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 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!

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, everyone! Pastor, this Gospel reading was a long one today.

Pastor: Yes, Sammy. The Gospel reading today is all about the Passion of our Lord Jesus.

Sammy: So much happened while you were reading the Gospel. Jesus shared communion, he prayed in the Garden, and he was put on trial several times.

Pastor: Several people did not like Jesus. We meet some of them in the reading today. One of the things we have to remember is that Jesus committed no sin. He lived a perfect life. Boys and girls, have you ever been blamed for something you didn’t do?

[Allow time for responses]

Sammy: Jesus did not deserve death, but he chose to die because we deserve death. We are sinful, and the price for sin is death.

Pastor: Jesus went willingly to the cross, and he knew what he was going to suffer.

Sammy: You know, Pastor, as I listened to you read the Gospel today, I wondered who I would be if I was there to witness Jesus on the cross.

Pastor: What do you mean, Sammy?

Sammy: Would I betray Jesus, like Judas? Would I deny Jesus, like Peter? Would I be one of the ones who wanted Jesus to die, like the crowds or priests or Herod? Would I be willing to carry the cross like Simon? Would I mock Jesus like the soldiers? Or would I ask for forgiveness like the thief on the cross? Or would I stand at a distance and watch like Mary and the other women? Who would I be?

Pastor: I think each of us plays all of or many of these roles during our lives. God knows our hearts. He gives us faith and teaches us through the trials and challenges we face.

Sammy: But, Pastor, I worry that I am not good enough to deserve what Jesus did for me. He took my sin so that I could eat at his table with him forever.

Pastor: Sammy, none of us deserve the gift that Jesus gives us. None of us our worthy. We are broken and made new in Jesus. And he asks us to go and love as he loved us.

Sammy: I will try, Pastor. I will try.

Pastor: Boys and girls, this week, I want you to think about how you can better love someone. What can you do to show Jesus’s love to someone else?

[Allow time for responses]

Pastor: Great answers! Let’s close with prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for your great love. Thank you for taking our sin so we could eat at your table. Thank you for your goodness and grace. We love you. Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

Pastor: Bye, Sammy!

Scripture:

Luke 4:1-13

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, everyone! Hey Pastor do you have a favorite food to eat?

Pastor: Yes Sammy I do. I like to eat insert favorite food here. I can’t get enough of it. What do you like to eat Sammy?

Sammy: I really enjoy hay. I can eat up to two pounds per day. I also love eating in the pasture. I would eat all day if I could.

Pastor: Where do you put it all Sammy? You are such a little lamb.

Sammy: I have four chambers in my stomach. So, I always have extra room for more food!

Pastor: Boys and girls, what are your favorite foods to eat?

Give time for the kids to answer

Sammy: Pastor. What does Jesus mean that man shall not live on bread alone? Does that mean we should be eating a lot of different foods?

Pastor: Jesus is not talking about eating different foods. He is saying that food is not what gives us life. He is quoting Moses in the book of Duet. Chapter 8, “man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.”

Sammy: Okay but how do words help us live? Don’t we need food?

Pastor: Moses point was not that food was not important, it is. But trust in the lord is more important. God created us with his word and now he sustains us with his word.

Sammy: So, if we follow God always, we will always know where to go?

Pastor: That is right Sammy. Boys and girls, can you fold your hands and bow your heads in prayer? Dear Jesus, thank you for guiding us with your word. Thank you for leading us away from trouble and always leading us to you. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Scripture:

Luke 6:17-26

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, everyone! Pastor, I am encouraged by the words of Jesus.

Pastor: Jesus’s words in this sermon are very encouraging, Sammy.

Sammy: Jesus recognizes how broken our world is, and his words are comforting to me.

Pastor: Jesus’s words are comforting to many who believe in him. He promises that the poor will inherit the Kingdom of God. He says people who are hungry will have full bellies.

Sammy: I like having a full belly!

Pastor: Me, too, Sammy. Jesus also talks about how anyone who is crying now will laugh.

Sammy: That’s because Jesus gives us joy!

Pastor: Yes he does. When we put our hope in Jesus, he gives us so much in return. Jesus gives physical healing to many people, too. The Gospel writers Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all talk about how Jesus healed many people. We don’t know everyone’s story. We don’t know why each person needed healing, and we don’t know what each person did after he or she was healed.

Sammy: But we do know that Jesus healed them. And they walked away changed. They received healing from the Word of God. And Jesus gave them more encouraging words that would never be taken from them.

Pastor: Yes he did. Boys and girls, I have something special for each of you today. I am going to give each of you a heart. Can you read what this heart says? [Heart can say Jesus loves you or a verse from the scripture today.]

Sammy: Hey, Pastor! Do you have enough hearts in that basket for everyone today? Maybe the boys and girls can help you share the love of Jesus with our congregation.

Pastor: Boys and girls, will you please help me give a heart to everyone?

[Give a heart to each member of the congregation and then return to the front of the church for prayer.]

Pastor: Let’s fold our hands and bow our heads. Dear Jesus, thank you for always giving us hope. Help us to trust you to take away our tears and to give us laughter. Help us to have faith that you will always care for us and love us. In your name we pray, Amen. Bye, everyone!