Children's Sermon--August 14, 2005

Children’s Message
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Different—but the same (Matthew 15:21-28)

Before I talk to you today, I want you to take a moment and think of a person who you would describe as being “the same” as you. OK. Hold that thought in your mind while I tell you this story. . .

About 8 years ago, I worked with a partner of the Presbyterian Church in England. While I was there, I lived in the dorms of a missionary training college. Throughout the year, people came and went as they were studying and preparing to go out and do mission work. It was an international dorm, so there were people from over 40 countries there, so I got to know lots of different people.

One man that I will always remember is Do-Young, a pastor from Korea. One night as we were sharing our stories, I mentioned that I was a Presbyterian. Do-Young looked at me and said, “You are a Presbyterian?? Then we are the same!” Turns out he was a Presbyterian too.
Now I don’t know what you thought about when I asked you to think of a person who is the same as you, but before that conversation, I wouldn’t have described Do-Young as the same as me. He was a man, he was 15 years older, he was from Korea. . . but we were both Presbyterians, so he was right, in one very important way, we were the same!

Now, when Rev. Wilkinson reads the scripture later, you will hear another story about Jesus and a woman who was different from him. I want you to listen to how that story ends, and talk with your parents or the grown-ups that you came with today about what Jesus might have learned from that woman.

Let’s pray:
Loving God,
We thank you for the ways that you make us unique
And we thank you for the ways we are the same
Help us always
To respect and care for each other. Ame