Scripture: Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

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: Boys and girls, what are some of the things you have to do before you eat your food?

[Allow time for responses]

Pastor: In my house, we wash our fruits and vegetables before we eat them. We also wash our hands before we eat. Does anyone else here wash your hands before you eat?

Sammy: Boys and girls, why do you wash your hands before you eat?

[Allow time for responses]

Sammy: Oh I get it! We have to wash away the dirt and germs so we don’t get sick. It’s a good thing that the Pharisees were concerned about the health of the disciples.

Pastor: Actually, Sammy, they weren’t concerned with their health.

Sammy: Are you sure? When you read the gospel today, I thought I heard that the Pharisees didn’t like germs. And they really like clean hands.

Pastor: Sammy, the Pharisees wanted to look clean, but they were not clean in their hearts.

Sammy: What do you mean, Pastor? How do you have a clean heart? How can I use soap on my heart?

Pastor: Jesus gives us clean hearts. Out of our mouths come the words of our hearts, and people have evil things in their hearts.

Sammy: That’s why we need Jesus.

Pastor: Yes, we need Jesus to create in us a clean heart and to renew a right spirit within us. He can help us do just that.

Sammy: How did Isaiah know that the people living at the same time as Jesus would have unclean hearts?

Pastor: Isaiah is a prophet, and prophets receive words from God about present, near future, and far future events. They see mountaintops of events to come, just the peaks, as God gives them sight.

Sammy: And Isaiah saw many glimpses of Jesus’s life before Jesus was born to Mary.

Pastor: Yes, Sammy. Remember, before Abraham was born, I am.

Sammy: Does everyone remember the verse we practiced: “I am the bread of life.” John 6:35. Will you repeat after me? “I am the bread of life.” John 6:35.

Pastor: Let’s pray: Dear Jesus, thank you for creating clean hearts in us. Thank you for calling us to love you and serve you, not just with clean hands, but with clean hearts, too. We love you. Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

Pastor: Bye, Sammy!

Scripture
John 6:56-69

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 have a big question for everyone here today: What is faith?

[Allow time for responses]

Sammy: Faith is all about putting your trust in Jesus, no matter what happens in
our lives.

Pastor: That’s right, Sammy! Let’s talk a little bit about the Gospel reading from
John today.

Sammy: Ooo! I was hoping you would say that!

Pastor: You really enjoy hearing and talking about scripture, Sammy.

Sammy: I do! I love to learn more about Jesus.

Pastor: That’s great! Today Jesus shares a hard teaching with his disciples and
others who were following him. He tells them, “Those who eat my flesh and drink
my blood abide in me, and I in them.  57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live
because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.  58 This is the
bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and
they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.” What do you think he
means?

[Allow time for responses]

Sammy: I like talking about scripture, Pastor, but these words of Jesus are
confusing to me. I don’t understand.

Pastor: Jesus is talking about how we need to accept that he is the bread of life. He
is saying here that he is the fulfillment of the Law of Moses, and he is the Messiah
to the people.

Sammy: But what does all that mean, Pastor?

Pastor: Jesus is saying that he is God.

Sammy: Oh, I get it! But why is that a hard teaching for everyone to understand?

Pastor: Accepting this teaching takes faith. We have to trust in Jesus, no matter
what. Some people had a hard time putting their faith in Jesus and believing that
he came down from heaven to save us from our sins because of his great love for
us. Some people today have a hard time with faith, too.

Sammy: How do we increase our faith, Pastor?

Pastor: Our faith comes from God. We need to pray for more faith, and when we
spend time reading our Bibles and praying, God hears our prayers and will give us
more faith in him.

Sammy: That’s so cool! I have another question.

Pastor: Here we go again…

Sammy: What does Peter mean when he says, “Lord, to whom can we go? You
have the words of eternal life.  69 We have come to believe and know that you are the
Holy One of God,”?

Pastor: Peter is sharing that Jesus has words of life—Jesus has the power of eternal
life. Peter is putting faith and trust in Jesus here with these words.

Sammy: I want a faith like Peter.

Pastor: Me too, Sammy. Boys and girls, will you pray with me? Can everyone please
fold their hands and bow their heads? Dear Jesus, Thank you for faith. Thank you
for helping us to trust you. Thank you for increasing our faith. Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

Pastor: Bye, Sammy!

Scripture

John 6:51-58

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: How are you doing today, Sammy?

Sammy: I am doing great!

Pastor: Me too, Sammy! Hey everyone, I have a question for you: What are some
of the rules that you have to follow at home?

[Allow time for responses]

Pastor: What are some of the rules that you have to follow at school?

[Allow time for responses]

Sammy: What about the rules at church? What rules do we have at church?

[Allow time for responses]

Pastor: Great answers, everyone! When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, the lives
of people on earth became impacted by sin. But God had a plan.

Sammy: What was the plan that God had?

Pastor: God’s plan was to create a covenant with his people. There was an Old
Covenant…

Sammy: Oooo! What was the Old Covenant?

Pastor: The Old Covenant was a promise that God made with the people. God
promised to make Abraham the father of many nations and that his descendants
would include kings.

Sammy: I wonder if my descendants will be kings one day.

Pastor: ….

Sammy: Yeah I think you’re right. I’ll stick to being a sheep.

Pastor: Jacob had twelve sons, and these twelve sons became the twelve tribes of
Israel. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun,
Joseph, and Benjamin. These men and their children had to follow special rules,
just like we do at home, at school, and in church.

Sammy: What kinds of rules?

Pastor: There were rules about worshipping God and about making sacrifices to
God. Remember that people sin—we do bad things and we need to pay for our
sins.

Sammy: That could get expensive.

Pastor: Exactly. But God had a plan.

Sammy: What was the plan?

Pastor: The plan was Jesus.

Sammy: I KNEW IT!

Pastor: Yes, the covenant that God made with his people was sending his son
Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. Jesus paid for our sins with his blood and we
can live free from the burden of our own sins.

Sammy: Hooray for Jesus!

Pastor: Boys and girls, let’s fold our hands and bow our heads in prayer. Dear
Jesus, thank you for the new covenant. Thank you for forgiving our sins. Thank
you for your great love. Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

Pastor: Bye, Sammy!

Scripture

John 6:35, 41-51

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: Sammy, I would like to talk to the boys and girls today about resurrection.
I was hoping that you could help me with that.

Sammy: I can always try, Pastor.

Pastor: That’s great, Sammy. We are going to focus on something Jesus said today
in the gospel reading from John.

Sammy: I am ready.

Pastor: Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.” Can you all help Sammy repeat that
verse? “I am the bread of life.”

Sammy: “I am the bread of life.” We did it!

Pastor: Very good, everyone!

Sammy: But what kind of bread, Pastor? Wheat? Rye? Whole grain? Honey?

Pumpernickel? Sourdough? Flatbread?

Pastor: [Interrupting] No, Sammy, hang on a second.

Sammy: What? What did I do wrong?

Pastor: Let’s go back to our verse. Can everyone repeat after me? “I am the bread
of life.”

Sammy: “I am the bread of life.” And now you tell us what kind of bread Jesus is.

Pastor: No, Sammy. It’s a metaphor for the resurrection of Jesus. He died and rose
and the same spirit that lives in him lives in us. So guess what?

Sammy: When we die, we get to rise again to live with Jesus.

Pastor: That’s called resurrection. Repeat after me, “I am the bread of life.”

Sammy: “I am the bread of life.”

Pastor: We need bread to nourish our bodies, and we need Jesus as our living
bread from heaven. When we eat the bread he gives us, we won’t die and we get
to live with him.

Sammy: But where is the bread? I want that bread!

Pastor: It’s right here. [Show communion bread to the children.] This bread is a
sign to us of the living power of Jesus. It’s the new covenant between Jesus and
us. He is the living bread. Remember the verse?

Sammy: “I am the bread of life.” And we can remember that verse every time we
come up for communion and receive the bread or a blessing.

Pastor: Yes we can. Let’s say a prayer. Can everyone please fold your hands and
bow your heads? Dear Jesus, Thank you for being the bread of life. Thank you for
resurrection and communion. Thank you for your many blessings. We love you.
Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

Pastor: Bye, Sammy!

Scripture

John 6:24-35

Script

[Props: goldfish or other small crackers, one pack for each child]

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: Sammy, do you know the story of Moses and the manna in the wilderness? 

Sammy: I don’t think so, Pastor. What is the story of the man in the wilderness?

Pastor: Manna, Sammy. Manna is a flat bread.

Sammy: Well, why didn’t you just call it flat bread, Pastor? Why did you call the bread manna?

Pastor: Manna is very special, Sammy. The people of Israel were traveling in the desert to the promised land, and they became hungry.

Sammy: I know what it feels like to be hungry.

Pastor: Me too! Boys and girls, can you share what happens when you feel hungry?

[Allow time for responses]

Sammy: Great answers, everyone! The people of Israel were hungry, so they ate manna.

Pastor: Yes, but the manna was a gift from God. Each morning, when the people woke up, they found the manna on the ground, and they were able to pick it up and eat it. There were some special rules about storing the manna and how much to take.

Sammy: But did it taste good?

Pastor: Yes—the people said it was the best bread they had, but each day they had to eat manna. They didn’t stay full for long.

Sammy: I eat all the time, Pastor. Breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper, snack…

Pastor: You eat all the time, Sammy.

Sammy: I am a growing lamb.

Pastor: We need food to grow and to live, but what is really important is what Jesus says about manna in our gospel reading today.

Sammy: Ooo tell us! What did he say?

Pastor: Jesus says that the manna from Heaven came from God. And then he declares, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

Sammy: Wow!

Pastor: I know! Jesus is telling the people that he is God. He gives us food and feeds our spirits. When we believe in Jesus, we believe in God—Jesus says, “I am” which is a declaration of divinity. Moses hears God say, “I am” as well.

Sammy: There are many parallels between the Old Testament and the New Testament here.

Pastor: Yes, there are.

Sammy: Well, Pastor, all this talking is making me hungry. Do you have bread?

Pastor: I did bring a snack for each of you today. [Give goldfish or small crackers to each child] When you eat this snack, I want you to remember that Jesus is the bread of life. Let’s fold our hands and bow our heads. Dear Jesus, Thank you for giving us food for our bodies and souls. Thank you for coming to earth to save us so that we will never be hungry again. We love you. Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

Pastor: Bye, Sammy!

Scripture 

John 6:1-21 

Script 

Props: A basket with five loaves of bread and two fish. You can use real bread and two real fish (you can get fish filets wrapped up), or you can use paper or plastic versions of the real thing. Use what you have and what is easiest for you. You will need a plastic bag and with ¾ cup of rice in it (that’s about 5,000 grains). You will also need a pack of goldfish for each child. Optional coloring page to print, one for each child: Click here. 

These props are suggestions. Feel free to modify as you see fit or to suit your needs as a congregation. If you include all of these items for your children’s sermon, store in one large basket. A picnic basket with a lid would be perfect, as you can reveal a few items at a time. 

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! What’s in the basket, Pastor?  

Pastor: This basket contains something very special, Sammy.  

Sammy: I love special things. What is it? Tell me! Tell me!  

Pastor: [Opens the basket and shows everyone the items.] I have five loaves of bread and two fish.  

Sammy: Ooooo!  

Pastor: Boys and girls, why do you think I have five loaves of bread and two fish with me today?  

[Allow time for responses]  

Sammy: These answers are all excellent. Jesus talks about how a boy in a large crowd had five loaves and two fish.  

Pastor: Yes! Five thousand people gathered to see Jesus. And they witnessed a miracle: Jesus used these five loaves and two fish to feed all five thousand of them.   

Sammy: Is five thousand more people than we have in our church?  

Pastor: Yes—five thousand is more people than we have for worship today.

 Sammy: How many more?  

Pastor: I have a bag of rice here to show everyone. This bag contains about five thousand grains of rice. Each grain of rice is like a person that Jesus fed. [Show the rice—may let children pass around.] 

 Sammy: But Pastor, I don’t think those two little fish and those five loaves of bread are going to even feed all of the people here today in church. How could they possibly feed five thousand people? 

 Pastor: Jesus can do all things. He is God. He takes the little we give him in faith and he multiples what we give for the glory of God. All we have to do is believe in him and trust him. 

 Sammy: I think sometimes trusting in God is hard, especially when you are hungry. 

 Pastor: Yes, Sammy. Eating is one of our most basic needs, but look at how Jesus provides for us.  

 Sammy: Amen! Let’s pray. Can everyone fold their hands and bow their heads please? Dear Jesus, Thank you for miracles. Thank you for the food we eat each day. Thank you for five loaves, and two fish. Amen. 

 Pastor: Before you go, I have a treat to remind you of Jesus feeding the five thousand. [Give everyone a pack of goldfish.] 

 Sammy: I love snacks! Bye, everyone! 

 Pastor: Bye, Sammy! 

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! 

Scripture: Mark 5:21-43 

Script 

Prop: A new band-aid for each child. 

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: How are you doing today, Sammy? 

 Sammy: I am doing really well. I had my breakfast this morning and my maa-maa brushed my wool and I made it to church on time.  

 Pastor: That’s great, Sammy!  

 Sammy: How are you, Pastor? 

Pastor: I am doing well, but I have something on my mind. 

 Sammy: What’s on your mind? 

 Pastor: I’m wondering how much faith we have as a congregation. 

 Sammy: What do you mean? 

 Pastor: Well, when I read the gospel reading for today, we heard about Jairus and his faith that Jesus could heal his daughter. And while Jesus was on his way to heal the girl, a woman had such a big faith that Jesus could heal her if she could just reach out and touch his clothes. What do you think, boys and girls? How do we know if we have faith like Jairus and the sick woman? 

 [Allow time for responses] 

 Pastor: These are all great answers, everyone! 

 Sammy: Pastor, I think our congregation has great faith. St. Paul talks about how blessed we are because we have not seen Jesus, and yet we still believe in him. 

Pastor: That’s right, Sammy. I was also thinking about how Jesus heals our bodies and also our spirits. He takes care of our physical needs and our spiritual needs. 

 Sammy: Just like in the gospel you read today! Jesus healed a woman and a girl, and when the girl was raised up from the dead, Jesus told her mom and dad to give her something to eat. He knew she was hungry and she needed food. I love that Jesus takes care of us—especially because I am always hungry! 

 Pastor: Me too, Sammy. Remember that Jesus also takes care of our spiritual bodies, our souls, too. When he raises Jairus’s daughter from the dead, his miracle points to the resurrection of his own body when he will rise from the dead. And guess what? 

 Sammy: What? What? 

 Pastor: Jesus will raise each of us from the dead, too. 

 Sammy: That’s so cool! I will get to live forever with Jesus. 

 Pastor: Yes—we get to live with him in Heaven, and one day, he will come back and Heaven and earth will be one. 

 Sammy: And there will be no more death or pain, and we will not need to be healed anymore. We won’t need to buy any more band-aids, Pastor!  

 Pastor: Speaking of band-aids, one of the best ways I know to help us with healing is a band-aid. I am going to give each of you a band-aid (a new one) to remind you that Jesus is our great healer. You can put it on now, or you can save it for when you really need it. 

 Sammy: I want one, too, please! [Pastor puts a band-aid on Sammy] Oooo I love it! Jesus is our healer: both of our bodies and our spirits. 

 Pastor: Let’s say a prayer together. Boys and girls, will you fold your hands and bow your heads with me, please? Dear Jesus, thank you for healing our bodies. Thank you for providing for us. Thank you for raising us up to new life in you. Amen. 

 Sammy: Bye, everyone! 

 Pastor: Bye, Sammy!