Childrens Sermon Service

First Thoughts: Here we read Jesus' teachings on radical discipleship. If we've read these passages many times before, we might be tempted to skip over just how great these demands are. Jesus tells us that if we are to follow him, we must divest ourselves of anything that stands in our way. For the wealthy young man it was his material riches, for some it is competing relationships (family, friends), and for others it is a need for popularity or greatness. Here is the great difficulty of the gospel: the thing we most want to hang onto is the very thing we most need to release. When God asks us to release the things we are clinging to, it is easy for us to feel that God is depriving us and leaving us impoverished. But the gospel teaching is clear: God only wants us to let go of these things so God can give us something much better. When we unclench our fists in release, our hands are ready to receive. A major faith step in any Christian's life is the trust that God can and will provide our true heart's desire. Think of a time in your life when you released an old desire. It could be a relationship that died, an expectation that didn't come to pass, or an idea of security that fell apart. How did it feel when you let go of that desire? How did you relate to God during that time? Looking back, do you see how a new blessing came to you because of this letting go? How does that impact your faith? Take your own experiences with you in your time with the children.

Teaching As A Team:
(Leader 2 has backpack, looking troubled)
Leader 1: Hey (name). Um, why do you have a backpack in church?
Leader 2: 'Cause I'm going camping this afternoon. My friends and I have a real outdoors instructor who's going to lead us.
Leader 1: That sounds fun!
Leader 2: (uncertainly) Yeah, it should be.
Leader 1: You don't sound too sure. What's wrong?
Leader 2: See, I packed my backpack with all the things I need -- my DS, my iPod, a few comic books, some chips and cookies, my favorite blanket and pillow, and my teddy bear. But the instructor says I have to leave all this stuff behind. She says we're going to be walking a lot in the woods and this stuff will just weigh me down.
Leader 1: And you're afraid that you might not be able to have fun without all these things?
Leader 2: Yeah. I mean, what if I got bored, hungry, or lonely. I would need these things.
Leader 1: Sounds like your instructor is asking you to trust her. She knows that lugging around that heavy backpack is going to make it hard for you to really enjoy the hike. And I'm sure she has made provisions for you guys when it's time to eat, drink, or rest. Also she knows that being out in nature and spending time with your friends is going to be a new kind of fun, and it's best for you to not have anything around that will distract you.
Leader 2: Hmm, I didn't think of it that way.
Leader 1: You know, your instructor's requirements remind me a bit of Jesus. One day a rich young man came to Jesus asking Jesus how he could live a really good and free life. Jesus told him he would need to get rid of all his worldly possessions to be truly free.
Leader 2: Man, I don't even want to leave behind my teddy bear!
Leader 1: Yeah, the man was really afraid. He thought he couldn't live without his wealth and so he turned back. He just wasn't ready yet to see the truth that what Jesus was offering him was real peace and freedom. He just wasn't quite ready to trust Jesus that much. See, God is always trying to help us get freer, to grow in love and peace, and to let go of the things that distract us and keep us stuck.
Leader 2: Like my instructor wanting me to leave my backpack behind.
Leader 1: The question is, do you trust your instructor?
Leader 2: Yeah, I think I do. Guess I'll be leaving this stuff here.
Leader 1: Good idea. And if you can trust your instructor, you can certainly trust God to take care of you too. Right?

Teaching On Your Own: Hey, guys. Guess what I'm doing this afternoon? I am going on a camping trip! My friends and I have a real outdoors instructor who's going to lead us. Doesn't that sound fun? I thought so. See, I packed my backpack with all the things I need -- my DS, my iPod, a few comic books, some chips and cookies, my favorite blanket and pillow, and my teddy bear. But you know what my instructor said? She says I have to leave all this stuff behind. She says we're going to be walking a lot in the woods and this stuff will just weigh me down. But I'm afraid of going out without all my stuff. I mean, what if I get bored, hungry, or lonely? I would need these things. Do you have something that you would really hate to leave behind if you went on a trip? (let the children answer) Yeah. I told my instructor that leaving behind all my stuff made me nervous, but she told me I would just have to trust her. She said that lugging around that heavy backpack is going to make it hard for me to really enjoy the hike. And she said that she has made provisions for us when it's time to eat, drink, or rest. Also she says that being out in nature and spending time with my friends is going to be a new kind of fun, and it's best that I not have anything around that will distract me. What do you think about that? Does that sound right to you guys?

You know, it reminds me a little of Jesus' teaching today. One day a rich young man came to Jesus asking Jesus how he could live a really good and free life. Jesus told him he would need to get rid of all his worldly possessions to be truly free. Can you imagine that? I don't even want to leave behind my teddy bear! Anyway, the man was really afraid. He thought he couldn't live without his wealth and so he turned back. He just wasn't ready yet to see the truth that what Jesus was offering him was real peace and freedom. He just wasn't quite ready to trust Jesus that much. See, God is always trying to help us get freer, to grow in love and peace, and to let go of the things that distract us and keep us stuck. Like my instructor wanting me to leave my backpack behind. You know what? I think I'm just going to trust my instructor and leave the backpack behind. And if I can trust her, I can certainly trust God to take care of me too. Right?

Closing Prayer: God, help us to let go of those things that weigh us down and prevent us from following you in faith. Help us to believe in your promise that we will be cared for and blessed beyond our imagining. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.

Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this lesson in a classroom or home environment, share the parable of the monkey's fist. Explain how, in order to catch monkeys, native hunters will put a treat in a narrow jar. The monkey can reach in to grab the treat, but once he's making a fist, he can't get his hand back out. If the monkey lets go of the treat, he can escape. If he won't let go, he gets caught by the hunters. Help the children connect this parable to Jesus' teaching here. God doesn't ask us to let go of things because God doesn't want us to be happy but because God wants us to be free. Some things we just need to let go of if we're going to be really strong in our faith and in our life. Ask the children what things in their lives reduce their freedom. This is an abstract idea, so offer some leading questions to help along the discussion. Are there times when we feel angry or resentful? Do we ever feel tired or sick? Do you ever feel confused or fearful? What can we do to let go of those things? You might use examples to help the children follow this train of thought. For example, if we're feeling tired in the mornings, maybe we decide to go to sleep earlier. If our stomachs are upset, maybe we decide not to eat candy and instead choose to eat a piece of fruit. If a scary movie makes us afraid, perhaps we can choose not to watch that movie but instead read a fun book. All of these examples show us letting go of something that cause us problems, making our lives less joyful and free. What do you think would happen if we let these things go? Will our lives be harder or better? As a craft you can either provide a monkey template for the children to color and cut out or invite the children to draw a monkey on a sheet of paper. If using a template, invite the children to glue their decorated monkey on a sheet of paper. At the top write the words, "Be a Smart Monkey - Let Go, Be Free!" Close class with a time of prayer.