THE APPLE SELLER

Objects

a large red apple

sharp knife

plate or napkin to hold apple

__________

Have you boys and girls ever thought about what you would like to do when you grow up? Any one of you? Well, my parents told me that when I was six, about some of your ages, that I was asked that question. My answer was, "I want to preach on Sunday and sell apples during the week." Now, I must have made this statement following a wonderful experience in Church and/or there must have been an apple seller who came down our street. I have thought of that statement sometimes when I see big juicy apple - - like this one, for instance.

Now, is this an apple or is it an apple. Nice, polished red apple. Isn't it a very luscious looking one? In fact, I am tempted right now to bite into it because I do enjoy eating good apples, sometimes I put a little salt on them.

Now, apples have something to say to us. Yep, this one in particular. I don't know where I first heard this story, but I do want to pass it on to you dear kids.

This apple represents us in many ways. To begin with, the apple is a very perishable thing. What do I mean by "perishable"? Well, an apple won't last forever. Sooner or later this beautiful apple is going to perish or let say die. Understand? If it suffers a fall and is bruised, it will probably start perishing quickly. The Bible tells us that we are perishable people. It says in one place that "It is appointed unto men once to die." We are perishable. In Romans 6:23 we read, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." And, in the Hebrews we are told, "It is appointed unto men to die."

Another thing that the apple tells us is to look at the color. Red. Many of you know that that color represents the blood of Jesus. Jesus spilled his blood for you boys and girls. It is the way for your atonement. Now, that is a very big word, but what it means is that Jesus has paid the price for salvation. If a person wants to go to Heaven (and who doesn't) they must believe and accept what Jesus has already done on the cross. He died for them.

Now watch. As I cut this apple open, you can see how nice and white it is on the inside. This is how white we become inwardly when we as God to forgive us of our sins. Even boys and girls do things that are wrong. Wrong doing is called sin. We say that the sin is real dark, but the Bible says we can be made clean. Psalm 51:7 says, "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."

Something else. What shape is the apple? Sorta round, huh? That gives me the picture of the endlessness of our eternal salvation. No end to that.

The brown or black seeds that you see could represent the word of God, because when God's word is planted in our heart it begins to grow just like a plant from a seed.

I suppose the last thing that the apple can tell us is that sit must cling onto the tree by its stem. This steam to me represents our faith. It is faith whereby we cling to Jesus. It trust boys and girls that your faith will be strengthened every day even at your young age.

So, that's the message from a lucious red apple. Thanks for coming. I'll see you next Sunday.

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