Luke 14:1, 7-14

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: Pastor, I cannot wait for our lunch together today.

Pastor: That’s news to me, Sammy.

Sammy: Jesus commanded you to invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.

Pastor: [Pause. Long pause.] And which one of those are you, Sammy?

Sammy: I am a poor little lamb.

Pastor: How are you a poor little lamb?

Sammy: I am growing. Because I am growing, I am always hungry. Since I am always hungry, I eat a lot. And that makes me a poor little lamb.

Pastor: I don’t know, Sammy.

Sammy: Well, you can think about it, Pastor.

Pastor: I will do that. I think you can come over to my house. I know my family would love to host you. We love serving lamb. I mean, we love lambs.

Sammy: Baaaaaa! Good one, Pastor!

Pastor: Boys and girls, the school year is starting for many of you, and when you go to preschool or elementary school or even a playdate with a friend, I want you to be on the lookout.

Sammy: What are we on the lookout for, Pastor?

Pastor: I want you to be on the lookout for a new friend. Boys and girls, has there ever been a time when you saw someone sitting or playing by himself or herself? What did you do?

[Allow time for responses]

Pastor: These answers are excellent. I think this year, we can all make an effort to reach out and invite people that others may forget about.

Sammy: That’s a great idea, Pastor. By the way, did you remember your lunch invitation? I’ll bring chips.

Pastor: That sounds great, Sammy. Boys and girls, will you pray with me? Let’s fold our hands and bow our heads. Dear Jesus, thank you for helping us to see the blind, lame, crippled, and poor in our community. Please let us be good friends to them. Help us to show them your love. Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

Pastor: Bye, Sammy!

Luke 13:10-17

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!

Pastor: Sammy, what happened to your leg?

Sammy: Well, I was playing with my friends in the meadow, and I fell and scraped my leg.

Pastor: Are you okay?

Sammy: Yes I am okay. My maa-maa says I am a brave little lamb. I did cry when I fell down, but she held me and told me that Jesus would heal all my boo-boos.

Pastor: Boys and girls, have you ever needed a band-aid or help from your family after you fell down or got hurt?

[Allow time for responses]

Sammy: I am glad that your families helped you all feel better. That’s what our families are for.

Pastor: Exactly, Sammy. God gives us each other and we are called to take care of one another.

Sammy: Pastor, there is something that I don’t understand.

Pastor: What’s that, Sammy?

Sammy: In the Gospel reading for today, Jesus healed a woman on the Sabbath. What is the Sabbath?

Pastor: Sabbath is the holy day of worship for Jews. It’s like how we go to church on Sunday. God commands his people to respect the Sabbath and keep it holy. Today, we as Christians are called to set Sunday or another day of worship aside to devote to God.

Sammy: That makes sense. I do a lot of things all week at the farm. It’s nice to have a day of rest and worship with you, Pastor. And with our church family.

Pastor: Yes; God’s original design for our world was broken by sin, but he still wants us. He calls us to honor and worship him through a day of rest. He wants all of his people to take a break.

Sammy: So why didn’t Jesus listen to that rule?

Pastor: What do you mean, Sammy?

Sammy: Well, doesn’t the leader of the Synagogue (the pastor) in the Gospel have a point? Jesus did do work on the Sabbath instead of resting.

Pastor: Not quite, Sammy. You see, Jesus healed a woman. You have a boo-boo on your leg, and your body will continue to heal this boo-boo even during worship today. Your body will not stop working.

Sammy: Right. But what does that have to do with Jesus?

Pastor: Jesus heals our bodies. He created us; he loves us; and ultimately, he will heal us completely. His work of healing is for every day. The healing that Jesus does is a healing of our bodies and of our souls. He heals our boo-boos and forgives our sin. That is his gift for every day.

Sammy: I am glad that Jesus does not take a break from healing us. And that poor woman in the Gospel had a really big boo-boo.

Pastor: Yes, she suffered for a long time. But God received all of the glory through her life. Her life was a gift and she was part of a great healing miracle.

Sammy: Amen!

Pastor: Let’s pray. Boys and girls, will you fold your hands and bow your heads? Dear Jesus, thank you for your healing power. Thank you for the gift of worship. Thank you for creating us. We love you. Amen.

Sammy: Bye, boys and girls!

Pastor: Bye, Sammy! 

Luke 12:49-56 

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! Good morning, Pastor! 

Pastor: Sammy, I am really glad that you and I are Christians.  

Sammy: Yes we are. Otherwise church would be really awkward. 

Pastor: Well, Sammy, in our Gospel reading today, Jesus is talking about families not getting along. Boys and girls, do you ever disagree with your siblings, cousins, or parents? What is that like? 

[Allow time for responses] 

Pastor: When Jesus walked on earth, he shared that he is God, and a lot of people believed in him and followed him. When they told their families about Jesus, some members of the family believed, and some didn’t. 

Sammy: That seems like a tricky situation. 

Pastor: It was. And it still is. During and after Jesus’s time, a lot of Christians had to go into hiding, even from their own families. Jesus proclaimed to be God—he is God, and that message divided a lot of people. 

Sammy: You know, Pastor, some of my family members don’t believe in Jesus. I don’t have to hide from them, but it’s hard to talk to them about my faith. 

Pastor: That’s understandable. It’s hard when you believe in the good news of Jesus Christ but someone in your family does not.  

Sammy: But what can I do? How can I encourage my family to see Jesus for who he truly is? 

Pastor: We can do lots of things. We can pray for them, love them, share stories from the Bible and our favorite scripture with them. One of the best things we can do is live a life that glorifies Jesus in all that we say and do. 

Sammy: And what happens when they come to believe in Jesus? 

Pastor: Well, the next step is baptism. When we are baptized, we become a part of God’s family. God wants each of us to be a part of his family. He chooses us, and we get to experience his great love through the Sacrament and gift of baptism. 

Sammy: That truly is a gift.  

Pastor: Yes it is. Boys and girls, will you please pray with me? Dear Jesus, thank you for the good news that you bring to us. Help us to pray for others and to live a life that brings you glory. We love you. Amen. 

Sammy: Bye, everyone! 

Pastor: Bye, Sammy! Bye boys and girls! 

Luke 12:32-40 

Pastor: Good morning boys and girls! Welcome! Let’s say good morning to our friend Sammy. Ready? One, two, three: Good morning, Sammy! 

Sammy: Are you ready, Pastor? 

Pastor: Ready for what, Sammy? 

Sammy: The wedding, of course! 

Pastor: Oh, you’re talking about the wedding from our Gospel reading for today. 

Sammy: Yes I am. I am so excited. I love weddings. 

Pastor: Sammy, how many weddings have you attended? You are just a little lamb after all. 

Sammy: I know I am little, but you have to keep up with the trends, Pastor. Didn’t you know that rustic barn weddings are totally in style right now? And moody colors, too. 

Pastor: Hang on a second. You’re telling me that at the farm, you’ve been to several weddings? 

Sammy: More than several, Pastor. Several dozen. And I have a subscription to “The Knot” Magazine.  We have weddings from April to October on the farm. And the farmers have a nice barn where the wedding guests have a banquet and lots of dancing. 

Pastor: That sounds like a good time. Boys and girls, have you ever been to a wedding before? What was it like? 

[Allow time for responses] 

Pastor: One of my favorite wedding memories… 

Sammy: That’s a good memory, Pastor. I really enjoy watching the weddings and seeing all of the people dancing and singing. There’s lots of food and wine, too. Sometimes I wish we could have a wedding at the farm every day! 

Pastor: You know, Sammy, Jesus is teaching his disciples about how he is going to come back one day. He talks about himself as the master returning from the wedding banquet. Jesus is going to come from the banquet and is going to redeem his people and call us home to Heaven with him. In Heaven, each day is a wedding. Jesus is the groom, and we, the church, are his bride.  

Sammy: You know, Pastor, I like that we are the bride as a church. I look good in white.  

Pastor: Yes you do, Sammy. But we are Jesus’s bride because he loves us so much, just like a groom loves his bride.  

Sammy: That makes sense. I’ll think about Jesus’s love for me each time I see a wedding now. 

Pastor: That’s wonderful, Sammy. Boys and girls, will you say a prayer with me? Dear Jesus, thank you for your promise to come back one day. Thank you for helping us to keep our hearts open. Help us to be ready for you. We love you. Amen. 

Sammy: Bye, boys and girls! 

Pastor: Bye, everyone! 

Luke 12:13-21 

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: Pastor! Pastor! Emergency! Emergency! 

Pastor: What’s wrong Sammy? 

Sammy: Farmer Luke’s garden is doing too well this year! We have thousands of tomatoes, hundreds of onions, bountiful squash. We’ve filled up our cellar. The freezer is full and we still have way too much.  

Pastor: That doesn’t sound like an emergency Sammy. It sounds like a good thing. Don’t you want abundant produce? 

Sammy: I thought that would be great too Pastor. But we have nowhere to put all the produce. It’s going to rot. I just don’t know what to do. 

Pastor: What does farmer Luke think? 

Sammy: That’s just the thing Pastor. He doesn’t seem to care at all.  

Pastor: Perhaps he already has a plan in place? Maybe he already knows what to do? Kids. What do you think farmer Luke should do with the produce? (Wait for responses) 

Sammy: Great answers everyone! 

Pastor: Yes they are. Perhaps he is going to share his crops with his friends, family and neighbors.  

Sammy: You know what. I think I did hear Farmer Luke on the phone with the food bank. I just didn’t know why.  

Pastor: It sounds like Farmer Luke plans to share. Sharing the gifts that God give us is important. He doesn’t give us anything that we should keep hidden away from people. He wants us to share.  

Sammy: That makes sense pastor. I will help farmer Luke share his crop this year.  

Pastor: Can everyone pray with me? Dear God, thank you for providing us with your great gifts. Thank you providing for our daily needs. Help us to share the gifts you give us with others. In Jesus name we pray. Amen! Bye! 

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!

Scripture:

Luke 10:38-42

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! Whew, Pastor! I am tired.

Pastor: Why are you tired, Sammy?

Sammy: I have been doing so many chores around the farm this morning. First, I helped Farmer Luke water the garden. Then I opened the chicken run so the chickens could free-range for a bit outside. After that, I helped Farmer Luke with training the puppies on the farm. They are going to be sheep dogs one day, but right now, they are a handful. And they like to play. A lot.

Pastor: That’s a lot of chores, Sammy. I am sure that Farmer Luke really appreciated your help this morning.

Sammy: You know, Pastor, that’s the thing. Usually Farmer Luke works with me to do all of these chores, but today, he just said, “You know what to do, Sammy,” and he left. I was doing all of the helping, but I was getting no help!

Pastor: I am sorry to hear that, Sammy. What was Farmer Luke doing instead?

Sammy: Well, when I was done with all of my chores, I went to go find him. It was then I realized he left and went to go pray in the meadow before church.

Pastor: What’s wrong with that, Sammy?

Sammy: Are you kidding me, Pastor? I had to do all of these chores—by myself—and I didn’t even get a thank you from Farmer Luke. And he was sitting in the meadow praying. Do you see what is wrong with that picture?

Pastor: I think Farmer Luke chose a great thing to do. We all need to devote more of our time to prayer.

Sammy: But, Pastor, I didn’t get any help. You should call Farmer Luke on your phone and tell him that he needs to help me next time.

Pastor: Farmer Luke chose the best thing.

Sammy: What!

Pastor: Think about it, Sammy. All of the chores you did were not urgent. They could all wait until later. When it’s time to spend time with Jesus, we should focus on him and listening to him.

Sammy: But what about all of the other chores and things I need to do today?

Pastor: We can worry about those things after church. Right now, we need to focus on listening to the Word of God and worshiping Jesus. That’s the most important job we have.

Sammy: I’ll try.

Pastor: That’s the spirit, Sammy. Boys and girls, would you please fold your hands and bow your heads so we can pray? Dear Jesus, thank you for helping us to remember what is most important. Help us to focus our attention on you. Please give us energy for our chores and for all we need to do. Please give us peace knowing you are Lord of all. Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

Pastor: Bye, Sammy!

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!

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!