Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

My kids are all teenagers. But I am the Pre-shooler's Sunday school teacher at our church. I just love spending time with them, and learning about God, from their viewpoint  

My youngest is 18 and has his own on the way now, twins. I still enjoy working with my grandchildren as well as some of the neighbor children that comes around. It is rewarding to understand things from their perspective.

[Soldier4Christ]

Kids are so cute, and they say the most innocent and funny things. I read somewhere about a little girl wriiting a letter to God it read in part "Dear God, my teacher said that Edison invented electricity, but my Bible says you did, I know you can't lie so that must mean my teacher is lying" Sometimes children are so honest and innocent you sure can learn a lot from them. I have learned that from my grandchildren.

Out of the mouth of babes.

[airIam2worship]

I love kids, as long as I can give them back to their mommies when I get tired  

[Soldier4Christ]

I love kids, as long as I can give them back to their mommies when I get tired  

Amen!

[Soldier4Christ]

 And behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."  Matthew 3:17

This is a book that is very important to me.  It is a photo album.  It is a photo album of our son when he was a baby.  As you can see, I started taking pictures of him the day he was born.  This picture was taken when he was less than one day old.  I was so proud of him and I thought he was the most beautiful baby in the world.

This isn’t the only photo album we have with pictures of our son.  We have many other albums full of pictures that we took as he grew up.  You see, even though we were proud of him as a baby and thought he was beautiful, we didn’t want him to stay a baby all of his life.  It was a joy to watch him grow.

This morning we saw a baptism.  Baptism is like a baby picture.  When a person walks out of the baptistery, they are babes in Christ, and I imagine that their Heavenly Father looks down upon them and is proud of them just as he was when Jesus was baptized. When Jesus came out of the water, God said, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”

Even though God is proud of his children, he doesn’t want them to remain babies all their lives.  He wants them to grow and mature as Christians.  Some people walk out of that baptistery and they remain babes in Christ all of their lives.  Even though God still loves them, he probably isn’t very proud of them.  He wants them to grow spiritually, just as they grow physically.

Dear Lord, help us to grow in our Christian faith so that we may be children of whom you can be proud.   Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.  Matthew 11:5

One day this week I was looking for something in our medicine cabinet at home.  I was amazed to see how many different types of pills there were in there.  I've brought a few examples to show you this morning.  These are pills I take for allergies.  Here are some pills that I take to relieve the pain that I have been having in my feet recently.  Here are some pills that I take when I have a headache.  These are some pills the doctor gave me to cure an infection.  These are just a few of the pills that were there.  As I looked at all of these pills, I started thinking, wouldn't it be wonderful if someone could develop a pill that would cure everything!  No matter what was wrong with you, this one pill would cure it.  That would be wonderful, wouldn't it?

Look at all of the people here this morning.  When there are this many people together, they have a lot of different problems in their lives.  Some may be hurting because a loved one has died.  Another may be hurting because his family has broken apart.  Someone else may be hurting because he has lost his job and doesn't know how he is going to pay his bills and provide for his family's needs.  Some may be hurting because someone they are seriously ill.  Or, perhaps, someone they love is seriously ill.

I was thinking, wouldn't it be wonderful if there was a pill that would help people with all of those different hurts?  Well, thanks to God, there is such a pill.  It is called the "Gos-pill."  It is the "Gos-pill" of Jesus Christ.  The word gospel means "good news" and the good news is that Jesus loves us, cares for us, died for us, and He is able to take away the suffering and pain in our life.  The one pill that can help us through all the hurt and pain in our life is the "Gos-pill" of Jesus.

Dear Lord,  there are many here this morning who are hurting.  We thank you for the good news that Jesus can take away their pain.

[ForHisGlory]

I love kids, as long as I can give them back to their mommies when I get tired  

Amen!

I believe that is the best part of being a Grand parent!
I get exited just thinking about it.  

[airIam2worship]

yes it is. But it feels like your a mom all over again. Last night I didn't go to bed until 2am my daughter had to take my grandaughter to the ER and didn't get home till 2am. They had to administer an IV she has 2 very bad ear infections her temperature was up to 104 and the doctor told my daughter that my grandaughter's white blood count was low. I am praying for her. She started school in August and she been sick 3 times already since then.

[Soldier4Christ]

Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.  Matthew 5:16

The Bible tells us that we should let our light shine so that people will see our good works and praise our heavenly Father.  I'm sure all of you know the song, "This Little Light of Mine."  I'm going to light this candle and I ask you to join me in singing that song.

1.  "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine!"  
2.  "Hide it under a bushel?  No, I'm gonna let it shine."
3.  "Won't let Satan (blow) it out, I'm gonna let it shine."
(As you sing the last verse, blow the candle out each time the song says, "blow."  Then raise the candle and move it in a circular motion until it re-lights.)

Hey!  I couldn't blow out this candle!  I tried, but it just kept shining.  Does Satan ever blow your light out?  If you make up your mind to let your light shine for Jesus, there is no way that Satan can blow it out because the Bible says, "Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world."  Jesus is your light.  Lift him up high because Jesus said, "If I be lifted up, I will draw all men to me."

Dear Lord, thank you for sending Jesus to be the Light of the World.  May we lift him up and let his light shine through us.   Amen.

IMPORTANT NOTE:  I have used this sermon a couple of times with great success, but it is always a good idea to be prepared in case something goes wrong.  What if the candle does not re-ignite?  This happened to me once.  I simply said, "Hey, wait a minute!  The song says, "Won't let Satan blow it out, but my light has been blown out! Does Satan ever blow your light out?"  I then went on with the rest of the sermon as planned.  No one ever knew that I wasn't supposed to be able to blow out the candle.  If you can't find the "never out" candles, you could use the sermon this way using  a regular candle.

[Soldier4Christ]

But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.'   Matthew 15:18  [NIV®]

(In very dramatic fashion, begin by washing and drying your hands.  Then take out the banana, peel it, and take a bite before beginning your sermon.)

Do you ever forget to wash your hands before eating?  Oh, I think that we all forget occasionally.  I am sure that it is a good thing to wash your hands before eating, but, according to Jesus, there are some other things that are far more important.

The religious leaders during the time Jesus lived were very concerned about cleanliness.  They had many religious laws and traditions which they followed to make sure that nothing unclean went into their mouth.  One day some of these religious leaders asked Jesus why his disciples were not keeping their tradition of washing their hands before they ate.  (I guess Jesus' disciples sometimes forgot like you and I do.)  Jesus answered these religious leaders by telling them that what comes out of your mouth is more important than what you put into it. He said that the words that come out of your mouth come from your heart and those words show whether you are clean or unclean.

I am sure that you have heard the children's rhyme that says, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me."  That sounds nice, but it just isn't true.  Words can hurt.  We can all remember a time when we have been hurt by someone's mean and hateful words.  God hears every word we say and he knows every thought we have in our heart.  It is very important for us to be careful about the things we think and say, because hateful words come from an unclean heart.

Dear Jesus, let the words that come from my mouth and the thoughts that I have in my heart be clean and pure -- and pleasing to you.  Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Matthew 20:28 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23

Twenty years ago, my wife and I bought a new home. Well, I guess to be more accurate, I should say that for the last twenty years, my wife and I have been buying a home. The bank that loaned us the money actually owned the house, they just let us live in it while we finished paying for it! Well, I have something to show you this morning. You may not think it is all that wonderful, but to me it sure is! This is the loan agreement that my wife and I signed when we bought our house. Last month, the bank returned these papers to me. Look what it says right here! It is stamped with a big red stamp that says, "Paid In Full." That means that my home now really belongs to me. It has been paid for in full.

Did you know that I have another home? I have a home in heaven just waiting for me to move in. It has also been paid for in full, but not by me. I could never pay for it myself. It was paid for by Jesus. When Jesus was on the cross, the last words that he said were, "It is finished!" What did he mean? Did he mean his suffering was finished? Did he mean his life was finished? What was Jesus talking about? Let me tell you what I think he meant.

The Bible says that "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus, our Lord." I think that what Jesus meant when he said, "It is finished" was that the price for my sin had been "Paid In Full" by his death on the cross. It was as if Jesus was taking a big rubber stamp and stamping my life "Paid In Full!" Jesus has paid the price for your sins too. All you have to do is to accept his gift and then your home in heaven will also be "Paid In Full!"

Jesus, thank you for coming to give your life as payment in full for my sin. I gratefully accept your gift of eternal life in my home in heaven. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Matthew 5:1-12

Have you ever watched a bee buzzing around in a flower garden? As you watch that bee, you will see that he isn't worried about a thing in the world. He is too busy enjoying all of the beautiful flowers that God has provided for him. He is as busy and as happy as a bee can be.

If I were to ask you to tell me what what makes you happy, what would your answer be? Would it be something like "happiness is scoring the winning goal in a soccer game" or "happiness is being the most popular person in my class?"

We all want to be happy, don't we? Does it surprise you to know that God wants you to be happy? Well, he does, but you might be surprised to find out that what Jesus said about happiness is quite different from what you and I might expect. Most of us think that to be happy means having a lot of money, having plenty to eat, having someone to take care of us, or being well-liked by everyone. That isn't what Jesus said.

One day Jesus went up onto the side of a mountain. He sat down, gathered his disciples around him, and began to teach them about happiness. Even though these are not the exact words Jesus used, I think they will help us to understand what he taught.

He said things like:

Be happy when you are poor in spirit, because then you will find that your riches are in the kingdom of heaven.

Be happy when you feel you have lost what is most dear to you, because it is then that you will feel the love of the One who is the most dear to you.

Be happy with what you have, because then you will find that your heavenly Father provides everything that you need.

Be happy when you are hungry for the things of God, because then you will find that only He can satisfy.

Be happy when you are caring for others, because it is in caring for others that you will find that you have a heavenly Father who cares for you.

Be happy when your heart is right with God, because it is then that you will see that God is at work in the world around you.

Be happy when you help others to get along peacefully with one another, because it is then that you will know the peace that comes from being a part of the family of God.

Be happy when others treat you badly because you follow me, because your reward will be great in heaven.

You see, happiness is not a feeling that is brought about by the things that happen to us. It is an attitude that we have because of what we have in our heart. We need to be like the bee, buzzing happily through life because of what God has done for us.

Dear Father, help us to have the happiness that you want for us. Happiness that comes, not from what happens to us, but from what happens inside of us. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11: 28 [NIV]

How strong are you? Do you think you are pretty strong? How many of you think you could pick up this brick? How about a dumbbell like this one? Well, you must be pretty strong then. How many of you think you could pick up a car? Oh, you don't think you could pick up a car? Well, I think you could if you had some help. Here is something that would help you. It is an automobile jack. If you put this jack underneath the car and pump the handle, you can easily lift a car that weighs over 3,000 pounds! Yes, with the help of a jack, you can lift a car, but you couldn't do it alone, could you?

Some of you have some pretty heavy burdens to carry in life. Perhaps you have a physical handicap that makes your life difficult. Or, perhaps your father has lost his job and your family is having financial difficulties. Maybe someone in your family has cancer or some other serious illness and you are worried about them. You may be having a hard time making passing grades in school. I don't know what the burdens are that you have in your life, but I do know that there are some that you just can't handle by yourself. Well, guess what? You don't have to!

Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." There is no reason for you to struggle with burdens that are too heavy for you. If you will turn to Jesus and trust in him, he will help you.

Does that mean that if we will ask him, Jesus will take all of our troubles away? No. In fact, we may need some of those struggles to help us to grow and become stronger. We may need those burdens to help us to learn to trust in Jesus. But when the load is too heavy, he will help us to carry it. And there is no burden that is too heavy for Jesus.

Dear Jesus, we are thankful that when we struggle under the load of life's burdens, you are there to help us carry the load. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.  2 Peter 1:3

Look at what I have this morning. How many of you have ever seen one of these? Did you know that these knives have been around for over 100 years? In the late 1800's, a knife maker in Switzerland named Karl Elsener designed a pocketknife that he called the Soldier's Knife. He sold it to the Swiss Army in October 1891 and soon they were being sold not only in Switzerland, but around the world. They became even more famous in the 1940's when they were shipped to the United States to be sold on U.S. Army bases. In fact it was American soldiers who gave them the name by which they are known today, the "Swiss Army Knife."

The purpose of these little knives was to give the soldiers an all-in-one tool which would meet their every need. It has a can opener, a screwdriver, scissors, and of course, a knife. There is a tool there to do just about anything you might need to do. There a lot of cheap imitations of the Swiss Army knife, but the real thing is still made in Switzerland. It is one of the finest pocketknives available, and is backed by a lifetime guarantee.

The Swiss Army knife reminds me of Jesus. Every day we face many difficult situations. The Bible tells us that Jesus will meet every need that we have in life. It doesn't matter what situation we may face, Jesus is the answer. There are a lot of cheap imitations out there that claim to have the answer to our problems, but the real thing is Jesus, and He comes with an everlasting life guarantee! He is the only one that can make that promise!

Don't accept a cheap imitation. Choose Jesus. He is the only one who can meet your every need!

Dear Jesus, may each of us choose you to be our "all in all" and to accept your everlasting life guarantee. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 1 John 1: 5  The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear?  Psalm 27: 1

I'm sure that most of you know what this is.  It is a night light.  Sometimes our parents put one of these in our room so that we won't be afraid.  Are any of you ever afraid of the dark?  When I was a boy, one of my jobs was to take out the trash every day.  Sometimes I would put it off too long and I would have to take out the trash after it was dark.  If I heard a strange sound, I would sometimes set a world speed record getting back to the house!

Are you ever afraid when there is a storm?  Are you ever afraid of the thunder?  One night last week we had a thunderstorm. The next day I was talking to one of my students at school and she told me that she and her brother had been frightened by the thunder so they went and got in bed with her mom and dad.  I think that all of us have times when we are afraid.  We have probably all gone and gotten in bed with our parents during a storm.

Sometimes there are dark and lonely nights in our life.  We aren't sure what is ahead of us or what is behind us and we often feel afraid.  Sometimes there are storms in our life and we are afraid.  When we are afraid, we have a light to make us feel safe.  That light is Jesus.  The Bible tells us that "God is light and in Him is no darkness."  The Bible also says, "The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?"  In the dark and stormy days of our life, we have Jesus to be with us.  If  Jesus is with us, we don't have to be afraid!

Dear Lord, help us to remember that when the dark and stormy nights come into our life, you are there, and we have no need to fear.  Amen.