In our worship today, let us come to Jesus to drink at his fountain of living water and eat of the living bread that he offers us, so that we will never be spiritually hungry or thirsty again.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, help us to drink your living water.
Lord, have mercy.Jesus, help us to eat your living bread
Christ, have mercy.Jesus, help us to live forever.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
John 6:35, 41-51
Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." [42] They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?" [43] "Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. [44] "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. [45] It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. [46] No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. [47] I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. [48] I am the bread of life. [49] Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. [50] But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. [51] I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
Story:
When children or adults experience the death of a close friend or family member, the pain is enormous and sometimes Christian promises can sound hollow. This is a story to begin to explore the meaning of "eternal life".
What Does "Eternal" Mean?
Anne's Grandma had died the previous week. Anne was devastated. She hadn't known that her Grandma was ill until a day or two before, and then she had immediately prayed and prayed and prayed for Jesus to make her Grandma better.
Anne loved her Grandma very deeply because Grandma always had time for Anne, whatever Grandma was doing. Anne loved visiting Grandma's cottage in the country and helping Grandma to feed the hens and collect the eggs. She loved going for walks with Grandma, who was always able to spot bird's nests and little animals and who knew the name of every wild flower. But most of all Anne loved sitting on the sofa cuddling up to Grandma while Grandma read a story to her. Grandma was a very good storyteller and she always managed to make the stories come so alive that Anne felt she was there, right in the middle of the story herself.
When she was over for the weekend, Anne always used to go to church with Grandma, and she heard a lot about eternal life. She heard the preacher say, "Jesus is the bread that comes down from heaven, which people may eat and not die. Jesus is the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he or she will live forever." Anne was very impressed.
Later, Anne had asked Grandma, "What does 'eternal' mean?"
"Something that goes on forever," explained Grandma, "something that never ends."
'Good.' thought Anne. 'Grandma ate the bread at the service this morning, so she'll live forever.'
When Anne had learned that Grandma was ill, she hadn't been too worried. She'd prayed for Jesus to make Grandma better and she'd remembered that Grandma was a Christian and had eaten the bread just last Sunday, so would live forever.
But it hadn't worked. None of it had happened. Jesus hadn't made Grandma better, and Grandma had died.
"I hate Jesus and I'm never going to church again," Anne announced to her mother.
"Oh?" said her mother.
"He promised that people who ate the bread would never die, but he made Grandma die. And I prayed ever so hard for her. He didn't answer my prayer."
Anne's mother sat down beside Anne and cuddled her. "It is a bit difficult to understand," she admitted, "but I think what it means is something like this. When we're ready, we finish with this life on earth. But people who eat the bread and follow Jesus find that their life doesn't end there. It goes on in a different kind of way. After Jesus died, he was seen again alive by many of his friends. But he was alive in a different kind of way. His wounded body was healed, but he was living in some different dimension. That's what he promised for us. That our bodies would be healed and that we'd live on in some different dimension."
Anne thought about that for a bit. She knew about different dimensions from watching Star Trek and Babylon 5 and E.T. on the television, so it made sense. Then she asked, "But why didn't Jesus answer my prayers? I prayed so hard for Grandma."
"Perhaps he did answer them," replied her mother. "Grandma suddenly became very ill and her body was very weak. If she had continued to live on this earth, she wouldn't have been able to speak or read or do anything for herself. She would have hated that. But your prayers have helped the healing process, and now that she's living in her new dimension she's fit and well, just like you've always known her."
"When I die, will I see Grandma again?" asked Anne.
Her mother nodded. "You certainly will. Would you like to make a special good-bye card for Grandma, telling you how much you love her, and telling her that you're looking forward to meeting her again one day? We could put it in Grandma's coffin, or place it in the grave with her."
Anne nodded. She was beginning to feel much better, and she thought she'd like to do one final thing for Grandma while she could.
Activity:
You need:
A chemical garden (available from good toy
shops)
or
Broad beans in a jam jar with blotting paper
or
A wilting
plant, which you know will perk up when watered!
Water
A recording of the
sound of waves
The chemical garden is the most dramatic of these demonstrations. Follow the instructions in the box, but basically, when water is added, the "garden" immediately begins to sprout and is very colourful. If you can't get hold of a chemical garden, use the time-honoured broad bean, but you won't be able to show any results until next week. You could give all the children broad beans to take home and water for themselves, and bring back next week. Or you could water a wilting plant, as long as you are confident it will immediately perk up!
The point is to show the difference that water makes. No living thing can survive without water, and no living soul can survive without living water - the God within. What's more, it has now been shown that children concentrate and learn better if they have regular access to water throughout the day, and similarly, we concentrate on God and learn about him better if we have regular access to God throughout the day.
Play the recording. The sound of water - waves on the seashore, the tinkling of a river or fountain - make us feel better. So does God. Sometimes water is huge and overwhelming, as in a storm at sea. God's power is sometimes like this. But at other times, water is calm. So is God. As we keep on coming to Jesus - learning about him, praying to him, listening to him, responding to him, following him - we will discover the effect of living water.
Diary Time: For details, click here.
Talk about death. Find out if any of the children have experienced the death of a family member or pet, and ask them what they think "eternal life" is about. They should draw or write about their experiences, or their view of Heaven.
Intercession:
Jesus, our living bread, help us in your Church to understand your promises and to clearly tell others about them. Help us to live out the Good News you have given us, by allowing ourselves to be filled by you.
Jesus, our living bread, we pray for farmers throughout the world. May they distribute their crops fairly. We pray for all those involved in the distribution of clean water. May we work to ensure that everyone in the world has access to sufficient food and sufficient clean water for their needs.
Jesus, our living bread, we pray for our own community, that we may act as salt and yeast in bringing your word to others. May everyone drink at your fountain and eat of your bread, until all are satisfied.
Jesus, our living bread, we pray for all who are worried about someone they love who is ill and we pray for all who are hurting because someone they love has died. Help them all to be aware of your presence with them and to know that you always give health.
Blessing:
May you drink at the fountain of life.
May you eat of the living bread.
May you be filled until you are satisfied.
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.
