Taking the Yoke

The Holy Spirit Gives Life

⁴Jesus does for us everything the holy law requires. The power of sin should no longer control the way we live. The Holy Spirit should control the way we live.

⁵So don’t live under the control of sin. If you do, you will think about what sin wants. Live under the control of the Holy Spirit. If you do, you will think about what the Spirit wants.

Children’s Message

Supplies: The person presenting the message may want to isolate himself/herself and sit alone to suggest a “time-out” chair.

Have you ever done something bad and you were punished by being told to sit in a chair? Have you ever been placed in a time-out chair? Have you done something wrong that either a parent or other adult told you to sit out by yourself for what seemed like a lifetime and think about what you did?

I can remember when I was a child that my mom would tell my older brother to sit in a “time-out” chair. My mom tried to have me to sit in the time-out chair as well. It was hard for me to sit still because I was thinking about all the other things that I would rather be doing, such as riding my bike, going outside and playing ball, or watching T.V. The time-out chair was punishment to show that there are consequences for our actions. When we make bad choices or bad decisions, there are consequences. The result of bad choices was the time-out chair.

Paul, in his letter to the Romans, reminds us that when we follow Jesus, the Holy Spirit should control the way we live. The Holy Spirit sets us free from sin and should guide us in the choices we make. When we become followers of Jesus, our lives and how we make decisions should change. Life is all about living like God wants us to live. Every decision should be influenced by the Holy Spirit.

Do you remember how you felt when you are told that you could get up and leave the time-out chair? When we let the Spirit of Jesus live in us, it is like we are being released from a time-out. We are free to love one another, worship God, and enjoy the life given to us. As we go about our day thinking of actions that are pleasing to God, we make better choices.

Prayer: O Lord, our God, lover of the whole world: teach us to follow the Holy Spirit’s movement as it directs our lives. Teach us to bless others in the way the Spirit controls our decisions. While we do that, we will show actions that are more pleasing to you and one another. Amen.

New International Reader's Version (NIRV) Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.