Children’s Sermon

Luke 7:36 – 8:3

Loving and Forgiving

By Lois Parker Edstrom

Object suggested: Pictures of dogs or a well-behaved dog, if situation permits.
Pictures of dogs

Do any of you have a dog? Dogs are wonderful pets and can make a house feel like a real home, but sometimes they misbehave, especially when they are puppies.

Puppies like to play. They become rambunctious and sometimes do naughty things. They like to dig holes. They track mud into the house on their paws. They like to chew on all kinds of things – sometimes your best shoes.

You may be upset with your dog when it does these naughty things, but at the same time, you love it. Dogs can look very sad when you scold them. You may think about how loyal and loving your dog has been, always there waiting for you and wagging its tail when it sees you coming. Your dog treats you as if you are the most important person in the world. Even though you don’t approve of what your dog has done, you forgive your pet.

There is a wonderful story in the Bible about forgiveness. Jesus was criticized for letting a woman who was a sinner be near him and touch him. Jesus knew that the woman had many sins, but he said to her,“Your sins are forgiven” (7:48). Then, he said to her, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace” (7:50).

Jesus offers the same forgiveness to each one of us. Our faith saves us and gives us peace. When we ask to be forgiven for the bad choices we have made and the things we have done that have hurt others, Jesus forgives us because he loves us.

Scripture quotations from the World English Bible
Copyright 2008, Richard Niell Donovan