Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

Taking Care of the Sheep


"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)

Do you know what a shepherd is?  Of course you do.  A shepherd is one who takes care of sheep.  Who can tell me what this is? (hold up the shepherd's crook)  This is called a shepherd's crook.  The crook is very useful to the shepherd in taking care of the sheep.  If the sheep tries to go in the wrong direction, the shepherd can reach out with the crook and gently pull it back onto the right path.  The shepherd also uses the crook to help protect the sheep from a wolf or some other wild animal that might try to harm them.  You see, it is the shepherd's responsibility to care for and protect the sheep.

How many of you know who (name the church's pastor) is?  That's right!  Our pastor.  Did you know that the word we use for the one who leads our church  means the same thing as the word that is used for someone who takes care of sheep?  So if the pastor is the one who takes care of the sheep, what do you think that makes us?  Right!  We are the sheep! It is our pastor's job to take care of us just as it is the job of a shepherd to care for the sheep.

Our pastor doesn't use a shepherd's crook like this one.  The Bible is our pastor's crook.  When we stray away and go off on the wrong path, our pastor uses the teaching of God's Word to reach out and gently pull us back and get us going in the right direction.  Our pastor also uses the Bible to protect us from our enemies.  When Satan attacks us and tries to get us to do things that would harm us, our pastor uses the Bible to teach us what God wants us to do.

Our pastor has a good guide to follow in knowing how to take care of the sheep. That guide is Jesus. Listen to what Jesus said about himself, "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.  I lay down my life for the sheep."

The Bible also says, "The LORD is my shepherd," but God has also called our pastor to help him in caring for his sheep.  We are thankful for Jesus, "the Good Shepherd," and we are thankful for our pastor too!

Dear Father, we are thankful for Jesus.  We know him and he knows us.  He laid down his life for us.  We also thank you for (pastor's name) that you have called to be the shepherd for our church.  Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

That All May Be One 


"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." John 17:20-23 (NIV)

This beautiful painted doll is called a Matryoshka. It came from Russia and it is made of wood which was painted by hand. These beautiful dolls have been popular in Russia for hundreds of years. They have become a symbol of the very finest Russian art and craftsmanship and are collected by people all over the world.

When you look at the Matryoshka, how many dolls do you see? That's right, when you look at the Matryoshka, all you see is one doll. Now, look what happens when I open the doll. There is another doll inside. Isn't that amazing? Now, you can probably guess what will happen if I open the second doll. You guessed it! There is another doll inside! Most Matryoshkas have three to thirty dolls, one inside the other, but it is still only one Matryoshka!

I think that this Matryoshka doll can help us to understand a prayer that Jesus prayed for his followers. On the night he was betrayed, Jesus prayed "for all of those who would put their trust in him." In his prayer, Jesus said, "Father, I pray that they all may be one as you and I are one. Just as you are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us." Jesus wanted all of his followers to be one.

Just as the different dolls are nested one inside the other to make a Matryoshka, we who trust in Jesus must become one in Jesus to make up his Church. We may be different in the way we look and we may speak different languages. We may have different customs and traditions, but if we have put our trust in Jesus, he wants us to be one in him, just as he is one with the Father. We must put aside our differences and be united in him so that the world may know his love.

Dear Jesus, may we be united in our love for one another -- just as we are united in our love for you. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 One in Christ 

So you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have been made like him. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female. For you are all Christians--you are one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and now all the promises God gave to him belong to you. Galatians 3:26-29 (NLT)

This is a membership card to the Public Library. Do you have a library card? If you don't already have one, you should get one. One of the great things about a library card is that it is available to everyone. It doesn't matter if you are young or old. It doesn't matter if you are a boy or a girl. It doesn't matter if your skin is red, brown, yellow, black, or white. It doesn't matter where you were born or who your parents are. Everyone is welcome.

Another great thing about the library is that once you become a member, you are entitled to all of the benefits and services that the library provides. You can check out books and videos -- even music on a CD. You can go to the library and read magazines and newspapers. You can even use the computer.

Oh, by the way, do you know how much it costs to join the library? Nothing! Membership is free!

You know, that is a pretty good picture of what it is like to be a member of the Kingdom of God. The Bible tells us that when we trust in Jesus and are united with him in baptism, we all become the children of God. It doesn't matter if you are a boy or a girl. It doesn't matter what color your skin is. When we become a part of the Kingdom of God, we are all one in Christ Jesus.

The Bible also tells us that when you belong to the Kingdom through Christ Jesus, you are entitled to all the benefits of being a child of God. All of the promises that God has made in His Word belong to you! Isn't that great?

Oh, by the way, do you know how much it costs to become a part of the Kingdom of God? Nothing! It is a gift of God!

Dear Father, we are thankful that we can become your children through faith in Jesus Christ. We are thankful that it doesn't matter whether we are girl or boy -- black or white. We are thankful that in Christ we all become one. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

The Tater Family 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love,  joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.   Galatians 5:22-23

You know, a church is very much like a family.  Each member of the family is different and has his own special identity and his own personality.  This morning, we have a very special family with us to show us how each member of the family may be different and how members of our church family may be different too.  The family that I have with us this morning is the Tater family.  The Tater family is made up of a father named Dick Tater, a mother whose name is Sweet Tater, a teenaged son named Speck Tater, a daughter named Emma Tater and two children in the nursery .  They would be the Tater tots!

The father, Dick Tater always has to be the boss.  He always tells everyone what to do.  He wants to be chairman of the deacons, or at least the personnel committee.  If he can't be the boss, he won't even come to church at all.

The mother, Sweet Tater, always has something nice to say about everyone.  She never insists on having her own way and she would never get mad or get her feelings hurt if she didn't get her way.  She really shows what the Bible calls the fruit of the Spirit; love,  joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

The teenaged son, Speck Tater just doesn't want to get involved.  He doesn't want any jobs, he just wants to sit back and watch everyone else do the work.  Of course, if they don't do it to suit him, he will surely be the first to criticize and find fault.

The daughter, Emma Tater, is more worried about what she wears to church than she is about what happens at church.  It is very important to her that she is dressed in the latest style so that she won't be embarrassed.  She wants every one to notice that she is very "cool."

Well, that brings us to the Tater tots in the nursery.  I don't know how they will turn out, but they will probably look at  the other members of the family and decide that they want to be like one of them.  They might become a Dick Tater, a Sweet Tater, a Speck Tater, or an Emma Tater.  Let's hope that they make the right choice.

Dear Lord, as we choose the type of church family member we will be, help us to make the right choices.  Let us show the fruit of your Spirit in our lives.    Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Following the Leader

As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea--for they were fishermen.  And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people." And immediately they left their nets and followed him. Mark 1:16-18 (NRSV)

Recently I was watching the movie, "Peter Pan." Have you ever watched this movie? In the movie, the children sing a song and play a game called "Following the Leader." (Sing a bit of it, if you can.)

Following the leader, the leader, the leader
We're following the leader wherever he may go.

Have any of you ever played "Follow the Leader?" Of course you have! I played the game when I was a child -- my father played the game when he was a child -- his father played the game when he was a child. Follow the Leader is a game that is played and enjoyed by children all over the world.

The rules are very simple. You choose a leader and you follow him wherever he goes -- and do whatever he does. You stomp through puddles, climb over fences, swing from a tree -- all to stay in the game because nobody wants to be "a quitter."

Follow the Leader is a great game, but in our daily lives we play follow the leader too. In school, in Church, in sports, in any activity we are in, there are always leaders. Every day we are faced with making a choice of which leader we will follow. We must be sure to choose a leader that will lead us in the right direction.

One day Jesus was walking along the sea shore. He saw two fishermen, Peter and Andrew, who were throwing their fishing nets out into the sea. Jesus called out to them, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." The Bible tells us that they laid down their nets and followed Jesus. Jesus went a little farther and he saw two more men, James and John sitting in their boat mending their nets. Jesus called out to them and the Bible tells us that they left their boat and followed Jesus. (vs. 19-20)

Jesus is still calling people to follow him today. He has called you and me to follow him. Now it's up to us to decide if we will follow the leader.

Dear Jesus, you have called us to follow you. May we, like Peter, Andrew, James, and John say "Yes, Lord, I'll follow you -- wherever you may lead." Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Counting the Cost
 
And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, `This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' Luke 14: 27-30 (NIV)

How many of you would like to play the piano? Wait! Not so fast! Before you raise your hand and say "yes" to that question, let's see what it would cost to be able to play the piano and see if you are willing to pay the price.

First of all, you would have to buy a piano. It would be rather silly to say that you wanted to play the piano if you weren't willing to go out and buy a piano, wouldn't it? So the first you would need to do is look for a piano. I found a used piano in the classified section of the newspaper for $700. The ad said it needed some repairs, so it probably isn't a very good one, but it's a start. Hmm....$700, do you still want to play the piano?

Next you need to find a teacher. After all, you can't teach yourself. Not if you really want to play well. I looked in the newspaper again to find a piano teacher. I found one for $25 a week. Let's see, that's $100 a month, do you still want to play the piano?

What else do we need? Oh yes, we will need some music! I went to the music store and found out that most of the music books cost $10-$15 each. If you want to buy a single copy of sheet music, they usually cost around $5.00 each. Do you still want to play the piano?

Now that you have a piano, a teacher, and some music you must be willing to practice. Most piano teachers require their students to practice at least one hour every day. That means that there will be times when other children will be out playing while you must stay in and practice. Hey boys, one thing I forgot to mention, when other boys see you carrying your piano books, they may make fun of you. They might even call you a "sissy." Do you still want to play the piano? If you want to play the piano, you have to count the cost and make sure you are willing to pay the price!

Did you know that Jesus said that same thing to some people who said they wanted to be his disciples? Jesus told them that if they wanted to follow him, they had to count the cost. He said they had to be willing to take up their cross daily and follow him. To follow him, they might have to be willing to give up their family and friends. Jesus also said that people might make fun of them and call them names and that some people might even want to hurt them. They had to count the cost and make sure they were willing to pay the price.

A lot of people today say that they want to follow Jesus. They join the church and for a while you will see them every week, but when they find out how much it is going to cost, they fall away. Being a true follower of Jesus is not always easy, but it is always worth it, if you are willing to pay the price.

Dear Jesus, it is easy to say that we want to follow you, but it isn't always easy to do. Help us to follow you, whatever the cost. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

The True Vine


"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."  John 15:5 (NIV)

I am sure that you all know the song, “This Little Light of  Mine.”  I want you to help me sing that song this morning.  While we sing it, I’m going to hold this light up and let it shine all around.  (Start to sing the song, but stop when you notice that the light isn't shining.)  I wonder what is wrong, my light isn't shining.  (Someone will probably notice that it isn't plugged in.)  Oh, here's the problem, my light isn't plugged in.

Now that we are plugged in, let’s try it again. (Sing)  Oh, that was much better.  The lamp was shining brightly, wasn't it?  It's pretty hard for a light to shine when it isn't connected to the power source, isn't it?  Well, actually, it isn't just hard -- it's impossible!

In our Bible lesson today, Jesus told his disciples a story to teach them the importance of staying connected to him. Of course Jesus didn't use a lamp to tell his story, because electricity hadn't even been invented yet.  Instead, Jesus used an example that his disciples would understand.  He used the example of a vine.  You know what a vine is, don't you?  It is a plant with a lot of branches growing out from it. The branches have fruit on them.  If it is a grapevine, the branches should have grapes on them.

Have you ever seen a branch that has been broken off of a tree or a vine?  What happens to it?  That's right, it withers up and dies.  Can it ever have any fruit on it again?  No, it isn't any good for anything -- except fire wood.

Jesus said, "I am the vine and you are the branches.  If you remain in me, you will have much fruit, but apart from me, you can do nothing."  Jesus wants us to produce a lot of fruit.  Good fruit like being kind, generous, and faithful.  Most of all, he wants us to love others as he has loved us.

Can we do that on our own?  No way.  Just as the lamp must be plugged in before its light can shine, and just as the branches must be connected to the vine before they can produce fruit, you and I must stay connected to Jesus to produce the good fruit that God expects of us.

Dear Father, help us to remember that we need to stay plugged in to Jesus if we are going to produce the kind of fruit you expect.  Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Who Is the Greatest?

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me." Mark 9:35-37 (NIV)

Have any of you ever read "The Rainbow Fish?" This book is about the most beautiful fish in the ocean. His scales were every shade of blue, green, and purple with sparkling silver scales mixed in. He was very beautiful, but he was also very selfish and self-centered. He was so beautiful that he thought he was too good to play with the other fish in the ocean.

One day a little blue fish asked Rainbow Fish for one of his beautiful, shimmering scales -- but he refused. Because of his selfishness, he was very unpopular with the other fish. He was not only the most beautiful fish in the ocean, he was also the loneliest fish in the ocean.

He told Starfish about his problem and Starfish sent him to talk to a wise old octopus. The octopus told Rainbow Fish that if he wanted to be happy, he should give one of his beautiful scales to each of the other fish. Rainbow Fish just could not imagine giving away his beautiful scales.

Once again, the little blue fish asked for one of Rainbow Fish’s scales. He hesitated for a moment, but finally pulled off one of his scales and gave it to the little blue fish. When the other fish saw the little blue fish with a shiny scale, Rainbow Fish was surrounded by fish asking for one of his shiny scales. Before he knew it, he had given away all of his shiny scales except for one. Suddenly he realized that although he was no longer the most beautiful fish in the ocean, he was happier than ever before.

This story reminds me of something that Jesus said to his disciples. One day He heard his disciples arguing about which of them would be the greatest in God's kingdom. Jesus said to them, "If you want to be first, you must be last and you must be the servant of all." He then put his arms around a little child and told his disciples, "If you welcome one of these, you welcome me; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes the one that sent me."

Sometimes we think the most important thing is to be the first, to be the most beautiful, to be the smartest, or to be the GREATEST! That isn't what Jesus said. He said that the most important thing was to think of others first and ourselves last. If we want to be great in God's sight, we should seek to be a servant rather than seeking to be served.

Dear Jesus, help us to remember that to be the greatest, we must be willing to be the least. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

God’s Toolbox


There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.   There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 1 Corinthians 12: 4-6

I have a tool box full of tools.  Why do you suppose I need so many tools?  It is because each of these tools has a different purpose.  There is no one tool that can do everything.  Here is a hammer.  If I need to drive in a nail, this is the tool I need.  If I needed to cut a piece of tin, this hammer just wouldn’t do, would it?  No, I would need these tin snips.  If I needed to put a screw into a piece of wood, these tin snips wouldn’t be of much help.  I would need this screwdriver.

The Church is like God’s tool box.  God has a lot of jobs to do and he has given the people in His Church different gifts and talents to help Him to do those jobs.  We are His tools!  To some he has given musical talent to help lead others in worship.  To some He has given the talent of teaching so that they can help others to learn more about Him.

If I needed to tighten a screw in my glasses, would this hammer help?  Would this great big screwdriver help?  No, I would need this little tiny screwdriver.  It doesn’t matter what your talent is and it doesn’t matter if you are big or small.  What does matter is that when God has a job for you to do, you need to be right there in His toolbox, ready and willing for Him to use you.

Lord, we thank you that you have given each of us special abilities to do things for you.  We pray that when you need us, we will be ready and willing to do what you need for us to do. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 The Servant King

 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.  Philippians 2: 5-7

All of you will recognize the object that I have with me this morning.  It is a crown.  Many of the teachers in the school where I teach use a crown similar to this one.  When a student celebrates his or her birthday, that student gets to wear a crown and is the "king or queen for the day."  Being the king or queen brings a lot of special privileges with it.  For example, you get to be first in line everywhere the class goes during the day.  You get to lead the class to recess, to the library, to P.E., and to music.  You even get to be first in line to eat lunch in the cafeteria.  The king or queen for the day also gets to do special things such as taking the attendance folder to the office.  It is really a good feeling to be the king or queen for the day because all of the other students look up to you and wish they were able to do the things you are doing.  All of the students in the class look forward to the day when they get to wear the crown.

Would you like to be a king or queen in real life?  A king or queen usually lives in a palace and has a lot of money, silver and gold, and jewels.  They are surrounded by servants who get them anything they want.  Everyone looks up to them and admires them.  Would you like to be treated like a king or queen every day?

Today I want to tell you about a king who took off his crown and gave up his throne to become a servant.  That King is Jesus.  The Bible tells us that Jesus put aside his Godly nature and came to earth to become a servant. When Jesus was on earth, he spent his entire life in service to others.  He healed the sick, he fed the hungry, he was a friend to those who had no friends.  Jesus never lived in a palace.  He had no money, no silver or gold, no jewels.  The only crown he ever wore while he was on this earth was a crown of thorns.

If I were to ask you if you want to be like Jesus, most of you would probably say, "Yes," but that isn't the question this morning.  The question today is, "Would you rather to be a servant or a king?"  Jesus chose to be a servant, and if we want to be like him, we must make the same choice.

Dear Jesus, our Servant King, help us to follow your example.  Help us to choose to love and to serve others.

[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]

 Sharing His Love


Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Luke 6:38

 

I have something to give to each of you this morning and I think it is something you will like. I have a Kiss for each of you. (Pass out the Kisses) Did everyone get a Kiss? Each and every one of you got a Kiss, didn't you? You didn't have to pay for it, did you? No, that Kiss was freely given to you. I paid for them and gave them to you. Now that you have it, you may do whatever you want with it. You may either keep it and eat it yourself, or you may give it away--it is up to you to decide. We are going to take about one minute to think about this. During that time, you may decide to keep your kiss, or you may take it and give it to someone else here this morning. It is your choice.

(At this point, there are several things that might happen. (1.) All of the children may decide to keep the Kiss for themselves. You would then show them your remaining Kisses and explain that you would have given them more if they had given theirs away. (2.) Several of them may give their Kiss away. You would give them several more, depending on how many you had left to give away. (3.) There may be only one or two who give their Kiss away. You could give them a whole lot more Kisses.)

Well, I see that some of you decided to keep your Kiss for yourself and some of you decided to give your Kiss to someone else. For those of you who gave your Kiss away, I am going to give you some more Kisses. For those who kept your Kiss, well, you still have it, don't you.

As all of you know, a kiss is one way that we use to show someone that we love them, so this morning, we are going to let these Kisses represent God's love for you. God's love is given freely, isn't it? We don't have to pay for it. Jesus paid the price when He died on the cross. When you have God's love, you can keep it to yourself, or you can choose to share it with others. As you share His love-- as you choose to give it away--the more you get in return. You see, that's the way it is with God's love. The more you share it, the more you get in return. As you enjoy your candy Kiss this morning, I hope you will think about God's love for you and that you will choose to share it with others.

Jesus, thank you for freely giving your love to us. Help us to remember that you have told us to share it with others.  Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Mountaintop Experiences

About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what he was saying.) Luke 9:28-33 (NIV)

One of the happiest days of my life was the day my son was born. This is a picture of me holding my new-born son. I think you can tell by the smile on my face that it was a very happy day for me. It was such a happy day that I found myself wishing that it would never end.

Even though the birth of my son was a very happy day, would it have been a good thing if it had never ended? No! That day was not a stopping place, it was a starting place. It was the start of a wonderful journey with my son. There would be many happy days to come...his first tooth, watching him take his first steps, his first day of school, his graduation from high school.

Have you ever had a day that was so wonderful that you wanted it to last forever? I am sure you probably have. Did you know that Jesus' disciples had days like that too? Our Bible lesson today is about one of those days.

One day, Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him up onto a mountain to pray. As Jesus was praying, something very strange happened. The Bible says that the appearance of his face began to change and that his clothing became as bright as a flash of lightning. Then, Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus. When Peter saw this, he was so excited that he told Jesus that he thought that they should just stay up there on the mountain and build three tabernacles -- one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.

Peter didn't understand that this wonderful experience on the mountain was not a stopping place -- it was a starting place. It was a starting place for God's greatest gift -- the gift of salvation. Following this moment on the mountain, Jesus died on a cross, was buried, and rose from the grave so that you and I could have eternal life in heaven.

God sends a lot of happy days into our life. The day that we meet Jesus is, without a doubt, the happiest day of our life, but it isn't a stopping place -- it is a starting point for a journey that leads to eternal life in heaven with Him.

Dear Father, we thank you for all of the happy days that you send our way, but most of all, we thank you for the happiest day -- the day we met Jesus and invited him into our heart. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Love One Another

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. John 15:12 (NIV)

I have a very special treat for you this morning.  Do you like cookies?  I love cookies.  I love to eat them and I love to share them with other people too.  It makes me feel so good to see the smile on a person's face when I share some cookies with them.

The cookies that I brought to share with you today are very special.  These cookies were made from a recipe that was used for many years by a special lady named Lottie Moon.  Lottie Moon lived many years ago.  She grew up in a Christian home and went to church and learned about Jesus and his love.

Lottie had six brothers and sisters.  One of her sisters was a missionary in China.  Reading the letters her sister wrote helped Lottie to come to love the Chinese people and decide that she also wanted to be a missionary to China.  Lottie went to college and studied to become a teacher then went to help her sister teach the children of China (IME 2004).

When she arrived in China, Lottie started a school and began to hold classes to teach boys and girls to read the Bible.  At first, the Chinese children were afraid of Lottie.  She tried to think of a way to get the children to trust her.  She decided to bake some cookies, but that didn't work.  You see, the children were afraid to eat the cookies because they were afraid that they might have poison in them.  One day, one of the boys was so hungry that he decided to try one of the cookies.  When he didn't get sick, the other children decided to try them too.  Soon, Lottie became known as "the cookie lady."  After the children ate the cookies, they would talk with Lottie, hear Bible stories and learn to read (IME 2004).

Why do you think Lottie loved the Chinese children so much?  I think it was because she believed and put into practice what Jesus taught his disciples.  Jesus said, "Love one another as I have loved you."  How much did Jesus love us?  He loved us so much that he gave his life for us.  Lottie loved the children of China so much that she dedicated her life to teaching them how to read and write.  And, even more important, she taught them about Jesus and his love.

Jesus loves you too -- and he wants you to love others as he loved you.  How can you show the love of Jesus to other people? Maybe you could bake cookies for a someone who is sad or lonely.  Maybe you could be a friend to a new student at school who doesn't know anyone.  You could go to visit and pray for someone who is sick.  There are a lot of ways to show people that you love them.

God wants all of us to be missionaries -- like Lottie Moon -- but you don't have to go to China to be a missionary. You can be a missionary right where you live!  In fact, I think that is what God wants us to do.

Dear Jesus, we thank that you loved us so much that you gave your life for us.  Help us to love one another as you have loved us.  Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 On the Mountain Top

After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." Mark 9:2-9

I have some beautiful pictures to show you this morning. They are pictures taken of some of the most beautiful mountain peaks you can imagine. Have you ever taken a vacation in the mountains? Of all the vacations that I have ever taken, the ones that I enjoyed the most were the ones that I took in the mountains.

Why do you think people enjoy vacationing in the mountains? One reason I enjoy the mountains is that I want to get away from the heat we so often have in West Texas. In the summer months, the heat can become almost unbearable at times and it feels good to get up into the cool mountain air.

Another reason I enjoy vacationing in the mountains is for the beautiful view. When you are down in the valley, it is often difficult to see and appreciate the beauty around you, but from the mountain top, you can clearly see all of the beauty of the world below.

One more reason that I enjoy vacationing in the mountains is to get away from hustle and bustle of everyday life. It is good to get away from the pressure of work and busy schedules, and just sit back and relax.

Did you know that even Jesus enjoyed getting away for a mountain retreat? The Bible tells us that one day Jesus took Peter, James and John high up into the mountains so that they could be alone. While on the mountain top, Jesus' appearance was changed and his clothes became a dazzling white. Then the disciples saw Moses and Elijah talking to Jesus. Peter became so excited that he told Jesus that he thought they should just stay up on the mountain.

Did Jesus and the disciples stay up on the mountain? No, Jesus knew that the purpose of their experience on the mountain top was to renew their strength for the difficult days that were ahead of them, so he led the disciples back down into the valley.

You and I sometimes need a vacation in the mountains to help us cope with the heat and stress of our every day life. We also need mountain top experiences in our daily walk with Jesus. We need those experiences to renew our strength for the difficult tasks that we face as we follow Jesus each day.

Dear Jesus, we are thankful for the wonderful mountain top experiences you give us to renew our strength for our daily walk with you. Amen.