DON'T
FORGET TO BOOKMARK TheChildrensSermon.com
Would you like to receive notice of
each new sermon posted? Click
"Contact" (above) and
e-mail your request to join The Children's
Sermon's mailing list.
Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Gospel:
Matthew 16: 21-28
Being a Follower
Highlighted
Verses: Matthew 16: 24-25
24Then Jesus told his
disciples, “If any want to
become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross
and follow me.
25For those who want to
save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake
will find it.
Have
you ever played Follow the Leader?
Let's try. I'm going to move and I want you to do just the same things
- as if you were my reflection in the mirror. Ready? (Model a variety
of motions and have the children "mirror" your actions.)
You did a great job following my lead! In this week's Gospel lesson
Jesus talks to the disciples about what it means to be a "follower."
How would you explain that word? What does it mean to be a follower?
(Solicit children's responses.)
That's right. A follower is someone who does things in a way that
someone else (a "leader") helps to decide. Being a follower can be a
hard thing - because it means sometimes putting aside the things we want to do and following someone
else's lead.
Sometimes we are called to be followers of people who have "leader
jobs" - like teachers or our bosses at work. But our most important
leaders are people we follow - not because we have to - but because we choose to.
Jesus is a leader like that. No one is forced to be a Christian - and
yet people all over the world choose to follow Jesus because they've
decided all by themselves that Jesus is someone whose life and
teachings are worth copying.
Following a leader like Jesus isn't always an easy job - and if you
listen carefully that's what you'll hear him tell the disciples today.
He reminds them that being his followers will sometimes mean choosing
to do things other than the things they want. It might mean taking care
of someone else's needs when you'd really like to take care of your
own. And it might mean deciding not to do something that would make you
feel good because you know it's just not the right thing to do. Will
you listen for that today?
Will you be my followers again? (Fold hands for prayer.) Let's pray.
Dear God,
We are your followers, not because we have to be but because we choose
to be. Give us the strength to put aside our selfish ways and follow
your example as we live day to day.
Amen.
Copyright
2008 - The Children's
Sermon.Com