Children's Sermon on the Faith of the Gentile Woman (Mark 7 or Matthew 15)

The Woman Jesus Called a Dog! Who Do You Help?

Ask students, What is your favorite dinner your parents cook for you? 

Let's pretend this Bible is that dinner. 

What if your parents made that dinner, and they only had enough time to make it for you, but then, instead of giving it to you, they gave it to someone else, and you had to be hungry? Would you like that? (No.)

What if your parents had a lot of time, and they made enough for you and enough for someone else, and they gave you some and gave some to someone else? Would that be okay? (Yes.)

What if your parents made you the dinner but you were already full? Then could they give the dinner to someone else? (Yes.)

What if your parents made you the dinner but you didn't want it that day? Then could they give the dinner to someone else? (Yes.)

 

Imagine that telling people about God is like that dinner. When Jesus was alive on earth, He didn't have time to tell everyone about God. He could tell only the people who lived near Him, the Israelites. 

Then, when He died and came back to life and went back up to Heaven, His disciples kept telling the people who lived near them, but then when they had told all the Israelites, or when the Israelites didn't want to hear the message about God, the disciples gave the message to other people who lived further away. The people who aren't Israelites are called Gentiles.

It's the same with us. Jesus wants us to tell people the message about God, but since we only have a limited amount of time, we should usually start with the people who live close to us - like our family and friends at school and the people who live in our neighborhood. Then, after we've told them, or they don't want to hear the message, then we can go tell other people who live further away or are strangers to us.

 

So, who should your parents feed first? (You.)

Who did Jesus give the message about God to first? (The Israelites.)

Who does Jesus want you to give the message about God to first? (Your family and friends.)

Then you can tell other people.