Scripture:
Luke 10:25-37
Script:
Pastor: Good morning boys and girls! Welcome! Let’s say good morning to our friend Sammy. Ready? One, two, three: Good morning, Sammy!
Sammy: Good morning, boys and girls!
Pastor: Today I want to teach you all the most important commandment.
Sammy: I know! I know!
Pastor: Yes, Sammy?
Sammy: I know the most important commandment!
Pastor: Go ahead. What do you think the most important commandment is?
Sammy: Love God with all your heart.
Pastor: Great job, Sammy! In our Gospel reading for today, Jesus is quoting the book of Deuteronomy 6:5. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”
Sammy: What does loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength look like? How can I do that, Pastor?
Pastor: Sammy, that’s a great question. Boys and girls, what do you think? How can we love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength?
[Allow time for responses]Sammy: I like these answers! One of the things that I still don’t understand is how I can love my neighbor as myself. How can I do that?
Pastor: Let’s let the boys and girls answer this one too, Sammy. Boys and girls, how can we love our neighbor as ourselves?
[Allow time for responses]Sammy: All of these ideas make a lot of sense to me. I am going to try to love everyone. I know sometimes others aren’t always kind to us, but Jesus calls us to love them. And sometimes it’s also hard to love someone who is really different from us. But God calls us to love that person, too.
Pastor: That’s right, Sammy. We need to remember to love our God with all that we are. And that we should love our neighbors as ourselves. Jesus is asking us to live our lives in love and service to each other. We also have to remember that a lot of times, when we serve and love others, not everyone with thank us. And that’s okay. Remember that God always sees what you do and how you treat others. He knows your heart.
Sammy: That’s comforting to hear, Pastor.
Pastor: Boys and girls, can you all please fold your hands and bow your heads? Dear Jesus, thank you for helping us to love you with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Thank you for helping us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Amen.
Sammy: Bye, everyone!
Pastor: Bye, Sammy!
