First Thoughts: Today's text is so short we might overlook it. And yet in it Jesus performs one of his most spectacular miracles, raising a widow's son from the dead. In this act of power, Jesus is not only acting out of compassion for the grieving mother; he is showing the disciples the true scope of his work. We know from reading other passages that some of the disciples had hoped that Jesus would lead them in creating an earthly kingdom, at the very least getting rid of the Roman government. But calling the dead back to life puts mere political ambition to shame! Jesus reminds us that true power isn't found in the ability to exact taxes or to force others to do your will. True power is the power to restore life, to heal, and to create hope out of despair. It is the power to change a person's heart that is most needed in our world, and it's the only power that makes a lasting change. First Jesus showed them this power, and then Jesus gave it to them -- to us. Spend a few moments considering this power God has gifted you to restore, to heal, and to bring hope from despair. Invite God to use you in these ways in your time with the children.
Teaching On Your Own: You guys will never believe what happened yesterday. My friends and I were outside catching fireflies when suddenly we heard a hissing sound. At first we thought it was a snake, but snakes don't have fur and long pink tails, do they? So after it hissed at us and showed us its pointy little teeth, suddenly it fell over dead. Maybe it had a heart attack or something. Anyway, we put it in the backyard so we could bury it. But today it was gone! We even saw its little paw prints where it walked away. What do you think happened to it? Now don't laugh at me (whispers), but we think it might have come back to life. Do you think that's what happened? No? Well, maybe it was playing possum. Do you know what that means? It means pretending to be dead so that something dangerous will leave you alone. Wait! It just occurred to me that maybe it WAS a possum! You think that's what it was, and it was just faking us out? I bet that's it.
But you know what? Our story today is about somebody who really did come back to life after he died. Jesus was walking through a little town called Nain when he came across a funeral procession. A young man had died and the people from the town were taking him out to be buried. His mother was there too, crying like her heart was broken. It probably was. Anyway, Jesus saw her and told her not to cry. Then he walked over to the young man's body and told him to get up. And he did! How do you think the people felt when they saw that? Some were really happy and excited, but some were scared. I can understand that. I was kinda scared when I thought about that possum coming back to life. But Jesus did it to show us that there's no reason to be scared. No matter where we are or what we're doing, no matter even if we're alive or dead, God is with us and God will take care of us. Nowhere is too far for God to reach us. When we think about it, it's not scary at all, is it?
Teaching As A Team:
Leader 2: Hey (name), something really weird happened last night.
Leader 1: What was it?
Leader 2: My friends and I were outside catching fireflies when suddenly we heard a hissing sound.
Leader 1: Hissing? Was it a snake?
Leader 2: Not unless snakes have fur and a pink tail.
Leader 1: What was it, then?
Leader 2: I don't know. First it hissed at us and showed us its pointy little teeth, and then it fell over dead.
Leader 1: It fell over dead?
Leader 2: Yeah. Maybe it had a heart attack or something. Anyway, we put it in the backyard so we could bury it. But today it was gone! Now don't laugh at me (whispers), but we think it might have come back to life. We even saw its little paw prints where it walked away.
Leader 1: Hmm. Maybe it wasn't dead after all. Maybe it was playing possum.
Leader 2: What does that mean?
Leader 1: It means pretending to be dead so that something dangerous will leave you alone. In fact, the way you describe it, I think it might have really been a possum!
Leader 2: You mean that possum was just faking us out?
Leader 1: Sounds like it. But our story today is about somebody who really did come back to life after he died. Jesus was walking through a little town called Nain when he came across a funeral procession. A young man had died and the people from the town were taking him out to be buried. His mother was there too, crying like her heart was broken. It probably was. Anyway, Jesus saw her and told her not to cry. Then he walked over to the young man's body and told him to get up. And he did!
Leader 2: He really came back to life?
Leader 1: He sure did. You can imagine how surprised and happy the mother was. Everyone else too -- except those who were scared to see such an amazing miracle.
Leader 2: I can understand that. I was kinda scared when I thought about that possum coming back to life.
Leader 1: But Jesus did it to show us that there's no reason to be scared. No matter where we are or what we're doing, no matter even if we're alive or dead, God is with us and God will take care of us. Nowhere is too far for God to reach us.
Leader 2: Now that I think about it, it's not scary at all, is it?
Closing Prayer: Loving God, who watches over us in our life and in our death, help us to trust in your care. Teach us how much you love us and help us to share that love with everyone we see. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this message in a home or classroom setting, spend a bit more time taking the children into the story. Think about what it would have been like in the beginning of the story, where the people were taking the body to the tomb. What expressions are on the people's faces? (sorrow, pain?) Now, invite the children to think about how things changed when Jesus told the mother to stop crying. What expressions are on the people's faces now? How about the disciples? (surprise, anger, embarrassment?) Finally, invite the children to think about what happened when Jesus told the young man to get up, and he did. What did the people do then? What would the children have done if they had been there? Ask them why they think Jesus chose to do this miracle. What does it teach us about God's love for us, and God's power to take care of us?
For a craft idea, give the children materials they will need to make their own possum. First give them three paper plates and invite them to cut out a possum head with one, a possum body with another, and use the third to cut out arms, legs, and a curly tail. (The tail needs to be curly enough to hang on something when the possum is upside down.) You can let them do all this freehand or create some templates for them in advance. Help the children attach all the body pieces with brads, so they'll be movable. Give them a piece of cloth in the shape of a half-circle to create a pouch for the possum belly. This they will glue to the belly by attaching the bottom and sides. Finally give them a bit of Velcro to put at the top of the pocket so they can close it. Give them a few kidney beans for their pouch, to represent possum babies. Explain that even though possums play dead when they're afraid, we don't ever have to be afraid because God is with us. Jesus showed us that today with this miracle. Just like the baby possum is held secure in its mothers pouch even when she's upside down, so we're held close to God's heart even when it FEELS like we're upside down. Close with a time of prayer.
