I was prepared In Kid's Word on Sunday that questions might come up about the Connecticut shooting.  I didn't know if parents had shared it or wanted to share it with their children so I opened divergently:  "Are there any things you' d like to talk about?"  Here's the first and only question from one often pensive child:

"How do we know God is with us?"   (Teaching children IS rocket science...)

I clarified with the child to be clear the question was whether God was present in our lives generally.  I turned the question to the other children.  "How do you know God is present in your life?"  Their responses could challenge those of doctoral theologians:

*So many people that I trust and respect come to church (tradition);
*Things have happened in my mom's life and my life that couldn't be just science (experience);
* The bible tells us God is, God loves, and God is here (scripture);
* The world is too beautiful and amazing for it to be science alone (reason);

That comment led to a child initiated discussion of whether they believed in the fundamentalist creation story or science (the rendition of the "Big Bang Theory" should've been caught on tape) and they all concurred they believe, using their words, in both the truth of "God and science."

I shared with them that they had just "nailed" John Wesley's quadrilateral though I'm a little nervous about how popular he is with Episcopalians today!  

God was present in our discussion today.  My only part was in facilitating the taking of turns to speak as everyone wanted to contribute.  As we closed, I offered if they believe God is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent, they should not be afraid of asking hard questions.  God will always be a part of the answer.

I also asked if it were especially hard to see God's presence when bad things happen to which I heard a sounding, "Yes!"  We closed with the key message of Advent:  Waiting with Hope.

It was amazing how we talked around the issue without any child mentioning the Connecticut shooting at all!  God is present --- in our most challenging moments.

Being Loved and Being Healed by Jesus

Jesus and his disciples came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Jesus stood still and said, "Call him here." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; get up, he is calling you." So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said to him, "My teacher, let me see again." Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.
-Mark 10: 46 – 52. 

We have learned over the past weeks about how much Jesus loves us!  We have also learned that part of loving is serving:  Last week, we read the disciples called to Jesus and He asked them, “What do you want me to do for you?”  James and John asked for power, to help Jesus “govern” the world but Jesus told them that to be a leader, they needed to serve others, not just sit on a throne and rule.

 

This week, a man calls out to Jesus and Jesus asks him, “What do you want me to do for you?” Bartimaeus could not see with his eyes and asked Jesus to be have mercy on him and let him be able to see.  This time Jesus gives the man what he wants.  He adds, “Your faith has made you well.”

We see at a physical level:  We see the beautiful moon early this morning, the colors of the sunrise on our hills and mountains, a dancing roadrunner across our street, a child who fell on the playground, a person who has torn clothes. 

Jesus enables us to see at a heart and soul level:  We can see God’s hand in making the sun and moon and the stars and hillsides and the roadrunner.  We can see the fear in the heart of the child who fell and wishes for his mom or dad.  We can see the hunger for love in the eyes of the person who has torn clothes. 

Bartimaeus was blind and wanted to be able to see his family, his friends, to be able to work and to enjoy the sunrises.  What might we need for Jesus to do to help our bodies?  What do we need Jesus to help us see?  If he walks with us in our hearts, what would Jesus see as we walk along each day? How do we need our faith to see these important needs?

Lord Jesus, have mercy on us!  Give us faith to let your love heal us; Help us see the needs of others through your love.  Amen.

  

Questions to Consider with Children:

*Questions about healing: 

·      What are some memories of ways you have ever asked Jesus for his mercy, his forgiving love for you? 

·      What are some memories of ways you have ever asked Jesus to heal your body?

·      What are some ways you have ever asked Jesus to heal your heart?

·      What are some ways you have ever asked Jesus to heal your relationship with Him and God, with your spirit?

*Questions about seeing:

Imagine Jesus is in your heart or walking alongside you each day.  What could you see in the body, minds and souls of the people you meet?

·      What hurting bodies might you see? Might you see people who are hungry, cold, lost, injured?

·      What hurting relationships might you see?  Might you see people without friends, who have experienced meanness, unkindness? 

·       What hurting spirits might you see?  Might you see people without God’s love in their lives, people who need God’s forgiveness to heal their wounded heart, people who might need to feel connected to God, to feel awe and wonder, to believe in God’s truth? 

Being Served and Serving

Mark 10:35-45

Last week we talked about only taking what you need.  This week we will look at how we see what others need and how to meet their needs.

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to Jesus and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." And he said to them, "What is it you want me to do for you?" And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They replied, "We are able." Then Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared."

When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, "You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."

“Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant”…for Jesus “came not to be served but to serve.” 

We are to serve others in a way that’s like the way Jesus served his disciples, his students. 

What do you know?

·      In what ways have you been served?  In what ways do God and other people serve you, care for you, comfort you, meet your needs?

·      What have you seen other people do to serve people in need?

What do you want to learn?

·        How can you tell when someone is in need? 

·      How does God or Jesus know when you need something?

How can you learn?

·      How can God help you see what others need?

·      How does God meet your needs? 

·      In what ways do you serve others? 

How can you show what you have learned about serving?

            How can we serve others this week?  What do they need?  How can we meet their needs?

·       

We will practice serving others by washing each other’s feet.  Jesus, in what I think is is “second” must humble act of service washed the feet of the disciples in the Upper Room at the Last Supper. We will imitate this act, if the child wishes.  They can also choose to wash the feet of one of the dolls instead.  Then we’ll make a simple table flower arrangement for those who are elderly and alone.  Each child will make a commitment to serve someone in need in their family or friends over the coming week.         

It’s about People, Not about Things

Mark 10:17-31

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.'" He said to him, "Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth." Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." They were greatly astounded and said to one another, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible."

Peter began to say to him, "Look, we have left everything and followed you." Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age--houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions--and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first."

This morning we read the gospel, acted it out with dolls and acted it out with dress-up costumes and we read the story of The Legend of the Bluebonnets.  We made trees filled with things that would be hard to give up if God asked.  We talked together that the message here was putting people and relationships over things. 

Here’s a story I “forgot’ to share this morning but meant to:

Last week I shared with you that I lost my laptop.  I was afraid  I put it on top of my Beetle and drove off to run an errand on Friday night.  When I came home, it was gone.  I felt so sad over the weekend, I was sick to my stomach. 

I shared with the kids at Kid’s Word that I felt badly, in part, because I had been careless with an important tool that I need.  They commiserated with me. 

Monday morning, I was preparing for this Sunday’s activity and I read the lines in Mark 10:27,  "For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible."

I felt at peace that no matter what had happened to my laptop, God was “bigger”, or there were more important things than a laptop, or that God could even bring miracles about laptops today. 

On Tuesday, I stopped at the La Quinta Police station, wishing, but not believing that someone turned it in.  To my surprise, someone had just dropped it off:  She found it in a parking lot at Walgreens on Washington Avenue and knew that turning it in was the “only right thing to do.”  I was able to meet her and say thank you as best I could:  I now have a new friend who lives just a block away from me!  It wasn’t about the laptop, though I was so grateful to have it back, as much as it was about the goodness of  my new friend, Pauline.

The most interesting thing to me was that when I asked the kids to write things it would be hard to give up, they kept wanting to name "people."  Maybe this is just one more example of the lessons we can learn from children!  

Here are some questions we discussed and questions you might find delightful to discuss at home: 

·      *  Jesus said he looked at the rich, young ruler and “loved him.”  How can we know Jesus loves us?

·      *  What kinds of things are hard to give up? 

·     *   Does  Jesus ask up to give up all our things?  Children sensed, “No, but we should take care not to demand more than we need and share others.”

·      *  In what ways have people treated you like you were more important than a thing? 

·     *   Why is it hard to give up things that you like? 

·     *  Why is it hard to only take what you need and not all that you want?

*  *  In what ways have we acted that shows we love people more than things? ? 

·       

·        

·       

Jesus and the Child in the Midst

Mark 9:33 - 37
Jesus and his disciples came to a house in Capernaum.  There he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?  But they kept quiet.  On the way, they had argued about who was the most important person.  
Jesus sat down and called for the Twelve to come to him.  Then he said, "If you want to be first, you must be the very last.  You must be the servant of everyone."  
Jesus took a little child and had the child stand among them.  Then he took the child in his arms.  He said to them, "Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me.  And anyone who welcomes me doesn't welcome only me but also the One who sent me.  

(Kid's Devotional Bible;  New International Reader's Version)

This verse is foundational to the child theology movement which invites us to view Jesus' words through the lens of a child in the midst.  Here Jesus draws a child into the conversation to emphasize the   goal of Jesus' followers is to serve, not to compete for the leadership role.  But what does this passage say to a child?

John Ortberg, now pastor at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, spoke to the children's ministry teachers and pastors at Willow Creek Community Church Promiseland Conference several years ago when he was still on staff there.  He invited us to imagine Jesus, a man who conveyed such a persona of trust and love that children who didn't even know him felt comfortable sitting on his lap!

Children in Kid's Word brainstormed who Jesus is to them earlier today.  They raised some critical messages:  He's someone you don't need to see to believe in;  He loves me and everybody.  They named Jesus as protector, comforter, lover of their soul, hope for the future, sweet, soothing voice.  A child once told me she would be able to recognize Jesus because she could tell from the love in his eyes.

This next weekend as we look at this verse, we are invited to come to know better Jesus' love for us.  Here are some questions we'll explore.

Questions to Ponder with Children
*  If Jesus were to walk into this room, how would you know it was Him?  What characteristics of Jesus would help you know it was him?  If you were to meet Jesus walking down the street or in your school, how would you know it was Him?  What do adults do that make you feel comfortable, make you feel safe with them, make you trust them?
*  When you were a little child, with what kinds of people were you comfortable sitting in their lap?
*  What do you know about Jesus' love for you?  What would you like to learn?  

Questions to Ponder as Adults
*  What are some memories of adults who made you feel safe?  How did they act?  In whose lap were you comfortable sitting?
*  In what ways do we look at children as "less than" adults?
*  How does Jesus see children?  Does he view them as less than adults?  If not, why not?
*  How can we see children through Jesus' eyes?  What would have to change about how we view children?

Activities We'll Do Next Sunday
*  Use art materials to represent Jesus' love for us
*  Use puppets and blocks to play out the scene from this Bible story
*  Use dress-ups to play out the scene from this Bible story
*  Write about Jesus' love for us in our Kids' Word Journals

Who Is Jesus? 

Mark 8:27-38

Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" And they answered him, "John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah."

This pericope goes on for what is much deeper contemplation among adults:    Jesus tells his disciples he will be crucified and they cannot believe it.  The lectionary verse ends with Jesus inviting the disciples that if they wish to follow him, they, too, must take up their cross and suffer.  But for children, I think the compelling question here invites us all, “Who is Jesus?” 

There are two ways I want to approach this with children and for we adults who reflect on this segment of the lectionary:

1. Who Do You Say I Am? 

Who is Jesus in your life?  How have children experienced Jesus in their life?  A natural segue here is to introduce children to the concept of Jesus, the Good Shepherd.  I anticipate many of their comments will revolve around Jesus as the one who protects, cares, comforts and loves them, the one who listens to their prayers. 

The second question is more challenging for older elementary school children. 

2.  Who do you say I am when you are with others? 

Do children sense Jesus visible within themselves when they are with others at school, at play, in their community?  What would your friends say Jesus is to you?  How do you show others who Jesus is to you? 

I invite children to talk about

*   What do you know about who Jesus is?

*   What do you want to learn about Jesus? 

*    How will you represent (show) what they learn?

 

We will make images, using an array of art materials, both new and recycled, to represent who Jesus is to us. 

Here are some questions for reflection around the dinner table at home: 

Reflections with Children:

If Jesus sat down at our table with us today and asked us, “Who am I in your life?” how would you reply?  Have you ever sensed his presence in your life?  Does he hear your prayers?  Has he comforted you when you were alone or hurt or frightened?  Who does the Bible tell you he is?  Who have you learned he is from other adults at church or home? 

Have you sensed Jesus with you at school?  Have you sensed Jesus with you when you are playing with friends?  Who is Jesus in the life of your friends?  (What is really important is that none of us judge children’s answers--- we remain open and listening actively to what they have experienced.  If we’re disappointed with their answers, that is for us to reflect upon when we are alone and rethink how we might be presenting Jesus to them.) 

Who do we say Jesus is to others, to our friends, our enemies, people we know and people we don’t know?  How could people tell Jesus is what we say he is by our lives?  Can they see who he is by the way we act, what we say, what we do?  How might we invite Jesus to influence our choices, how might we make Jesus more visible in our lives to others? 

Reflections among Adults

These questions are so important to discuss with children and yet I know, from experience, that I must reflect on my own response BEFORE I converse with children. 

Who is Jesus to me?  In what ways do others see Jesus influence my choices?  In what ways do friends and people with whom I have challenges see Jesus in my life?  Are there ways my life is a testimony to Jesus’ love, comfort, care, shepherding?  Are there ways it can be more so?