A Prince In Disguise
Children's sermon
Gospel-Telling
The Art and Theology of Children's Sermons
Appropriate Day: All Saints' Day, any Sunday
Summary: Treat everyone as if he or she were Jesus.
Preparation: Spend a few minutes discussing what a disguise is, and then read or summarize the Bible passage. The story will then have a context, and you won't need to interpret it or offer explanation.
Today I want you to listen very carefully to a story. After I've finished it you'll have to think about it and perhaps ask your parents about its meaning. It's called "A Prince In Disguise."
Once, long ago (but not too long ago) in a faraway place (but not too far away), there lived a very special king. He was, by any standard, very kind, very just, and very wise. Even though his kingdom had no boundaries, for it was large beyond imagination, everyone in it knew the king was a loving father. Once a week he would step into his royal carriage, and his royal coachman and royal horses would carry him through the streets. And of course all the young men would bow and all the young ladies would curtsy as the king passed by.
Although this king was very, very rich, there was one thing he did not have, and because he did not have it, he wanted it more than anything else in the world. Can you guess what it was? That's right - he wanted a son (daughter). The king prayed every morning and every evening that a son would be born to him and his wife, the queen, for what good would his kingdom be if he did not have an heir who would become the next king (queen)? Oh, how he prayed and wished for a son.
And one day it happened: the queen gave birth to a child, and it was a boy! The good news spread quickly throughout the kingdom, and the people were happy and thankful; now there would be a prince who would someday be the next king.
The years passed, and the little baby boy grew to be a little prince. And once a week the prince and his father the king would step into the royal carriage, and the royal coachmen and the royal horses would carry them through the streets.
Because the king had only one son and because he loved him with all his heart, he was especially careful to make sure that no harm would befall his son. In fact, he built a very tall stone wall around the castle so that the prince would see nothing of the ugly, evil things that happened in the world beyond it. But the prince was curious, just like boys and girls about your age, and one day he decided that he wanted to see what the world was like beyond the stone wall. After carefully disguising himself, he slipped away from the castle. He walked down dusty roads and through village streets. He saw the clear blue skies, enjoyed the beautiful flowers, and felt the gentle rain just as he did behind the stone wall; but he also saw people stealing and cheating one another, and mothers too poor to feed their babies.
Of course, the king was frantic when he discovered that his dearly beloved son was lost in the great world beyond the castle walls. So the king gathered together all his messengers and told them to go to every street corner and alleyway and read to the people this solemn declaration: My son, the prince, is lost somewhere among you. Will you help me find him?
Young and old, male and female, the people looked high and low to find the prince, because they knew the king would be forever grateful if they found his son. But no one could find the prince, because he had disguised himself to look just like everyone else. And because the prince could be anyone, the people decided it was best to treat everyone as if he were the prince.
Even to this day the prince still walks the streets, and you may by chance meet him someday.
Reflection Note: I prefer to leave the story open--ended for the reasons discussed in "Overhearing The Gospel" in Part I. The success of this story doesn't depend on its analogy to the story of Jesus in Matthew 25. It can stand by itself in the minds of younger children as a story of a prince who learns the truth about this world and of a father's love for his son. Older children and those adults who "happen" to be listening in will catch the analogy. True, our primary responsibility is to target children's sermons for children, but we should never forget the powerful dynamics that develop when others listen in. This is one very good reason why the Sunday scripture lesson(s) should serve as the basis for both children and adult sermons.
____________
*Or princess, if you prefer. Change the "son," "boy," and masculine pronoun references to "daughter," "girl," and female pronoun references.
Summary: Treat everyone as if he or she were Jesus.
Preparation: Spend a few minutes discussing what a disguise is, and then read or summarize the Bible passage. The story will then have a context, and you won't need to interpret it or offer explanation.
Today I want you to listen very carefully to a story. After I've finished it you'll have to think about it and perhaps ask your parents about its meaning. It's called "A Prince In Disguise."
Once, long ago (but not too long ago) in a faraway place (but not too far away), there lived a very special king. He was, by any standard, very kind, very just, and very wise. Even though his kingdom had no boundaries, for it was large beyond imagination, everyone in it knew the king was a loving father. Once a week he would step into his royal carriage, and his royal coachman and royal horses would carry him through the streets. And of course all the young men would bow and all the young ladies would curtsy as the king passed by.
Although this king was very, very rich, there was one thing he did not have, and because he did not have it, he wanted it more than anything else in the world. Can you guess what it was? That's right - he wanted a son (daughter). The king prayed every morning and every evening that a son would be born to him and his wife, the queen, for what good would his kingdom be if he did not have an heir who would become the next king (queen)? Oh, how he prayed and wished for a son.
And one day it happened: the queen gave birth to a child, and it was a boy! The good news spread quickly throughout the kingdom, and the people were happy and thankful; now there would be a prince who would someday be the next king.
The years passed, and the little baby boy grew to be a little prince. And once a week the prince and his father the king would step into the royal carriage, and the royal coachmen and the royal horses would carry them through the streets.
Because the king had only one son and because he loved him with all his heart, he was especially careful to make sure that no harm would befall his son. In fact, he built a very tall stone wall around the castle so that the prince would see nothing of the ugly, evil things that happened in the world beyond it. But the prince was curious, just like boys and girls about your age, and one day he decided that he wanted to see what the world was like beyond the stone wall. After carefully disguising himself, he slipped away from the castle. He walked down dusty roads and through village streets. He saw the clear blue skies, enjoyed the beautiful flowers, and felt the gentle rain just as he did behind the stone wall; but he also saw people stealing and cheating one another, and mothers too poor to feed their babies.
Of course, the king was frantic when he discovered that his dearly beloved son was lost in the great world beyond the castle walls. So the king gathered together all his messengers and told them to go to every street corner and alleyway and read to the people this solemn declaration: My son, the prince, is lost somewhere among you. Will you help me find him?
Young and old, male and female, the people looked high and low to find the prince, because they knew the king would be forever grateful if they found his son. But no one could find the prince, because he had disguised himself to look just like everyone else. And because the prince could be anyone, the people decided it was best to treat everyone as if he were the prince.
Even to this day the prince still walks the streets, and you may by chance meet him someday.
Reflection Note: I prefer to leave the story open--ended for the reasons discussed in "Overhearing The Gospel" in Part I. The success of this story doesn't depend on its analogy to the story of Jesus in Matthew 25. It can stand by itself in the minds of younger children as a story of a prince who learns the truth about this world and of a father's love for his son. Older children and those adults who "happen" to be listening in will catch the analogy. True, our primary responsibility is to target children's sermons for children, but we should never forget the powerful dynamics that develop when others listen in. This is one very good reason why the Sunday scripture lesson(s) should serve as the basis for both children and adult sermons.
____________
*Or princess, if you prefer. Change the "son," "boy," and masculine pronoun references to "daughter," "girl," and female pronoun references.
