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Children’s Sermon

Children’s Sermon

Matthew 25:14-30

Parable of the Talents

November 19, 2023

Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Year A

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ASK (a.k.a The On-Ramp)

Good morning!
[Hold up a bottle/jug of milk] What am I holding? (milk!)
Do you ever drink milk? (yes)
Have you ever tasted milk that sat in the refrigerator for too long? (maybe…)
If so, do you remember what it tasted like? (sour; was not very good; smelled funny)
We usually call milk that has been in the refrigerator for too long or left in room temperature for too long as spoiled milk.
But, did you know that milk is not the only drink/food that spoils?
Lots of different types of food and drink spoil - and once it spoils, then eating it will often make us not feel well.
Because you have to eat food before it spoils, it makes me think of a somewhat fun phrase of, “Use it or lose it.”

TELL (a.k.a. The Freeway)

Keep that “Use it or lose it” phrase in mind because we’re going to come back to it in a minute.
In today’s scripture story, Jesus tells a story (or a “parable”) about a boss who gives his workers lots and lots of gifts (in the story, these gifts are called talents)
One of the workers chooses to NOT use the talents that were given to him.
Instead, he buries his talents.
And did you hear what happened after he buried his talents?
That’s right! Later on, he lost all of his talents after he buried them.
In other words, that one worker didn’t use his talents and then experienced the “losing” part of “use it or lose it” when it came to the talents and gifts he had been given.

SHARE the Good News (a.k.a. The Destination)

I think one of the reasons Jesus tells this story is to remind us that we can lose the gifts and talents that God gives us.
But I think Jesus also tells this story to remind us of something even more important.
In the same parable, there are two other workers who DID use the talents that the boss gave to them.
And did you hear what happened for those two people? That’s right! They used their talents and those talents kept GROWING and GROWING and GROWING!
In other words, when we use the talents that God gives us, they become even better gifts!
And, one of the things that Jesus teaches us is how to better know about and then use the gifts that God has given to us.
Then, when we use those gifts that God gave us, those gifts just keep on giving and giving and giving – to us and to others!
That is the good news for today. Let’s pray.

CLOSING Prayer

This is a repeat-after-me prayer.

Dear God,

Thank you for Jesus…

…who shows us how…

…to receive the gifts you offer us…

…and how to use those gifts…

…for ourselves and those around us.

Thank you and Amen

Originally posted November 2, 2014

Updated on October 21, 2023
Written and edited by Nathanael Vissia

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Supplies: A carton/jug of milk or a picture of it (it is only for show – no drinking of it is required)

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