Category Archives: Luke

Easter C

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Day: Easter C

Lectionary Passage: Luke 24:1-12

Scripture Focus: Luke 24:6

Object: Basket with several plastic eggs, jelly beans, and a rubber band

Preparation: Fill the basket with several plastic eggs with jelly beans inside, you may want to have enough for each child to take one home. Place one empty plastic egg in the basket – be sure you can easily identify this egg. Fill a small plastic egg with jelly beans and attach it to a rubber band. It is very important that this egg fit up your sleeve and is fully concealed. The key to the trick is simple: when you shake the empty egg with one hand, it will sound like it’s full of jelly beans because you have the egg up your sleeve. But when you shake it with the other hand, it will not make any sound, which allows you to reveal the empty egg.

Good morning everyone! Well, as you can see I’ve got a basket full of Easter eggs. I love Easter eggs, especially the surprise inside. (Pick up an egg with jelly beans inside and shake it) It sounds like this one is full of jelly beans. (Open the egg to reveal the jelly beans to everyone before putting it aside). 

(Pick up your empty egg) Of course, Easter isn’t really about eggs and and jelly beans (shake with the appropriate hand to make the jelly beans rattle). It’s about Jesus. It’s about the amazing truth that God became human just like me and you in order to save us (rattle the egg). On Good Friday, Jesus died on the cross and was buried in a tomb (rattle the egg). Some people probably thought that was the end of the story, but it wasn’t. (Transfer the egg to your other hand) On Easter morning, some of Jesus’ friends went to the tomb and discovered (shake the empty egg) it was empty. The stone was rolled away and Jesus was not there (open the empty egg). 

Jesus wasn’t there because God had raised him from the dead! On Easter we celebrate God’s amazing power and love. The empty tomb proves God wins!

Let’s pray together: Thank you God for sending Jesus Christ to love us. We are so glad the tomb was empty on Easter because that means your love wins! Amen.

Lent 4C

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Day: Lent 4C

Lectionary Passage: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Scripture Focus: Luke 15:22-24

Object: Party Hat, optional

You know, there is nothing more fun than a great party. And there are all kinds of reasons to have a party. You can have a birthday party. Lots of people have parties around Christmas time. I’ve been to parties for Valentine’s Day and Saint Patrick’s Day. You can pretty much have a party for any reason.

In our Bible story today, a father is throwing a big party to celebrate the return of his son. You see, the son had decided to leave home and go off into the world all on his own. His dad didn’t want him to leave but he gave him some money anyway and off the son went. But after a little while, he had spent all his money on silly things and he was lonely and hungry. Finally, he decided to go home. He expected his dad to be angry because the boy hadn’t listened to his father. But instead his dad was so happy to see him home again that he decided to throw a really big party to celebrate his return.

And you know, I think that’s exactly what God does every time someone becomes friends with Jesus. God celebrates! God is so happy that people become friends with Jesus that God forgets all the bad stuff that happened in the past and just celebrates that we’re Christians now. It’s like God throws a big party!

Let’s pray: God, thank you for always welcoming us to be your followers and for sending Jesus to help show us the way. Amen.

Baptism of the Lord C

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Day: Baptism of the Lord

Lectionary Passage: Luke 3:15-22

Scripture Focus: Luke 3:21-22

Object: Calendar

You know January is a really special month. It’s the only month in the whole calendar that starts a new year. See, this calendar proves that January is the beginning of a brand new 365 days. No other month in the calendar is like that. Sure, you’ve got fancy holidays like Valentines in February and Saint Patrick’s Day in March and Thanksgiving in November, but only January begins a new year. It’s special that way. January marks the beginning of something wonderful: A whole new year full of amazing new adventures.

And that reminds me of a story from the Bible. It’s about a new beginning, too. It’s the story of Jesus’ baptism. You see, Jesus was ready to start his ministry on earth. He wanted to start telling people all about God and helping them to love God. But first, he wanted to be baptized. So, he went to see his cousin John who was baptizing people in the Jordan River. John baptized Jesus by pouring water over him from the river. And when he did that something amazing happened: Read Luke 3:21b-22.

This was the start of an amazing adventure for Jesus. Just like January is special because it starts a new year, the Baptism of Jesus is special because it starts his ministry.

Let’s pray: God, thank you for new beginnings, new adventures, and new years. Help us follow Jesus in this New Year and always. Amen.

Christmas 1B

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Day: Christmas 1B

Lectionary Passage: Luke 2:22-40

Scripture Focus: Luke 2:25-26

Object: None

Man, oh man, I tell you I hate waiting! Have you ever been at the store and the line is really long. I mean REALLY long (stretch your arms out widely). Like wrapped around the whole store three times long! Well, that’s happened to me. I just stand there at first (stand). But, then I get real antsy because the line isn’t moving. I mean, I’ve been standing forever. So, I start to shuffle from side to side (shuffle from side to side) because my legs are tired. And after awhile that gets boring so I start tapping my fingers (tap your fingers on your arm) on the shopping cart because that is sure to make the line go faster. When that doesn’t work, I start pace back and forth (pace back in forth dramatically) because that always makes the line move faster. Until, finally, it seems like I’ve been waiting forever… I just take a nap (fall on the ground or start snoring while standing)!

I guess, I’m not very patient. I’m not at all like Simeon. He was a man in the Bible. You know Simeon waited a very, very, very long time to meet Jesus. He was so old, older than Pastor Tom if you can believe that, when Jesus was born. And you know what? In all that time, Simeon was patient. He didn’t get antsy or bored or want to give up. Simeon just waited patiently because he knew that Jesus was coming someday. And you know, I think we should be more like Simeon. Instead of getting antsy and upset about waiting, we should show a little more patience. Because good things are coming our way, it’s just that sometimes we have to wait for them!

Let’s pray: Help us to be more like Simeon so that when we are waiting for big and small things to come our way, we wait patiently. Amen.

Advent 4B

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Day: Advent 4B

Lectionary Passage: Luke 1:26-38

Scripture Focus: Luke 1:26

Object: Paper airplane

Preparation: Before this lesson, practice making a paper airplane. For instructions, visit a website like http://www.funpaperairplanes.com.

This morning, I’ve got a piece of paper with me (show the kids the piece of paper). Now, I know what you’re thinking: it’s just a plain old ordinary boring piece of paper. You’ve seen that a thousand times. But, you know, sometimes the most ordinary things can become something amazing (begin making an airplane).

That happened in the Bible you know. At least one time it happened with an ordinary girl named Mary. God sent the angel Gabriel to tell her she was chosen by God to have a son named Jesus. Well, you can bet Mary was surprised. After all, she was just like you and me, a regular ordinary person.

But, you know what? God could see something extraordinary in Mary and that’s why God asked Mary to be Jesus’ mom. And it turned out that she was a great mom who loved and cared for the baby Jesus.

Just like that plain old piece of paper didn’t seem like much, on the outside Mary is just ordinary, but when she said “yes” to God she became an extraordinary part of God’s plan. Kinda like how that ordinary piece of paper can turn into a great airplane (fly the airplane)!

Let’s pray: God, help us be courageous and faithful like Mary so that when you call on us, we will say “yes” too. Amen.

Easter 3A

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Day: Easter 3

Lectionary Passage: Luke 24:13-35

Scripture Focus: Luke 24:30-31

Object: None

Note: If you want to teach the John Wesley Blessing to its traditional tune, it can be found in the United Methodist Hymnal #621. If you have younger children, then you may want to teach a simpler blessing like “Before I eat, I bow my head. Thank you God for daily bread. Amen.”

Our story for today is about a very special journey to a town called Emmaus. Two friends were walking there when all of a sudden they were joined by none other than Jesus. Except they didn’t know it was Jesus! They had a wonderful journey together and when they arrived in Emmaus, the friends asked Jesus to have dinner with them. Jesus was so glad they asked him to eat with them. When they sat down around the table, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them. Suddenly the friends knew it was Jesus! All because he had done something he had done a thousand times before: he gave the blessing before the meal and share a meal with them.

And that’s important for us to remember. We all need to remember to ask a blessing before we eat. When we ask a blessing, we give thanks to God for giving us the food that we’re about to eat. And this morning I want to teach you a very special blessing that most call the John Wesley Blessing. John Wesley was the guy who started our United Methodist Church. Okay, let’s learn it together, you repeat after me…

Be present at our table, Lord,

Be here and everywhere adored.

Thy creatures bless and grant that we

May feast in paradise with Thee.

Amen.

That was great! Now, whenever you have a meal, you can say the John Wesley Blessing to give thanks to God for the food you have and remember the story of Jesus and the two friends on the road to Emmaus.

Let’s pray: Thank you God for all the blessings you give us especially food and friends. Help us to always remember to give you thanks. Amen.