Children’s Sermon

Luke 19:1-10

Welcome God’s Love

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Luke 19:1-10
Welcome God’s Love

By Lois Parker Edstrom

Object suggested: Tape measure to demonstrate heights

Today let’s talk about being short. Kids know what it feels like to be short. All of us have been kids and experienced that. You may need help getting items from a tall shelf. And, when you are in a crowd you are unable to see what is beyond because of the taller people standing around you. You may need to be lifted onto your daddy’s shoulders to see a parade or other event.

While it may seem there are obstacles to being short, none of these minor annoyances are things that would stop you from accomplishing your goals. All through history people who are short have made great contributions and done many things to improve the world and help others. Short people have been outstanding astronauts, scientists, musicians, artists, athletes, to name a few.

Laura Ingalls Wilder, who wrote the “Little House on the Prairie,” and other books in a series that many of you may have read, was 4’11” tall. Mother Teresa helped the sick and dying children of India and was 5′ tall. Olga Korbut, a Russian girl, was chosen to be a gymnast because of her height ( 4′ 11″) and won three Gold Medals at the Olympics. Andrew Carnegie, a good businessman who donated money so that many libraries could be built, was 5′ tall. (Demonstrate these heights.)

There is even a story in the Bible about a short person. Zacchaeus was “short” (19:3) and he could not see Jesus who was passing through his town so he climbed a tree for a better view. When Jesus came by he saw Zacchaeus up in the tree and he said, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house” (19:5).

Zacchaeus hurried down and was very happy to welcome Jesus. No matter what our size, no matter that we are children or adults, we all have an opportunity to welcome Jesus into our lives. We all have the same opportunity to receive God’s love and use God’s love to accomplish great things that will help others.

Scripture quotations from the World English Bible