Exegetical Aim: To demonstrate the importance of persistence.

Props: A trophy of some sort. Adapt this sermon to the type of trophy that you have.

Lesson: Good morning! I want to show you something that is very important to me. Hold up the trophy. What is this? (response) Yes, it's a trophy. Can you tell from the little person on top of the trophy what I did to receive the trophy? (response) Yes, that's right. It's for playing basketball. But it wasn't easy. Have any of you ever played a sport, or been in dancing class, or gotten good grades in school? (response) Many of you, I see. Well, was it easy? Or did you have to work hard and practice so that you could do the best you could do? (response) Yes, practice is a part of playing any sport or doing anything that's important. Let me ask …