TEXT: I Corinthians 13:3-7

SUBJECT: Kids Sermon # : Getting along with your brothers and sisters.

Dear Children,

Today's sermon is especially for you. I hope your parents listen too. But I was thinking of you when I prepared it. And if you listen carefully, you'll hear God speak to your soul.

Last month I told you to obey your parents. Except for loving God with all of your heart, soul, and mind, there's nothing more important to you than to obey your mom and dad. I know you heard this Word. Have you become "A doer of the word"? You ought to. For it is not hearing the Word that pleases the Lord--and does you good--but doing the Word.

Now I want you to learn another lesson in Christian living. It's a lesson most of you need; some of you need it real badly. It is Getting along with your brothers and sisters.

Is anyone here an only child? If you're not, God has something to say to you.

THE DUTY

The first thing He says is You ought to get along with your brothers and sisters. Many verses say so, for example,

What does this mean? It means Don't start fights! If no one ever started a fight, then you'd all brothers and sisters would get along very well.

But what if you're not the one starting the fight? What if your big sister is always excluding you? Or your little brother is always getting into your things? Then what do you do?

Well, the Lord Jesus is very clear on this one. He says, "If you're hit, hit back harder! If you're yelled at, yell back louder! If someone tattles on you, tattle on him worse!"

Is that right? Did our Lord really say these things? No He didn't. He said the opposite.

This means If your brother is your worst enemy, you be his friend. If your sister curses at you, you speak nicely to her. If your brothers hate you, love them in return. If your sisters mistreat you, pray for them.

This sounds beautiful, of course, but can it be done? It can be. And it has been. Do you know by whom? I know a boy who was horribly treated by his brothers and sisters. And instead of fighting them or ignoring them or tattling on them, He loved them and did them good.

Do you know Who I'm talking about? Jesus Christ. His brothers wanted to arrest Him for--they thought--He had gone crazy. But do you know what He did for them? He went to the cross and died in their place. Why? Because He loved them.

You ought to get along with your brothers and sisters. Not because I say so. But because God says so.

THE WAY

How do you get along with your brothers and sisters? There's only one way to do that: By loving them.

Love is a feeling. But it's more than that. In I Corinthians 13:3-7, the Lord tells us what love does and doesn't do. When you follow His word, you're living in love.

Here's some of what it means to love your brothers and sisters,

"Love suffers long". This means you hold your temper. It assumes that your brothers and sisters will make you mad, but instead of screaming at them, fighting, or tattling on them, you control yourself. You take their bad behavior patiently. You don't fight back!

"Love is kind". This means you want to do good to your brothers and sisters--even when they don't deserve it. Go home today and do your brother or sister a favor. Without being asked. That's kindness. And that's love.

"Love does not envy". This means you're happy when they get good things--even if you don't. If they get a better present than you do, you don't sulk and pout. If they get better grades than you do, you're happy with their success. If they have more friends than you do, you're glad they're so popular.

"Love does not parade itself, is not puffed up". You don't boast or show off. Not if you're acting in love.

"Love does not behave rudely". If you love your bothers and sisters, you don't get into their things without asking. Or, you don't butt in when they're talking to their friends. You don't tease them. You don't laugh at them when they make a mistake. You don't do things that make them mad or gross them out. Love is polite, not rude.

"Love is not easily provoked". You're not grouchy all the time and you don't go crazy when they do something you don't like.

"Love thinks no evil". You don't blame them for every bad thing that happens.

"Love does not rejoice in iniquity". You're not happy when they get into trouble.

The only way to get along with your brothers and sisters is to love them. And love is more than nice words or warm feelings. It is putting what they want above what you want.

HOW TO

How do you learn to love your brothers and sisters?

You start with conversion. Most kids fight and argue and are mean because they're not saved. You cannot love others until you first know the love of God. You cannot know God's love without repenting of your sins and believing in Jesus Christ.

And so, before asking yourself, "Am I good or nice or loving?", you ought to ask, "Am I saved?"

If you are not saved, I've got nothing else to tell you. The Bible does not teach us how to be good without Christ! It says the opposite,

But if you are saved, let me tell you how to get along better with your brothers and sisters.

Firstly, think as much as you can about Jesus Christ. It is hard to be selfish and mean when you're thinking about the Lord and how He loved and sacrificed Himself for His enemies.

Secondly, pray for the love and patience and other things you need to get along. James 4:2 says,

When did you last pray to get along better with your brothers and sisters? Today? Yesterday? A year ago? Maybe never?

Thirdly, pray for your brothers and sisters. If they're causing all the problems at home, why don't you pray for them? That God would save them; or that He would help them get along better with you?

Fourthly, be careful what you say--especially when you're mad, Proverbs 15:1. If you can just keep your mouth shut, many problems quickly go away. Learn to shut your mouth.

Fifthly, remember that God is watching and listening. When He sees you holding your temper and being kind, He is happy. When He hears you yelling and screaming and cursing, He is unhappy.

CLOSE AND APPEAL

So, let me ask you kids: Are you getting along with your brothers and sisters? No one's perfect, of course, but are you getting along with them?

If you are, thank God, for He's helping you do it. And keep up the good work.

But if you're not, think hard about what you're doing.

And so, dear children--and adults too--learn to get along with each other. If others must fight, let them. But don't be a part of the problem.

Amen.