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Choose from following children's sermons:

• Loving one another begins by accepting one another!
  based on the Gospel lesson by Rev. Frank Schaefer (see below)
   

• Loving One Another, based on the Gospel lesson (please scroll down)

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Loving one another begins by accepting one another!
based on the Gospel lesson
by Rev. Frank Schaefer

Open with Jesus' words out of John 15: "This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you."

Start by asking the question: "Is it always easy to love everybody?" Wait for a few answers, then say: "no it's not always easy." Who do we love? (our family and friends). Jesus is saying that we should try to be friends with everybody. Do you try to be friends with a lot of different kids? Or do you just play with those that are like you.

Bring in a tape player (or if you have a musician who can play and sing the song, more power to you) and play the Veggie Tale song: "I can be your friend." Most kids will be familiar with it and sing along. Stop after every verse and ask them if they ever did that, or if they would do it (I found that the lyrics are so close to the kid's reality that they open up nicely). Gently steer the conversation to the conclusion that we need to accept each other before we can do what Jesus asked us to do, i.e. make friends (love each other).

I Can Be Your Friend

1) I can be your friend, I can be your friend

Any day in any weather,

We can be friends and play together.

2)I can be your friend, I can be your friend

If your hair is red or yellow

We can have lunch, I'll share my Jell-O.

3) I can be your friend, I can be your friend

It's ok if we are different, we can still play

Cause I can be your friend.

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Loving One Another
a children's sermon based on the Gospel lesson
by Rev. Frank Schaefer
props: a bag of candy (individually wrapped candy pieces, such as tootsie rolls)

Greetings, my little friends, today I brought some of my favorite candy.  Well,     before I open the bag and eat some of this candy, I'd like you to know that I really care for all of you kids. (continue to talk while you unwrap a piece of candy and stick it in your mouth) I like you guys so much, I outright love you.    Hmmmm, I tell you this candy is soooo good.

How would you feel if I decided to eat this whole bag of candy all by myself, right here in front of you?  Would you still believe me that I care about you? Even if I didn't  share my candy with you?  That doesn't make sense doesn't it.  It would be like saying one thing, but acting a different way.

In one of our bible lessons this morning, Jesus says: "This is my commandment that you love one another." 

You know, sometimes I thing it is easier to love God than to love others around you.   It may be easier to love God, because God is perfect; he never disappoints us.   But to really love others can be hard sometimes.

How should we love others?  I think it's not enough to just say that we love others.  We must show it through our words and our actions.  It means that we must do good for others and share with them.

Hmmm. I wonder whether that means that I should share my candy with you?  What do you think?

Give out the candy pieces and, as you hand them out,  tell each child that you care about (love) them.