Children’s Sermon

Mark 12:41-44

To Give or Not to Give

OBJECT: Ten one-dollar-bills.

Have you ever worked hard at home or at your grandparent’s house and afterwards they gave you money? (Allow children to answer.) That happened to the twins, Kyle and Kelly. They worked hard every day for a week at their Grandparents’ home. They pulled up weeds and raked everything up into piles. They cleaned all the weeds and grass out of the flowerbed along the sidewalk and they helped plant flowers in the flowerbed.

That Saturday, their grandparents gave Kyle five one-dollar bills. (Pick up the stack of bills, and count out five bills.) And they gave Kelly five one-dollar bills. (Count out the second stack of bills.) They were so excited to have so much money.

On the way home, they talked about what they would buy. Kyle wanted a solar powered dump truck. Kelly decided she would like a new journal so she could write in it each day.

The next morning, when they went to church the pastor talked about a special project to give toys and food to homeless families. People could put money in a box at the back of the church if they wanted to help.

Kyle and Kelly remembered a story from the Holy Bible that helped them decide what to do. The story went like this: Jesus was sitting near the place called the treasury, where people gave money to help in the temple. (Here you can describe how your church takes an offering, whether it is an offering plate/basket that is passed each week, or a special box in the back of the room.) As Jesus watched many rich people walked by and tossed coins into the treasury. And then, a widow, a woman who had no husband, dropped two small coins into the treasury.

To his disciples, Jesus said, “This poor widow gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury” (vs. 43). Jesus knew that the rich people were giving money because they had much more money than they needed to buy food, or clothing, so they gave some of their extra money. But, this dear woman was poor. Jesus said, “She gave all that she had” (vs. 44).

Remember, Kyle was saving his money to buy a solar powered dump truck. And Kelly wanted a new journal. What do you think did? Did they give all their money? Did they give a little bit of it or none at all? (Allow the children to respond.)

The twins decided that morning that they would give all they had, too. Both of them dropped their money into the offering. Kyle dropped in five one-dollar bills and Kelly dropped in her five one-dollar bills. They were glad to hear that homeless people would have food, and the children would have toys.

They knew that was more important than a solar powered dump truck or a journal.

What can you do when you have money to show others God’s love? (Give children time to respond.) You can pray and think about how you can share, too.

PRAYER

God, we thank you for showing us that helping others is important. Jesus did so much to help others. Help us to always be willing to help people who need our help. Amen.

Scripture quotations from the World English Bible