“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you” (Matthew 6:33). Jesus says it plain and simple here.  Seek the Lord first.  Do not let this just be an idea in your head, but the reality of your life.  Seek the Lord.  He is here and may be found.  When your priorities are straight, everything else falls into place.  The Father knows what you need.  He knew you before you were born and He knows the plans He has for you.  Seek His righteousness. Lord, I fight against You because I do not want to be controlled ..read more

John 3:1-17 Script Props: You will need three images for this children’s sermon, printed out on paper. The first is an image of Jesus, the second, an image of a dove, and the third, a burning bush. Put the image of Jesus on a cross in your church, the dove on the baptismal font, and the burning bush on the alter, stained glass Ten Commandments, or a Bible. Pastor: Good morning boys and girls! Welcome! Let’s say good morning to our friend Sammy and see if she is there. Ready? One, two, three: Good morning, Sammy! Sammy: Good morning, everyone! I have something really special for all of you to d ..read more

“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’  For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things” (Matthew 6:31-32). What is it that you live for?  We live in an age where people scramble one on top of the other seeking after approval, status, or any number of other things.  Jesus is asking us why we would fall into the trap of these things.  Why do you live for food or clothing?  You were created for real and eternal life.  The Father ..read more

“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!” (Matthew 6:30) Do you not see that the Lord provides for all, sometimes even if it is for just a short while?  The Lord knows what we all need.  He provides.  Yes, there are the covetous and greedy who take from others, but there is enough for all.  How much time do you waste fretting over things that are temporary.  Do you spend the same amount of time seeking the Lord and His wisdom? Lord, You are always ..read more

And why are you worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin thread for cloth, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these” (Matthew 6:28-29). Have you noticed how fashions are always changing?  The purpose of clothing is both for modesty and coverage for weather.  That’s it.  But how we love to make frills and changes.  Clothing is fine, but remember that Jesus left behind one thing that others wanted, his heavy outer garment.  Clothing is just a covering.  What i ..read more

“Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they?  And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span?” (6:26-27) In the sight of God, so much of what we do is quite silly.  Work hard, accumulate stuff, die, and the stuff is given away.  Rich or poor, it seems to be the same.  The point?  Really, it’s quite pointless.  What are you here for?  You have been invited to be transformed into the image of Christ by grace th ..read more

Gospel: John 15:9-17 Script Pastor: Good morning boys and girls! Welcome! Let’s say good morning to our friend Sammy and see if she is there. Ready? One, two, three: Good morning, Sammy! Sammy: Good morning, everyone! Pastor, are we friends? Pastor: Sammy, you are my very special friend. Sammy: Really, Pastor? Pastor: Yes, really, Sammy. Sammy: Really? Pastor: Yes. Sammy: You’re sure? Pastor: Yes, Sammy. If you ask me again, I might change my mind. Sammy: Pastor, would you die for me? Pastor: Well, why do you ask? Sammy: Jesus says in the gospel reading that the greatest love we can have for e ..read more

John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 Script Pastor: Good morning boys and girls! Welcome! Let’s say good morning to our friend Sammy and see if she is there. Ready? One, two, three: Good morning, Sammy! Sammy: Good morning, everyone! Pastor: Sammy what is the best gift you have ever received? Sammy: That’s easy, Pastor. The best gift I ever received was the day we became friends. Pastor: That was a great day, Sammy. Sammy: Oh and another great gift I received was fresh hay from Shepherd John. Pastor: It’s the little things that delight you, isn’t it, Sammy? Sammy: Exactly! Pastor: Boys and girls, what is t ..read more

John 17:6-19 Script Pastor: Good morning boys and girls! Welcome! Let’s say good morning to our friend Sammy and see if she is there. Ready? One, two, three: Good morning, Sammy! Sammy: Good morning, everyone! I have a question for you: Who do you pray for? [Allow time for responses] Sammy: Great answers, everyone! Pastor, who do you pray for? Pastor: I pray for my family, our church, and anything else on my heart. Sammy: I pray for my maamaa and all my aunts and uncles and cousins. And Shepherd John. And I pray for you, Pastor. And all the boys and girls here. And— Pastor: You pray for a lot ..read more

“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25) What control do you have over tomorrow?  None, not one, has control over what tomorrow will look like.  So why do you worry?  Life is more than the physical things that are experienced.  Life is in and of the Lord.  He who created you calls you into His life so that you may be made complete. Complete is the better translation for the w ..read more