Children’s Sermon

Mark 9:38-50

Salt is Good

By Lois Parker Edstrom

OBJECTS SUGGESTED:

Salt shaker or a box of salt and a bowl of popcorn.

Jesus said, “Salt is good…” (9:50). Why do you think he said that?

Yes, we use salt to flavor our food. A little pinch of salt here and there makes food taste better.

Salt is added to bread dough, cookies and cakes, vegetables, and meats. You may like to add a dash of salt to your breakfast egg.

I like salt on popcorn. When you salt popcorn, do choose just one kernel to salt? No, that would be silly. You shake salt on all the kernels in the bowl – the entire bowl of popcorn is salted.

What does this have to do with today’s Bible lesson? Let’s find out.

Jesus said, “Salt is good…” He also said, “Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another” (9:50).

We can think of salt as God’s love that adds flavor to our lives. Love helps us become better people who are able to make better choices. Is God’s love only for a few? No, God’s love is offered to everyone, just as salt is shaken on the entire bowl of popcorn.

Jesus says, “Have salt (love) in yourselves,” and he also says, “Be at peace with one another.”

We accept God’s love for ourselves and learn how to share that love with others.

We may have disagreements with our friends, family members, classmates, members of our church, but Jesus reminds us that we should get along and find ways to “be at peace with one another.”

Scripture quotations from the World English Bible

Copyright 2009, Richard Niell Donovan