Children’s Sermon

Luke 15:1-10

Have You Found It?

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Luke 15:1-10
Have You Found It?

By Lois Parker Edstrom

Objects suggested: Keys and locks.

Keys are fun to look at because they have such interesting shapes and each one is different from any other – kind of like people. Keys from the past look like this and are called skeleton keys. Here is a more modern house key and this is a car key. Perhaps you have a key for your locker at school, or a small key that locks your diary.

Have you ever lost a key? If so, you know how frustrating that can be. Perhaps you were locked out of your house and couldn’t get in until you found the key. Maybe your mom or dad misplaced the car key and your family couldn’t get to where they needed to go until the key was found. That is not a good feeling. There may be many keys on the key ring, but none will take the place of the lost key. When the lost key is found you feel like celebrating.

Today’s lesson is about being lost. Jesus was criticized for being with sinners (people who have not accepted God’s love). Jesus told stories to help people understand that there are many people who have accepted God’s love, but none will take the place of a lost sinner – they are like lost keys. The Bible tells us that Jesus wants everyone, every sinner, to feel the joy of God’s love.

Jesus tells us that “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner” (15:7) who accepts God’s love than over many who already know God’s love and grace. God’s love is offered to everyone and that is cause for celebration.

Scripture quotations from the World English Bible

Copyright 2008, Richard Niell Donovan