Matthew 22:15-22

¹⁵ Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. ¹⁶¹⁷ Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?” They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are.  ¹⁸ But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? ¹⁹ Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, ²⁰ and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” ²¹ “Caesar’s,” they replied.   Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
 ²² When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.

Materials:  A few possessions with names or initials on them. A hand mirror.

Message:  Good Morning!  How are you all today?  This morning, I brought some things to show you.  This is a football.  Can you read the name on there?  it says "Todd".  This was my brother's and it was important to him, so now I take good care of it because it was his.  And this is my cup; see my names on the bottom.  We put our names on things that are important to us and on things that we want to show belong to us.  now, look at this--what do you see? [hold up mirror so each child can see themselves].  yes, I see Zach and Peyton and Alex--and do you know who you belong too?  Yes, your Moms and Dads--that's right.  But you and your moms & dads belong to someone else too--you belong to God.

The Bible tells us God made us like Him.  We don't know if we look like God--like some of you look like your Moms & Dads.  But we do know that God will help us love like he does.  And that the most important things we have--our ability to love and to share and care--all these things belong to God.  God wants us to be like him by loving and caring for others.
 

Let's say a prayer about that:
Dear God:
Thank you for loving us.  Help us love others like you love us.
Amen