First Thoughts: In movie plots, many successful ambushes and break-ins are attributed to one common mistake: someone fell asleep when they were supposed to be guarding the door. Jesus advises his followers not to make this mistake. They are to be alert, ready, and prepared for the coming of Christ. This is good advice for us today as well. How many of us wake up each morning excited with the anticipation of how God will meet us today? Or how many of us enter our church service eyes peeled, ready to see the new thing God will do among us? More likely we become lulled by the regularity and predictability of our lives. And no wonder -- it's a comfort to feel that you can know what each day will bring. There is no disruption, no unpredictability -- no vitality or life. Jesus wants us open to the adventure each day brings, to angelic visitations in our midst, to new freedom and healing in our lives and in our world. If we want to be part of this new world, we must ready ourselves, outfitting ourselves in prayer and anchoring ourselves in thanksgiving. Prepare for your time with the children in prayer and thanksgiving, so you are ready to encounter the adventure God has in store for you this morning.
Teaching On Your Own: (yawns) Wow, am I tired. I stayed up almost the entire night last night. Have you ever stayed up really late? What were you doing? (waits for response) Do you want to know why I stayed up? I was waiting on my grandma. She was coming for a visit, but she had to travel a long way. She ended up getting stuck in traffic, so she was later than she meant to be. I camped out right in front of the door most of the night, waiting, just so I wouldn't miss it. I didn't want to miss my special first-one-at-the-door hug! You know what? That reminds me of our passage today.
Jesus was telling the disciples that they should be like servants waiting on their master to come back from a feast. A good servant waits right at the door, the lights on, to open the door for the master. Jesus said they should be prepared like that, because the Son of Man might come at any time. Who do you think the Son of Man is? It's a title people use for Jesus. So you know what that means? That means Jesus can come to our door at any time. Do you think that's true? I do. Sometimes Jesus comes to us in someone who needs our help. Sometimes Jesus comes to us as someone who wants to help us. And sometimes Jesus comes to us in a great big grandma hug! But we need to keep looking for Jesus in our lives, so we're sure to see him when he arrives. What do you think, gang? Do you think we need another stakeout? This time, though, we'll be on the lookout for Jesus!
Teaching As A Team:
(Leader 2 looks tired)
Leader 1: Hey, (name), did you not sleep well last night?
Leader 2: No, I stayed up until nearly (yawns) three in the morning.
Leader 1: But why did you stay up so long?
Leader 2: I was waiting on my grandma. She was coming for a visit, but she had to travel a long way. She ended up getting stuck in traffic, so she was later than she meant to be.
Leader 1: But why didn't you just go to sleep and see her in the morning?
Leader 2: And miss my special, first-one-at-the-door hug? Not on your life! I camped out right in front of the door most of the night, waiting, just so I wouldn't miss it.
Leader 1: That reminds me of our passage today. Jesus was telling the disciples that they should be like servants waiting on their master to come back from a feast. A good servant waits right at the door, the lights on, to open the door for the master. Jesus said they should be prepared like that, because the Son of Man might come at any time.
Leader 2: That's where I was -- right at the door. But I was waiting on my grandma, not the Son of Man. What does that mean anyway?
Leader 1: It's a title people use for Jesus.
Leader 2: So you're saying Jesus can come to my door at any time?
Leader 1: Sure. Sometimes Jesus comes to us in someone who needs help. Sometimes Jesus comes to us as someone who wants to help us.
Leader 2: And sometimes Jesus comes to us in a great big grandma hug!
Leader 1: Yes! The important thing is that we keep looking for Jesus in our lives, so we're sure to see him when he arrives.
Leader 2: Looks like it's time for another stakeout!
Leader 1: You said it.
Closing Prayer: Loving God, keep us open for signs of you in our lives. Give us eyes that can see you, ears that can hear you, and hearts that can love you. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this message in a home or classroom setting, invite the children to close their eyes and listen carefully to the Bible passage. First read Luke 12:35-36 aloud to the children slowly. Then ask them if they can picture themselves as these servants, lamps lit, clothes on, ready for the coming of the master. Ask them how it feels to be waiting. Do they feel bored? Excited? Anxious? Now invite them to close their eyes again and read Luke 12:37-38. Ask them to think about what the scene is like when the master finally arrives. What do they think of the fact that the master rewards the faithful servants by serving them himself? What does that tell us about God? Even though Jesus is telling us we need to be ready, it isn't only so that we can serve God, but so God can serve us as well. Jesus wants us to be ready both to give and receive blessing.
For a craft idea, give the children materials to make their own lanterns. In Jesus' time they didn't have electricity, so when someone came home at night they couldn't just turn on a light switch to see what they were doing. Instead, someone had to keep the lamps lit -- the job that Jesus gave to the servants in this story. Provide each child with a copy of the lamp template page to cut out and decorate. (You can provide glitter glue and acrylic gems and such, but if you do you might want to use a sturdier cardstock for the template.) Each template page has two lamps and a flame. When they are done decorating they can glue these two lamps together, gluing the flame in the middle of the lamp's nose. Point out to them that the flame has the words "Be Ready to..." and on the base of one side of the lamp are the words "Be a Blessing" and on the other side are the words "Receive a Blessing." Remind them that God has lots of important work for us to do in the world, but God also wants us to enjoy ourselves and feel God's love. Close with prayer and reading these words together, "Be ready to be a blessing, be ready to receive a blessing."
