Scripture 

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 

Script 

Pastor: Good morning boys and girls! Welcome! Let’s say good morning to our friend Sammy and see if she is there. Ready? One, two, three: Good morning, Sammy! 

Sammy: Uggg! Good morning, everyone.  

Pastor: Sammy, what’s wrong?  

Sammy: I am really tired, Pastor. I haven’t had any rest in several days.  

Pastor: That’s not good, Sammy. What have you been doing?  

Sammy: Pastor, the better question to ask me is, “What haven’t you done?”  

Pastor: It’s that bad?  

Sammy: It’s that bad.  

Pastor: You seem upset, Sammy.  

Sammy: Of course I am upset! I didn’t get any naps this week. I have been helping Farmer Mark with all of the chores around the farm, and I have been making sure my younger cousins know where to go in the barn when we come in from the pasture. They get lost so easily. It’s just go-go-go and I don’t get any breaks.  

Pastor: Just take a deep breath, Sammy. In fact, let’s all take a deep breath. Ready? Breathe in. Breathe out. Feel better?  

Sammy: A little.  

Pastor: Boys and girls, do you ever feel like Sammy? Do you ever feel tired and frustrated about not getting time to rest? 

[Allow time for responses]  

Sammy: I am glad I am not the only one who feels this way.  

Pastor: Of course, not, Sammy. Even Jesus and his disciples didn’t have time to rest sometimes.  

Sammy: They didn’t?  

Pastor: Jesus had to be very intentional about resting, and he encouraged his disciples to rest, too.   

Sammy: But why does Jesus need rest?  

Pastor: Jesus is fully God and fully man, and he modeled for us how to live in the best way, and part of living full lives includes taking time to rest.  

Sammy: Pastor, I think I am going to go home after church and take a nap. Who’s with me?  

Pastor: That’s great everyone. Sundays are the perfect days to rest and spend time with your family. We are going to say a prayer. Can everyone please fold your hands and bow your heads? Dear Jesus, Thank you for encouraging us to rest. Thank you for helping us to center our lives on you. Amen.  

Sammy: Bye, everyone!  

Pastor: Bye, Sammy! 

Scripture 

Ephesians 1:3-14 

Script 

Pastor: Good morning boys and girls! Welcome! Let’s say good morning to our friend Sammy and see if she is there. Ready? One, two, three: Good morning, Sammy! 

Sammy: Good morning, everyone! Pastor, I heard a big word during your reading of the gospel lesson today. 

Pastor: There were several big words. Which one would you like to talk about, Sammy? 

Sammy: In-her-i-tance. 

Pastor: Inheritance. Sure, Sammy. We can talk about that. I want to see if the boys and girls know what this word means. Boys and girls, what is an inheritance? 

[Allow time for responses] 

Pastor: These are great answers/guesses. An inheritance is something that a person gains after another person dies. When a person is still living, he or she usually decides to give his or her money and house and car to another person or to many people. Then, when that person dies, the family members receive an inheritance of a house, a car, or money. 

Sammy: Can a person give an inheritance of smaller things, too? 

Pastor: Of course! Sometimes people give their family members jewelry or special objects that they have in their homes. 

Sammy: That’s so cool! So my great-grand-maa-maa gave my maa-maa a shiny bell to wear around her neck in the pasture. And one day I will get the bell. 

Pastor: That’s the right idea, Sammy. An inheritance is really special because it shows people that you love them. 

Sammy: Hmm. 

Pastor: What’s the matter, Sammy? 

Sammy: I’m confused, Pastor. How does an inheritance matter in church? What does it mean in the reading from Ephesians? 

Pastor: In the reading from Ephesians, Paul explains to the people of Ephesus that when Jesus died on the cross, we received an inheritance from him. 

Sammy: We did?! 

Pastor: We did. 

Sammy: That is the coolest inheritance yet! Wait, what is the inheritance from Jesus, again? 

Pastor: We are given many gifts, but the main gift is the Holy Spirit. We are also given an inheritance as sons and daughters of the King of Kings: Eternal Life with Jesus. 

Sammy: That is the sweetest inheritance. 

Pastor: Yes it is. Let’s pray. Can everyone please fold your hands and bow your heads? Dear Jesus, Thank you for dying on the cross for us. Thank you for giving us an inheritance of the Holy Spirit. Thank you for letting us party with you forever. Amen. 

Sammy: Bye, everyone! 

Pastor: Bye, Sammy!

Scripture 

Mark 6:1-13 

Script 

Props: You will need a duffle bag or suitcase filled with items for the beach or for a vacation to the beach. Suggestions: beach toys, sunglasses, a towel, a book, clothes, a swimsuit, snacks) 

Pastor: Good morning boys and girls! Welcome! Let’s say good morning to our friend Sammy and see if she is there. Ready? One, two, three: Good morning, Sammy! 

Sammy: Good morning, everyone! Pastor, I am going on a trip.  

Pastor: Where are you going, Sammy?  

Sammy: It’s summer, and I am going to the beach!  

Pastor: Have you ever been to the beach before, Sammy?  

Sammy: Nope! It’s my first time going to the beach. I am looking forward to traveling and relaxing.  

Pastor: Sammy, I think you should talk to the boys and girls about the beach. There’s some things that you need to know about it. Boys and girls, what can you tell Sammy about the beach? 

[Allow time for responses]  

Sammy: The beach sounds great! I cannot wait to go.  

Pastor: Sammy, did you pack a bag for the beach?  

Sammy: I did! I left it on the floor in the front of the church.  

Pastor: Boys and girls, do you see Sammy’s bag?  

[Allow the children to retrieve and open the bag]  

Pastor: Sammy, this bag is big—you must have a lot of items packed for the beach. How many days are you going to stay at the beach? 

Sammy: Just two days. 

Pastor: Let’s see what Sammy packed. [Have the children help unpack Sammy’s bag. Name the items as they come out.] There’s a lot of stuff in here, Sammy.  

Sammy: Baa-haha. I have to be prepared, Pastor.  

Pastor: You know, Sammy, I know a lot about being prepared and making sure you have what you need, but a lot of this stuff isn’t important or necessary for the beach.  

Sammy: Oh?  

Pastor: You know, in our gospel reading for today, Jesus sent out his disciples on a trip. He told them not to take anything with them.  

Sammy: What?!  

Pastor: They were only to take a staff and the clothes they were wearing.   

Sammy: And their wallets so they could buy whatever they needed.   

Pastor: No, Jesus told them not to take any money with them.  

Sammy: Okay, so then they packed a lot of snacks.  

Pastor: No snacks.  

Sammy: . . . Baahahaha.  

Pastor: Really, Sammy. No snacks.  

Sammy: But how did they survive? What did they eat? What did they wear?  

Pastor: That’s the whole point, Sammy. Jesus wanted them to trust that God would always provide for them, no matter what. The disciples did incredible miracles in the name of Jesus and God took care of them every step of the way.  

Sammy: You know, Pastor, I think that you can take that bag with you. I’ll trust God to provide for me on my trip to the beach.   

Pastor: That’s the spirit, Sammy. Boys and girls, can we please fold our hands and bow our heads? Dear Jesus, thank you for calling us to trust you. Thank you for sending us into the world to serve. Thank you for providing for us. Amen.  

Sammy: Bye, everyone!  

Pastor: Bye, Sammy! 

“But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?  For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’?” (Matthew 9:4-5).

What is truly the very thing we need?  Is it to be in good health, or to be eternally healed?  We will all die.  Good health is a wonderful thing, but it is temporary.  The real health that Jesus offers is with an eternal reconciliation with the Lord.  Which is more important?  The evil in our hearts is that we think we know when, in fact, we do not.  The Lord, who knows all things, will accomplish our salvation, for salvation is of the Lord.

Look to where evil resides in your heart.  I am not talking about what we often consider wicked things, but those places where you judge circumstances, or even others.  We all judge.  This is blasphemy when we think we’re in the place of knowledge, or judge another’s behavior without knowing what is true.  We too may forgive others and, in fact, are under admonition of doing so when we pray the Lord’s prayer.

Lord Jesus, with great patience You have reached out to heal all who come to You.  We may still have our earthly issues left in place for Your purpose, but we have eternal healing through Your redemption made possible from the cross.  Lead me now and always to grow into the life for which You died.  Guide me today and confront me when evil enters my heart.  Heal me from the inside out, my Savior.  Amen.