Children’s Sermon: “Help Is On the Way”

“Help Is On the Way”
Luke 7:1-10
June 2, 2013 (Second Sunday of Pentecost)
First Christian Church
Minneapolis, MN

Do you know what’s been happening in Oklahoma?  Yes, the people who live there have had to deal with tornadoes.  Tornadoes are scary.  I’ve been through one and they are not nice.  People who had homes lost their homes and all the things that were in it.  It’s very sad.

But you know what?  A lot of people have been helping the people of Oklahoma.  People have given money to things like Week of Compassion to help people have food to eat or a place to stay.

There’s a story in the Bible, it’s in the seventh chapter of Luke, where Jesus meets the friend of a soldier.  The soldier was from another country, that ruled Israel where Jesus lived.  Even though he was from a different country, he was friends with the people in the town he lived in.  He even built a synogogue for his friends so they could worship God.  Well, this soldier’s servant was really sick and he was really concerned.  He knew Jesus could heel his servant so his friends went to Jesus and told him the story of this man.  Jesus went to see the soldier when some more friends came and said the Jesus that he didn’t have to meet the soldier face to face.  He believed that Jesus could heal the servant from far away.

Jesus was really surprised.  He healed the servant because of the soldier’s face.  It was important that Jesus healed the servant and it was important that the soldier had such faith, but you know what was really important?  The soldier’s friends.  Even though he was from a far-a-way land they cared for him and wanted to help him.  If they weren’t around, the soldier wouldn’t be able to share that his servant was sick.

It’s important to be helpers.  That’s why we as followers of Jesus pray for each other or give money to help people when bad things happen.  There was a man that I used to watch on TV when I was around your age.  His name was Mr. Rogers and he was a pastor.  He said that whenever we are scared we should look for people to help.

A few months ago, a fire burned down a church in Kentucky.  We sent them some hymnals so they could sings songs in service.  We did that because we wanted to help and because we believe in God and Jesus who always helps us.  God is always there to help us and because of that, we should be ready to help others.  Let’s pray.

Dear God, help us to have the faith of soldier and help us to be helpers to others who are in need.  We pray for all the kids here as they end their school years and start the summer.  Amen.