Crosswise

Children’s Sermon

13 September 2026

Hey, guys! It’s good to see you. Did you have a fun summer? We certainly did with our kids.

So I’m wondering this morning if someone can tell me what this is. That’s right, it’s a cross. And what do you think of when you see a cross? What comes to mind? Those are good answers.

You know, a long time ago, crosses were very scary things. They were used to hurt people, to punish people, whether they deserved it or not. That’s what happened to Jesus. He was given a cross, because He upset the powerful by speaking up for the vulnerable. And if that were the end of His story, that would be pretty awful, wouldn’t it?

But the darnedest thing happened. When we condemned Jesus, He forgave us. When we hurt Jesus, He healed us. And when we killed Jesus, He conquered death, and rose from the grave, and promised to us eternal life in Him, so that we never have to be afraid again.

So now the cross means something very different, doesn’t it? It isn’t scary anymore. At least, it shouldn’t be. Now when we look to the cross, we see hope. We see mercy. We see how much God loves each and every one of us.

Because some people seek out God in wisdom and in truth. And certainly God is wise; certainly He is true. Other people seek Him out in power and in might. Certainly God is very powerful, indeed Almighty.

But we look for God in the Cross, because the Cross reminds us of Jesus, and of His love for us. To some that might seem silly, or rather hard to swallow. But to us? To us the Cross is the promise that God loves, no matter what, with a love that cannot die.

And that love is wiser than all wisdom, and stronger than all strength. And that love is always and forever for you.

Okay? Let’s pray.