The Lantern
Children's sermon
Speaking With Signs
Children's Object Lessons for Lent And Easter
Object: A lantern
Good morning, boys and girls. Over the next couple of weeks I want to share some stories with you about some soldiers and a man whom they hardly knew named Jesus. The stories are exciting because they make us feel sad, afraid, courageous and happy. But remember, the stories that I am telling you really happened. Not one of them is make-believe. Each of these stories can be found in the Bible, and I am going to give you something each week so that you will always remember them.
Today's story begins in the temple where a group of priests and Pharisees were meeting to discuss some evil plans they had to get rid of Jesus. They did not want anyone else to know of their meeting except those who had to carry out the plan. For this reason they met late in the evening after it had become very dark. If you were watching from any distance you would have had a difficult time seeing the faces of the men who were planning. There were no electric lights or flashlights, but instead they had lanterns hanging in the corners to give just enough light to see but not enough to be seen.
When the meeting broke up in the very late hours, they sent for some soldiers who were stationed around the temple to guard it. Can you imagine having soldiers standing outside our church guarding it? I can't either. But that is where they were ordered to keep the night watch. One of the men who had been in the meeting approached the sergeant and told him what to do. He was to take a lantern or two and cross a valley to a certain spot in an olive grove and there arrest a certain man. The soldiers were told that this man was dangerous to the whole city of Jerusalem and an enemy of Rome.
Soldiers know that it is their responsibility to protect their country from dangerous people and these soldiers were no different than any others who have a job to do. There was one other thing about the mission that was different than other missions. The man they were looking for might not be alone. They were told to leave the others alone and just bring back the one who was considered dangerous, an enemy of the people. To make sure that they had the right man, the priests and Pharisees told them to follow another man, Judas, who was a former disciple of this dangerous man. He was to point out the one to be captured.
The soldiers took some lanterns from the temple, walked across the temple courtyard, through the city gate and down to the Kidron Valley. It was pitch black and hard to see with such little light. But Judas knew where he was going as he had been there many times with Jesus. When they finally arrived at the entrance to the olive grove, Judas told the men to light some torches, follow him and arrest the man he kissed on the side of the cheek. With lanterns glowing and torches blazing the soldiers rushed into the garden, prepared to fight this dangerous man and his army.
Judas went first with his arms open and politely gave Jesus a kiss on the cheek. The soldiers stood there with swords drawn and shields raised to face an unarmed Jesus and eleven other men who had just been wakened by the noise. One of the friends of Jesus jumped to his feet, grabbed a soldier's sword and cut off the ear of one of the soldiers. But Jesus stopped His disciple's attack and healed the soldier's ear. Then Jesus asked the soldiers whom they were looking for, and they replied, "Jesus of Nazareth." He answered, "I am He."
It was hard to see in the black night, but it was not hard to hear. They could hardly believe their ears. Here was the man whom the priest had told them was dangerous and an enemy of Rome. He didn't look dangerous, and He certainly was different from any other enemy. But it is hard to tell when you have such poor light. The torches were burning down and the lanterns were dim. One of His own disciples, Judas, had turned Him in, and the priests said He was dangerous. So the soldiers did what they were told to do and arrested this man called Jesus.
I have a drawing of a lantern that will help you remember the story of how and where Jesus was arrested. I want you to keep this in a special place so that you will never forget how that night began.
God bless you. Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls. Over the next couple of weeks I want to share some stories with you about some soldiers and a man whom they hardly knew named Jesus. The stories are exciting because they make us feel sad, afraid, courageous and happy. But remember, the stories that I am telling you really happened. Not one of them is make-believe. Each of these stories can be found in the Bible, and I am going to give you something each week so that you will always remember them.
Today's story begins in the temple where a group of priests and Pharisees were meeting to discuss some evil plans they had to get rid of Jesus. They did not want anyone else to know of their meeting except those who had to carry out the plan. For this reason they met late in the evening after it had become very dark. If you were watching from any distance you would have had a difficult time seeing the faces of the men who were planning. There were no electric lights or flashlights, but instead they had lanterns hanging in the corners to give just enough light to see but not enough to be seen.
When the meeting broke up in the very late hours, they sent for some soldiers who were stationed around the temple to guard it. Can you imagine having soldiers standing outside our church guarding it? I can't either. But that is where they were ordered to keep the night watch. One of the men who had been in the meeting approached the sergeant and told him what to do. He was to take a lantern or two and cross a valley to a certain spot in an olive grove and there arrest a certain man. The soldiers were told that this man was dangerous to the whole city of Jerusalem and an enemy of Rome.
Soldiers know that it is their responsibility to protect their country from dangerous people and these soldiers were no different than any others who have a job to do. There was one other thing about the mission that was different than other missions. The man they were looking for might not be alone. They were told to leave the others alone and just bring back the one who was considered dangerous, an enemy of the people. To make sure that they had the right man, the priests and Pharisees told them to follow another man, Judas, who was a former disciple of this dangerous man. He was to point out the one to be captured.
The soldiers took some lanterns from the temple, walked across the temple courtyard, through the city gate and down to the Kidron Valley. It was pitch black and hard to see with such little light. But Judas knew where he was going as he had been there many times with Jesus. When they finally arrived at the entrance to the olive grove, Judas told the men to light some torches, follow him and arrest the man he kissed on the side of the cheek. With lanterns glowing and torches blazing the soldiers rushed into the garden, prepared to fight this dangerous man and his army.
Judas went first with his arms open and politely gave Jesus a kiss on the cheek. The soldiers stood there with swords drawn and shields raised to face an unarmed Jesus and eleven other men who had just been wakened by the noise. One of the friends of Jesus jumped to his feet, grabbed a soldier's sword and cut off the ear of one of the soldiers. But Jesus stopped His disciple's attack and healed the soldier's ear. Then Jesus asked the soldiers whom they were looking for, and they replied, "Jesus of Nazareth." He answered, "I am He."
It was hard to see in the black night, but it was not hard to hear. They could hardly believe their ears. Here was the man whom the priest had told them was dangerous and an enemy of Rome. He didn't look dangerous, and He certainly was different from any other enemy. But it is hard to tell when you have such poor light. The torches were burning down and the lanterns were dim. One of His own disciples, Judas, had turned Him in, and the priests said He was dangerous. So the soldiers did what they were told to do and arrested this man called Jesus.
I have a drawing of a lantern that will help you remember the story of how and where Jesus was arrested. I want you to keep this in a special place so that you will never forget how that night began.
God bless you. Amen.
