Scripture: Luke 11:1-13

Materials: Provide each child, or each member of the congregation, with a copy of the Lord’s Prayer. You can create a simple or fancy design. Maybe you want to print one that is laminated later or one that the children can color.

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 we are going to talk about the Lord’s Prayer.

Sammy: Yes! I love praying the Lord’s Prayer.

Pastor: This prayer is a very important prayer, Sammy. Jesus gave us this prayer as a great way to talk to our Father in Heaven.

Sammy: I worked really hard to memorize the prayer, Pastor.

Pastor: Excellent, Sammy. That’s a goal we can all have—to memorize this prayer. It’s short, and I know that all of us can do it.

Sammy: I love the parts of the Lord’s Prayer, Pastor.

Pastor: Yes. The Lord’s Prayer involves us declaring God’s holiness, asking Him in faith for the food we get to enjoy each day, and asking him for the forgiveness of our sins.

Sammy: What does Jesus mean when he teaches the disciples the part about “thy kingdom come,” Pastor?

Pastor: That’s a great question, Sammy. Jesus is teaching us to pray about his return and about heaven coming to earth. We want Jesus to come back to earth and to establish his kingdom here. He is our God and our true king, and one day when he returns and brings the kingdom of heaven to earth, we will live in the peace, power, and presence of Jesus. It’s going to be amazing.

Sammy: That sounds amazing, Pastor! Will there be a place for me there?

Pastor: Yes, there will be a place for each believer in the kingdom of Jesus. He makes a way for us. And he will provide a place for us.

Sammy: The Lord’s Prayer is beautiful. It gives me so much hope, Pastor.

Pastor: Me too. Let’s say it together. Ready? You can repeat after me, boys and girls.

Our Father,

Who art in Heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,

On Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread

 And forgive us our trespasses

As we forgive those who trespass against us

And lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory

Forever and ever

Amen.

Sammy: Great job, everyone! Pastor and I have a special copy of the Lord’s prayer for you to take home with you. You can use this copy to help you memorize the prayer. And you can pray this prayer anytime. Bye for now, everyone! See you next week.

Pastor: Bye, Sammy!

“Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword will perish by the sword.  Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?  How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?” (Matthew 26:52-54)

We fight.  Fighting will cause loss.  Will not the Father do what is needed?  Yes, stand your ground, but violence begets violence.  Note that Peter was not reprimanded for having a sword, only for using force to try and stop what was going to happen.  Jesus needed to be arrested for our sake.  For this reason, always go to the Lord in prayer and not just react to things.  Seek the Father’s will in all things.

Lord, I am reactionary in this world filled with anxiety.  Teach me to keep my head and not react to things unless You lead.  Lead me according to Your will to see that only in You is there true hope.  Guide me so that I humbly submit to Your will and do what You would have me do.  It is a violent world, but I do not need to be one who promotes the violence.  Yet Lord, I do need to protect where it is needed.  Teach me the appropriate boundaries for these things.

Lord Jesus, You are always purposeful in all that You do.  I often do not understand what is coming.  Guide me so that I respond to You and do not react to situations.  Grant me prudence, temperance, and fortitude to fight every battle according to the Father’s will and by Your grace.  Help me to be faithful in all things, not reacting to this world of constant insanity and impatience.  Amen.