A Children’s Sermon on Luke 18:9-14

When I sit down to write a children’s sermon on Luke 18:9-14, I can’t help but make it about prayer. That is, after all, the key action in the story.

• The pompous and self-righteous guy prays.
• Then the lowly penitential guy prays.

And it is the next passage right after another great story that Luke and Jesus say is really specifically about prayer: the widow and the judge.

Luke and Jesus give it a somewhat different frame.

• Luke says it’s about people who trust in themselves and think contemptuously of others.
• Jesus ends up by offering a variation on his “first shall be last” message: lift yourself up, and you’ll be cast down. Be humble and find yourself lifted up.

But the story itself is so rich in the specific examples of prayer — which do go to Luke’s point and Jesus’ follow up, but which really seem to beg for consideration on their own.

If you want to see my regular Monday Meditation on this, you’ll find it here. And so, without further ado, here’s my children’s sermon on Luke 18:9-14.

A Children’s Sermon on Luke 18:9-14

Good morning kids! I’m so glad to see you. It is just great that you are here in worship this morning. Thanks for coming up to hear the children’s sermon.

Last week I told you about a time when Jesus told a story about prayer. Well, right after he finished telling that story about prayer, he told another story about prayer. (I think we’re supposed to get the idea that prayer, talking to God and listening to God, is very important to Jesus!)

That day Jesus was still talking to his friends. Here’s how I imagine it.

Peter spoke up. “Jesus, I pray about stuff all the time. But I’m never sure if I’m doing it right. I’m never sure if I’m asking for the right kinds of things, you know? What kinds of prayers do you think God is most likely to want to answer?”

“That’s a good question, Peter,” Jesus said. “Let me tell you a story…”

Two People Praying, Part 1

Once upon a time, there were two people who really wanted to talk with God. Each of them knew exactly what they wanted to talk to God about. 

They weren’t friends or anything, but one day they both went up to the holy temple in Jerusalem to pray.

Peter interrupted. “Okay, I see your point, Lord. If you want God to hear your prayer you’re supposed to go to the temple in Jerusalem. That’s the only place you can count on God really hearing you. Right?”

“Actually, no, Peter,” said Jesus. “I haven’t finished my story. But really, you can talk to God anywhere, any time, and God is sure to hear you. God is everywhere, and God loves you. So you can always pray if you want to.” 

“Okay,” said Peter. “But then why did they go to the temple?”

“People always have places they especially like to go when they want to pray,” said Jesus. “Some people like to walk in the woods. Some people have a special cozy chair in their home. And some people like to pray where they always gather with their friends to worship God. Now,” said Jesus, “I’m going to go on with my story.”

Two People Praying, Part 2

Well, one of the two people who went to the temple to pray was a very important religious leader. He had a special prayer robe he wore to the temple. Everybody at the temple knew who he was.

When he got inside, he looked around and found a place where he could be all by himself. It was up at the front, one step above the main floor. He looked around at all the other people below him. Then he closed his eyes, and lifted up his arms to heaven, and prayed. 

He said to God, “O Lord, I am so thankful. And you know what I’m most thankful for? I thank you that I’m not like all these other people here. I mean, look at them, Lord. They are a bunch of liars. Some of them are thieves. Some of them treat their families really badly.  They don’t even try to live holy lives — but I do. On two days every week I give up eating food so I can devote myself to you. And when I earn money I give one dollar of every ten to support this beautiful temple. I am so thankful, God, that you made me so special. Thanks, especially, for not making me like that rotten tax collector over there!”

“Oh, I get it,” said Peter,  “That guy was praying totally wrong. He was really pompous, and judgy, right? There’s no way God listens when someone prays like that.”

“No Peter,” said Jesus. “God listened to every word that man said. God always hears you when you pray. But do you remember how I said there were two people who went to the temple to pray? I’m going to get back to my story now.”

Two People Who Prayed, Part 3

That tax collector, the one the religious leader talked about, was the other person who went up to the temple to pray. 

If he had heard that religious leader, he wouldn’t have been surprised by his mean words. The tax collector knew that people didn’t like him. After all, he made people give some of their money to the Roman government. Nobody likes to pay their taxes — and everybody hated people who worked for Rome. 

But this tax collector really wanted to talk to God. He looked around and found a quiet corner, off by himself, hoping maybe people wouldn’t see him. 

Then he got down on his knees, and bowed his head, and folded his hands — like he was begging before a king.

“Oh God,” he said in his heart, “I don’t dare look up toward heaven where you are. I’m so sorry for the things I’ve done. Nobody here likes me — and I don’t blame them. I’ve done wrong. I’m a sinner. Please have mercy on me!”

And he just kept saying over and over, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner!”

“Aha!” said Peter. “That has to be the right way to pray. God totally heard that guy, right?”

“Well, Peter,” Jesus said, “God totally heard both of them. God always listens when you pray.”

“So what’s the difference?” asked Peter. 

“The difference is this,” said Jesus. “Only the tax collector went home that day with his sins forgiven.”

Wondering

• I wonder if you and I ask for mercy if God will answer our prayers too?
• I wonder if Jesus meant that mercy was the only thing we were really supposed to pray about?
• I wonder what you would like to talk to God about today?

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