God's Love
Children's Liturgy and Story
Call to Worship:
Jesus said that those who love him will be loved by the Father, and that Jesus himself will love them and reveal himself to them. If we want Jesus to reveal himself to us, let explore in our worship today, ways in which we can love Jesus.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, I often fail to love you.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, I often fail to love other people.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, I often fail to love myself.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
John 14:15-21 (NRSV)
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments. [16] And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. [17] This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.
[18] "I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. [19] In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. [20] On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. [21] They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them."
Story:
Jesus said that those who love him will keep his commandments and will receive inner help to do so. They will also gradually "see" (understand) more and more of Jesus and his inner motivation.
God's Love
"But how will I prove it?" asked God's Son.
God sighed. "I can't give you all the answers. Some of it you just have to work out for yourself, and you can't do that until you're down there. You'll find some odd situations on Planet Earth and you'll just have to react to them as best you can."
"Won't you be around to help me?"
God nodded. "Of course I will! But you will have to contact me just as human beings contact me. I can't give you a special hotline. Remember time and space. Those are the two essentials for contacting me. You must give yourself time to spend with me and give yourself space away from all the distractions of life on Planet Earth."
"You still haven't told me how I'm to prove to human beings that you love them," complained God's Son.
God paused for a moment. Then he said, "Do you think I love you?"
God's Son laughed. "Of course you do! You always have and you always will! I know that!"
"How do you know?"
"Well, I -- because -- well, I just do!"
"Not good enough," said God. "Think for a minute. How have I proved to you that I love you?"
God's Son did as his father suggested. He stopped and thought. Then he said carefully, "You give me life. You help me to live every minute of it in an amazing way and I know I will live forever. You breathe your Spirit into me so that even when I'm not with you physically, you're kind of there inside me, protecting me. You laugh with me and share yourself with me and make sure I have everything I need for the best possible life. You're always there for me and you never leave me nor forsake me."
God smiled, pleased with his Son. "Well said. Now, do you think I love human beings any less than I love you?"
"Of course not!" responded God's Son. "All human beings are your sons and daughters -- you created them and breathe your Spirit into them just like you breathe your Spirit into me. You give them life forever, you're always there for them, protecting them from the attentions of the Evil One. Whenever they allow you to do so, you laugh with them and share yourself with them."
"That's what you must show them," said God. "Go to Planet Earth and prove to them by the way that you are, that I love them. Do whatever they want you to do and share in their humanity. Feel their sorrows and their joys, guide them so that they get the best possible life and never desert them, even when they move away from you, as they surely will. And when they blame you unfairly for leaving them, just wait until they're ready to receive you and love them all the more. And show them how to reach me -- remember, time and space -- so that none of them need ever be alone again."
God's Son nodded happily. "Now I get it," he said. "If they want proof of your love, they must learn to look around and identify your work and your Spirit and you inside them. And all I have to do is to show them that."
"You truly are my beloved Son," declared God. "In you I am well pleased."
Activity:
You need:
A flipchart and pen
A4 paper or card for each child
Felt tips or crayons
A box of metallic heart shapes
Glue (unless the heart shapes are stick-on)
Brainstorm ways in which the children know that their parents love them -- caring for them, cuddles and kisses, sharing with them, playing with them, helping them etc. -- and write anything which is said on the flipchart. If you get any negative responses (which may emerge if there are step relationships) write them in a different colour. Talk through anything negative, to discover whether or not there is a positive side. E.g. discipline is unpleasant but may be for the child's good.
Ask them how they know that God (or Jesus) loves them, and write the responses in a different colour. Talk about God's Spirit being inside each human being, to share God's love and help and support with that person. Make sure they understand that God's Spirit is inside them to love, help and support them and that they can turn to God whenever they wish.
Give each child a sheet of A4 to fold in four to form a greetings card. Get them to design a card which says, "I love you and God loves you" to give to someone they love.
Prayers:
God of love, help us in the church to find more ways of showing each other that we love. Help us to make sure love is at the centre of our church life, for you are love.
God of love, enable all who are angry or sad to feel your love. May their hearts be opened and may they respond to the love which you pour over them.
God of love, increase our love for others. Help us to let go of our selfishness and to begin to live and love as you would have us live and love.
God of love, may all who are hurting or sick be aware of your presence within them, aiding their healing and restoring them to full health and strength. We pray especially for ...
Blessing:
May you love
Without thought of the consequences
To yourself, and
May you give yourself
To those in need.
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.
Jesus said that those who love him will be loved by the Father, and that Jesus himself will love them and reveal himself to them. If we want Jesus to reveal himself to us, let explore in our worship today, ways in which we can love Jesus.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, I often fail to love you.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, I often fail to love other people.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, I often fail to love myself.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
John 14:15-21 (NRSV)
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments. [16] And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. [17] This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.
[18] "I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. [19] In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. [20] On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. [21] They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them."
Story:
Jesus said that those who love him will keep his commandments and will receive inner help to do so. They will also gradually "see" (understand) more and more of Jesus and his inner motivation.
God's Love
"But how will I prove it?" asked God's Son.
God sighed. "I can't give you all the answers. Some of it you just have to work out for yourself, and you can't do that until you're down there. You'll find some odd situations on Planet Earth and you'll just have to react to them as best you can."
"Won't you be around to help me?"
God nodded. "Of course I will! But you will have to contact me just as human beings contact me. I can't give you a special hotline. Remember time and space. Those are the two essentials for contacting me. You must give yourself time to spend with me and give yourself space away from all the distractions of life on Planet Earth."
"You still haven't told me how I'm to prove to human beings that you love them," complained God's Son.
God paused for a moment. Then he said, "Do you think I love you?"
God's Son laughed. "Of course you do! You always have and you always will! I know that!"
"How do you know?"
"Well, I -- because -- well, I just do!"
"Not good enough," said God. "Think for a minute. How have I proved to you that I love you?"
God's Son did as his father suggested. He stopped and thought. Then he said carefully, "You give me life. You help me to live every minute of it in an amazing way and I know I will live forever. You breathe your Spirit into me so that even when I'm not with you physically, you're kind of there inside me, protecting me. You laugh with me and share yourself with me and make sure I have everything I need for the best possible life. You're always there for me and you never leave me nor forsake me."
God smiled, pleased with his Son. "Well said. Now, do you think I love human beings any less than I love you?"
"Of course not!" responded God's Son. "All human beings are your sons and daughters -- you created them and breathe your Spirit into them just like you breathe your Spirit into me. You give them life forever, you're always there for them, protecting them from the attentions of the Evil One. Whenever they allow you to do so, you laugh with them and share yourself with them."
"That's what you must show them," said God. "Go to Planet Earth and prove to them by the way that you are, that I love them. Do whatever they want you to do and share in their humanity. Feel their sorrows and their joys, guide them so that they get the best possible life and never desert them, even when they move away from you, as they surely will. And when they blame you unfairly for leaving them, just wait until they're ready to receive you and love them all the more. And show them how to reach me -- remember, time and space -- so that none of them need ever be alone again."
God's Son nodded happily. "Now I get it," he said. "If they want proof of your love, they must learn to look around and identify your work and your Spirit and you inside them. And all I have to do is to show them that."
"You truly are my beloved Son," declared God. "In you I am well pleased."
Activity:
You need:
A flipchart and pen
A4 paper or card for each child
Felt tips or crayons
A box of metallic heart shapes
Glue (unless the heart shapes are stick-on)
Brainstorm ways in which the children know that their parents love them -- caring for them, cuddles and kisses, sharing with them, playing with them, helping them etc. -- and write anything which is said on the flipchart. If you get any negative responses (which may emerge if there are step relationships) write them in a different colour. Talk through anything negative, to discover whether or not there is a positive side. E.g. discipline is unpleasant but may be for the child's good.
Ask them how they know that God (or Jesus) loves them, and write the responses in a different colour. Talk about God's Spirit being inside each human being, to share God's love and help and support with that person. Make sure they understand that God's Spirit is inside them to love, help and support them and that they can turn to God whenever they wish.
Give each child a sheet of A4 to fold in four to form a greetings card. Get them to design a card which says, "I love you and God loves you" to give to someone they love.
Prayers:
God of love, help us in the church to find more ways of showing each other that we love. Help us to make sure love is at the centre of our church life, for you are love.
God of love, enable all who are angry or sad to feel your love. May their hearts be opened and may they respond to the love which you pour over them.
God of love, increase our love for others. Help us to let go of our selfishness and to begin to live and love as you would have us live and love.
God of love, may all who are hurting or sick be aware of your presence within them, aiding their healing and restoring them to full health and strength. We pray especially for ...
Blessing:
May you love
Without thought of the consequences
To yourself, and
May you give yourself
To those in need.
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.
