Pastor: Good morning boys and girls! 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! Is it still, Easter, Pastor?

 

Pastor: Yes, it is still the Easter season, Sammy.

 

Sammy: Oh good! I just love Easter.

 

Pastor: Me too, Sammy. The Easter message is very special to us as believers in Jesus.

 

Sammy: Why is that?

 

Pastor: Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again after three days. These events are important because Jesus paid the price for our sins with his blood.

 

Sammy: You know, Pastor, I noticed that even though Jesus talks a lot about his death on the cross and how he will rise again after three days, a lot of people were not paying attention.

 

Pastor: Yes a lot of people either were not paying attention or they heard the message and they didn’t understand. 

 

Sammy: Just like Mr. and Mrs. Cleopas.

 

Pastor: Mr. and Mrs. Cleopas?

 

Sammy: You know? From the Gospel reading today? There was a man walking to a place called Emmaus.

 

Pastor: Yes that’s Cleopas.

 

Sammy: Mr. Cleopas. And the other person was his wife. Mrs. Cleopas.

 

Pastor: That’s a good theory, Sammy. The second person with Cleopas isn’t mentioned by name, so there are a lot of guess about who it could be.

 

Sammy: Well, I like Mr. and Mrs. Cleopas. But you know, I don’t understand what happened. How come they didn’t recognize Jesus until he broke bread and blessed the bread?

 

Pastor: That’s a really good question. Jesus breaks bread with many people all throughout the Gospels. He eats with his disciples, with tax collectors, and with over five thousand people, on two separate occasions. That’s a lot of people.

 

Sammy: And all of those people saw Jesus bless and break the bread before they ate it with him.

 

Pastor: That’s right. So Jesus talked to Mr. and Mrs. Cleopas a long time, but they didn’t truly see who he was until he blessed and broke the bread. And then he disappeared.

 

Sammy: He did?

 

Pastor: Yes, but he appeared to many others. 

Sammy: I just love Easter. I love that we can find Jesus in unexpected places.

 

Pastor: Yes we can. Boys and girls, will you please pray with me? Will you please fold your hands and bow your heads? Dear Jesus, Thank you for Easter. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Thank you for rising to life so that we may have life in you. Amen.

 

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

 

Pastor: Bye, Sammy!

Pastor: Good morning boys and girls! 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!

[Enter Bartholomew (we use a bunny puppet)]

Bartholomew: Good morning!

Sammy: Hello, Bartholomew! Happy Easter! 

Bartholomew: Happy Easter, Sammy! Hi Pastor! Happy Easter!

Pastor: How are you holding up, Bartholomew?

Bartholomew: I’m doing great. Last weekend was so much fun. I got to hide eggs for boys and girls all over the place. Did you all find some eggs? What did you find inside the eggs?

[Allow time for responses]

Pastor: These are great answers.

Bartholomew: I hid a lot of eggs–you guys found some really good ones. I wonder–did any of the adults find leftover eggs with the lawnmower? I try to leave some eggs in extra-challenging places so the moms and dads can have fun finding them too.

Pastor: I found a few lying around here and there. You are definitely good at your job, Bartholomew.

Sammy: Pastor, why does Bartholomew hide eggs? I mean, chickens lay eggs, not bunnies.

Pastor: That’s a great question, Sammy. Bartholomew is a bunny, and bunnies are symbols of new life. Eggs are symbols of new life, too.

Bartholomew: That’s right! And each Easter, I hide eggs around to remind boys and girls that Easter is not about the Easter bunny or eggs or chocolate. Easter is about Jesus. Jesus is risen, and we get to celebrate new life in him.

Sammy: I missed seeing you last week, Bartholomew. I wish you could have been here for worship on Easter. It was a beautiful day.

Bartholomew: You know, Sammy, Easter is more than just one week. We have an entire season in the church year dedicated to Easter. It is fifty days long.

Pastor: Get knowledge, Bartholomew. Easter begins on Easter Sunday and ends on Pentecost.

Bartholomew: When you are as old as I am Pastor, you know a few things.

Sammy: How old are you, Bartholomew? 

Bartholomew: I think I have been hiding eggs for children for about four hundred years now.

Pastor: You are definitely older than me, then.

Sammy: Me too.

Pastor: Let’s say a prayer together. Dear Jesus, thank you for the season of Easter. Help us to deepen our faith in you. Thank you for new life. Amen.

Sammy and Bartholomew: Bye, everyone!

Pastor: Bye, everyone!

“Some of the bystanders were saying to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?”  They spoke to them just as Jesus had told them, and they gave them permission” (Mark 11:5-6).

In a very real sense, this is an even  greater miracle.  Permission was granted for an incredibly unusual circumstance.  But this is the way of the Lord; we call it a miracle, but He knows what is going to happen.  Of course, things will go the way the Lord says, He is the Lord of all.  Do not be caught up in the speculations of this age, but live in the reality that this is our God’s creation.

Lord God Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, all things are in Your hands, for You are the One who made them.  Help me to learn that I am a steward and own nothing, for it all belongs to You.  Guide me in the truth of reality and help me to give permission whenYou call for it.  Help me to be constantly in prayer, trusting the truth that all things have always and always will be in Your hands.

Lord Jesus, You taught Your disciples the principle of binding and loosing.  You are the One who must give the direction; but help me to trust when Your Holy Spirit speaks so that I may do what You tell me to do.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to learn to trust You above every circumstance and not live according to what I understand of the situation I am in.  Lead me, Lord, in the way of everlasting life.  Amen.