Jesus says, "Follow me." Like Philip, let us find our friends and invite them also to "Come and see."
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, you knew all about us before we were even born.
Lord, have mercy.Jesus, you see right into the centre of our being.
Christ, have mercy.Jesus, you welcome and accept us all.
Lord, have mercy.
John 1:43-51
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." [44] Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. [45] Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth." [46] Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." [47] When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!" [48] Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." [49] Nathanael replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" [50] Jesus answered, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these." [51] And he said to him, "Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."
Story:
Jesus knew all about Nathaneal even before he met him, and Jesus loved him.
This is a story about Rupert the garden gnome, who is ashamed because he is damaged, but who is loved anyway by the small boy who lives in the big house.
Rupert's Shame
Rupert hung his head in shame. Well, to be honest, he couldn't help hanging his head, because he was lying on his side on the concrete path and he couldn't move. And a large part of his beautiful red hat had broken off when he'd been knocked onto the concrete, showing the white plaster inside the hat.
Rupert tried to roll towards the pond. Perhaps if he could just dip his head in the water, the red paint from his hat would flow into the white plaster and disguise it. But try as he would, Rupert couldn't budge. He still held his fishing rod in his hand, but what use was that when he couldn't move a muscle? Come to that, what use was a garden gnome which was lying on its back with its hat half broken off?
Suddenly Rupert froze. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the family cat stealthily creeping along the garden path, eyeing him with interest. Now Rupert felt afraid as well as ashamed. Did the cat believe he really caught fish from the pond with his little fishing rod? The cat began to paw at Rupert, rolling him this way and that. Rupert could feel himself edging nearer and nearer to the pond and prayed that he wouldn't fall in. He was so solid that if the cat pushed him over the edge, he knew that he'd sink like a stone and never be seen again. Rupert tried to cry out a warning, but the sounds stuck in his throat. He couldn't even croak. Fortunately the cat lost interest when Rupert was unable to wriggle or move, and stalked away with its head held high to seek more amusing prey.
Rupert breathed a sigh of relief, silently, of course. A little trail of ants began to swarm across his inert body and Rupert gritted his teeth. The ants were exceedingly tickly and he couldn't brush them off. They'd never have dared to crawl over him if he'd been sitting in his usual upright perch, fishing in the pond.
How everybody must be laughing at him! A garden gnome lying on its back on the path is no longer an object of beauty, but has become an object of ridicule. As if reading his thoughts, a rook in the nearby tree cawed loudly. Soon it was joined by a chorus of birds, cawing and cackling, whistling and singing, just as though they were pointing at Rupert and calling everyone's attention to his shame.
A hedgehog crawled out of the nearby grass and shuffled over to Rupert. For a moment or two it snuffled at him with its long snout then gave up in disgust, turned its back, inflicted a prick or two on Rupert and flounced off the other way. Rupert groaned inwardly. He was very uncomfortable and wondered whether he had damaged any other part of his anatomy in the fall. And to be snuffled and sniffed and cawed at and pawed was almost more than he could bear.
Then he heard the sound he dreaded most. A door in the Big House opened and a furious barking began, followed by the sound of panting breath and large, doggy paws bounding across the grass. Rupert closed his eyes tightly and tried to pretend he was invisible, but it was no use. In a second the dog was standing over him licking the paint off his face, with its tail wagging and its big jaws slavering.
A moment later he found himself being picked up by sharp teeth and carried away from the pond. Obviously, thought Rupert, the dog had decided he was a bone. How stupid could you get? Everyone knew bones came only in white, never in Rupert's colours of blue and red and green. When the dog began to dig in the flower bed, Rupert's worse fears were realised. Soon everything went black as the dog buried him in the soft, dark earth. Rupert closed his eyes and prepared to die.
Rupert had no idea how long he was buried. It could have been minutes, it could have been months. But the next thing he knew was that he was being gently lifted out of the flower bed and tenderly cradled in human hands. "Why, Rupert!" said a kind voice. "You're hurt. We'll soon put that right. I'll mend you and clean you up."
Rupert could hardly believe his ears. He was shamefully dirty and smelly and broken, yet this boy cared about him.
"I saw the dog bury you," continued the boy, "and I came as soon as I could."
The boy was as good as his word. He glued Rupert's red hat back in position and checked him to make sure that nothing else was damaged. Then he washed Rupert in the garden pond, touched up his paint and set him back on his perch, with his fishing rod just touching the water. Rupert looked as good as new. He felt so pleased and so proud, for now he knew that the boy loved him no matter what he looked like and would always take care of him.
And he was right. And after that, Rupert never again felt ashamed, for he had a friend who loved him whatever happened.
Activity:
You will need for each child:
Two sheets of A4 paper
Scissors
Felt-tip pens or
crayons
Glue or sticky tape
Small invitation cards
Turn one of the sheets of paper landscape (sideways) and fold concertina-fashion. You should get about five folds. On the top surface, draw the outline of a person with legs and arms spread at about 45 degrees and reaching both edges of the folded paper. Cut around the outline and open out. You should have five or six people joined together by the arms and legs. Invite the children to draw a different friend on the first four or five figures, with themselves on the last figure in the line.
Draw a similar figure but twice the size, on the second sheet of paper. Cut it out and colour it as Jesus. Glue or stick it by the arm to the end of the line, so that the figure which represents themselves is attached to Jesus. As Philip brought his friend Nathaneal, so the children are bringing their friends to Jesus.
If you have time, let the children write an invitation card to a friend, inviting them to a special church event. This could be the next Family Service, or a Teddy Bears' Picnic or (looking ahead!) the Candlemas celebration. The children should take the cards home and give them to their friends.
Diary Time:
Gently ask the children whether there's anything in their lives which makes them ashamed - and be prepared for the answers! Even quite young children may be ashamed of their appearance, or worried that they don't have the latest fashion. Explain that Jesus loves them anyway, and invite them to note in their diaries some of the things that worry them. If anything really serious emerges, you will need to deal with it in confidence using your church Child Protection officer.
Intercession:
Jesus who knows us all, help us to get to know you so well that like Philip, we bring our friends to meet with you. May we never hide anything from you, but like Nathaneal, be open and honest in all that we do.
Jesus who knows us all, we pray for those people who ridicule Church and who despise Christians. May they come to realise your deep love for them and respond to that love. May our community hold high your values of love and truth and compassion, and always stick to those values.
Jesus who knows us all, we pray for the world, especially those areas where people are fighting and injuring and killing each other. May all who have been badly hurt learn your forgiveness in their hearts and respond with generosity towards those who have hurt them. And may those who hurt others learn your love and gentleness of spirit. We pray especially for ...
Jesus who knows us all, you know our needs before we ask you, so in our prayers we bring before you people we know who are ill. Please touch them and make them better as we name them before you ...
Blessing:
May you know in your own life
the determination of Philip
the truth and openness of Nathaneal
and the friendship and welcome of Jesus.
And the blessing of God almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be with you now,
be in your homes and in your families
and with all those whom you love
and for whom you pray,
now and always.
Amen.
