Here is the devotion page for the Third Sunday of Easter, May 4, 2014
Note – Clicking on the picture will download the insert to your computer or device in PDF format.
Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly Devotion page to download past weeks!
Tag Archives: Easter
Children’s Sermon Third Sunday of Easter, Luke 24:13-35, May 4, 2014
Prepare: Find a very simple puzzle, like a preschool puzzle, you really only want about 6 or 7 pieces for this. Bonus points if it is an Easter puzzle! Also bring along some cardboard scraps that are a similar size to the puzzle pieces, but just squares or rectangles so that the puzzle piece is still pretty obvious.
As the children gather, get all the puzzle pieces facing up except for one. Let one piece sit surrounded by the cardboard so that it is obviously a puzzle piece, but so that the picture cannot be seen on it. Start getting the puzzle put together, let the children help if you want, but keep them away from the upside down piece. Once the puzzle is together be really sad and confused about the missing piece.
Oh no! I’m missing a piece! I thought they were all here! I even asked the person who gave me the puzzle and they said all the pieces were here. (At this point it is good if you let them see the missing piece.) Well, I guess I’ll just throw it away, if I can’t find the piece. What? You say it’s over here? No, this is all just cardboard, no puzzle piece there. Oh, wait! You’re right, there is the missing piece! I don’t know why I didn’t see it, but there it is! Now the puzzle is complete. Thanks.
This reminds me of the Gospel story that we hear today. The story happens on the day we call Easter. Jesus’ friends are walking away from Jerusalem when they meet a stranger on the road. They start talking and they find out that the stranger has no idea about what just happened in Jerusalem. He doesn’t know about Jesus, he doesn’t know about Jesus being killed, or buried, he doesn’t know any of it, so they tell the stranger all about it.
Here’s the fun part of the story, the stranger was Jesus! He was walking with his friends and they didn’t even know that it was him. They were so sad and worried that they couldn’t see Jesus walking with them. Just like me with that puzzle piece, I was so upset that it was missing that I didn’t even want to look for it. They didn’t know that they were with Jesus until they sat down to eat and Jesus broke bread and poured wine, then they suddenly recognized him. Just like I didn’t see the piece until someone turned it over.
A missing puzzle piece is not really a big deal, is it? No, not really. But forgetting to look for Jesus? We do know something that those disciples didn’t know, we know that Jesus is alive and among us, so we know that we should always be looking for Jesus, we should always be finding people who need our love and care.
Risen Christ, we sometimes forget that you are here with us, we forget to look for you in the people around us, and we forget to be loving to everyone we meet. Help us to see the good in the world and to live with your forgiveness and grace in our hearts and on our lips. Amen.
Send them out with a traditional Easter greeting! You say, “Christ is risen!” They respond, “Christ is risen indeed!”
~GB
Permission to use for nonprofit. When printing give credit to Faith Formation Journeys. Intellectual property rights apply.
Weekly Devotions for April 27, 2014
Here is the devotion page for the Second Sunday of Easter, April 27, 2014
Note – Clicking on the picture will download the insert to your computer or device in PDF format.
Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly Devotion page to download past weeks!
Children’s Sermon Second Sunday of Easter, John 20:19-31, April 27, 2014
Prepare: Bring a digital camera or your phone – something that will let you take a picture of the children and show them the picture (a tablet with camera would be ideal). Also bring a stuffed animal, you will need someone to hold the animal secretly in the background of the picture, so make sure you have that set up in advance, don’t let the children see the animal!
Gather the children together and take a group picture, make sure they are looking at you and that you can get the stuffed elephant in the frame of the picture behind them. Odds are good that at least one of them will want to see the picture, but if no one asks to see it, then start saying how great it is. As soon as one of them asks to see it, gently tell them no, tell them that it is a great shot, they will just have to trust you. Then take it over to another adult in the room and show them, and get them to say that it’s a great picture, but still refuse to show the children. Then put the camera/phone away.
So, do you believe me that it was a good picture? I even have a second opinion! It must be good, right? But you still want to see, don’t you?
That is kind of what happens in the Gospel story today. Jesus shows up and talks to his friends, but one of them, Thomas, isn’t there. We don’t really know where Thomas was, but he was not with the others when Jesus appeared to them. When the other disciples tell Thomas that they saw Jesus he say, “I don’t believe it. And I won’t believe it unless I can see him with my own eyes, unless I can touch the places where he was injured.” This is a little different than you trusting that the picture was a good one, it would be like me saying that there was an elephant in the background of the picture I just took. Would you believe that? No, you would have known if there was an elephant in the room, right? And if there had been an elephant in the room, and you told your friends at school they wouldn’t believe you either, right? They would want to come and see the elephant, just like Thomas wanted to see Jesus!
The good news for Thomas is that Jesus does come back, and Thomas does get to see and touch and experience Jesus. Then Jesus says, “blessed are those who have NOT seen and still believe.” Jesus isn’t really saying that Thomas was wrong for what he wanted. Jesus is saying that Thomas got an amazing gift that almost no one else will ever get – the chance to touch Jesus! We believe without Jesus appearing to us, we believe without touching Jesus hands and feet. Thomas was blessed with the experience of Jesus alive in front of him, we are blessed because we believe in the risen Christ without proof we can see or touch.
So, what about that elephant in the picture? Do you believe that there was an elephant in the picture?
Let’s take a look . . .
Living God, we are blessed with your love for us, we are blessed in our believe and, like Thomas, in our unbelief. Teach us to trust in your love and grace in all things. Amen.
Send them out with a traditional Easter greeting! You say, “Christ is risen!” They respond, “Christ is risen indeed!”
~GB
Permission to use for nonprofit. When printing give credit to Faith Formation Journeys. Intellectual property rights apply.
Easter Sunday Year A Matthew 28:1-10
See Easter Alleluia sermon for another option or other years for other ideas.
Preparation: Butterfly stickers or small give aways that are in the shape of butterflies (or a picture or a coloring page with butterflies)
Gather the children with you. Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! (teach them to say this if they do not know) Alleluia!
Today we hear the story of Jesus raising from the dead–the story where the tomb is empty! There was a phrase repeated a couple of times in that story–did anyone catch it? It was Do not be afraid–this is something that God wants us to know for sure, that we are not alone and that Jesus raising from the dead is not something that we need to fear. Now I have with me these butterflies–does anyone know why? Yes, a butterfly is a symbol for Easter because a butterfly starts as a caterpillar and then goes into a chrysalis and then becomes a butterfly–something new but still the same. I often wonder about how that caterpillar might feel as soon as it goes into the darkness–how do you feel if you are in darkness? Yes, it can make us a little nervous or even just unsure about what will happen next. Jesus’ disciples were not sure what to think. The women at the tomb found it empty and ran to tell the others about this news and they were amazed! The butterfly helps us remember new life and the words of God to not be afraid, no matter what darkness you are facing Jesus is with you.
If you have a butterfly to hand out go ahead and to that here saying I hope that when you see a butterfly you will remember the story of Easter and of God’s love for you in all times.
Let’s pray together: Jesus, we celebrate with Alleluias today! We praise you for the promise that you are with us all the time. Help us to know your Holy Spirit in our world and in our hearts. Amen
Weekly Devotions for May 12, 2013
Here is the Weekly devotion for the Seventh Sunday of Easter – May 12, 2013
Note – Clicking on the picture will download the insert to your computer or device in PDF format
Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly Devotion page to download past weeks!
Weekly Devotions for April 28, 2013
Here is the Weekly devotion for the Fifth Sunday of Easter – April 28, 2013
Note – Clicking on the picture will download the insert to your computer or device in PDF format
Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly Devotion page to download past weeks!
Weekly Devotions for April 21, 2013
Here is the Weekly devotion for the Fourth Sunday of Easter – April 21, 2013
Note – Clicking on the picture will download the insert to your computer or device in PDF format
Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly Devotion page to download past weeks!
Weekly Devotions for April 14, 2013
Here is the Weekly devotion for the Third Sunday of Easter – March 14, 2013
Note – Clicking on the picture will download the insert to your computer or device in PDF format
Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly Devotion page to download past weeks!
Children’s Sermon Third Sunday of Easter, John 21:1-19 – April 14, 2013
Prepare: Bring some food to share. Something simple would be best, to mirror the breakfast of bread and fish on the shore. I would suggest rice crackers or wheat thins (think about food allergies in your own setting!)
Faith+Open: Greet the children with, “Alleluia! Christ is risen!” If they do not know the response, teach them to say, “Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!”
Faith+Share: I love all these stories after Easter! This one is really fun because it makes me think of a couple other great stories about Jesus. The disciples were out fishing at the beginning of this story, and Jesus appeared on the beach, kind of like the first time that some of them met Jesus. Something very similar happens, they had not caught any fish and Jesus told them to try the other side of the boat and the net fills with fish! Then, on the beach, they share a meal of bread and fish, like when Jesus feed all those thousands of people from just a few fish and rolls. It’s like Jesus is trying to remind them of the amazing things that they have seen and been part of, and I think I know why.
After breakfast, Jesus talks to Peter and asks him, “Do you love me?” Peter says, “Yes, of course I do!” Then Jesus tells him to, “feed my lambs,” and “tend my sheep” and “feed my sheep.” What do you think Jesus is trying to say to Peter? (wait for some answers) Yeah, those are good answers! Jesus isn’t just talking about sheep, is he? He is talking about how we care for each other. How we feed each other, how we love each other, and how we take care of each other. Because we love Jesus, we also should love those around us because we are all part of God’s family, we are all God’s sheep!
So, before you go, we are going to share a simple meal with each other. Each of you take one cracker and then we will pray together. Don’t eat until we pray, just hold it.
Faith+Prayer: Loving Jesus, we thank you for all the people who care for us in our lives. We thank you for the food that you give to us and for the love that you show us. Teach us to love others as you love us. Amen
OK, bless each other and you can eat your cracker!
Faith+Blessing: Say, “Alleluia! Christ is risen!” – Let then respond, “Christ is Risen indeed! Alleluia!”
~GB
Permission to use for nonprofit. When printing give credit to Faith Formation Journeys. Intellectual property rights apply.