Children’s Sermon

Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

Finding a Keeper

By Dr. Dan Wuori

Have you ever gone fishing? I love to fish because it is full of surprises.

Even when you feel something on your line, you’re never quite sure what you have until you reel it in and find out. Sometimes it’s just what you’re hoping for (fishermen call those fish “keepers” because they’re the kind they’ll bring home for dinner) – but sometimes it’s not.

Maybe the fish is too small to keep or maybe it’s just not the kind you were hoping for? Sometimes what we think is a fish isn’t really one at all – and instead you’ve hooked a tree branch or a big clump of weeds!

Do you know what fishermen do when they catch those kinds of things? They throw them back in the water and keep looking.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that heaven is kind of the same way. Just like fishermen have to decide what’s worth keeping and what to throw back, Jesus explains that God is looking for “keepers.”

What kind of person do you think that God will want to keep? (Take children’s responses.)

That’s right. There’s a word to describe the people you’re talking about: righteous. Someone who is righteous acts in all the right ways. Listen carefully, do you hear the word “right” at the beginning? Righteous.

Jesus tells us that the angels will be looking to separate the “evil from the righteous” – and so if we want to be “God’s keepers” it’s important that we’re always thinking about doing what’s right.

Can you do that? Let’s all work on being keepers this week!

Will you pray with me?

Dear God,

We know that just as you call us to be “fishers of men,” leading others to your ways – that you also call upon us to be “keepers,” leading righteous lives on your behalf. Help us to remember this as we make our daily “swim” through life.

Amen.

Copyright 2008, Dan Wuori. Used by permission.