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The disciples knew this wasn’t just a story about a field with weeds, and they wanted Jesus to tell them the meaning. So Jesus told them that the field represented the world and he was the owner of the field. Who do you think the good seeds are? I can see many good seeds from where I’m sitting. Those who love Jesus are the good seeds. Are there any bad seeds in our world? Yes, unfortunately there are people who do not love God and who do mean things to other people.
Continue reading Weeds in the Field
We’re not robots, though, are we? We can’t blame our mistakes on crossed wires. We can’t claim that someone assembled us the wrong way. We’re children of God, and we want to do the right thing, but sometimes we make mistakes. Sometimes we do just the opposite of what we want to do.
Continue reading Crossed Wires
It is a sad thing to watch a lamb be killed. But when the people sacrificed a lamb, they were reminded that sin is a very sad thing as well. They knew that God was sparing their own lives when the lamb was killed in their place. They knew that this lamb was specially chosen as the most perfect lamb from the flock for the sacrifice. An innocent lamb has done nothing wrong and has not sinned. Still, this lamb was dying in the place of the people who had sinned.
Continue reading Lamb of God
None of us has leprosy, but when we do bad things, it’s like having leprosy inside. We know we’ve done wrong, and we feel ugly inside. We feel bad, and we feel like everyone is staring at us, like nobody loves us or wants to be around us. Have you ever felt that way after you did something wrong? (Let children respond.) Now even though no one would be able to tell from the outside that we’ve done something wrong, Jesus knows. And when we’ve sinned, and we ask Jesus for help, what does he do for us? He forgives us and washes away our sins completely. He heals us and makes us clean inside.
Continue reading Erasing the Mark
Jesus knows how special and wonderful hands are, and he used his hands to do amazing things. The Gospel lesson for today talks about a wonderful thing that Jesus did with his hands. A woman came to see Jesus. The woman was all bent over and could not straighten up; she had been that way for eighteen years. And do you know what Jesus did with his hands? He put his hands on the woman and healed her. She straightened up right away, and she said, “Praise God! Thank you for healing me!”
Continue reading Hands for Healing
The woman who washed Jesus’ feet was carrying a heavy weight of sin. She knew she had sinned a lot; she knew what other people thought about her. But she also knew that Jesus loved her and forgave her and took that weight of sin away. And the woman wanted to show Jesus how happy she was. The important man didn’t think he had many sins. He thought he was much better than the woman. But he was wrong. All of us have sinned, and none of us is better than anybody else. Jesus forgives us all. And we should all be as thankful as that woman who washed Jesus’ feet.
Continue reading The Weight of Sin
7th Sunday of Easter From “Scolding the Snakes” Scripture Reference: Acts 16:16-34
Preparation: Find or draw a large picture of a jailer standing outside a jail cell with a prisoner inside behind bars.
Can anyone tell me which of these two persons is in prison and which one is free? (Hold up picture so children and congregation can see it. Let child point out the prisoner and the jailer.) That was pretty easy to tell, wasn’t it? Do you think the one who is outside
Continue reading Freedom for the Jailer
Second Sunday of Advent From “Scolding the Snakes” Artwork by Elsa Ingulsrud Scripture Reference: Mal. 3:2-3 and Phil. 1:6-11
Preparation: Cover a piece of smooth jewelry (a gold or silver heart would be perfect) with mud or clay so that it is hidden inside the lump. Also bring a towel and bowl of water for cleaning the jewelry.
How many candles are lit on the Advent wreath now? (Let kids count.) Two candles! It’s the second Sunday in Advent. This is a time of getting
Continue reading Dirt and Dross
Pentecost Proper 14 From “Sitting on the Rainbow” Artwork by Elsa Ingulsrud Scripture Reference: Eph. 4:25-27
Preparation: Bring a clean cooking pot and a large spoon for pretending to stir. Also, if possible, bring along a pot that has a burned crust in the bottom.
I’ve brought something with me this morning. (Show the pot.) Can anyone tell me what this is used for? Do you have any of these in your kitchen? (Let children tell what pots are used for.) We cook food in
Continue reading Burnt Anger
For the Fifth Sunday in Lent From “Sitting on the Rainbow” Scripture Reference: Psalm 51
Preparation: Bring a small bottle of vegetable or olive oil, a damp cloth, and soap.
Have you ever gotten oil on your hands and then tried to wash it off with water? Does the oil rinse off? (Let children respond.) No, it doesn’t come off with just water, does it? What else do you need to get oil off your hands? (Someone may offer the correct answer.) Right: you need
Continue reading Coming Clean
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