Salted with Fire
Children's sermon
Object:
bag of unsalted pretzels
First Thoughts: In this passage it becomes clear that Jesus' main concern isn't what we call ourselves, but rather how our lives bear the fruit of the Spirit. Anyone who behaves in love or compassion, anyone whose actions result in freedom for others is moving inside the power of the gospel. For our focus with the children I want to look at the phrase "salted with fire." Although fire is used in the previous verse to describe punishment, it is also used throughout the gospels as an image of the Spirit and of Jesus' own compassion and love. Since "salt" is used in the next verse to describe faithfulness, I interpret "salted with fire" as a description of being holy. We know that it only takes a little salt to change the flavor of a dish, and so we can understand that it only takes a sprinkling of "fire" to season our lives. When we first enter the Christian life, we are often completely "on fire" for God. All our actions, all our energy, all our beliefs are consumed with zeal for being holy. But this is the experience of a young'un, and eventually it burns out. Besides any cook can tell you -- just as too little salt can ruin a meal, so can too much! Haven't we known some zealous young Christians who were so enthusiastic about converting others to their way of believing that their witness was practically unpalatable? (I know I was such a youth!) I believe this verse represents Jesus' instruction for balance in a holy life. A sprinkling of fire is the most effective: a bit of prayer in the morning, acts of loving kindness during the day, ten minutes for devotional reading in the evening. Just a bit of seasoning changes our whole lives and -- most of all -- it's a commitment we can actually sustain. Think about your own faith journey. Do recall your zealous phase? When and how did it end? What are your current practices that keep you salted with fire? Carry your own lessons with you in your time with the children.
Teaching As A Team:
(Leader 2 has an open bag of pretzels)
Leader 1: Hey (name), what do you have there? Pretzels?
Leader 2: (uncertainly) Well, yes. Normally I love pretzels.
Leader 1: But you don't love these?
Leader 2: No, they just don't taste right.
Leader 1: Hmmm, let me see. (takes the bag) Let's read the ingredients: flour, oil.... Wait, something is missing! And I bet that's the problem.
Leader 2: Really? What is it?
Leader 1: Salt! Usually pretzels have salt on them. Without it, the taste can be kind of bland.
Leader 2: Or downright awful! Wow, I never realized how important salt is.
Leader 1: Any cook can tell you -- a little salt can change the taste of an entire dish. Salt was really important in Jesus' day too. In fact, in today's lesson Jesus tells the disciples that if they live a holy life they will be salt for the earth.
Leader 2: What does that mean?
Leader 1: That means that with their love and kindness and sharing of God's word, they would be able to make the whole world a better place.
Leader 2: Just like salt would make my pretzels better.
Leader 1: But salt is only worth something if it stays salty.
Leader 2: That makes sense.
Leader 1: So if the disciples stopped loving and if they started holding grudges or bullying others, if they stopped praying and asking God to help them, pretty soon they would look like everybody else. Then they wouldn't be able to make the world any better.
Leader 2: I guess I better add some salt to these pretzels.
Leader 1: And if you pray and treat people with love and kindness, so you can also add salt to the world!
Teaching On Your Own: (holds open bag) Hey everybody! Do you guys like pretzels? I love pretzels. But there's something wrong with these. They just don't taste right. (If you choose, you can let the children each have one and see if they identify the problem. If not, use more prompting questions.) What do you think is wrong? Maybe we should read the label together. "Unsalted Pretzels." Hey, do you think they need some salt? I think they do. I never realized how important salt is for pretzels. Now that I think of it, though, most recipes I've seen tell you to add salt. Just a little can change the taste of an entire dish.
Salt was really important in Jesus' day too. In fact, in today's lesson Jesus tells the disciples that if they live a holy life they will be salt for the earth. What do you think that means? It means that with their love and kindness and sharing of God's word, they would be able to make the whole world a better place. Just like salt would make my pretzels better. But salt is only worth something if it stays salty. That makes sense, right? If the disciples stopped loving, if they started holding grudges or bullying others, if they stopped praying and asking God to help them, pretty soon they would look like everybody else. Then they wouldn't be able to make the world any better. So I guess I better add some salt to these pretzels. And if we pray and treat people with love and kindness, we can also add salt to the world!
Closing Prayer: Loving God, who calls us to be salt, we agree to your call. Help us to be faithful in our prayer life and worship together, so we are strong in our love and kindness in the world. Help us to make the world a better place through your Spirit. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this message in a home or classroom environment, help the children to identify ways the world needs to be salted, i.e. help them identify places where we need more generosity, more kindness, and more forgiveness. Anywhere the world is dark or uncaring is a place for "salt." Before we can be salt for the world, we need to be "salted" by God ourselves. Remind the children of Jesus' words, "If the salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it?" What are some ways that God can season us and increase our saltiness in the world? Introduce the phrase "salted with fire." Explain that in the Bible fire represents compassion and love and courage. Jesus tells us that the fire will be in us, but we don't have to be afraid. It's not a fire that will consume us, just season us like salt. Provide salt and invite the children to taste it. It's pretty strong if you just eat it on its own. But what is salt like on popcorn, pretzels, and hot buttered corn? Just like the salt here, we only need a sprinkling of God's fire in different parts of our lives to make a big difference.
As a craft idea, provide each child with a picture of a child's body. After the children color and decorate the body the way they want, invite them to put a drop of glue on different parts of their body where they need to be salted with fire. Suggest their hands that serve, hearts that feel love, mouths that speak kindness, foreheads that need wisdom, and so on. (If you want to make it more visually interesting, suggest that the children express themselves with the color of fire: yellows, oranges, and reds. The children can color the salt the same colors as fire.) Close with a prayer in which you ask God to season all these parts of our lives and to bring life and love to your world.
Teaching As A Team:
(Leader 2 has an open bag of pretzels)
Leader 1: Hey (name), what do you have there? Pretzels?
Leader 2: (uncertainly) Well, yes. Normally I love pretzels.
Leader 1: But you don't love these?
Leader 2: No, they just don't taste right.
Leader 1: Hmmm, let me see. (takes the bag) Let's read the ingredients: flour, oil.... Wait, something is missing! And I bet that's the problem.
Leader 2: Really? What is it?
Leader 1: Salt! Usually pretzels have salt on them. Without it, the taste can be kind of bland.
Leader 2: Or downright awful! Wow, I never realized how important salt is.
Leader 1: Any cook can tell you -- a little salt can change the taste of an entire dish. Salt was really important in Jesus' day too. In fact, in today's lesson Jesus tells the disciples that if they live a holy life they will be salt for the earth.
Leader 2: What does that mean?
Leader 1: That means that with their love and kindness and sharing of God's word, they would be able to make the whole world a better place.
Leader 2: Just like salt would make my pretzels better.
Leader 1: But salt is only worth something if it stays salty.
Leader 2: That makes sense.
Leader 1: So if the disciples stopped loving and if they started holding grudges or bullying others, if they stopped praying and asking God to help them, pretty soon they would look like everybody else. Then they wouldn't be able to make the world any better.
Leader 2: I guess I better add some salt to these pretzels.
Leader 1: And if you pray and treat people with love and kindness, so you can also add salt to the world!
Teaching On Your Own: (holds open bag) Hey everybody! Do you guys like pretzels? I love pretzels. But there's something wrong with these. They just don't taste right. (If you choose, you can let the children each have one and see if they identify the problem. If not, use more prompting questions.) What do you think is wrong? Maybe we should read the label together. "Unsalted Pretzels." Hey, do you think they need some salt? I think they do. I never realized how important salt is for pretzels. Now that I think of it, though, most recipes I've seen tell you to add salt. Just a little can change the taste of an entire dish.
Salt was really important in Jesus' day too. In fact, in today's lesson Jesus tells the disciples that if they live a holy life they will be salt for the earth. What do you think that means? It means that with their love and kindness and sharing of God's word, they would be able to make the whole world a better place. Just like salt would make my pretzels better. But salt is only worth something if it stays salty. That makes sense, right? If the disciples stopped loving, if they started holding grudges or bullying others, if they stopped praying and asking God to help them, pretty soon they would look like everybody else. Then they wouldn't be able to make the world any better. So I guess I better add some salt to these pretzels. And if we pray and treat people with love and kindness, we can also add salt to the world!
Closing Prayer: Loving God, who calls us to be salt, we agree to your call. Help us to be faithful in our prayer life and worship together, so we are strong in our love and kindness in the world. Help us to make the world a better place through your Spirit. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this message in a home or classroom environment, help the children to identify ways the world needs to be salted, i.e. help them identify places where we need more generosity, more kindness, and more forgiveness. Anywhere the world is dark or uncaring is a place for "salt." Before we can be salt for the world, we need to be "salted" by God ourselves. Remind the children of Jesus' words, "If the salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it?" What are some ways that God can season us and increase our saltiness in the world? Introduce the phrase "salted with fire." Explain that in the Bible fire represents compassion and love and courage. Jesus tells us that the fire will be in us, but we don't have to be afraid. It's not a fire that will consume us, just season us like salt. Provide salt and invite the children to taste it. It's pretty strong if you just eat it on its own. But what is salt like on popcorn, pretzels, and hot buttered corn? Just like the salt here, we only need a sprinkling of God's fire in different parts of our lives to make a big difference.
As a craft idea, provide each child with a picture of a child's body. After the children color and decorate the body the way they want, invite them to put a drop of glue on different parts of their body where they need to be salted with fire. Suggest their hands that serve, hearts that feel love, mouths that speak kindness, foreheads that need wisdom, and so on. (If you want to make it more visually interesting, suggest that the children express themselves with the color of fire: yellows, oranges, and reds. The children can color the salt the same colors as fire.) Close with a prayer in which you ask God to season all these parts of our lives and to bring life and love to your world.
