Scripture: Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

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: Sammy, can you tell everyone what Jesus means by sending his disciples out like lambs in the midst of wolves?

Sammy: Sure, Pastor! Jesus is talking about how vulnerable his disciples will be as they go out to take the good news of the Gospel with them. They are going to face many dangers. Wolves eat lambs like me for a snack.

Pastor: That’s great insight, Sammy. One of the things to keep in mind is that the Holy Spirit equips the disciples, and they have Jesus, the Good Shepherd. So they are not in danger because of these two realities.

Sammy: I also like how Jesus tells them not to bring anything with them.

Pastor: Why is that, Sammy?

Sammy: Well, I like that he will provide for them as they travel. It’s neat that God uses other people to provide for us. And I bet they ate some really good food on the way, too.

Pastor: Boys and girls, what are some of the things that the disciples did for people?

[Allow time for responses]

Pastor: These are great answers. The disciples shared about Jesus, healed the sick, prayed, and ate with people in a variety of towns. We can do all of these things for our brothers and sisters in Christ today, too.

Sammy: I love that the gift of the Holy Spirit and this commission from Jesus is not just for his twelve original disciples, but for all of us believers today as well.

Pastor: Exactly, Sammy. Let’s say a prayer together. Can you all please fold your hands and bow your heads? Dear Jesus, thank you for the Holy Spirit. Thank you for leading us to people in need. Help us to be your hands and feet. Help us to pray for and love each other. Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

Pastor: Bye, Sammy!

Scripture: Luke 9:51-62

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, I am ready to go!

Pastor: Where are you going, Sammy?

Sammy: I am going to follow Jesus. And I am all ready to go.

Pastor: But, Sammy, you are already following Jesus. You love Jesus. You are here in church every week, and you use the gifts God gave you to help his kingdom on earth grow.

Sammy: Yes, but I am going to be more intentional now.

Pastor: How so, Sammy?

Sammy: I have a sleeping bag ready for Jesus. My daaa-daaa is still alive and well, and I don’t plow fields. So that means I am intentionally following Jesus.

Pastor: Oh, Sammy.

Sammy: You should see the set up I have for Jesus in the barn. I have a sleeping bag, a scented candle, warm straw. He will love it. It will remind him of being a baby.

Pastor: Sammy, I think you are missing the point of the Gospel reading today.

Sammy: I am?

Pastor: Yes, I think so. Jesus is calling those who follow him to leave everything behind. He wants us to focus on serving him and each other. Following Jesus is about leaving your old life behind and accepting the new live that God is giving you. The new life we have in God is so much fuller, richer, and lovelier than any life we can try to make for ourselves.

Sammy: So Jesus won’t be needing my sleeping bag?

Pastor: No, Sammy. But I think your heart is in the right place for thinking about giving Jesus a place to lay his head. Boys and girls, would you please bow your heads and fold your hands so we can pray together? Dear Jesus, thank you for helping us to better serve each other and you. Please help us to leave our old lives behind. Please help us look to you for our new lives. We love you, Lord. Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

Pastor: Bye, everyone!

Scripture: 

Luke 8:26-39

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, it’s amazing how one simple word from Jesus can change a person’s life.

Pastor: Isn’t that cool, Sammy?

Sammy: Yes it is! What I love about this story from the Gospel reading for today is Jesus sends the man who was healed out to tell everyone about what God has done for him.

Pastor: That’s right, Sammy. And the man goes out and tells everyone he meets about how much Jesus has done for him.

Sammy: He was living like a pig before. That’s not pretty at all.

Pastor: Not quite, Sammy. But you’re pretty close.

Sammy: Hang on, Pastor. The lives that pigs live is very different from the lives that sheep live. I would know. I live with a lot of sheep and there are pigs on our farm, too. Boys and girls, what are some of the differences between pigs and sheep?

[Allow time for responses]

Pastor: Sheep and pigs sleep in different places, eat different foods, and live very different lifestyles.

Sammy: Exactly. And we want to live like sheep. Not like pigs.

Pastor: I like that, Sammy. Jesus calls us to be his sheep; he is the Good Shepherd. We want to follow him like sheep. Let’s say a prayer together. Can everyone please fold your hands and bow your heads? Dear Jesus, thank you for helping us to live like sheep. Help us to be grateful when you speak and when you call out to us. Thank you for changing our lives. Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

Pastor: Bye, everyone!

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! Happy Father’s Day to all of the dads!

Pastor: Yes, happy Father’s Day! Sammy, did you know that our earthly fathers help to show us the heart of our heavenly Father?

Sammy: Do you mean that our dads and granddads and papas and pop-pops and grandpas and daddys show us part of God’s heart?

Pastor: Yes, we are created in the image of God, and God created men as a reflection of his own heart and his great love for his people. When our fathers raise us with the love of Jesus in their hearts, they show us who Jesus is, too.

Sammy: That’s great news! That means that when I run around the pasture and do something that I am not supposed to do, I don’t need to sit in the time-out pen anymore.

Pastor: What do you mean, Sammy?

Sammy: Well, God doesn’t put me in time-out for doing something wrong, my daaa-daaa does. So if my daaa-daaa reflects the heart of Jesus, then I don’t have to ever be in time-out again.

Pastor: That’s not how that works, Sammy. God disciplines his people all of the time in scripture, and in fact, part of his command for fathers in several books, including the Psalms, is for men to discipline their children.

Sammy: Oh.

Pastor: Boys and girls, what are some things that your dad or granddad or a dad here at church does for you that is special?

[Allow time for responses]

Sammy: I like all of these answers. My daaa-daaa plays a lot of games with me in the pasture. He’s fun to be around, too.

Pastor: That’s great, Sammy. I want to encourage everyone here to always look to our Father in Heaven. Our dads here on earth try their best, but they are not perfect. They look to Jesus for hope and encouragement and wisdom to guide them in raising us. But we can always look to our Father in Heaven. He is a perfect Father. Let’s say a prayer. Can we please fold our hands and bow our heads? Dear Jesus, thank you for our earthly fathers. We thank you for being our perfect Father in Heaven. Today we ask for your blessing upon our fathers. We ask that you help them look to you as they guide and raise us. Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

Pastor: Bye, Sammy!

John 14:8-17 [25-27]

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, let’s find Phillip!

Pastor: Boys and girls, can you help me find Phillip in the boat? [Use the egg carton to find the plastic egg labeled “Phillip.”]

Sammy: There he is! I like that we can see him.

Pastor: Of course we can see him.

Sammy: Well, today in the Gospel, Phillip told Jesus he wanted to see the Father. He said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”

Pastor: Yes, he did. And do you know what Jesus said to Phillip?

Sammy: Um, I forget, Pastor.

Pastor: Jesus said, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” Jesus tells Phillip that He is God. And our God left his throne in Heaven to walk with us.

Sammy: Wow. Why would he do that?

Pastor: Jesus is the greatest King. He loves us so much that he chose to come to earth to save us and die for us. And he rose again to beat death and the grave. He saved us forever.

Sammy: Pastor, I think this Gospel has the Trinity in it, too.

Pastor: That’s correct, Sammy. Jesus talks about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Boys and girls, can you say, “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” with me? Ready? “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” That’s the Trinity. One God in three persons.

Sammy: That’s a gift. That’s living hope for all of us, Pastor.

Pastor: That’s right, Sammy.

Sammy: One thing I love about the gift of the Holy Spirit is the gift of peace that Jesus promises. I mean, sometimes I get gifts and they don’t bring me peace. Or the person giving me the gift wants something from me, too. Or I have to trade. But the Holy Spirit is a gift to us, and Jesus gives us peace, too. He gives the Holy Spirit to us because he loves us.

Pastor: Exactly, Sammy. Boys and girls, let’s bow our heads and fold our hands for a prayer. Dear Jesus, thank you for the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thank you for peace in our hearts. Thank you for the peace you give us. We love you. Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

Pastor: Bye, Sammy!

John 17:20-26

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: Sammy, did you know that Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God were all present before the beginning of the world?

Sammy: What!

Pastor: Jesus talks today in the Gospel reading from John about how God loved him from before the foundation of the world.

Sammy: But how can that be?

Pastor: Our God exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The love that exists between these three persons is so great that God created our world and us.

Sammy: I heard about the great love of God many times here in church. I hear from the readings and the songs about how God keeps coming back to rescue us.

Pastor: That’s right, Sammy. He rescues his people throughout the Old Testament. He walks with Abraham and Sarah, giving them the blessing of a child. He closes the mouths of the lions to protect Daniel. He walks through the blazing fire with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And then, our God shows us just how much he loves us by leaving the throne of Heaven…

Sammy: And coming to earth to be born of Mary as baby Jesus!

Pastor: Exactly. The ultimate rescue was Jesus coming to earth to save us from our sins. But Jesus was present with God from before the world was created.

Sammy: There’s so much that is a mystery, that I don’t understand, Pastor.

Pastor: That’s okay, Sammy. Today we are going to pray a special prayer to ask God to open our hearts. We can ask him to reveal more of his love and truth to us as we hear his word. Faith comes from hearing. Ready? Let’s bow our heads and fold our hands. Dear Jesus, thank you for increasing our faith. Help us to hear your Word and to trust you. Let us see you walking with your people from Genesis to Revelation. We love you, Lord. Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

Pastor: Bye, Sammy!

John 14:23-29

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, can you tell us about the Holy Spirit?

Pastor: The Holy Spirit was sent by God after Jesus ascended to Heaven. The Holy Spirit lives in each baptized believer and guides us in our walk with Jesus.

Sammy: But how does the Holy Spirit teach us and guide us?

Pastor: The Holy Spirit helps us to see the truths we read about in the Bible. We also can learn more about the Word of God, Jesus, by the help of the Holy Spirit.

Sammy: Can we see the Holy Spirit? I mean, we have all of these images of Jesus in our church. But what about the Holy Spirit?

Pastor: The Holy Spirit is not someone we see, but we can feel the presence of the Spirit throughout our day. The Holy Spirit is always with us because He is the gift from God we receive because of Jesus’s work on the cross.

Sammy: So I can’t see Him?

Pastor: A lot of times in the Bible or in artwork based on scripture, we see the Holy Spirit as a dove.

Sammy: I like doves. They are really pretty.

Pastor: Yes they are. When you see a dove in artwork, you can think about the Holy Spirit. But even if you don’t see a dove, know that the Holy Spirit is always with us. Boys and girls, will you pray with me? Dear Jesus, Thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to teach and guide us. We ask for your blessing upon each of your children today. In Jesus’s name we pray. Amen.

John 13:31-35

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: Sammy, today we are going to talk about one of the most important commandments Jesus gives to his disciples.

Sammy: Wait! Let me guess what it is!

Pastor: …Go ahead, Sammy.

Sammy: Eat your vegetables.

Pastor: Nope.

Sammy: Do your chores.

Pastor: Not quite.

Sammy: Remember to brush your teeth.

Pastor: Not even close.

Sammy: I give up.

Pastor: Boys and girls, what do you think the most important commandment Jesus gives us is?

[Allow time for responses]

Pastor: These are all great answers. One of the most important commandments Jesus gives us is to love each other just as he loved us.

Sammy: But what does that mean? How can I love other people like Jesus loved me?

Pastor: There’s lots of ways to show love to other people. Boys and girls, can you help Sammy think of some ways we can show love to other people?

[Allow time for responses]

Sammy: I like these answers. Sometimes it’s hard for me to love other people, especially when they make me upset or sad. But I will always try my best to love just like Jesus.

Pastor: Sammy, I know that sometimes it’s hard to love people, but we have to remember that as much as we make mistakes and make God sad, he continues to love us no matter what.

Sammy: That’s incredible, Pastor. I make a lot of mistakes.

Pastor: Me too, Sammy. But our God has such a big heart for us, his people. He chases after us and loves us no matter what.

Sammy: I’m grateful for his love. I am going to do my best to love others no matter what, too.

Pastor: Boys and girls, let’s say a prayer together. Can we please fold our hands and bow our heads? Dear Jesus, thank you for your love. Thank you for showing us how to love others, even when it’s hard. Help us to always look to your example. Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

Pastor: Bye, boys and girls!

John 10:22-30

Scripture:

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: Sammy, we have more sheep this week in our Gospel reading from John.

Sammy: I know! This passage is great, Pastor! I love that we get to talk about sheep again. I am an expert in sheep. Well, I am a sheep. That’s why I am an expert.

Pastor: Let’s not get carried away, Sammy. When your shepherd calls you, do you know his voice?

Sammy: Of course! My whole family knows the voice of our shepherd. We love him. He takes good care of us and makes sure that we have what we need. And he protects us from danger. We listen to him.

Pastor: That’s great, Sammy. Do you follow your shepherd?

Sammy: We do! We trust him to guide us where we need to go.

Pastor: Boys and girls, what do you think happens if Sammy or her family wander too far away from the shepherd and from the other sheep?

[Allow time for responses]

Sammy: Well, those are really good answers. Sheep can get really hurt if we wander far away. We could get lost. And we may not be able to find enough water. And sometimes we can get stuck in bushes or thorns. Or we could fall off of a cliff or a ledge. Or a wild animal could try to hurt us.

Pastor: It sounds to me like sheep need and rely on their shepherd.

Sammy: Yes we do.

Pastor: You know, Sammy. Jesus is the best shepherd there is. When we become one of his sheep, we belong to him forever. He loves us so much, that he laid down his life for his sheep. He takes good care of us. We are the sheep of Jesus.

Sammy: Jesus is truly the best shepherd out there. You have to be really brave to be willing to die for your sheep. That’s great love.

Pastor: Yes it is. Boys and girls, will you please fold your hands and bow your heads in prayer with me? Dear Jesus, thank you for being our Good Shepherd. Thank you for speaking to us. Thank you for protecting us. Thank you for laying down your life for us. Thank you for loving us. Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

Pastor: Bye, Sammy!

John 21:1-19

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: How are you doing today, Sammy?

Sammy: I am doing great! I am ready for the breakfast buffet that you guys brought for me.

Pastor: Um. What do you mean, Sammy?

Sammy: You know, just like in the Gospel reading for today. Jesus had breakfast with his disciples on the beach. I like breakfast. I like the beach.

Pastor: So what makes you think that we brought you a breakfast buffet?

Sammy: Well, Jesus gave direct orders to Simon Peter today. He said to Peter, “Feed my sheep.” I don’t see any other sheep in church this morning, so I must be getting all of the good food you brought for me today.

Pastor: Boys and girls, what do you think Jesus means when he says, “Feed my sheep”?

[Allow time for responses]

Pastor: You see, Sammy, Jesus isn’t talking about feeding the literal sheep in the pasture—although we do need to feed our sheep if we are raising them.

Sammy: Oh. He’s not?

Pastor: No, he’s not. He’s talking about the people he loves, all of us. We are Jesus’s sheep and he is the good shepherd. Jesus calls Simon Peter to feed and take care of the sheep—that’s us—because Jesus loves us. As Christians, we are called to serve each other in love.

Sammy: Jesus loved us first, so we are called by Jesus to love other people.

Pastor: That’s exactly right. That’s what being a Christian is all about: following Jesus: He is the way, the truth, and the life. When Jesus comes into our hearts when we are baptized and become part of God’s family, we are changed forever, and we can’t help but serve each other.

Sammy: It’s amazing what the love of God can do!

Pastor: Yes it is.

Sammy: Okay, but I do have one more question: can you all bring me breakfast next week?

Pastor: Sammy, we are going to pray now. I would be glad to bring you breakfast after church. Boys and girls, can we please fold our hands and bow our heads? Dear Jesus, thank you for feeding us. Thank you for taking care of us. Thank you for sending your people out to love each other. Thank you for modeling that love for us. Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

Pastor: Bye, Sammy!