Praxis Meets Blue Squirrel
Children's Liturgy and Story
Call to Worship:
Even after weeks alone in the desert with nothing much to eat, Jesus refused to use his powers to his own advantage. In today's worship, let us explore the nature of temptation.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, help me to be aware of the times when I'm vulnerable to temptation.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, help me to distinguish between temptation and sin.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, help me not to rely just on keeping the rules but also on your spirit within me.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Matthew 4:1-11 (NRSV)
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. [2] He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. [3] The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." [4] But he answered, "It is written,
'One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.' "
[5] Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, [6] saying to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,
'He will command his angels concerning you,'
and 'On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.' "
[7] Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' "
[8] Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; [9] and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." [10] Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
'Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him.' "
[11] Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.
Story:
As Jesus discovered, temptations are much harder to resist when we're at a low ebb, such as when we're hungry or tired.
This is a story about Praxis, that naughty pixie who has the advantage of knowing when he's tempted because his skin changes colour.
Praxis Meets Blue Squirrel
Praxis, the mischievous pixie whose skin changed colour according to his moods, was tired. He had been playing all day and he was so hungry that he knew it must be time to head for home. Besides, the sky was growing darker by the minute and Praxis knew it would soon be night. He felt a little pale and droopy, especially as all his companions had returned home much earlier. But Praxis could never bear to turn away from fun, so when his friends had disappeared one by one he'd wandered on by himself into the forest.
But now he was tired and possibly lost, and that made him grouchy. Although he couldn't see himself properly, he suspected that his skin was turning an ugly dark red. That made him angrier still, because he hated to be different.
When the Blue Squirrel came in sight with a handful of nuts clutched between his front paws, Praxis brightened up.
'I could jump the Blue Squirrel,' he thought to himself, 'then I'd have all the nuts. I'm hungry. I need food. And the Blue Squirrel is so small. He'd be easy. And it would only be a bit of fun. I wouldn't hurt him. He'd probably enjoy it.'
His eyes gleamed with the prospect of mischief. But just then Praxis caught sight of his hands. They were changing green, the colour of envy. Praxis was startled. Perhaps he ought not to jump the squirrel. Maybe Blue Squirrel would be hurt, even if Praxis only jumped him in innocent fun. Even as the thought entered Praxis' head, his hands slowly began to turn back to their normal, healthy pink.
Meanwhile, while Praxis' head was full of these confusing thoughts, Blue Squirrel had spotted him. Blue Squirrel bounded over to Praxis. "Hello," he began breathlessly, for he was only a very small squirrel, "who are you? Do you want to play with me? Would you like some nuts? I can show you a huge hoard!"
Praxis looked at Blue Squirrel and grinned. It suddenly seemed a much better idea to play with him than to jump him and the thought of a huge hoard of nuts made Praxis' mouth water. "Lead on!" he said with renewed energy.
Blue Squirrel led the way to the pile of nuts he had hidden earlier in the year. He was such a little squirrel that it wasn't such a big hoard after all, but the two of them had a great game of hide-and-seek. By the time it was really dark, Blue Squrrel's dad had come looking for him and he and Blue Squirrel walked home with Praxis.
'I'm so glad I didn't jump Blue Squirrel,' thought Praxis happily. 'It was much better playing with him than fighting with him and stealing his nuts. And now I have a new friend.' And as he went indoors, Praxis noticed with delight that his skin was now a healthy, happy, pink.
Activity:
You need:
Chicken wire
Newspapers
Paste
Empty matchboxes
Glue
Large tray
Pebbles
Begin to construct the scene of Jesus' temptations in the wilderness, within the tray. Use the chicken wire to make a mountain and cover in paper mache — strips of newspaper soaked in paste and laid over the chicken wire base. You could also begin to construct the temple from matchboxes and spread pebbles on the ground, ready for the temptation to turn stones into bread.
The scene will be completed next week.
Prayers:
Forgiving God, when we are tempted to think of our church before the needs of other people, remind us that you came for everyone, particularly the needy.
Forgiving God, temptation is so difficult to spot for those who are in positions of power. Give them strength and support, so that they are able to identify temptation and then to resist it.
Forgiving God, when we're tired or edgy we tend to think only of ourselves. Help us to take care of our own bodies so that we are sufficiently alert to think of others and to resist temptation.
Forgiving God, in a moment of silence we hold in the circle of your love and healing power, those who are sick. We name them before you ...
Blessing:
May you hold fast to God,
resisting temptation
and seeking only
that which is right.
And may the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Be with you, be in your homes
And in your families,
With those whom you love
And with those for whom you pray,
Both now and always. Amen.
Even after weeks alone in the desert with nothing much to eat, Jesus refused to use his powers to his own advantage. In today's worship, let us explore the nature of temptation.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, help me to be aware of the times when I'm vulnerable to temptation.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, help me to distinguish between temptation and sin.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, help me not to rely just on keeping the rules but also on your spirit within me.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Matthew 4:1-11 (NRSV)
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. [2] He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. [3] The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." [4] But he answered, "It is written,
'One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.' "
[5] Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, [6] saying to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,
'He will command his angels concerning you,'
and 'On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.' "
[7] Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' "
[8] Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; [9] and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." [10] Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
'Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him.' "
[11] Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.
Story:
As Jesus discovered, temptations are much harder to resist when we're at a low ebb, such as when we're hungry or tired.
This is a story about Praxis, that naughty pixie who has the advantage of knowing when he's tempted because his skin changes colour.
Praxis Meets Blue Squirrel
Praxis, the mischievous pixie whose skin changed colour according to his moods, was tired. He had been playing all day and he was so hungry that he knew it must be time to head for home. Besides, the sky was growing darker by the minute and Praxis knew it would soon be night. He felt a little pale and droopy, especially as all his companions had returned home much earlier. But Praxis could never bear to turn away from fun, so when his friends had disappeared one by one he'd wandered on by himself into the forest.
But now he was tired and possibly lost, and that made him grouchy. Although he couldn't see himself properly, he suspected that his skin was turning an ugly dark red. That made him angrier still, because he hated to be different.
When the Blue Squirrel came in sight with a handful of nuts clutched between his front paws, Praxis brightened up.
'I could jump the Blue Squirrel,' he thought to himself, 'then I'd have all the nuts. I'm hungry. I need food. And the Blue Squirrel is so small. He'd be easy. And it would only be a bit of fun. I wouldn't hurt him. He'd probably enjoy it.'
His eyes gleamed with the prospect of mischief. But just then Praxis caught sight of his hands. They were changing green, the colour of envy. Praxis was startled. Perhaps he ought not to jump the squirrel. Maybe Blue Squirrel would be hurt, even if Praxis only jumped him in innocent fun. Even as the thought entered Praxis' head, his hands slowly began to turn back to their normal, healthy pink.
Meanwhile, while Praxis' head was full of these confusing thoughts, Blue Squirrel had spotted him. Blue Squirrel bounded over to Praxis. "Hello," he began breathlessly, for he was only a very small squirrel, "who are you? Do you want to play with me? Would you like some nuts? I can show you a huge hoard!"
Praxis looked at Blue Squirrel and grinned. It suddenly seemed a much better idea to play with him than to jump him and the thought of a huge hoard of nuts made Praxis' mouth water. "Lead on!" he said with renewed energy.
Blue Squirrel led the way to the pile of nuts he had hidden earlier in the year. He was such a little squirrel that it wasn't such a big hoard after all, but the two of them had a great game of hide-and-seek. By the time it was really dark, Blue Squrrel's dad had come looking for him and he and Blue Squirrel walked home with Praxis.
'I'm so glad I didn't jump Blue Squirrel,' thought Praxis happily. 'It was much better playing with him than fighting with him and stealing his nuts. And now I have a new friend.' And as he went indoors, Praxis noticed with delight that his skin was now a healthy, happy, pink.
Activity:
You need:
Chicken wire
Newspapers
Paste
Empty matchboxes
Glue
Large tray
Pebbles
Begin to construct the scene of Jesus' temptations in the wilderness, within the tray. Use the chicken wire to make a mountain and cover in paper mache — strips of newspaper soaked in paste and laid over the chicken wire base. You could also begin to construct the temple from matchboxes and spread pebbles on the ground, ready for the temptation to turn stones into bread.
The scene will be completed next week.
Prayers:
Forgiving God, when we are tempted to think of our church before the needs of other people, remind us that you came for everyone, particularly the needy.
Forgiving God, temptation is so difficult to spot for those who are in positions of power. Give them strength and support, so that they are able to identify temptation and then to resist it.
Forgiving God, when we're tired or edgy we tend to think only of ourselves. Help us to take care of our own bodies so that we are sufficiently alert to think of others and to resist temptation.
Forgiving God, in a moment of silence we hold in the circle of your love and healing power, those who are sick. We name them before you ...
Blessing:
May you hold fast to God,
resisting temptation
and seeking only
that which is right.
And may the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Be with you, be in your homes
And in your families,
With those whom you love
And with those for whom you pray,
Both now and always. Amen.
