Childrens Sermon Service

First Thoughts: As we enter this celebration of Ascension and prepare for Pentecost, we're going to use this lesson to focus on the mission of the church. Because we know that when Christ ascended it wasn't the end of God's mission on earth, but a new beginning. We are able to understand something the early disciples struggled with, which is that the kingdom of God wasn't going to come through Jesus' efforts alone but through the faithful commitment of his followers. It's important for us to keep in mind that Jesus' actual ministry involved only a small area of the world. It was the ministry and commitment of the church's early leaders that spread the gospel message -- men and women like us who gave their lives to sharing God's message of healing and peace. It's a mission we've inherited, and one we pass onto our children. What does it mean for your church to carry the gospel message into the world? How about you personally? Carry this reflection -- and its challenge -- with you in your time with the children.

Teaching As A Team:
(Leader 2 has the bag of cookies.)
Leader 1: Mmm, something smells good. What's that in your bag, (name)?
Leader 2: It's my grandma's cookies.
Leader 1: But I thought your grandma wasn't alive anymore.
Leader 2: You're right. My grandmother died five years ago.
Leader 1: Then how do you have her cookies?
Leader 2: Oh, well, I have her recipe book. So whenever I'm feeling sad for my grandmother, or whenever I want to make the best cookies in the world, I just pull out the recipe book and make a treat. It makes me kinda feel like she's still here.
Leader 1: You're right -- she kinda is. When you cook one of her recipes, you're keeping a piece of her alive. It reminds me of our scripture passage today, when Jesus returned to heaven. Remember just a few weeks ago we talked about how Jesus died and was resurrected?
Leader 2: Yeah, then he spent some time with his friends.
Leader 1: Well now is the time when Jesus leaves them again. He's returning to heaven now, but this time things are different. Before the disciples were scared and sad, because they saw him die on the cross. This time they understand something important -- the kingdom of God is still growing and spreading.
Leader 2: But how can it if Jesus isn't around to teach and heal people?
Leader 1: Because Jesus told them they would be the ones to teach and to heal and lead people to God's love. Jesus told them that they would be filled with God's power and do many great things and -- since there were several of them -- the message would spread to more people much more quickly than if Jesus did it by himself.
Leader 2: So, really, once Jesus went back to heaven, things really got started.
Leader 1: Right, and God asks us to do the same things today -- teaching about Jesus and sharing God's love. And now there are millions of us!
Leader 2: Sharing God's love. I guess that's what really reaches people.
Leader 1: Right, sharing. For example, if you were to share your grandma's cookies...
Leader 2: You could all share in her memory! That's a great idea. (gives Leader 1 a cookie)
Leader 1: Yum. I totally agree!

Teaching On Your Own: Hey, guys. Do you smell something yummy? (sniff at bag) Mmm, it's coming from my bag. You know what's in here? My grandma's cookies! Now my grandmother died five years ago, so how do you think I have her cookies? I have her recipe book. So whenever I'm feeling sad for my grandmother, or whenever I want to make the best cookies in the world, I just pull out the recipe book and make a treat. It makes me kinda feel like she's still here. Like I'm keeping a piece of her alive. It reminds me of our scripture passage today, when Jesus returned to heaven. Remember just a few weeks ago we talked about how Jesus died and was resurrected? Well now is the time when Jesus leaves his friends behind again. He's returning to heaven now, but this time things are different. Before the disciples were scared and sad, because they saw him die on the cross. This time they understand something important -- the kingdom of God is still growing and spreading. But now it won't be Jesus teaching and healing and sharing God's love with everybody. Now it will be all of Jesus' friends. Jesus told them that they would be filled with God's power and do many great things and -- since there were several of them -- the message would spread to more people much more quickly than if Jesus did it by himself. So, really, once Jesus went back to heaven, things really got started. And God asks us to do the same things today -- teaching about Jesus and sharing God's love. And now there are millions of us! Sharing God's love. That's what really reaches people. And that's just what I'm going to do with these cookies -- share them! Then you can all see what a sweet person my grandma was inside and out.

Closing Prayer: Help us, God, to carry your message of love and peace into the world. We realize that we are your hands, your feet, and your heart in the world. Help us to be the little Christs you have called us to be. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.

Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this lesson in a home or classroom setting, spend time revisiting some of Jesus' teachings. Pick three or four of Jesus' parables that you're familiar with and summarize them for the children (the good Samaritan, the prodigal son, the lost sheep, and so forth). Ask the children to identify what Jesus is teaching us. Then ask the children how they can apply these lessons to their own lives. Finally, as a craft project, help the children create their own gospel recipe book. In advance you can print out a title page for their book, along with additional pages inside depicting the parables (perhaps using coloring pages). Or you can simply provide blank pages and allow the children to do all the illustrating themselves. Encourage the children to write the lesson at the bottom of each page ("Be a good neighbor," "God loves us no matter what we do," and so on). Ask the children how they might use this recipe book to stay close to God and to help them keep Christ alive in their own lives and in the world.