Purpose: Use this children’s sermon on generosity to teach kids how to put peace first.
Scripture: Genesis 13:5-17
Needed: two gift boxes and a hidden prize (One gift box might have a quarter in it while the other has a cookie or other type of snack. The hidden prize could be a box of cookies or snacks.)
Children’s Sermon
Ask for two volunteers. When the volunteers come up, show them two gift boxes. Tell them that they can open and keep whichever one they want, but they have to decide who gets which gift box.
Let them decide. After they’ve opened their boxes, give the student who took the second pick the hidden prize as well.
Ask the students, Were you surprised that I gave the person who picked second an even bigger prize?
This same sort of thing happened to Abram. He and his nephew Lot had too many animals to keep living in the same place together. The people who were taking care of their animals kept getting into fights about what animals were theirs and what grass each of their animals could eat.
So, Abram told Lot to pick which way he wanted to go. He said, “Lot, if you go this way, I’ll go that way. If you go that way, I’ll go this way. You get first pick of wherever you want to move to.”
Lot picked what seemed to be the best place to live, and Abram went the other direction.
Afterward, God told Abram that he was going to give him the whole country. That’s a pretty big prize, isn’t it? God said that He would give the whole country to Abram and his children and his grandchildren forever.
I like this story because it shows me that we can generous to other people and let them have first pick if they want it. God will see our generosity and reward us with an even bigger prize.
When you go to school or you go home or you’re playing with your friends, remember Abram and how God rewarded him. Don’t fight with people, but let them have first pick. God will see it and be happy with you.
Closing Prayer
Lord, thank You for this story about Abram. We pray that You’ll help us to be like and give other people first pick. We want to be generous and live in peace with everyone. In Jesus’ name, amen.
You can also find this children’s sermon for Kindle or in print in my book, The People Build a Tower, but God Builds a Family