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Children’s Sermon

Luke 14:1, 7-14

God’s Honor Is Enough

August 28, 2022

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Year C

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

Good morning!
Have you ever heard of or seen a dog or a cat chase its own tail?
Optional: Maybe like this? (Show gif on your phone - if it doesn’t show below this text, you can view it HERE )

Did you think it was funny? Why did you think it was funny?

Because they just go around and around and around in circles?
Because its kind of cute?
Because they are chasing something they already have? [be sure to say this one yourself, if one of the kids do not say it]

You’re right, it is silly.
But what if that’s all that cat or dog did was chase their tail, every minute, every hour, every day of their entire life!?
Then it’d stop being funny, because they’re spending their whole life chasing something they already have! Then it would change from being kind of silly to being kind of sad, right?

TELL (a.k.a. The Freeway)

In today’s scripture story, the Pharisees are watching Jesus very carefully to see how close Jesus will sit to the person who is having everyone over for the dinner.
This person who is having everyone over is called the host.
The idea was that the closer Jesus sat to the host, the more important Jesus thought of himself.
If that doesn’t make much sense, think of it like a race: The closer you sat to the host, the closer you thought you were to winning the race.
But Jesus knew that he didn’t need to win a race or sit in the best seat.
Which is why Jesus then tells the Pharisees why they, like him, don’t need to win the race or care about where everyone sits.
Jesus basically tells them, “Why do you care about getting first place to prove that you are important? You are chasing what you already have. God already likes and loves and honors and respects you. God already thinks you are important!”

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

What Jesus tells the Pharisees is a good thing for us to remember for ourselves as well.
God is already offering us God’s love, respect, honor and glory, which means we don’t need to chase after it or try to get it from other people.
We don’t need to be like the dog or cat that chases its tail all the time.
Instead, we can receive these gifts of love, respect, honor and glory from God and then share those gifts with the people around us who don’t yet know that God loves, honors and respects them, too.
That’s the good news for today. Let’s pray.

CLOSING Prayer

This is a repeat-after-me prayer.

Dear God,

Help us to receive…

…your love, respect, honor and glory…

…so that we can share it…

…with those around us.

Thank you and Amen

Originally posted August 16, 2013
Updated on August July 31, 2022
Written and edited by Nathanael Vissia

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