Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

 Lest We Forget!

I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes. Job 19:25-27a (NIV) But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God's children, since they are children of the resurrection. Luke 20:35-36 (NIV)

This week we celebrate a very special holiday.

- It isn't Thanksgiving, even though it is a day to give thanks.

- It isn't Independence Day, even though it is a day to celebrate freedom.

- It isn't Valentine Day, even though it is a day to think about love.

The holiday we celebrate this week is called Veterans' Day. This holiday is celebrated in many countries around the world. In some countries it is called Armistice Day. In others it may be called Remembrance Day. No matter what you call it, it is a day on which we honor the men and women who have served in the military. We also honor those who have died for the cause of freedom. It is a time for us to say "Thank you" for the sacrifices they have made. It is a time to think about the freedoms we enjoy because they were willing to serve. It is a time to think about love -- the love they showed for their country and for their fellow man.

How do we celebrate Veterans' Day? I guess many people will celebrate it just like they celebrate any other holiday. They will go to the mall and go shopping! I would like to suggest some other ways we might celebrate this important holiday.

- Fly a flag in your yard to remind others that this is a day to honor those who have served.

- Spend some time in prayer. Give thanks to God for those who served to defend the cause of freedom.

- Observe two minutes of silence. Concentrate on remembering those who have died defending the cause of freedom.

- Wear a Poppy. A Poppy is a red flower which is worn to show others that you are remembering those who died for their country. The poppy was chosen because it reminds us of a place called Flanders Fields where many soldiers from the first World War are buried. The poppies grow there between the crosses that mark their graves.

Veterans' Day is a holiday that we take very seriously, but that doesn't mean that it is a time to mope around and be sad. It is a happy occasion indeed. We can be happy that because of the sacrifice of these brave men and women, you and I enjoy great freedom. We can also be happy that even though many of these brave soldiers died in battle, that is not the end of their story. Here is the rest of the story -- those who had put their trust in God will be raised and will go to be with the him. That is a promise from God's Word. Listen to these words from the book of Job, "My flesh may be destroyed, yet from this body I will see God. I will see him for myself."

You know, that promise is not for soldiers alone. It is for you and me as well. It is for all who put their faith and trust in God. Jesus said, "Those who are considered worthy of taking part in the resurrection are like the angels. They can no longer die. They are God's children." We are God's children and one day we will see him. Won't that be a wonderful day!

Dear Father, we remember and honor those who have served to preserve and protect our freedom. We also celebrate the resurrection, because all of us who have placed our faith and trust in you -- even though we die -- will live again. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes. Job 19:25-27a (NIV) But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God's children, since they are children of the resurrection. Luke 20:35-36 (NIV)


I remember when my sister used to play with dolls. Her very favorite doll was one like this one. What makes this doll so special? It can open and shut its eyes! When you lay the doll down, it closes its eyes. When you pick the doll up again, well you know what happens, the doll opened its eyes.

Watching this doll open and close its eyes reminds me of the prayer that we sometimes say before we go to sleep:

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.

Most of us don't like to think about dying, but it really isn't anything to fear, because the Bible teaches us that, for God's children, dying is like going to sleep. There are many verses in the Bible that talk about people who have died as being "asleep in Jesus." Watch this doll's eyes -- just as surely as its eyes close when you lay it down, its eyes will open when you raise it up.

Job was a faithful servant of God who went through much suffering and pain. His body had wasted away to the point that it was little more than skin and bones. Even though he was staring death in the face, Job was not afraid. "I know that my Redeemer lives," said Job, "and in the end he will stand upon the earth. Even though my body may be destroyed, I will see him with my own eyes." Job knew that death is not the end for a child of God.

Jesus taught the same thing. One day a group of religious leaders came to Jesus and were asking him questions about the resurrection. Jesus told them that in the end, those who place their faith and trust in God "will be like the angels and will be God's children, because they have been raised to life."

"Now I lay me down to sleep." For God's children, there is no reason to be afraid. Like Job, we can say, "I know that my Savior lives and one day I will see him with my own two eyes!"

Dear Father, for those of us who place our faith and trust in you, death is nothing more than a little nap. We look forward to the day when we will wake up to see you with our very own eyes. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

When I Am Afraid

Luke 21:5-19

Is anyone here afraid of snakes? How about the dark -- is anyone afraid of the dark? Are any of you ever afraid during a thunderstorm? Well, the fact is, we are all afraid of something. Even the rich and famous have their fears. Listen to a few of them.

John Madden was once the coach of the Oakland Raiders professional football team and now announces games on Monday Night Football. John is afraid of flying. He has such a fear of flying that he bought his own bus to take him all around the country to broadcast football games. I read that the bus cost him $800,000! I guess if you're afraid to fly, it helps to be able to afford to buy your own bus.

Donny Osmond is a well known singer who suffers from a fear of performing. He once had stage fright so bad that couldn't go on stage because he thought he was going to faint. If you have a fear of performing, being a singer might not be the best career to choose!

Johnny Depp, a famous movie star, has arachnophobia. That is the fear of spiders. Are any of you afraid of spiders? I know that many spiders are harmless, but even if a spider won't hurt me, it can make me hurt myself trying to get out of its way!

Steve Irwin is that crocodile hunter on "Animal Planet." I've seen him handling crocodiles, snakes, and all sorts of wild animals. He doesn't seem to be afraid of anything. Is he? Listen to what he says about fear. "Fear is a natural thing. It keeps us alive. Every time I go in on a poisonous snake, a crocodile, a bear, a cougar, a tiger shark -- any wild animal, I get a little scared. Fear is a good thing."

One day Jesus was with his disciples in the temple. The disciples were commenting on how beautiful the temple was when Jesus began to tell them about some things that were going to happen. He told them that the temple would one day be destroyed and that there would be wars, earthquakes, and people starving. He also told them that they were going to be hated and persecuted and even thrown into prison. Those are pretty frightening things, aren't they? It would be understandable for the disciples to be afraid, but Jesus told them not to be afraid. He promised that he would be with them and that not a hair on their heads would perish if they put their trust in him.

Jesus has also promised to help us when we are afraid. We all have fears and like Steve Irwin says, fear can be a good thing, but we should not let our fears keep us from enjoying the life that Jesus wants us to have. After all, he has promised to help us when we are afraid.

Dear Jesus, we put our faith and trust in your promise to be with us when we are afraid. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Waiting and Watching

"There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars... At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Luke 21:25a, 27-28

It's official! We have entered into the Christmas countdown period. Every day now we will see it in the newspapers and hear it on the radio and television, "24 shopping days until Christmas," "23 shopping days until Christmas," "22 shopping days until Christmas." All around us there are signs that Christmas is coming. What are some of those signs?

    * Stores are filled with Christmas decorations
    * Santa is at the mall
    * Christmas music is playing on the radio and television
    * Christmas cards are arriving in the mailbox
    * Christmas parties at work, at school, and at church

There are plenty of signs that Christmas is coming, but 2000 years ago when Jesus was born, there were no big signs to announce that it was going to happen. There were no ads on the radio or TV saying "Coming soon! A Savior will be born in a stable near you!" When Jesus was born, many people were surprised! But as word of his birth spread, some people remembered that prophets had told them that God was going to send a Savior. They knew that this baby, born in a manger, was God keeping His promise.

Christmas is a not only a wonderful time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. It is also a time to remember that Jesus promised that he would come again. We don't read much about that in the newspapers and we don't hear much talk about it on the radio or television, but Jesus told us to be prepared and to watch for his return.

As we look forward to Christmas day, we also look forward to the day when Jesus will come again. Today we light the candle of hope on our advent wreath. Just as the people of Israel found hope in the promises of God, we find hope in Jesus' promise that he will come again.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for keeping your promise to send a Savior. We also thank you for the promise that he will return again to take us to our home in heaven. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

King Backward
 

The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself." There was a written notice above him, which read:THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Luke 23:35-38 (NIV)

This morning I am going to tell you a story about a king. As you know, a king usually wears a crown made of gold, silver, and precious jewels. A crown similar to this one that I have with me this morning. The king in our story wore a different kind of crown. Listen as I tell you the story of "King Backward."

Once upon a time, a long time ago, there lived a King.  He was no ordinary king.  He was different from other kings because He did everything backwards from the way other kings did them.  From the very day he was born, you could tell that this king was going to be different.  Most kings are usually born in a palace, but this king was born in a stable surrounded by donkeys, sheep and cows.  It wasn't a very big beginning for a king.  In fact, very few people even knew that a king had been born.  Only a handful of shepherds and three wise men got the word that a king had been born.

As the infant king grew into a man, he continued to be different from other kings.  While most kings spent all of their time building up riches of silver, gold, and jewels, this king owned nothing at all.   And while most kings surrounded themselves with servants, He chose to be a servant.  He could often be found helping others.

As time went on, people became very unhappy with their King because He just didn't act the way that they thought a king should act.  Instead of riding into town on a big white horse the way other kings usually did, their king rode into town on the back of a donkey.  Was that any way for a king to act?

And the people He chose to be his friends!  His closest friends were a bunch of smelly fishermen and He could often be seen visiting with the poor and eating with sinners.

Finally the people decided that they had put up with this King long enough.  If He couldn't act the way a king should act, then they didn't want Him to be their king any more.  They made a plan to have Him arrested and thrown into prison.

Their plan worked.   When the day came for his trial, the King  stood before the people.  Instead of shouting "Hail to the King, Long live the King!" they shouted, "Crucify Him!  He is not our king!  Crucify Him!."  So they crucified the King.  They nailed Him to a cross; they put a crown made of thorns on his head; they poked Him with sharp sticks and made fun of Him.  What a way for a king to die!  After He was crucified, they took His body and put it in a borrowed tomb.

Wait, that isn't the end of the story.  Remember ... this King was different!  King Backward rose from the grave to live forever. Now, instead of being the Backward King, He is the Forever King.  He is the King to anyone who chooses Him to be their King. Oh, there are still some people who call Him "King Backward," but those who know Him don't call Him that ... they call him King Jesus!

Jesus wants to be your king too, and if you choose Him to be your King, you will live happily forever, and forever after!

Dear Jesus, today we crown you King and Lord of our life. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Surprise! 



On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: Luke 24:1-6

Do you enjoy surprises? I do! I have a surprise for you this morning. (Bring out the Jack in the Box toy. If you are using a commercial type, start to turn the handle and act surprised when "Jack" pops up. If you use a Jack in the Box that you have made, tell the children that this little box has a special surprise in it. Then, make a big production of opening the lid and act surprised when the toy pops up.)

When I was a child, one of my favorite toys was a Jack in the Box. I can remember sitting for hours, turning the handle, and waiting for the moment when the lid would open and Jack would pop out. Even though I should have known what was going to happen, I was always surprised to see "Jack" pop out of the box.

This Jack in the Box reminds me of a story in the Bible -- a story about a very special surprise.

Early in the morning, on the first Sunday after Jesus had been crucified, two women went to the grave where Jesus had been buried. When they arrived, they found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance to the grave. The grave was empty. They were surprised to find an empty grave and wondered what had happened to the body of Jesus.

Suddenly, two men in dazzling bright clothes appeared to the two women. Now the two women were not only surprised -- they were also afraid. The men spoke to the women and said, "Why are you looking for the living among the dead? Jesus is not here, he has risen just as he told you he would."

When the women heard these words, they remembered what Jesus had told them and they were no longer surprised at finding an empty grave. They immediately went to tell others that the grave was empty and that Jesus had risen from the dead.

Some surprises, like this Jack in the Box, make us happy, but the best reason we have to be happy this morning is that the grave is empty, Jesus is alive, and he loves us very much! That is what we celebrate today!

Dear Father, we praise you! Jesus has risen -- just as he said he would! Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 On the Road to Emmaus

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. Luke 24:30-31 (NIV)

This morning I have a picture for each of you. (Give a picture to each child) I want you to stare at the four small dots right in the middle of the picture. Concentrate and stare at the dots while I count to fifteen, then close your eyes. When you close your eyes, a white spot will appear and there may be a picture inside of that white spot. Let's try it and see what happens. Are you ready? Okay, concentrate! One, two, three.......(to fifteen) Now, close your eyes and keep them closed. Do you see anything? You may open your eyes now. How many of you saw the face of Jesus? Some people have a little trouble seeing it at first, so if at first you don't see the face of Jesus, keep trying and eventually you will see his face.

Our Bible lesson today tells an amazing story about a day when Jesus walked and talked with some of his followers, but they didn't even recognize him. Here is what happened.

After Jesus was crucified and risen from the grave, two of his followers were walking on the road that led to a town called Emmaus. They were sad and were talking about what had happened to Jesus. Suddenly, Jesus joined the disciples and walked along with them, but they did not know who he was because God kept them from recognizing him.

"You seem to be having a very serious discussion. What are you talking about?" Jesus asked them.

One of the men answered, "You must be the only person in Jerusalem that doesn't know what has happened the past few days," Then they told them about how Jesus had been crucified, and buried, and that some women had gone to his tomb, but the tomb was empty. "We have heard that he is alive," they said, "but we have not seen him."

"Do you find it so difficult to believe what was written by the prophets in the Scripture?" Jesus asked. "It was predicted by the prophets that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his time of glory." Then Jesus quoted passages from the writings of the prophets, explaining what the Scriptures said about himself.

By this time, they had come to Emmaus and the disciples invited Jesus to stay with them since it was getting too late in the day to travel. So Jesus stayed with them and when they sat down to eat, Jesus took the bread and blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them. Suddenly, their eyes were opened and they saw that it was Jesus. Then just as quickly as he had appeared to them, Jesus disappeared.

They were so happy and excited to have seen Jesus that they ran back to Jerusalem to tell the others that they had seen Jesus.

Do you want to see Jesus? The Bible says, "You will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul." (Deuteronomy 4:29) Oh, he may not appear to you in the same way he did to the disciples in our story, but If you study God's Word and seek him with all your heart, he will reveal himself to you.

Dear Lord, open our eyes, we want to see Jesus!  Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Mission Possible


...repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. Luke 24:47-48

"Mission Impossible" is a movie starring Tom Cruise. There have been two of these movies made and they are based on a television show that was popular way back in the 1960's. Of course, none of you were even born then, but some of you may have heard about it.

"Mission Impossible" is a spy story with a lot of mystery and excitement. On the old television show, it always began the same way -- secret agent Jim Phelps would receive a tape recorded message which said, "Jim, your mission, if you choose to accept it is..." and then it would give him an assignment which seemed impossible to accomplish. Of course, he always accepted the assignment. He would then choose a group of agents -- each one with a special talent -- who would help him to accomplish his mission. As you might guess, the super secret agents of the "Impossible Mission Force" were always able to complete their mission.

You and I have been given a mission by Jesus. Our mission is to tell the whole world about Jesus' love and forgiveness. Now, that would seem to be an impossible mission for a group of boys and girls, but it isn't. You see, we don't have to do it alone. The Church, like the "Impossible Mission Force," is made up of many people. Each of us has been given special talents to help accomplish the mission. If we choose to accept our mission, then "Mission Impossible" becomes "Mission Possible."

How about you? Are you willing to accept your mission?

Dear Jesus, you have given us our mission, may each of us be willing to accept our mission and tell others about your love and forgiveness. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Up, Up and Away!


When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. Luke 24:50-53 (NIV) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. Acts 1:8-9 (NIV)

I love balloons. There are so many things you can do with balloons. Some people can make balloons into various shapes. That is fun to watch! There are also a lot of different games you can play with balloons. You can tie them around your ankle and play "Stomp the Balloon" or you can fill them with water and have a water balloon fight.

One of the most enjoyable things one can do with a balloon is to fill it with helium. I am sure you know that when filled with helium, a balloon floats in the air. If you don't want it to get away from you, it is a good idea to hold on tight or tie it around your wrist. But it is also quite enjoyable when it does float away from you. It is fun to stand and watch as the balloon floats higher and higher into the heavens until it totally disappears. The only way to experience that is to be willing to let it go.

When Jesus was ready to return to heaven, he took his disciples aside to make sure that they understood everything that had happened to him. He explained why it was important for him to be crucified and to be raised from the dead to fulfill what the Scriptures had said about him. He also told them that he was going to return to his Father in heaven, and that the Holy Spirit would come to be with them.

At first, the disciples were sad that Jesus would be leaving them, but then the Bible tells us that Jesus opened their minds so they would understand. Then, an amazing thing happened. The Bible tells us that Jesus lifted his hands and blessed his disciples. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. (Release your balloon and watch it float to the ceiling.)

I don't know how all of this looked, but in my imagination I can see the disciples standing and watching as Jesus ascended higher and higher until he disappeared into the clouds. Were the disciples sad? No way! The Bible tells us that when Jesus had ascended into heaven, the disciples worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. There they stayed continually in the temple, praising God.

We are here today for the very same purpose. We have come into the temple to worship him with great joy!

Dear Father, we thank you for sending Jesus, your only Son, to die for our sin. We know that he has risen from the dead and has returned to heaven. Bless us today as we worship him with great joy! Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Reflecting the Light

There was a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light,so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light: he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. John 1: 6-9 (NIV)

Have you ever sat outside on a bright sunny day and used a mirror to reflect the sun’s light? If one of you will take this flashlight and shine it on me I will show you what I mean. You see, as the light shines on me, I hold up my mirror and I can reflect the light to shine on you. I am not the light, I am just letting my mirror reflect the light to shine on you.

If I am going to reflect the light on you, there are a couple of things that are very important:

    * I must keep my mirror facing toward the light. If I turn away from the light, I cannot reflect the light.

    * I must make sure that nothing comes between the light and me. If that happens, I cannot reflect the light.

The Bible tells us that "There was a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light: he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world." Who do you think the true light is that the Bible said was coming into the world? That is right! It was Jesus. Jesus is the light of the world.

You and I need to be like John. The Bible says that we are to let our light shine, but we need to remember that "Our Light" is Jesus. We are not the light, we are just mirrors that reflect His light.

If we are going to reflect the light of Jesus, we must remember a couple of things:

    * We must keep our faces turned toward Jesus.

    * We must not let anything come between us and Jesus.

When we remember those two things, we will reflect His light to the entire world.

Dear Jesus, we want to reflect your light in the world. Help us to keep our faces turned toward you and help us to keep anything from coming between us and you. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Jesus and the Three R's


He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God -- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.John 1:11-14

Today is the second Sunday after Christmas and, for many of us, it marks the end of our Christmas vacation. This week we will return to school and to the study of the three R's. When most of us think about the 3 R's, we think about Reading, Riting, and 'Rithmatic. Today, I want us to think about a different 3 R's. The 3 R's I am talking about are the 3 R's that stand for the choices that each of us must make about Jesus.

The first R is for REJECT. When faced with the choice of what to do with Jesus, many people choose to reject him. The Bible says that Jesus came to his own people, but his own people refused to believe that he was the Son of God. They refused to believe that he was who he said he was. They chose to reject Jesus. Even today, many people still choose to reject Jesus.

The second R is for RECEIVE. Some people choose to receive Jesus and believe in his name. The Bible tells us that to those who receive him, he gives the right to become the children of God. You and I can choose to receive Jesus, and when we do, we are given the right to become the children of God.

The third R is for REFLECT. Jesus came to be born in a manger to show us what God is like. We have seen the glory of God through the life of Jesus, now we have to make a choice. We can choose to keep it to ourselves, or we can choose to reflect that glory through our words and our actions.

This week we go back to school and back to the three R's, but we need to remember that every day we face the three R's of what to do with Jesus. I pray that we will make the right choices.

Dear Father, for those who have not yet chosen to receive Jesus and believe in him, we pray that they will make that choice today. For those of us who have chosen to receive him, may our lives reflect his glory in all that we do and say. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Show and Tell

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!  I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."  John 1:29, 34

What do you like best about school?  Is it reading?  Writing?  Math?  Spelling?  Recess?  Well, when I was in school, I think my favorite thing was "Show and Tell."  I always looked forward to the days when we had "Show and Tell" because it gave me the chance to show and tell others about something that was really important to me.

I have asked several of you to bring something this morning to show to the other children and tell them something about it.  Who would like to go first?  (Depending on how much time you have, allow several of the children to have their time of "Show and Tell.")  I want to thank those who shared with us in "Show and Tell" time this morning.  I really enjoyed seeing what you had to show us and I learned a lot from what you told us.  It is really fun to show and tell others about something that is really important to you, isn't it?

The Bible tells us about a man named John who loved to "show and tell" others about Jesus.  The Bible says that one day John was standing with a group of people when he saw Jesus coming.  He said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!  I have seen him and I tell you that this is the Son of God."

Because John loved to show and tell others about Jesus, many people came to know Jesus and follow him.  It is important for you and me to show and tell others about Jesus too.  We can show others about Jesus by doing the things that Jesus taught us to do -- things like loving one another and being helpful and kind.  Then people will see that we know Jesus and that will give us a chance to tell them about Jesus.  We can tell them about what he has done for us and what he wants to do for them.  Yes, each day we should show and tell others about Jesus!

Dear Jesus, help us this week to "show and tell" others about you and your love.  Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Come and See!

"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. John 1:46

A few weeks ago, my wife came home and told me about some new cookies she had eaten. "They were called Chocolate Cream Oreos" she said.

"Were they good?" I asked her.

"Good? They were delicious. They were so good I wanted you to try one. Here, just taste and see how good they are," she said as she offered me a cookie.

Mmmm, Mmmm! They were good! They were so good that I couldn't wait to tell you about them. In fact, I wanted to share some with you. I have a whole package of them this morning so that you can taste them and see how good they are. (Pass out some of the cookies for the children to try.)

Don't you agree that those are really good cookies? That is why my wife couldn't wait to share them with me and I couldn't wait to share them with you.

Have you ever found something so good that you couldn't wait to share it with a friend? This morning I want to tell about a man named Philip who couldn't wait to tell a friend about something good that he had found. What Philip found was much more important than cookies. Philip had met Jesus. When Phillip met Jesus, he knew that Jesus was the Savior that God had promised, and he became one of Jesus' disciples.

After Philip met Jesus, he couldn't wait to tell his friend Nathanael. He found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

"Nazareth? Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Nathanael asked.

"Come and see," answered Philip. Then he took Nathanael to see Jesus and Nathanael also became a follower of Jesus. That is how the good news of Jesus is spread. Friends telling friends!

When we find a really good cookie, we can't wait to tell a friend about it. Shouldn't we be even more anxious to tell our friends about Jesus?

Dear Father, nothing can compare to the Good News of Jesus. Help us to share the Good News with others.  Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Water into Wine

This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him. John 2:11 (NIV)

I try to find time to read the newspaper every day. It is a good way to keep up with what is happening in the world around us. Have you ever thought about being a newspaper reporter when you grow up? Just think! If you were a sports reporter, you would get to go to all of the sports events. Not only that, you would get in free get paid for going! If you were a news reporter, you could just walk around town and see what was going on, then you would write a news story about it.

I thought it would be fun to take our Bible lesson today and re-write it as if I were a reporter writing an article in a daily newspaper. The story is actually from the gospel of John, but the word gospel means "good news," so let's imagine that we are reading an article from the "Daily Galilean" or perhaps "The Jerusalem Times."

Wow! Listen to this headline! "Wedding guest turns water into wine."

Hmmm...That sounds interesting. Let's read the rest of the story!

On Tuesday, a woman named Mary was in Cana to attend a wedding. A large number of guests, including her son, a man named Jesus, also attended the wedding. Guests at the wedding were reportedly having a good time until the host ran out of wine. At that point, it seemed that the happy celebration might turn into a disaster.

Some of the wedding guests thought that perhaps Jesus might have a solution to the problem, so they reported to him that they were out of wine. When told about the problem, Jesus at first seemed unwilling to do anything, but after some encouragement from his mother, he finally agreed to help.

Eye witnesses at the wedding reported that Jesus noticed several large water jars nearby and instructed some servants to fill them with water. After the jars had been filled with water, he told them to dip some of the water out of the jars and take it to the man who was in charge of serving the wine. When the wine steward tasted the water, he discovered that the water had been turned into wine.

Wedding guests were amazed at the turn of events and said that the wine was the best that they had ever tasted.

As a result of this miraculous event, many people are following Jesus everywhere he goes, and many believe that he might even be the long-awaited Messiah.

Well, that made a pretty good news story, didn't it? Do you know what is really great about this story? Just as Jesus performed a miracle by changing the water into wine at the wedding celebration two thousand years ago, he is still working miracles in the hearts and lives of people today. If you will let him, he will work a miracle in you.

Dear Jesus, worker of miracles, work a miracle in us today. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

The Butterfly

In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." John 3:3 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17

One night a man named Nicodemus came to talk to Jesus. As Jesus was talking to him, he said something that Nicodemus didn't understand. He told Nicodemus, "No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." Nicodemus was really puzzled by what Jesus said. He just couldn't understand how someone could be born again. To this day, a lot of people still have trouble understanding how that can be possible.

This morning I have brought something that might help us to understand what Jesus meant. I have brought a butterfly. Just look at my butterfly! Isn't it beautiful? I think the butterfly is one of the most beautiful things that God has ever created, but it wasn't always so beautiful.

As you probably know, the butterfly started out as a fuzzy little caterpillar. Now some people may think caterpillars are cute, some may think that they are funny, but probably no one would say that they are beautiful. A caterpillar is a worm -- and worms are not beautiful! Then, one day the caterpillar spins a cocoon about himself and stays there for several weeks. When it comes out, it is no longer a caterpillar, it has been miraculously changed into a beautiful butterfly.

God didn't just take a caterpillar and stick some wings on him and paint the wings all different colors. When the cocoon opens and the butterfly crawls out, it is a new creation. The caterpillar is gone! It has now become a butterfly.

That is a good picture of what Jesus meant when he said we had to be "born again." The Bible says, "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" When we invite Jesus to come into our heart, we become a new creation. God doesn't just clean us up and slap on a little paint, he makes us into a new person. Would you rather be, a worm or a butterfly? Jesus will make you into a new creation if you will invite him into your heart.

Dear Lord, we thank you for sending Jesus to die on the cross so that we, like the butterfly, can become a new creation. We ask you to change us and to make us beautiful. Amen.