Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

 "The Bread of Life"



"I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever." John 6:51 (NIV)

I see them every day as I drive to and from work. Dirty people in ragged clothes standing on a busy street corner holding up a sign like this one that says, "Will Work for Food." You've seen them, haven't you? What do you think when you see them? I must be honest and admit that some of the things that come to my mind are, "I wonder if they would really be willing to work, or are they just looking for a handout?" Or I might think to myself, "If I gave them money, would they buy food, or would they just spend it on drugs and alcohol?"

What do you think Jesus might want us to do when we see these people? Perhaps he might want us to pull into the McDonald's across the street and buy them a Big Mac® and a Coke.® Jesus was always concerned about the physical needs of people. That is why he spent so much of his time healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, and feeding the hungry. Don't you think he wants us to do the same?

Jesus wasn't just concerned about empty stomachs -- he was even more concerned about empty hearts. One day, after filling the empty stomachs of over 5,000 people, Jesus said to them, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever." Jesus was telling them that he came to give his life so that they could have everlasting life -- if they would believe and trust in him.

Jesus wants us to be concerned about empty stomachs, but he also wants us to be concerned about empty hearts. As we share our bread with the hungry, let us also share the story of Jesus, the Bread of Life, so that they may eat and never die.

Dear Father, we thank you for sending Jesus, the Bread of Life, so that we may eat and never die. Help us to share the story of Jesus with others. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Do You Know This Man?


"You do not know me or my Father," Jesus replied. "If you knew me, you would know my Father also."  John 8:19  If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  Romans 10:9

How many of you know this man? (hold up the poster)  Who can tell me who he is?  That's right, it is Mark McGuire and anyone who knows anything at all about baseball knows who Mark McGuire is, but I didn't ask you if you knew who he is, I asked you if you knew him.  Most of us know who he is and something about him, but we don't actually know him.  We have never met him face to face.  Knowing about someone is not the same thing as knowing them.

I guess just about everybody knows who Jesus is.  Almost everyone has  heard about how he was born in a manger.  They have heard about some of the things He did while he was on earth.  They may have even heard about how He died on a cross.  They know a lot about Jesus, but they don't know Jesus.   How do we get to know Him?  The Bible says that when we can say "Jesus is Lord," and believe in our hearts that He died and was raised from the dead to save us, then we can say that we really know Him.  Do you know Jesus, or do you just know about Jesus?   He wants you to know Him as your own personal Lord and Savior.  You can know Him if you will invite Him to come and live within your heart.

Lord, we know all about you.  Now we want to know you.  We want you to come and live within our hearts and be our Lord and our Savior.

[Soldier4Christ]

To God Be the Glory!


As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. John 9:1-3

Music has always been an important part of my life. I love all kinds of music, but the music I love the most is the music that we sing about Jesus. I have a hymnal this morning and I have marked a few of the hymns that are among my favorites.

Here is one of my favorites, "To God Be the Glory." What a great hymn of praise to God. Here is another that has always been a favorite of mine, "All the Way My Savior Leads Me." It tells about how Jesus leads us through the difficult times in our life. Oh! This is one song that is definitely on my list of all-time favorites, "Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine." Did you know that all of these favorites that I have named this morning have something in common? They were all written by the same person. In fact, there are many hymns in our hymnal written by that person. Her name was Fanny Crosby.

When Fanny was six weeks old, she had an eye infection. Her regular doctor was out of town, and a man posing as a doctor gave her the wrong treatment. Within a few days, she was blind. If that happened to me, I am afraid I would be very bitter and I would probably spend a lifetime feeling sorry for myself. Fanny was never bitter and she never felt sorry for herself. When she was only eight years old, she wrote this poem:

Oh, what a happy child I am,
Although I can not see.
I am resolved that in this world,
Contented I will be.
How many blessings I enjoy
That other people don't.
To weep and sigh because I'm blind,
I cannot and I won't!

Instead of being bitter and feeling sorry for herself, Fanny used the gifts that God had given her to write over 8,000 hymns and poems to praise and glorify God.

One day Jesus was walking with his disciples when they passed by a blind man. When they saw him, the disciples asked Jesus who was to blame for the man's blindness. Was it because of his sin or was it because of his parent's sins? Jesus answered them and told them that no one was to blame, he was blind so that God's works could be shown in him. Then Jesus healed the man and the people praised and glorified God for his goodness.

What about Fanny Crosby? God didn't heal her blindness. Perhaps if God had healed her, she might never have written all of those beautiful hymns -- and the world would never have heard of Fanny Crosby. She used the tragedy of her blindness to glorify God. I pray that tragedy will never come into your life, but if it does, remember that everything that happens can be used to praise and glorify God!

Dear Lord, the difficulties in our life seem small when compared to what others may be facing. Help us not to grumble and complain, but to praise and glorify you in every situation. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 The Master's Voice


The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.  They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers."   John 10: 3-5

How many of you have a dog?  I don't have a dog now, but I used to have a dog.  My dog's name was Mac and he was a Border Collie.  This is a picture of my dog Mac.  When we were not at home, Mac stayed in the back yard, but when we got home, I would open the back door and call his name.  When I called his name, he would come running.

Do you know what would have happened if you had opened the door and called Mac?  Nothing!  Mac would not come because he didn't know you and wouldn't recognize your voice.  Sometimes I would open the back gate and call Mac to take him for a walk.  If a stranger had come to the gate and called him, do you think Mac would come to him?  No way!  A dog knows his master's voice and will only do what his master tells him to do.

Did you know that same thing is true of sheep?  Jesus said that sheep know the shepherd's voice and they will follow him.  He then went on to say that he is the shepherd and we are his sheep.  If Jesus is our master, we will know his voice and will do what  he wants us to do.  Sometimes, other people will try to get us to do something we should not do.  If Jesus is our master, we won't listen to their voice. Sometimes, Satan tries to get us to do something that we should not do.  If Jesus is our master, we won't listen to Satan's voice.

The shepherd always wants what is best for his sheep.  He leads them into green pastures where they have plenty to eat.  He leads them to water so that they have plenty to drink.  He leads them to the shelter where they will be safe from the storm.  Jesus wants what is best for us.  He said that he came so that we could have life and have it abundantly.  We will, if we listen to his voice and follow him.

Jesus, you are the good shepherd and we are your sheep.  Help us to listen to your voice and to follow you.  Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 He Knows Your Name


He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." John 10:3b-5 (NIV)

Some of you may have seen a branding iron. A branding iron is used to put an identifying mark on cattle and sheep. When a calf is branded, they put the branding iron in a fire and burn the brand into the side of the calf. Ouch! I'll bet that hurts! When a brand is put on sheep, they dip the brand into a special paint and put the brand on the sheep's back. That sounds a little better, doesn't it? Okay, let's talk about branding sheep.

Do you know why they put a brand on the sheep? They do it so that they will know who owns the sheep. Each rancher has his own special brand. So, if a sheep wanders off and becomes lost or stolen, the brand will prove who owns the sheep.

I don't know whether they put brands on sheep in Jesus' day or not, but Jesus once told about a shepherd who went to a sheep pen to get his sheep. He said that the shepherd knew his sheep and called them by name. When he had called them out, he walked ahead of them and they followed him because they recognized his voice. Jesus said that if a stranger called to the sheep, they would not follow him. In fact, Jesus said they would run away from him because they did not recognize the stranger's voice.

That is a beautiful picture of our relationship with Jesus. Jesus is our shepherd. He loves us and cares for us -- he even knows our name. Jesus calls us to follow him and if we belong to him, we will know his voice and we will follow him.

Sometimes, Satan may try to get us to follow him. He may try to get us to do things that will do us harm. If we belong to Jesus, we will not follow Satan. In fact, we will run from him.

Dear Jesus, we are thankful that we have a shepherd who knows our name. Help us to follow you when you call. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 The Good Shepherd


"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep." John 10:14-15 (NIV)

How many of you have a pet? There are many animals that make good pets. The most popular are cats and dogs, but birds and fish are also quite popular. Some children like hamsters or Guinea pigs for a pet. If you live in the country and have a lot of room, you might even own a large animal such as a horse.

If you choose to have a pet, it is a big responsibility. You must be willing to take care of it. You have to feed it and make sure it has plenty of water. You must keep it clean and take it to the veterinarian when it is sick. You have to make sure your pet is kept in a safe place and, if it wanders off and gets lost, you must go and look for it and bring it back home.

As I think about having a pet and taking care of it, I am reminded about something that Jesus said about himself. Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd." A shepherd is a person who takes care of sheep. Sheep can't take care of themselves. They need someone to watch over them and care for them. They need someone to protect them from harm. Jesus said he knows his sheep and his sheep know him. He said that he was even willing to lay down his life for his sheep. Jesus must really love his sheep!

As you might have guessed, Jesus wasn't really talking about sheep. He was talking about you and me. We are his "sheep." He loves us, he takes care of us, he makes sure that we have everything that we need. He was even willing to give his life so that you and I could live with him forever in heaven.

There is no doubt about it. Jesus really loves his sheep!

Dear Jesus, we are thankful to you for being our Good Shepherd. Thank you for loving us and taking care of us. Most of all, we thank you for laying down your life for us so that we can have everlasting life in heaven with you. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 In the Palm of His Hand


I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. John 10:28

Do any of you have a yo-yo?  Do you know how to do any tricks with your yo-yo?  I brought my yo-yo this morning.  I thought I would give a little demonstration.  I'm not really very good, but I can do a few simple tricks.

The first thing that most people learn how to do is just your basic "up and down."  I'm sure that all of you can do that.

Next, I'll do the "out and back."  As you can see, it is very similar to the "up and down."

My next trick is called the "sleeper."  Do you see how the yo-yo stays down at the bottom and spins?  When I am ready, just a slight tug pulls it right back up into the palm of my hand.

For my final trick I will do "Around the World."  This one is a little bit more difficult and sometimes I mess up.  Ready?  Here goes!  Oh wow!  I really messed up on that one, didn't I?  Well, no problem.  I'll just pick up my yo-yo, rewind it, and then I'll be ready to go again.

Did you notice that every one of my tricks started and ended exactly the same way?  Each trick began and ended with the yo-yo in the palm of my hand.  Jesus said, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand."  When we give our heart to Jesus and place our life in his hands, we know that we are safe and that nothing can snatch us from his hand.  Oh, we may have our "ups and downs."  We may even stray away  at times, but just a little tug will pull us right back into His hand.  Even when we really mess up, like I did on the "around the world" trick, he picks us up and dusts us off and there we are, right back in the palm of his hand.

Isn't it great to have the assurance that Jesus has put us in the palm of his hand and that nothing can harm us or take us from his hand!

Dear Jesus, we thank you for holding us in your hand and for giving us the promise that nothing can take us from your hands.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Guaranteed Forever! 


I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. John 10:28-29 (NIV)

Last week I went to the store and bought a new hammer. Do you know why I bought this particular hammer?   It is because it is guaranteed forever. The guarantee on this hammer says, "If this tool ever fails to provide complete satisfaction, return it for free repair or replacement."

That is great, isn't it? If I ever break this hammer, all I have to do is take it back to the store and they will either fix it or give me a new hammer.

Wait a minute! What if I lose my hammer? This guarantee doesn't say that they will replace the hammer if I lose it. What if someone steals it?  I guess if I lose my hammer, or someone breaks into my garage and steals it, I'm out of luck.

Wouldn't it be great if something was guaranteed to last forever -- and was guaranteed that you couldn't lose it and nobody could steal it?   Well, there is!

Jesus has promised everlasting life to those who trust and believe in him. Listen to his guarantee!

"I give them eternal life, and they shall never die!"

Is it guaranteed that no one can steal it? It sure is!

Jesus said, "No one can snatch them out of my hand."

Eternal life that you can't lose and no one can take it away. That's a guarantee that no one can match!

Dear Jesus, we thank you for your guarantee of everlasting life. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Three In One


Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live. 1 Corinthians 8:6 I and the Father are one. John 10:30 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. John 14:16

I'm sure that all of you know what I have brought with me this morning. It is a portable stereo, but most people call it a boom box. Do any of you have a boom box? As you can see, I only have one boom box, but it is really three players in one. Let me explain what I mean.

First, my boom box is a radio. I can turn it on, push this button, and I can listen to the radio. My boom box is also a CD player. I can put in a CD, push this button and I can listen to the CD. Finally, my boom box is a tape player. I can put a tape in in this slot, push the play button, and listen to the tape. I only have one boom box, but it is three boom boxes in one!

How many Gods are there? That's right! There is only one God, but God is like my boom box, He is one God in three persons! Let me explain what I mean.

First, there is God, the Father. The Bible says, "There is but one God, the Father, from whom all things come." That is why when Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he told them to pray, "Our Father, which art in heaven."

Second, God came down to earth in human form to die on the cross for our sins. Jesus is God in a human form. He said so himself when He said, "The Father and I are one."

Finally, when Jesus told His disciples that He was going to return to heaven, He told them that the Father would send them a comforter and teacher to be with them forever. That is why God sent us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God with us today.

Just as I have only one boom box that is three players in one, there is only one God, but He is God in three persons! Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Dear God, our Heavenly Father, our Savior, our Teacher, we praise you and worship you today. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 A Savior Who Weeps

Jesus wept.  John 11:35

This morning I have a little bottle that I call "My Tears Bottle."  These aren't real tears, it is just water, but it reminds me of the times that I have cried real tears.  In Psalm 56:8, the psalmist asks God to keep his tears in a bottle.  Now, I don't know that God keeps our tears in a bottle like this one, but I do believe that he sees our tears and hears us when we cry.

Do you ever cry?  Of course you do.  Even you big strong boys sometimes cry -- even though someone may try to tell you that "big boys don't cry."  I made a list of some things that make us cry.  Have you ever fallen off your bicycle and hurt yourself so badly that you cried? Have you ever slipped and fallen while carrying a tray of food in the school cafeteria, and though you weren't hurt, you were so embarrassed that you cried?  Have you ever moved to a new school where you didn't know anyone and you were so lonely that you cried?  Has anyone ever said something mean and hurt your feelings so badly that you cried?  Have you ever had a friend that was crying, so you just cried along with them?  I think that we all could answer, "yes" to at least one of these questions.  We all cry, don't we?

Did you know that Jesus cried?  The shortest verse in the entire Bible says, "Jesus wept."  I know of at least three things that made Jesus cry.  (1) The Bible tells us that Jesus cried when he prayed for others.  It says, "He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears."  Hebrews 5:7 (2) The Bible also tells us that Jesus cried when he saw people who were missing out on what God wanted for them.  It says, as he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace -- but now it is hidden from your eyes."  Luke 19:41-42  (3) The Bible tells us that Jesus cried when he saw friends who were hurting.  It says that when he saw Mary weeping because her brother had died, he cried too.  John 11:33-35

I am glad that we have a Savior who weeps.  I am glad that he loves us so much that he hurts when we are hurting.  He sees our tears and, who knows, perhaps he keeps our tears in a bottle.

Dear Jesus, it is comforting to know that when we cry, you cry with us.  But it is even more comforting to know that one day we will be in heaven with you -- and then there will be no more tears.  Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Giving Him Your Best


Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. John 12:3 (NIV)

If you were to ask me to name my most prized possession, it would have to be this diamond ring. The diamond in this ring was originally in a ring which belonged to my grandmother. About twenty years ago, my wife had the diamond put into this ring and gave it to me for Christmas. It is not only quite valuable, it has a lot of meaning to me because it is the only thing that I own that belonged to my grandmother.

If I were to ask you to name your most prized possession, what would it be? To some of you, it might be a stuffed animal that you have had since you were a baby. To another, it might be a favorite doll. To someone else, it might be a ball autographed by a famous baseball player. If a friend came to visit in your home, would you give your most prized possession to that friend to show your love? That is what a woman named Mary did in our Bible story today.

One day Jesus went to the city of Bethany. That was the city where a man named Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead, lived with his two sisters, Mary and Martha. While Jesus was in Bethany, a dinner was given in his honor.  Lazarus was eating at the table with Jesus, while Martha was serving the meal. Mary was just sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to him teach.

As she was sitting at the feet of Jesus, Mary did a very unusual thing. She took a bottle of very expensive perfume and began to wash the feet of Jesus with it. Then she dried his feet with her hair. The Bible tells us that the entire house was filled with the sweet smell of perfume.

One of Jesus' disciples, whose name was Judas, was very upset by what Mary did. He said, "What a waste! This perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor. It was worth a year's wages."  Judas wasn't really worried about the poor. The Bible tells us that he was worried about the money because he often stole money from the treasury for himself.

Jesus came to Mary's defense and answered Judas. "Leave her alone. She has kept this perfume for the day of my burial."

Jesus said that because he knew that it was only a few days before he would be crucified and buried. I don't know if Mary knew that or not, but I do think that Mary wanted to give Jesus the very best that she had to show her love for him. That perfume was the very best thing that Mary had to offer.

Jesus has given us the most wonderful gift imaginable -- the gift of everlasting life. It is free, but it was a very costly gift. It cost Jesus his life.

What can we give to Jesus to show our love for him? I don't think he wants a diamond ring, a stuffed animal, a doll, or an autographed baseball. I think he wants us to give him our very best. He wants us to give him our life!

Dear Jesus, you gave your life to show your love for us. May we also give our lives to you as an expression of our love. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

"I Love A Parade"


The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" John 12:12-13

I love a parade! There is something about a parade that really gets my heart to pumping. We often have parades to celebrate special events such as a circus coming to town or the opening of a fair. Sometimes we have a parade to honor an important person who has come to our town.

I have some flags and some noise makers. This morning I want us to imagine that we are watching a parade. Our city is honoring the very first astronaut from our city to ever walk on the moon. I will describe the parade and when the astronaut passes by, I want everyone to wave their flags and blow their noise makers. Let's practice blowing our noise makers to make sure they are working. Okay, everybody blow! Wow! That was great. Now, get ready, because the parade is about to begin.

Listen...I can hear the band. It is leading the parade and behind the band there are floats carrying a lot of important people...our congressman, our senator, and the mayor of our city. As they pass by, we smile and wave. Finally, here comes the astronaut -- our hero! The crowd cheers, waves their flags, and blows their noise makers! (Wave and blow on the noise makers.) Then as the parade moves on down the street, the sound of the band fades away in the distance. It is over. The celebration is over.

That is a little bit like something that took place in the city of Jerusalem about 2000 years ago. A king was visiting their city. People lined the streets of the city hoping to get to see the King. The King came riding on a small donkey, and as he rode through the streets of the city, the people waved palm branches and shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!"

I'm sure that you know who that King was -- it was Jesus. Today is Palm Sunday. Today we remember the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and the people cheering and waving palm brances. It was a day that marked the beginning of a week that would see Jesus cheered, then arrested, tried, beaten, and put to death on a cross. But as that week came to an end, another week began just as the previous week had begun -- with a celebration.

Dear Jesus, our voices join with the voices of the people in Jerusalem some two thousand years ago. Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "My Heart Is Troubled"


"Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!" John 12:27-28a

I don't know where I got this stone. Perhaps I found it on the ground or maybe someone gave it to me. I have had it for a long time, but had forgotten about it until I found it a few days ago in a desk drawer in my office. As you can see, it is small and flat and fits into my hand in such a way that I can rub it with my thumb. Many people carry a stone like this in their pocket. They call it a "worry stone." Whenever they are troubled about something, they just reach into their pocket and rub the worry stone. They believe that rubbing the smooth surface of the stone gives them a peaceful feeling and helps them to quit worrying about their troubles.

I don't carry this worry stone in my pocket. That doesn't mean that I never have any trouble in my life, it is just that I don't find that rubbing on a stone helps keep me from worrying about the troubles in my life. If we really want to know what we should do when we face trouble in our life, we should look at what Jesus did.

Just a few days before he was to be crucified, Jesus said, "Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!" Jesus knew that he was going to die on the cross. He could have asked God to save him. Instead, he only asked that his Father's name would be glorified.

Why do troubles come into our life? I believe that troubles come for the very reason that Jesus said -- so that God's name will be glorified. I have known people who followed the example of Jesus when they faced trouble in their life. I have even known people who faced death with such courage and faith that God's name was glorified. Wouldn't it be pleasing to God if all of us faced trouble in such a way that His name is glorified?

Dear Father, we all face trouble in our daily life. Instead of asking you to take them away, let us ask that you help us to face those troubles in such a way that your name will be glorified. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Building a Model Life


I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.  John 13: 15  Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.  1Corinthians 11:1

Have you ever built a model?  They are a lot of fun and are also quite a challenge.  When you build a model, there are several things that are very important.  First of all, you will notice that there is a picture on the box of what it is supposed to look like.  It would be almost impossible to build a model if we didn't know what it was supposed to look like when we finished.  Even after you know what it is supposed to look like, you must have instructions on how to put it together.  There are many pieces and you need the instructions to tell you how they all fit together.  Finally, you need some glue.  I would hate to spend all of that time to put a model together and then have it to fall apart.  Those are the three things that are important to building a model.

God has done exactly the same thing for us to help us to build our life into what He wants us to be.  First of all, He gave us a picture.  He sent His Son, Jesus, to show us how to live.  Then He gave us the Bible as a set of instructions on how to put all of the pieces together.  Then he gave us prayer.  Prayer is the glue that holds it all together.  That is what we need to build our life to be a model of Jesus.  Then we can say with Paul, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ."

Dear God, we thank you for sending your Son to be our example of how you want us to live.  We thank You for the Bible that gives us instructions on how to put all the pieces of our life together.  And finally, we thank you for prayer, the glue that holds it all together.   Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

He Loves Us All 


"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35

This morning I have a bag of “Dum-dums.” As you can see, “Dum-dums” come in many different flavors. There are lemon, cherry, grape, watermelon, orange, and butterscotch. I sometimes give “Dum-dums” to the children who come to Sunday School. One thing I have noticed is that when I allow the children to choose the flavor they want, some children are very picky about which flavor they choose. It seems I always wind up with all of the butterscotch left when all of the other flavors are gone. Children seldom ever choose the butterscotch suckers.

I don't know why the children don't like butterscotch. I guess butterscotch is a little bit different. Maybe it isn’t quite as sweet as grape or cherry, or some of the other flavors, or maybe they just don't like the color of the paper wrapper. Do you know what I do with the leftover butterscotch suckers? I eat them myself, because I love all the flavors!

These “Dum-dums” remind me of children. Have you ever noticed that when children play games, some children are always the last to be chosen? Maybe they are just a little bit different or maybe their skin is a different color and the other children just won’t choose them.

We all need to remember that Jesus loves ALL the children and he said that you and I should do the same. Jesus said, “As I have loved you, so must you love one another.” Have you ever been the one who was left out? It isn't a very good feeling, but if you are ever the one that feels left out, you can know that Jesus loves you just as much as He loves the other children.

Dear Lord, help us to remember that you have told us to love one another just as you have loved us. Amen.