Matthew 10 34 Childrens message

Children’s Message for July 2, 2006

Real Life and Freedom[i] MATTHEW 10:34-42

            Good morning, girls and boys. Do you know what today is? Wait for replies. Show flag. Yes, it's the Fourth of July or Independence Day. Why do we celebrate this day? Accept responses. Yes, it is when our country declared itself free from England. It's when we were born as a free nation.

            Once there was a boy who wanted freedom, who wanted to be happy, and who wanted to have a wonderful life. Show electronic game. This boy believed that if his parents would buy him an electronic game, then he would be happy and have a great life. The boy's birthday came and guess what his parents got him? Wait for answers. Yes, an electronic game. He played it all the time and soon became very good at it. But all he did was play that game. He didn't do his homework (show school book), so his grades dropped. He didn't play ball with his friends (show baseball), so they quit asking him. He didn't spend time talking with his family (show family picture). He didn't even want to go to church or Sunday school (show hymnal). All he did was play with his electronic game.

            Do you think the boy found true happiness? Wait for responses. No, he did not. The game took over his life and kept him from very important things. Do you know what happened? One of the boy's friends reminded him that Christ gave us true happiness when he died on the cross for our sins and arose again from the dead. Happiness comes from knowing that God loves us and from helping others know that too. The boy put down his game. He prayed that God would help him do what was right and to help others. Read Mt 10:39.

Point to cross. What is that? Wait for answers. Jesus says the only real life, the only true happiness, comes from him and not from a fancy toy (show game) or from being good at sports (show baseball) or even from making good grades (show school book). Jesus forgives us when we put other things ahead of him in our life and helps us learn to put him first. God is first in our lives when we share his love and help and serve others. When Jesus died and rose from the dead, he gave all of us true freedom.

VISUALS: Small U.S.A. flag, small hand-held electronic game, schoolbook, baseball, picture of a family, Bible, hymnal

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[i] Kurt F. Mews, minister of youth and education, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Napoleon, Ohio