesus, "I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me” (Matthew 3:14, NIV)

Jesus asked him to continue and to baptize him. And so in the river, Jesus walked. John baptized him and as he came up, “a dove and lighting on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." (Matthew 3: 16-17, NIV)

And with this action, the public ministry of Jesus that we read about in the New Testament began.

I will tell you a secret that there is more to the ministry of John the Baptist in the Bible. I would encourage you to read more when you go home today . . .as he also gives his life for Christianity.
Before I my words of prayer are said, I fold my hands and bow my head:

Dear God, There are many times in my life that I may feel insignificant and small. A minister or President or a great sportsman may seem so able. My part may seem lost or unneeded. Please help me know how important my life is in Your plan. That without a congregation a minister need not speak, without a country, a President need not lead, without a team, one great sportsman can do nothing. Remind me of John the Baptist and his calling to make the ways straight for the coming of Jesus.
Amen

The Living Word - The Parable of the Ten Virgins - Children's Sermon

This week we had a guest minister who spoke of the parable of the bridegroom / Ten Virgins. This is another parable that appeared to go against what I thought of God’s love and forgiveness, but for some reason as I listened to it being read this week, I heard . . .I was looking at it backwards again. It was not about sharing or the lack thereof. It was about filling our life with God. It was about listening, learning, and growing our faith now, so that when the call is made, we will be ready. You cannot wait for the call and then decide to believe. You have to live a good and righteous life today, now, always and the door will be opened. You cannot wait until the call has been made to proclaim your love and dedication.

I thought about how you might teach children about this parable. Children understand getting prepared. They have slept over Grandma’s house or gone camping.

Props: sleeping bag, tooth brush, hair brush, change of clothes, pjs, pillow

Hello everybody. How are you today?

Today, we are going on a trip and we need to pack. If we really were going on a camping trip, what items might you bring with you? (as they mention the items that you have out, move them from one side to the other on stage)

What if I told you that we were going to go on a trip after Sunday School next week, when would you pack? How many would pack when you get home today? How many would pack during the week? Who would wait until the very last minute and would be finished just in time to get in the car to head to church?

Now what if I did not tell you when we were going but told you that you needed to be ready whenever I came by. I may not come by today, this week, or even this year. Would you go home and pack right away? Would you keep your bag packed?

This is what Jesus is talking about in the parable of the Bridegroom. This can be found in Matthew 25: 1-13 :

1"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

6"At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'

7"Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'

9" 'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'

10"But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

11"Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!'

12"But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'

13"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour".

Jesus is also talking about preparing about a journey, he is talking about preparing spiritually, not physically. He is speaking of the call to heaven. Are you ready? Have you packed?

What do you think Jesus wants us to pack in our heart?

When do you think he wants us to get ready? Should we be asking him to wait while we get our last few things together? Or should we have packed and been ready for whenever he may come?

You all are already packing to be ready for the call. You have come to church. You go to Sunday School. I’m sure you pray and are beginning to read your Bibles. When the call comes you will be ready and welcomed. The doors to the banquet will remain open for you.

Lets fold our hands and bow our head – Dear God, Thank you for the gift of your word. We continue to read it and to try to understand it. We will continue to fill our spiritual lamps and try to light the way for others. So that all may be ready for your call, so that we can all enter the banquet of heaven. AMEN

Advent - Preparing for the Coming

Growing up Advent was not a part of our family’s Christmas celebration. But in my family, we have found Advent to be the cornerstone to our Christmas celebration. This decision has helped us to keep Jesus as the focus of the holiday and not the commercial secular holiday that many people complain about.

Advent, if you are not familiar with it, is literally “the coming”. It begins four weeks prior to Christmas. Each week in advent is focused around one ideal: Faith, hope, love, peace, and culminates with the birth of Christ.

Our church makes Advent the focus of each Sundays’ service. One family shares their holiday traditions with the congregation and then lights the Advent candle as we all sing the Advent Song. This tradition has helped our family keep Jesus as the center of our celebration. All of our energies are spent thinking about the coming.

Actually, our Advent starts in early November when we participate in Operation Christmas Child. Operation Christmas Child teaches us to focus on other’s needs as opposed to our own. But the traditional Advent begins this year on Sunday, November 30th and is the beginning of the church calendar.

If you are interested in celebrating advent with your family, you may want to get advent candles, plan readings, or use an advent calendar. Advent candles can be as simple as votive candles and calendars can be as unique as the Advent calendar sold by Lego.





Advent can be an interesting and unique as you wish to make it as long as you keep the focus on Jesus’ birth. One family I know adds hay straws in their cresh for each good deed that their children do with the anticipation of making a comfortable bed for Jesus while at the same time doing his work on earth.

Be Inspired by Jesus' Ministry

Did you know that Jesus' ministry was between 2-4 years long (depending on scholarly opinions & interpretation). I have to admit that I did not. I had never really thought about it and certainly had never timed it out. I always assumed that it was much longer than that. Take a minute to think about that, Jesus' ministry - 2-4 years.

For me, this idea has huge implication: Two to four years of Jesus' life have reverberated and impacted people for more than 2,000 years around this entire earth. While clearly none of us are the Messiah, we are God's wonderous creations. What can we accomplish if we devote ourselves to a cause? What impact may we have?

This idea of micro & macro effect struck me. Jesus, one man in a very small area of our vast world, preached for a relatively short time and he changed the world. What seed did God plant in your heart? What gifts? How can your actions inspire others?

2 years, 2,000 years ago changed the world
What can you do with 1 hour a month?
a week?
a day?

The Parable of the Vineyard Understood

Matthew 20:1-16 (King James Version)

“For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.”

The parable of the vineyard is so antithetical to our American morals. We are told, “Work hard and you will earn your reward,”, “The early bird gets the worm”, “First come, first serve”. We practically invented the theory of survival of the fittest. So it seems foreign to us that Jesus could tell a story where people that work all day in the vineyard are rewarded the same as those who only worked an hour.

I had never heard this parable as a child. When I can across it in my Sunday school curriculum for the first time, I could not process the story myself, let alone teach it. I was very lucky that we were using a curriculum that told me exactly what to say. I couldn’t quite grasp unequal work, equal pay. I understood that it was the wine maker’s prerogative, but why would he do such a thing.

As I recommend to others and to my students at the time: I though on the scripture, I prayed on the scripture, I read and talked to others about the scripture.

I realized that I was looking at the parable backwards; I was focusing on what we could do to receive the reward instead of focusing on the winemaker giving the reward. The reward, eternal life with God, is given by God to all whom ask. It is wonderful that some live a good long Christian life. It is good that some come to God in the middle of their life. But, it is also good to come to God at the end of your life. Even if it takes your entire life to come to him, the reward is the same.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (King James Version)

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

There is no reason to be jealous or angry at another’s reward for we are all receiving the finest reward. No longer is there a beginning or an end of the line. No first and no last, but an eternity in heaven for all that believe in the Lord.

Son of God or God Himself?

“But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”- Matthew 16:15-16

I never thought of this as a question. It seemed very clear to me. Jesus IS the son of God. I never questioned this UNTIL I attended Bible study and then I had to learn that not all Christians believed that Jesus is the son of God, but that he was God incarnate. Homoi- vs. Homo-ousius. Is he the same as God or similar to God? This thought process ranked up there with the time my minister told me that the flood did not really cover the entire earth during my confirmation class. I was able to comes to terms with this fact, because I realized that a flood that covered all of the Middle East would surely seem like the planet was engulfed to people of that time. The relationship of Jesus to God, however, was a much larger question and part of the core of my faith. Maybe I am just very simple, but, as I was taught the Bible and read the Bible myself, I never questioned this basic precept. I believed God created Jesus his son and had him birthed on this earth through Mary.

In fact this question, I learned was one of the basic premises that set to be resolved during the reign of Constantine at the Council of Nicea (more information on the Council). Apparently there was great discussion about how there could be a trinity within a monotheistic religion. I had never considered that Jesus not being God himself called this into question, but apparently it caused quite an argument during the council’s meeting. Resulting in Arius, who believed as I do that Jesus was begotten by God and not God himself, leaving the council, being exiled from the church, and having his works describing his position “consigned to flames” (Socrates Church History Chapter IX) . It also led to the creation of the Nicene Creed, which outlined the relationship of Jesus and God for all Christians to come.

It t is this meeting, where men came together to discuss the forming doctrine of Christianity, that is the foundation of my questioning of religion on earth. What is directly from God and what is man’s corruption of that message for his own desires? If something like this can be decided by vote, what other points were bent to meet people’s needs and desires. On the other hand, I have a friend who would argue that if God is all powerful, don’t you think that he can ensure that the Bible and the church would be formed as He wanted it. I guess I believe that God blessed us with free will. As we are people of free will and therefore a society made up of such people, we have the ability to follow God or not. How am I to determine where the men of the Council of Nicea were on this spectrum? As it is said that the idea of homoousius was actually a belief held by the minority, but ended up being voted in by the majority, it seems to me perhaps the majority were persuaded by man and not inspired by God.

I wonder whether others of you consider these issues? Do you think Jesus and God are one or Father and Son? How did you come to this belief? Do you think considering such issues is helpful in developing your beliefs or harmful?