The Idle Tale
Children's sermon
Alleluia!
Messages For Children On Lent And Easter Themes
The small, furry, green caterpillar ate its way up the stalk of grass. Slowly, silently it munched its way. The man on the hill watched the caterpillar. For the first time that day he was alone. The man sat silently thinking and watching the caterpillar.
What was he thinking as he watched the caterpillar, this strong, silent man? Who was he? From where had he come? Like the caterpillar, where was he going? What was he meant to do? These were the man's thoughts as he sat watching the caterpillar eat, doing what the caterpillar was meant to do.
Some people live quietly, seeking God's will. This man was impatient. Ever since his baptism by John he had asked God what he must do. As he watched the caterpillar eat, he remembered that soon it would spin its cocoon and die. This was why it was eating the green leaves. Then the man knew. He knew what he would do. Slowly, he left the hill.
The city was crowded with people because it was a great holiday. There was much to see and do. The people went to the Temple and to the marketplace. Some of the people even went to the hill where the criminals were hung on heavy, rough crosses. This year there would be three of them. This year the people who visited the hill were especially curious, for one of the criminals to be hung was the loving, rebel preacher, the carpenter from Nazareth.
The people shouted when they saw him dragging his cross behind him. "Save yourself, preacher! Remember, you are God's son!" they mocked. The man did not reply. He had come to die. Soon it would be over. He remembered the last time he was on that hill, watching the small caterpillar doing what it must do, the day he had decided to do what he must do. Today there was no caterpillar to watch. Today he was dragging a cross on which he would die. The man, however, was not afraid. He was not bitter or discouraged, for he knew that God was with him. That day the man died on the hill called Calvary.
Later that night they took his body from the cross and wrapped it in soft white sheets like a cocoon and put it in a tomb. A few days later, when a friend of the man went to the tomb, the white sheets lay on the ground, for the man's body was no longer there. The woman wondered and began to cry. "Why are you crying?" asked a voice behind her. The woman turned, for she thought she recognized the voice. She thought she recognized the man, but he was different, and on his shoulder rested a small, white butterfly.
Talk together: What does the story say to you? Some call it foolish, an "idle tale." For others it is the "good news of God," the hope by which they live, a glorious, wonderful truth.
In our sacred story for today even Jesus' disciples could not believe that he was again alive. It seemed to them "an idle tale." As they lived its truth, they discovered it was a "dream come true."
Prayer: Dear God, as we experience your love in life, help us know we will experience that same love in death. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.
What was he thinking as he watched the caterpillar, this strong, silent man? Who was he? From where had he come? Like the caterpillar, where was he going? What was he meant to do? These were the man's thoughts as he sat watching the caterpillar eat, doing what the caterpillar was meant to do.
Some people live quietly, seeking God's will. This man was impatient. Ever since his baptism by John he had asked God what he must do. As he watched the caterpillar eat, he remembered that soon it would spin its cocoon and die. This was why it was eating the green leaves. Then the man knew. He knew what he would do. Slowly, he left the hill.
The city was crowded with people because it was a great holiday. There was much to see and do. The people went to the Temple and to the marketplace. Some of the people even went to the hill where the criminals were hung on heavy, rough crosses. This year there would be three of them. This year the people who visited the hill were especially curious, for one of the criminals to be hung was the loving, rebel preacher, the carpenter from Nazareth.
The people shouted when they saw him dragging his cross behind him. "Save yourself, preacher! Remember, you are God's son!" they mocked. The man did not reply. He had come to die. Soon it would be over. He remembered the last time he was on that hill, watching the small caterpillar doing what it must do, the day he had decided to do what he must do. Today there was no caterpillar to watch. Today he was dragging a cross on which he would die. The man, however, was not afraid. He was not bitter or discouraged, for he knew that God was with him. That day the man died on the hill called Calvary.
Later that night they took his body from the cross and wrapped it in soft white sheets like a cocoon and put it in a tomb. A few days later, when a friend of the man went to the tomb, the white sheets lay on the ground, for the man's body was no longer there. The woman wondered and began to cry. "Why are you crying?" asked a voice behind her. The woman turned, for she thought she recognized the voice. She thought she recognized the man, but he was different, and on his shoulder rested a small, white butterfly.
Talk together: What does the story say to you? Some call it foolish, an "idle tale." For others it is the "good news of God," the hope by which they live, a glorious, wonderful truth.
In our sacred story for today even Jesus' disciples could not believe that he was again alive. It seemed to them "an idle tale." As they lived its truth, they discovered it was a "dream come true."
Prayer: Dear God, as we experience your love in life, help us know we will experience that same love in death. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.
