Preparation
Have on hand a dollar, 100 pennies, 20 nickles, 10 dimes, 4 quarters, 2 50-cent pieces, a Susan B. Anthony dollar and a Sacajawea dollar. If you cannot come up with all those different coins, use what you have on hand as long as it comes out to a dollar in each denomination. Separate the money into piles that make one dollar.
Key Passage:
"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Manuscript
Have you guys ever heard the song "Jesus Loves the Little Children"? How does it go? If you know the words, sing it with me, OK? "Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white—they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world."
That's a really good song. I like it because it's about children. You guys have a really special place in God's heart. I also like it because it tells us about the universal applicability of the gospel. Wow! That's a big-word phrase. What do you think it means? It means that no matter where you are in the world, no matter what country you come from, what color your skin is, what language you speak, who your parents are—anything—no matter what, the gospel is for you. The good news that Jesus Christ gave His life on the cross to forgive our sins so we can have a relationship with God applies to everyone.
Wow! That's a lot for our minds to grasp. Well, let's look at it another way. What have I got here? That's right! A dollar! How much is a dollar worth? A dollar! I can buy a slushy at a gas station for a dollar. So in my estimation, a dollar is pretty good to have.
Does anyone know what this is? (An Eisenhower silver dollar) Do you know how much this is worth? A dollar! Can I still buy that slushy? You bet!
What about this? (A Susan B. Anthony coin) Do you know how much it is worth? It's also worth a dollar. I can get a slushy with this, too! This coin has a picture of Sacajawea on it. Do you know how much it is worth? A dollar! Wow, you guys are really smart!
Now, I'm going to throw you for a loop. What are these? Two 50-cent pieces. How much are these worth? A dollar!
Four quarters? That's right! A dollar! What about 10 dimes? Yes, a dollar! How much are these 20 nickels worth? Here are 100 pennies—are these worth a dollar, too? So can I still buy my slushy with these 100 pennies? You bet!
So, can someone answer this math question for me? Which one is worth more, the dollar bill or the 100 pennies? They're the same!
OK, let's try this: Which one is worth more, the Sacajawea dollar or 10 dimes? They're the same, too!
Well, out of all of these things, is any of them worth any more than the others? No! I can buy a slushy with this dollar, with the Susan B. Anthony coin, with the four quarters or the 20 nickels. It doesn't matter which form of money I chose to use to get that slushy; it all counts as the same. It all is valued at a dollar.
We're kind of the same way. We all look different, speak differently and act differently; but we're the same on the inside. We were all made in the image of God; we are all His children. The apostle Paul wrote about it in the Bible this way: Galatians 3:26-29 says, "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."
How does Paul say we're different? He doesn't! He says we are all sons of God because of our faith in Christ. How can a person be a son of God if he wasn't born that way? God has adopted us into His family. He chose each and every one of us to be His children. God thought we were worth the price of sending His Son, Jesus, to earth to die on the cross to forgive our sins. He loves us that much! By our faith in Jesus, we become part of God's family as His children—we are that valuable! So remember this: No matter who you are, you are valuable in God's sight!