Purpose: Use this children’s sermon about the fifth of the Ten Commandments to teach kids that God gave us our parents to help us enjoy His blessings.
Scripture: Exodus 20:12
Needed: a list of rules your parents gave you as a child (it’s okay if some of them seem outdated or old-fashioned as it will only add to the amusement of your message without detracting from the meaning)
Children’s Sermon
Show your students the list of rules your parents gave you. Read a few of them and then ask, Why do you think my parents gave me those rules? (Lead students to understand the bad things that would have happened to you if you didn’t have those rules.)
Did you know that God tells us to obey our parents? It’s a big deal to God. In fact, it’s one of His Top Ten rules. The fifth of the Ten Commandments says…
(Read Exodus 20:12 , quoted here in the NIV.)
“Honor your father and your mother,so that you may live longin the landtheLordyour God is giving you.”
Why does the Commandment tell us to honor our parents? (So that we can live long in the land God is giving us.)
God was talking to the Israelites there, but the same thing applies to us. If we want to have a long life in the place God gave us, we have to obey our parents. They give us the rules to keep us safe and happy.
God gave us our parents so that they can teach us and take care of us. And, when our parents teach us the right things, they’re teaching us what God wants us to know.
When we listen to our parents, we’re listening to God. But God says that if we don’t listen to our parents, we won’t get the blessings that He wants to give us. We might get hurt and, if we break God’s rules, God will punish us.
So, let’s remember to keep God’s Commandment and honor our parents so that everything will go well for us.
Closing Prayer
Father God, You gave us our fathers and mothers to teach us the right things and to keep us safe. Help us to listen to You by listening to them. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
You can also find this children’s sermon for Kindle or in print in my book, Children’s Sermon about the Ten Commandments.