Taking Up the Cross
Children's sermon
Object:
a blue-speckled robin's egg (or a regular egg dyed to look similar to it)
First Thoughts: Today's passage introduces a difficult concept in the life of a Christian -- what does it mean to take up our cross? How does "giving up our lives" end up bringing us redemption and new life? Spend a few moments reflecting on how you have sacrificed for your faith. Have you given up certain relationships or certain job opportunities? Do you abstain from certain behaviors because they are harmful to yourself or to others? Or, to turn the question around, do you sense that God is currently asking you to make a faithful sacrifice in some area in your life? Submitting to God is most of all an act of trust -- of believing that God is wiser than us and wishes us well. We agree to discomfort in the present because we believe that ultimately God will lead us into greater healing and abundance. Carry your reflection to God in prayer and carry your own experience in to your time with the children.
Props You Will Need: a blue-speckled robin's egg (or a regular egg dyed to look similar to it)
Teaching As A Team:
(Leader 2 is cupping the egg carefully in his hand)
Leader 1: What do you have there, (name)?
Leader 2: A treasure!
Leader 1: Really! Can I see it?
Leader 2: (showing the egg) It's a robin's egg! Isn't it beautiful? I found it in a nest outside.
Leader 1: It really is a beautiful color. But you know the real treasure is still inside.
Leader 2: What do you mean?
Leader 1: Inside the egg, getting ready to come out, is a baby bird. That's what the egg is for -- to keep the baby bird safe.
Leader 2: But if a baby bird comes out, the egg will be destroyed!
Leader 1: That's true. It is sad to lose something beautiful but sometimes that's what we must do to find something even more precious. That's what Jesus told his disciples in the passage today. He told them that they had to be willing to give to God things they loved, so that God could give them something even greater.
Leader 2: But that's really hard. What if you give something up and nothing better comes?
Leader 1: That's where faith comes in. We trust that God knows what's best for us and that God won't ever do anything something to hurt us. So, even though giving up something is hard for us to do, we know that -- in the long run -- things will turn out okay.
Leader 2: If I give up this egg now and take it back to its nest, then -- in the long run -- there will be one more robin in the world -- singing and flying around and, one day, having more baby robins!
Leader 1: That's the way it works. When we give up a little, God gives us back a lot!
Teaching On Your Own: (holding egg in hand) Hey, guys, look what I have here! It's a treasure -- a blue-speckled robin's egg! Isn't it beautiful! I found it in a nest outside, and it's just such a pretty color that I decided I would keep it forever. Do you think that's a good idea? (If you get no negative responses, you'll need to solicit one.) Does anyone not think this is a good idea? Why? Do you think something is inside the egg? What do we usually find inside eggs? Baby birds! In fact, that's why the egg is here in the first place, right? To keep the baby bird safe until it's ready to come out. We might say the real treasure is inside the egg, huh? But if the baby bird comes out, that means this beautiful egg will be destroyed! It is sad to lose something beautiful, but sometimes that's what we have to do to find something even more precious. That's what Jesus told his disciples in the passage today. He told them that they had to be willing to give up things they loved to God, so that God could give them something even greater. But we might be afraid to give up something we love. What if we give it up and nothing better comes? That's where faith comes in. We trust that God knows what's best for us and that God won't ever do something to hurt us. So, even though giving up something is hard for us to do, we know that -- in the long run -- things will turn out okay. So, if I give up this egg now and take it back to its nest, then -- in the long run -- there will be one more robin in the world -- singing and flying around and, one day, having more baby robins! That's the way it works with God -- when we give up a little, God gives us back a lot!
Closing Prayer: As we gather on this Second Sunday of Lent, God, we thank you that you have promised to love us and take care of us. Help us to be willing to give up things that we care about when doing so will make it possible for you to bring blessing into the world. Help us to trust you and to put ourselves in your care. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this message in a classroom or home setting, spend some time reminding the children of the purpose of the season of Lent: that it is preparing us for Jesus' death and resurrection. Read to the children or paraphrase Mark 8:34. Help the children to understand that when Jesus talks about the cross, he is speaking of his own death and his own willingness to give up his life to follow God's call. He did this because he believed that, through his death, God would be able to bring lots of blessing into the world. If we're going to be followers of Christ, Jesus says we must follow his example, living our lives in faith and willing to do hard things if that's what God asks of us. Help the children to ask this question: What are some difficult things God might ask? Ask the children to think of real sacrifices (instead of receiving presents on their birthday they ask people to bring new clothing or canned goods to support a shelter, instead of spending their Saturdays playing they can clean up litter on a public street, instead of playing with their friends during recess they can spend time with a child who is shy or new to their class). Ask the children if they would be willing to make these sacrifices. Don't push for a response; just give the children time to think about it. Remind the children that when we sacrifice in faith, we are likely to experience some sadness and loss, but that's nothing compared to the blessings God can bring in the world because of our faith.
For a craft, you can either provide each child with a cross coloring page or have them fashion crosses out of craft sticks. Help each child write on his/her cross, "(Child's name), take up your cross and follow me." Either hang the crosses on your Lent tree or send them home.
Props You Will Need: a blue-speckled robin's egg (or a regular egg dyed to look similar to it)
Teaching As A Team:
(Leader 2 is cupping the egg carefully in his hand)
Leader 1: What do you have there, (name)?
Leader 2: A treasure!
Leader 1: Really! Can I see it?
Leader 2: (showing the egg) It's a robin's egg! Isn't it beautiful? I found it in a nest outside.
Leader 1: It really is a beautiful color. But you know the real treasure is still inside.
Leader 2: What do you mean?
Leader 1: Inside the egg, getting ready to come out, is a baby bird. That's what the egg is for -- to keep the baby bird safe.
Leader 2: But if a baby bird comes out, the egg will be destroyed!
Leader 1: That's true. It is sad to lose something beautiful but sometimes that's what we must do to find something even more precious. That's what Jesus told his disciples in the passage today. He told them that they had to be willing to give to God things they loved, so that God could give them something even greater.
Leader 2: But that's really hard. What if you give something up and nothing better comes?
Leader 1: That's where faith comes in. We trust that God knows what's best for us and that God won't ever do anything something to hurt us. So, even though giving up something is hard for us to do, we know that -- in the long run -- things will turn out okay.
Leader 2: If I give up this egg now and take it back to its nest, then -- in the long run -- there will be one more robin in the world -- singing and flying around and, one day, having more baby robins!
Leader 1: That's the way it works. When we give up a little, God gives us back a lot!
Teaching On Your Own: (holding egg in hand) Hey, guys, look what I have here! It's a treasure -- a blue-speckled robin's egg! Isn't it beautiful! I found it in a nest outside, and it's just such a pretty color that I decided I would keep it forever. Do you think that's a good idea? (If you get no negative responses, you'll need to solicit one.) Does anyone not think this is a good idea? Why? Do you think something is inside the egg? What do we usually find inside eggs? Baby birds! In fact, that's why the egg is here in the first place, right? To keep the baby bird safe until it's ready to come out. We might say the real treasure is inside the egg, huh? But if the baby bird comes out, that means this beautiful egg will be destroyed! It is sad to lose something beautiful, but sometimes that's what we have to do to find something even more precious. That's what Jesus told his disciples in the passage today. He told them that they had to be willing to give up things they loved to God, so that God could give them something even greater. But we might be afraid to give up something we love. What if we give it up and nothing better comes? That's where faith comes in. We trust that God knows what's best for us and that God won't ever do something to hurt us. So, even though giving up something is hard for us to do, we know that -- in the long run -- things will turn out okay. So, if I give up this egg now and take it back to its nest, then -- in the long run -- there will be one more robin in the world -- singing and flying around and, one day, having more baby robins! That's the way it works with God -- when we give up a little, God gives us back a lot!
Closing Prayer: As we gather on this Second Sunday of Lent, God, we thank you that you have promised to love us and take care of us. Help us to be willing to give up things that we care about when doing so will make it possible for you to bring blessing into the world. Help us to trust you and to put ourselves in your care. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this message in a classroom or home setting, spend some time reminding the children of the purpose of the season of Lent: that it is preparing us for Jesus' death and resurrection. Read to the children or paraphrase Mark 8:34. Help the children to understand that when Jesus talks about the cross, he is speaking of his own death and his own willingness to give up his life to follow God's call. He did this because he believed that, through his death, God would be able to bring lots of blessing into the world. If we're going to be followers of Christ, Jesus says we must follow his example, living our lives in faith and willing to do hard things if that's what God asks of us. Help the children to ask this question: What are some difficult things God might ask? Ask the children to think of real sacrifices (instead of receiving presents on their birthday they ask people to bring new clothing or canned goods to support a shelter, instead of spending their Saturdays playing they can clean up litter on a public street, instead of playing with their friends during recess they can spend time with a child who is shy or new to their class). Ask the children if they would be willing to make these sacrifices. Don't push for a response; just give the children time to think about it. Remind the children that when we sacrifice in faith, we are likely to experience some sadness and loss, but that's nothing compared to the blessings God can bring in the world because of our faith.
For a craft, you can either provide each child with a cross coloring page or have them fashion crosses out of craft sticks. Help each child write on his/her cross, "(Child's name), take up your cross and follow me." Either hang the crosses on your Lent tree or send them home.
