Sermons4Kids

[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]

Who Am I?

Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ." Mark 8:27-29 (NIV)

Do you like to play games? I have always enjoyed playing games. One game I like to play is called, "Who Am I?" I thought it would be fun to play the "Who Am I?" game this morning.

Here is how you play the game. I will give you clues about a person in the Bible. I have four clues for each person. I will read the clues one at a time. Whenever you think you know who the person is, raise your hand, and I will call on someone to guess. If you are wrong, you are out of the game until we start trying to guess another person.

Are you ready? Here is the first clue:

   * I was a tax collector
   * I cheated people out of their money
   * I was very, very small
   * I might be found up a tree

(Continue playing the game as time permits. When you are ready, end the game with the "Jesus" clues and then continue with the sermon.)

You know, I think Jesus liked to play the "Who Am I?" game too. One day he was with his disciples and he asked them, "Who do men say that I am?"

"Some say you are John the Baptist," said one of the disciples.

"Some say you are Elijah or one of the prophets," answered another.

"But who do you say that I am?" asked Jesus.

"You are the Christ," answered Peter.

Good old Peter! He got it right, didn't he? Did you know that there are still many people today who don't know who Jesus is? If you ask, they might say, "He was a great teacher." Or some might say, "He was a great religious leader." They don't know what Peter knew. They don't know what you and I know. They don't know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

Dear Jesus, we know who you are. You are God's only Son, the Savior of the world. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 The Power Source 

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. John 14:12 (NIV) All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:4 (NIV)

I love to listen to music. Whenever I am driving in my car, I always have the radio turned on -- or I am listening to a tape or a CD. Whenever I go for a walk, I like to take along this portable radio so I can enjoy listening to music as I walk.

Some of you may have a portable radio, tape player, or CD player similar to this one. If you do, then you know that before it can make music, it must have batteries in it. The batteries give the radio the power that it needs to be able to play. Without batteries, this radio can do nothing. Oh, it will still look like a radio, but without batteries, it has no power to do what it was created to do.

Before Jesus returned to heaven to be with his Father, he told his disciples that they would do even greater things than he had done when he was on earth. Now Jesus did some pretty great things, didn't he? He healed the sick. He turned water into wine. He made the blind to see and the crippled to walk. Where were the disciples going to get the power to do such great things? Jesus promised them that he would ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit would give them the power to do great and mighty things.

It happened just as Jesus said it would. On the day which is called Pentecost, the disciples were all together in one place. The Bible tells us that there was a sound from heaven like a mighty rushing wind and it filled the place where the disciples were gathered. Then, there were flames of fire that appeared and rested upon each of them. When these things happened, the disciples were filled with power and began to preach and teach about Jesus. They were able to do things that they had never done before because of the power of the Holy Spirit in them.

Did you know that you and I have that very same power available to us today? The Bible says that "all who are led by the Spirit are children of God." We who are the children of God have the power to do great and mighty things, not in our own strength, but through the power of the Holy Spirit that is within us.

Oh, one more thing about my radio -- even if it has batteries, it won't make music until it is turned on. That is true of you and me too. Some of us have the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus promised, but we haven't turned it on. Isn't it about time that we turned on the power that is within us?

Dear Father, help us to be turned on for Jesus so that we can do great and mighty things through the power of Your Holy Spirit. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Our Map and Our Guide 

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. John 16:13a (NIV)

Have you ever been lost? I have, and I can tell you that it isn't a good feeling. One time I was traveling at night and I took a wrong turn. As I drove, I began to get the feeling that I was headed in the wrong direction. Whenever I would come to a new road, I would turn in a new direction and soon I was hopelessly lost. I took out a map like this one. I looked at the map, but it didn't help because even though I could see where I wanted to go, I didn't know what direction I was going. I didn't know whether I was going north, south, east, or west. I was totally confused!

What I really needed that night was a map AND a compass! This is a compass. Most of you have probably seen a compass. The needle on the compass always points north. If a traveler knows which way north is, he will know what direction he is traveling. If I had only had a map and a compass, the map would have shown me the where to go and the compass would have pointed me in the right direction to get there.

As we travel through life, we need a map and a compass too. God has given us both. God has given us the Bible to be our map on the journey through life. But, sometimes the Bible is difficult for us to understand and it is hard to know the way we should go. God knew that, so He sent the Holy Spirit to be our guide. The Holy Spirit helps us to understand the Scripture and guides us in the right direction. That is what Jesus meant when he told his disciples, "But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you in all truth."

Oh...about my journey...I guess some of you are wondering how I ever found my way. Well, I wandered around for so long that it began to get light. When the sun came up, I knew that the sun comes up in the east. That was exactly the direction that I needed to go, so I just followed the sun!

Hey! You know, that's a pretty good idea! When you are lost and confused -- if you can't read the map and you don't have a compass -- just follow the Son...God's Son!

Dear Father, we thank you for giving us Your Holy Word to be our roadmap through life. We also thank you for sending Your Holy Spirit to be our guide. Most of all, we thank you for sending Your Son to be our Savior. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 A Debt We Can Never Repay

"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You have judged correctly," Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." Luke 7:41-47 (NIV)

He was just a young boy, perhaps eight or nine years old. He was playing with a friend who let him ride his bicycle. After riding the bicycle for a while, the boy got off and parked it behind a car in the driveway. Soon, the lady who owned the car came out of the house and got in the car. She started the engine and began to back out of the driveway. You can guess what happened.

"CRUNCH!" The sound was unmistakable. Without looking, both boys knew what had happened. The lady had backed right over the bicycle. All that remained was a pile of twisted metal.

The lady jumped out of her car and began to apologize. "I am so sorry. I didn't see the bicycle. I will gladly pay to buy you another one."

What a relief! The boy's worries were over -- except for having to tell his dad.

The boy didn't really want to tell his father what had happened, but he knew he would find out anyway. When he told his father what had happened and that the lady who ran over the bicycle was going to buy his friend a new one, the father said, "No way, she did not do anything wrong. It was your fault. You are the one who is responsible."

The boy's heart sank. He didn't have the money to pay for the bicycle. All he had was a few dollars in his piggy bank.

Then the father looked at the boy and said, "Son, we all make mistakes. I know that you don't have the money to buy your friend a new bicycle. I will pay for the bicycle."

The little boy ran to his daddy, put his arms around his neck, and with tears running down his cheeks, he whispered in his daddy's ear, "Thank you, daddy. I love you!"

That is a good picture of what our Heavenly Father has done for us. We have all made mistakes -- the Bible calls them sins. The Bible tells us that our Father loved us so much that he sent his only Son to die on the cross to pay for our sins. There is no way that we could ever repay him for what he has done for us. All we can do is say, "Thank you" and try to show him how much we love him.

That is what today's Bible lesson teaches us. (Read Luke 7:41-47)

How often do you tell your heavenly Father that you love him? How do you show it?

Dear Father, we love you and we just want to say, "Thank you." You paid a debt we can never repay. 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]

 Making Excuses 

As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good bye to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." Luke 9:57-62 (NIV)

I am sure that all of you have been absent from school. As you know, when a child is absent from school, his parents must write an excuse so that the school will know why the child was absent. Sometimes the excuses are pretty hard to believe and sometimes they can be very funny. I have some notes this morning that are good examples of excuses that parents have written for their children.

"Please excuse Josh for being absent. I forgot to wake him up and I did not find him until I started making the beds -- by then it was too late for him to go to school."

"John didn't come to school yesterday because he was feeling like he was going to be sick. Thankfully, he wasn't!"

"Please excuse Janet's absence from school. It was Take Your Daughter to Work Day. Since I don't have a job, I made her stay home and do housework."

"Please excuse Ricky from school yesterday. He spilled gasoline on his stomach and I was afraid he might explode."

This one is my all-time favorite!

"Please excuse Mary for missing school yesterday. We forgot to get the Sunday paper off the porch and when we found it on Monday, we thought it was Sunday."

Making excuses is not new. People even made excuses in Jesus' day. One day, Jesus was walking along the road with a group of people. Jesus turned to one of the men and said to him, "Follow me."

The man answered, "First let me go and bury my father."

That sounds like a good excuse, but we don't even know that the man's father was dead. He may have wanted to wait until his father died before he began to follow Jesus.

Jesus answered him, "Let the dead bury their own dead. You go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

Jesus then turned to another man in the crowd and said, "Follow me."

The man answered, "I will follow you, Lord, but first let me go back home and say goodbye to my family."

Jesus did not like this man's excuse either. He said to him, "No man who starts to plow and then looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."

Jesus was calling those who would give up everything -- family, friends, their job -- and follow him. What he got instead was excuses.

Jesus is still calling today, "Follow me!" Will you follow, or will you make excuses?

Dear Jesus, when you call us, may we never offer excuses. Instead, may we be willing to give up everything and follow you. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 It All Depends on Jesus
 
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every t own and place where he was about to go. He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. Luke 10:1-4 (NIV)

I am getting ready to go on vacation. I have my bags all packed and ready to go. I am really looking forward to this chance to "get away from it all" so I can relax. I have a list of all the things I need to take with me on vacation.

• Clothes - enough for two weeks
• Hair dryer - in case they don't have one at the hotel
• Shaving kit (or cosmetic case) - to stay looking my best
• Some comfortable shoes - for when I have to walk
• Sandals - in case I go to the beach
• Swim suit - for the beach or the hotel swimming pool
• Camera - for sightseeing trips
• Laptop computer - in case I need to do some work
• A book - in case I get bored
• Traveler's checks, plenty of cash, and credit cards

Can you think of any other things I may have forgotten? I want to make sure that I have everything I might need on the trip. Sometimes I think that when I go on vacation, I am not really "getting away from it all" -- I am taking it all with me!

The Bible tells us that Jesus appointed seventy-two of his followers and sent them out, two-by-two, to go into every town and place where he was about to go. Do you know what Jesus told them to take with them? Nothing!

Jesus said to them, "Go!" Then he went on to say, "Do not even take a purse, or a bag, or a pair of sandals."

Now, why did Jesus say that? I think it is because when Jesus sends someone on a mission, their success or failure does not depend upon what they bring with them -- it depends on him! One reason I can be pretty certain of that is because of something else Jesus told the people when he sent them out. He said, "He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."

Just as Jesus sent out the seventy-two people, he wants you and me to go to people today and share the good news that the kingdom of God is near. The results do not depend upon us. We should not become puffed up when people receive the message and we should not be discouraged when they reject the message. We should just go and tell as if everything depends on Jesus -- because it does!

Dear Jesus, may we be ready and willing to go when you say, "Go!" and leave the results up to you. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

A Topsy Turvy World

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."  Mark 9:35 (NIV)

Have you ever heard someone say, "We live in a 'Topsy Turvy' world?"  Do you know what that means?  It means that everything is the opposite of what people think it should be.  Everything is backward or upside down.  It means that things are confused and disorganized because everything is happening in the wrong order.  Here is a poem that I learned in school that might help you to understand it a little bit better.

If Things Grew Down
by Robert D. Hoeft

If things grew down instead of up,
A dog would grow into a pup.
A cat would grow into a kitten,
Your sweater would grow into a mitten.
A cow would grow into a calf,
A whole would grow into a half.
Big would grow into something small,
And small would grow into nothing at all!

It would really be confusing if we lived in a world like that, wouldn't it?  That must have been how the disciples felt one day when Jesus was trying to teach them a lesson about who was the greatest in the Kingdom of God.

Jesus and his disciples were walking along the road when Jesus heard them arguing among themselves.  When they arrived at the house where they were going, Jesus asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?"  The disciples didn't answer because they were embarrassed.  You see, they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. But they didn't have to say anything, because Jesus already knew.

"So you want first place, do you?" Jesus said. "Then you must take the last place. If you want to be the greatest, then you must be a servant to all."  Then Jesus called a small child over to him and put his arms around him.  "If anyone welcomes a little child like this, he welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes my Father who sent me."

The disciples must have thought, "What a Topsy Turvy world!  If you want to be first, you have to go to the end of the line!  If you want to be the greatest, you must become a servant!  If you want to be important, you have to become like a little child!"

The teachings of Jesus are very different from the way most people think today.  We live in a world where people want to be first.  They want power and influence.   They think that adults are more important than children, but in God's Kingdom, the children are just as important as anyone.  Aren't you glad they are?

Dear Father, we thank you for your love for children.  Help us to remember as we grow older, that to be great in your sight, we must come to you as a child.  Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 A Neighbor's a Neighbor!
(No Matter How Small)


The Parable of the Good Samaritan - Luke 10:25-37

I am a great fan of Dr. Seuss. I love his books. Of all the wonderful characters Dr. Seuss has created, my very favorite is Horton the Elephant. Horton is such a kind and compassionate character. I think we all could learn a lot from Horton.

The book I have today is called "Horton Hears a Who!" At the beginning of the story, Horton was splashing around in a cool jungle pool when he heard a small voice crying for help. He looked all around, but he did not see anyone. All he saw was a tiny speck of dust floating through the air. Horton realized that there was someone on that speck of dust who was calling for help. As it turned out, there was a whole town of people on that little speck of dust. They were calling out for help because they were afraid that the speck of dust would fall into the pool of water and they would drown. Even though they were so small that he couldn't even see them, Horton made up his mind that he was going to help them. "After all," he said, "A person's a person, no matter how small."

All of the other animals in the jungle thought Horton was crazy. First, a kangaroo, then some monkeys, and finally an eagle all made fun of Horton for wanting to help the people on the speck of dust. Why, they even tried to put Horton in a cage.

Even though none of the other animals would help him, Horton refused to give up. He remained faithful to the task of saving the tiny people who needed his help. Because of his faithfulness, the tiny people were saved and finally, the other animals realized that just as Horton had said, "A person's a person, no matter how small."

The story of Horton reminds me a little bit of our Bible story today. One day, a lawyer asked Jesus what he had to do to have eternal life. When Jesus asked him what the Bible said, the lawyer answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus answered, "You are right. Do this and you will live." Then the lawyer, wanting to justify himself, asked Jesus another question. "Who is my neighbor?" he asked.

To answer this question, Jesus told a story about a man who was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by robbers. They beat him, took his money, stripped him of his clothes, and left him beside the road to die.

A priest came by and when he saw the man, he crossed over to the other side of the road and continued on his way.

A little while later, a Levite who worked in the temple came along. He also saw the man lying there and passed by on the other side of the road.

Finally, a man from Samaria came along, and when he saw the man, he stopped to help him. He put medicine on his wounds and wrapped them with bandages. That isn't all. He took the man to an inn and took care of him. The next day, he gave the innkeeper some money and told him to take care of the man. "Give him anything he needs. If it costs more than I have given you, I will pay you the next time I am here."

Then Jesus asked, "Which of these three men was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by the robbers."

The lawyer answered, "The one who helped him."

"You are right," said Jesus, "now you go and do the same."

Jesus has told us to love our neighbor. If you have trouble knowing who your neighbor is, just remember the story of "Horton Hears a Who!" and the story of the Good Samaritan -- then you will know that every person is your neighbor and "A neighbor's a neighbor, no matter how small!"

Dear Father, help us to love you with all our hearts and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

The Most Important Thing

As they went on their way, they came to a town where a woman named Martha lived. She cared for Jesus in her home. Martha had a sister named Mary. Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to all He said. Martha was working hard getting the supper ready. She came to Jesus and said, 'Do You see that my sister is not helping me? Tell her to help me.' Jesus said to her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. Only a few things are important, even just one. Mary has chosen the good thing. It will not be taken away from her.' Luke 10: 38-42

Do you ever get hungry during church? Sometimes I get so hungry that I just don't think I can make it through the sermon. This was one of those mornings, so I went to MacDonald's and got a hamburger. If you will excuse me, I am going to eat it right now. (Start removing the items from the paper bag one at a time, commenting on each one as you take it out. When you have removed all of the items from the bag, show surprise and concern that something seems to be missing -- the hamburger.)

Can you imagine that? I got so interested in getting all of these things to go with my hamburger, that I forgot the most important thing. I forgot to get the hamburger!
 
You probably think I am pretty foolish to have forgotten the hamburger, after all, that was the most important thing. Well, I am not the only person to ever do something so foolish. That is what our Bible lesson is about this morning.

As Jesus and his disciples were traveling, they came to a town where Martha lived with her sister Mary. The sisters welcomed Jesus into their home and Martha immediately began to work very hard to get supper ready for Jesus. While Martha busied herself in preparing the meal, Mary just sat at the feet of Jeus and listened to his teaching.

Martha was upset that her sister was not helping her, so she went to Jesus and said, "Do you see that my sister is not helping me? Tell her to help me."

Jesus answered, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about too many things. Only a few things are important, perhaps just one. Mary has chosen that one thing and I will not take it away from her."

Many of us make the same mistake that Martha made. We get so busy working, going to school, playing, or watching television that we often forget the most important thing. We forget to spend time with Jesus! We must be very careful that we don't get so busy doing good things that we leave out the best! After all, Jesus is the most important thing!

Dear Jesus, help us to remember that you are the most important thing in our lives. Don't let us get so busy with other things that we forget to spend time with you. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Just Do It!

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Luke 11:9-10

What do you think of when you see this symbol? Right! You think of Nike. As you know, Nike is one of the world's leading manufacturers of sport's equipment. At one time, they were just known as a running shoe company, but now they make sports equipment for just about every sport you can imagine. Probably just about everyone in the world would recognize this Nike symbol.

Whenever we think of Nike, we also think of their slogan, "Just Do It!" What does that mean? Well, since Nike is in the business of making sports equipment, it means that when it comes to sports, don't talk about it -- just do it! Don't just talk about running, go out and run. Don't just talk about basketball, go out and play the game. Don't just talk about...well, I think you get the idea.

One day Jesus was with his disciples and they asked him to teach them how to pray. Jesus didn't say, "Well, first you get down on your knees, like this; then you fold your hands like this; then you close your eyes; and then you start to pray. After giving them an sample prayer, he said to them, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." In other words, Jesus told his disciples that the most important rule of prayer is -- "Just Do It!"

When we come to church, we talk a lot about prayer, don't we? When someone is sick, we say, "We need to pray for the sick." When someone is having financial problems, we say, "We need to pray for the poor." When there is war in the world, we say, "We need to pray for peace." We talk a lot about prayer, but what we really need is to "Just Do It!" In fact, I think we should stop talking about it right now -- and "Just Do It!"

Dear Father, we ask you to heal those who are sick, we ask you to provide food for those who are hungry, we ask you to bring peace where there is war. We ask these things because you are the one who gives us every good gift, and you have told us that everyone who asks receives. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 A Fool and His Money

Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Luke 12:15 (NIV)

Do you like to watch game shows on television? I have always been a big fan of TV game shows. One of my favorite game shows of all time was a show called "Let's Make a Deal." On that show, contestants would be given a chance to trade a prize that they had already won for a prize that was hidden behind curtain #1, #2, or #3. Sometimes they would win a great prize, but sometimes they would end up with a worthless prize. Let's play the game so you will see how it works.

To begin the game, I have a prize for someone. I have a prize for someone who made their bed this morning. Did anyone here make their bed this morning? Oh great! Here is a prize for you. (Give a treat to the child you have chosen ahead of time.) Now, I have a deal for you. You can keep the treat I have given you, or you can trade it for what is in box #1. Before you make your decision, I will tell you that one of these boxes has a nice prize. The other two do not. Do you want to trade? You do? Great, give me back the treat.

First, let's see what is in box #3. (Open box #3 to show a gag prize.) Now we know that the prize is in box #1 or box #2. You have what is in box #1, right? I have another deal for you. You can keep what is in box #1, or you can trade it for what is in box #2. Do you want to trade for box #2? You do? Great! You now have what is in box #2. First, let's see what is in box #1. (Open box #1 to reveal another gag prize.) Great! You have won the prize! (Open box #2 and give the child the prize.)

That turned out quite well, didn't it? Unfortunately, it doesn't always work that way in real life. Sometimes people go through life making deals and trying to build up more and more wealth. They think that the more money and possessions they have, the happier they will be.

Jesus warned about that. He said, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." He then told the story of a man whose land had produced so much grain that he had no place to store it. Even though he had plenty, he wanted more, so he decided to tear down his barns and build bigger ones. Jesus said the man was a fool, for when his life was over, he would leave everything behind. He would leave this world with nothing.

Life is not a TV game show and God doesn't make deals. God has promised to supply all of our needs, but He has not promised to fulfill every selfish wish. "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed."

Dear Father, help us to be content with the blessings which you so generously give us and help us to be on guard against selfishness and greed. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Where Is Your Heart?


For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  Luke 12:34

I'm sure that most of you know what this is.  It is a checkbook.  You probably don't have a checkbook, but your mom and dad do, and I am sure that you have seen them use it many times.  Most of us don't like to carry a lot of money around with us, so we put our money in the bank and when we need to buy something, we just write a check to pay for it.  Now, it is very important to keep track of all of the checks we have written so that we don't spend more money than we have in the bank.  Every time I write a check, I write down in this checkbook who I wrote the check to and for how much money.  That way I have a record of exactly how much money I have spent and how I spent it.

You know, you can tell a lot about a person by looking at their checkbook.  You can tell what is really important to a person by how they spend their money.   Let's look in my checkbook and see where I have written checks.  Hmmm, here is one to the Joe's Pizza House, here is another to the Dairy Queen, and another to Burger King, and here's one to Taco Bueno, here's one to the Chinese Kitchen.  In one brief look at my checkbook, you have learned two things about my family.  My wife and I both like to eat, and neither of us likes to cook.  Yes, you can tell a lot about a person by reading their checkbook.

Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."  The heart is a symbol for love, isn't it?  So what Jesus was saying is that you can tell what a person really loves by what he treasures the most.  How do you know what a person treasures the most?  Do you ask them what the most important thing is in their life?  No, I think there are two ways you can tell what is most important to a person.  The first is how they spend their money and the second is how they spend their time.

If we say that we love God, but spend every cent we have on ourselves, do we love God or self?  If we say that we love God, but we never spend any time with Him, do we really love Him?  Jesus said that we should love our neighbor as ourselves.  If we say that we love our neighbor but we never share what God has given us with them, do we really love our neighbor?  You don't learn what a person's treasure is by asking them.  You learn by watching how they spend their time and their money.  Look at the things you spend your time and money on and then ask yourself, "What do I treasure?  Where is my heart?"

Dear Jesus, help us to make sure that our heart is in the right place.  Help us to show our love for you and for one another in the way we spend our time and our money.  Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Run the Race


Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

Our Bible reading today says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Have you ever run a race? Have you ever won a medal or a trophy for running a race? This medal reminds me that the 2004 Olympics have already begun. Athletes from all over the world have gathered together in Athens, Greece. They are there for one reason -- to compete for a medal.

Several years ago when the Olympics were held in Barcelona, Spain, the world saw one of the greatest moments in Olympic history.

Derek Redmond, a young man from Britain, had dreamed all his life of winning a gold medal in the 400 meter race. He had worked hard to get to the Olympics and his dream was within his reach. He was in the semi-finals and was running the race of his life. He could see the finish line just ahead as he rounded the final turn. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in the back of his leg and he fell to the track with a torn muscle in his right leg.

As the medical attendants ran toward him, Derek struggled to his feet. He started to hop toward the finish line on one foot in an attempt to finish the race. Suddenly, a large man came out of the stands, pushed aside a security guard and ran to Derek's side. It was Jim Redmond, Derek's father. "You don't have to do this," he told his son. "Yes, I do," said Derek. "Well, then," said his father, "we're going to finish this together."

And they did. They stayed in Derek's lane all the way to the end. At first, the crowd watched in silence. Then they rose to their feet and cheered -- and wept.

Derek Redmond didn't win the gold medal, but he walked away with the incredible memory of a loving father who, when he saw his son in pain, left his seat in the stands to help him finish the race.

That is what our Bible lesson is about today. It teaches us that life is like a race that has been set before us. We may struggle and face many obstacles, but we have a great crowd of witnesses who are cheering us on. We have a Heavenly Father who loves us and will help us when the pain is too great. We have a Savior, who left his place in heaven and came to earth to show us how to run the race. If we will keep our eyes on him, how can we help but finish the race?

Dear Jesus, sometimes life is difficult. Help us to keep our eyes on you and to run the race that is before us. Amen.