Year C - Proper 11, 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 9th Sunday after Pentecost (July 21, 2013)

Amos 8:1-12

n Consequences are important here and in the gospel story about Mary and Martha.  It is hard for children and even teenagers to learn to identify, before they act, the probable consequences of their actions.  Even when they can identify a possible problem that will result from their action, it is easy for them to hope that it really won’t happen that way to me this time, i.e. “I’ll get away with it.”  Here Amos insists that people are doing terrible things, that God knows what they are doing and that there will be consequences.  Children will not recognize the bad things people are doing as the passage is read.  But with a little help they will find them quite familiar.  People were cheating each other.  The big and powerful were not being fair to the less powerful people.  (Think the older kid saying to the younger one, “Look we have two cookies.  Here is one for you – the littler one – and one for me –the bigger one.”)  The message to children is that God DOES care about what we do and that there will be consequences when we break God’s rules.  Though we may think we will get away with what we do, we will not.

n To help children grasp Amos’ talk about cheating using false measures prepare two bags of produce or flour.  Mark each one with the same weight, but put a little less than that amount in one bag.  After presenting the two bags claiming they are the same weight, weigh each bag on a scale.  With questions such as “how would you feel if you bought this (the smaller) bag?” help worshipers identify the unfairness involved.  Then read Amos 8:5b making clear Amos’ message that people were sitting in church thinking of ways to cheat each other – and that God knew and was not pleased.

 



Sorry, no over ripe bananas
 at my house today.

n To explore Amos’ image of summer fruit, display one green, one yellow and one really over ripe banana.  Talk about which you want to eat and what is done with over ripe fruit.  Then, make Amos’ point that all the people were like overripe fruit.  They were greedy, selfish, and generally no good.  So God was going to throw them out.  Note that actually what God did was sent them away as prisoners of war.  During their time living in the foreign country, they had time to think about how God wanted them to live.  It was like a really big time out.

Replace the usual flower arrangements with bowls of seasonal fruits and vegetables.  These can be beautiful as a contrasts to the over ripe fruit you display and explore.

 

Psalm 52

This psalm is an angry rant.  It is included here as a partner to Amos’ warnings.  If you want to explore it, there needs to be some serious explanations.

L  Tell in your own words the backstory of Doeg from 1 Samuel 21-22.  Imagine how David felt. Then read the psalm from TEV or CEV.

L  Rather than tell the Doeg story, make a list of people who use their power to get what they want even when it hurts others - bully, big shot, tycoon, villain, etc.  Then read the psalmist’s prayer about people like that.

L  Identify childhood activities that parallel those of the villain of this psalm – telling secrets that will get others in trouble, cheating at games, going along with a bully, tattling, using being the biggest or oldest to get what you want.

Actually, I would downplay this psalm or use Psalm 15 rather than try to explain all this meaningfully to children.

Genesis 18:1-10a

JJJ  Children are fascinated by God’s appearing not as a single thing or person, but as a group of people.  God visited Abraham and Sarah as a group of travelers.  List some of the ways God appeared - fire in the burning bush or in the contest on Mt Carmel, the sheer silence in the cave, a wrestler with Jacob, a dove at Jesus’ baptism, etc.  Though it would be off the intent of the story, this could be the beginning of a sermon about where we meet/see God.

JJ  The story is included in the lectionary to echo the gospel hospitality theme.  As Mary and Martha welcomed Jesus, Abraham and Sarah welcomed three travelers.  During the summer many people have opportunities to both extend and receive hospitality. 

JJ  When Abraham and Sarah saw three travelers coming, they welcomed them and fed them.  Especially during the summer, many poor people are on the road.  Some end up begging at intersections.  Some congregations put together welcome kits that members can put into the hands of these people.  The kits include a gift card to a fast food place, bus tokens/passes, lists of places where they can get services they might need, and a greeting maybe a child drawn card, all in a zip-able plastic bag.  Describe these kits during worship and invite households to assemble some to distribute as they encounter visitors during the week.  Provide the pieces either free or ask families to pay for the components of each kit they take.

IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE

IF YOU GIVE A MOOSE A MUFFIN
IF YOU GIVE 3 TRAVELERS SOME WATER….

JJ  If You Give A Mouse a Cookie, If You Give a Moose a Muffin, or any of the other books in the If You Give A… Series are favorite stories about hospitality.  Read one and talk about how one thing leads to another when you extend hospitality, but that in the process you usually have fun.  Or, read one then turn the Abraham and Sarah story into another one. 

When three travelers walked by Abraham knew they would be hot and thirsty, so he gave invited to sit in the shade with him and gave them water to drink.  The water was wonderful and cool, but it reminded them that they had not had anything to eat all day.  So Abraham called to Sarah.  Sarah baked them a fine loaf of bread with her best flour.  But what is bread without meat?  So, Sarah had her servants roast a fat calf.  It was a perfect meal.  The travelers sat back in the shade with their full tummies and sighed.  Then they said to Abraham, “You and Sarah are wonderful hosts.  By this time next year you will have a baby boy who will keep you as busy as we have.”  Sarah laughed and Abraham laughed and the travelers laughed.  In a year when Sarah gave birth to a baby boy, she named him Isaac which means Laughter.  And Abraham laughed.  And Sarah laughed and the travelers in some far away land walked down the road and laughed too.

 

JJ  Celebrate the hospitality of Abraham and Sarah with Always Room for One More, by Sorche Nic Leodhas, which tells the story of a family that invites in every traveler who passes their small highlands house.  When their house exploded because it was filled with so many singing dancing people taken in on a stormy night, all their guests simply helped them build a bigger house so there would be more room for more guests.  The book is written with lots of scots words and in rhyme.  If you or someone in the congregation is comfortable reading in this dialect, the story will be a special mid-summer celebration of hospitality.

J  Continue reading through verse 15 and add Genesis 21:1-7 to complete the story of the announcement of Isaac’s coming birth and his birth.  The only other place this story appears in the RCL is Proper 6 of Year A which is bypassed many years due to the date of Easter.  So consider worshiping around the whole story of the announcement of Isaac’s birth and the birth. 

Focus on the laughter.  Demonstrate and ponder many different ways Sarah might have laughed, e.g. a disbelieving “HA, HA” or a that is so weird “tee, hee, hee” titter and the happy surprised laughter when Isaac is born.  Talk about when and how we laugh today.  Create a prayer or reading about things that would make us laugh like Sarah did at Isaac’s birth.  Or, get worshipers to help make that list.  The congregation’s response is “God has made me laugh. Now everyone will laugh with me.” (CEV)

Focus on the surprise.  List lots of surprises God brought people, e.g. the Red Sea opening up before the fleeing slaves, Jesus’ healing, Saul’s change from persecutor to leader of the early church, etc.  Add Abraham and Sarah's surprise baby.  Even children find hope for today’s situations that really could use God surprises in these biblical stories of surprises.

Psalm 15

Of the two psalms for today, I’d definitely choose this one.  It speaks of the “good people” rather than rant at the “bad people.”  When read from the CEV it can be understood by worshipers of all ages.

Colossians 1:15-28

U  This is a very complicated old hymn that Paul was both quoting and editing as he went to make a point.  The cosmology is intricate and beyond the understanding of children and many adults.  But, it does offer a chance for the brave preacher/ children’s time leader to have a discussion with the children about who Jesus is.   One could begin by asking “Who is Jesus?”  Collect answers from worshipers.  Note that Jesus is all of this and more.  Then introduce four things about Jesus that Paul knew about Jesus.

U Who is Jesus according to Paul?  In language that makes sense to children Paul says

 

1. Jesus is God in human skin – that is what we mean when we call Jesus God’s Son.  If you want to know what God is like and what God does, look at Jesus and what Jesus does.  “He who has seen me, has seen the Father.”
2. Jesus is part of God.  Jesus was there at creation of the universe and will be there after the universe is over.
3. Jesus is the head of the church.  At beginning of communion in my church the host reminds everyone, “This is not my table or your table.  It is not the Westminster Church’s table.  It is Jesus’ table and all who….are welcome.”
4. Jesus’ big job is to bring people closer to God and to each other. 

 

JESUS CHRIST

U  Children often think Jesus is a first name and Christ is a second name.  To straighten them out, present Jesus as an everyday earthly name, the name Mary used when she called Jesus to supper, the name his friends called him all his life.  Present Christ as a special title that says that Jesus is a lot more than just another good person.  Use Paul’s four points about who Jesus is to explore what it means to be “the Christ”.  Use the name Jesus Christ throughout worship today.  Even introduce the term at the beginning of worship and challenge worshipers to count the number of times you sing, say or pray the name Jesus Christ as you worship.  Fill your pockets with hard candies to give to all who come out of the sanctuary with a reasonably good guess at the number.

U  Devote the whole service to praising Christ and exploring who Christ is. 

A postcard from a 1974 trip

Zurbarán, Francisco, 1598-1664.
Crucifixion, from Art in the Christian Tradition,
a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library,  Nashville, TN.
http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=47447
[retrieved July 3, 2013]. Original source: www.yorckproject.de.

During songs and/or readings of scriptures, project a variety of pictures of Christ.  At some point, talk your way through the pictures briefly explaining what each says about who Jesus is.  This could be done with the children just before singing a hymn during which they will all be projected.  Or, it could be the outline for the whole sermon.

Turn the section of Apostles’ Creed (or another creed) into a responsive reading by adding the congregational response “We praise you, O Christ!” in response to each line.

Sing child friendly hymns that praise Christ:

“When Morning Gilds the Skies” with its repeated refrain, “May Jesus Christ be praised!”

“Alleluia, Alleluia! Give Thanks” with lots of alleluias and easy verses about Jesus Christ

 “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today!” which tells Christ’s Easter story with lots of alleluias.

“Lord of the Dance” which tells the story of Jesus’ life in simple language

 

Luke 10:38-42

JL  This story is the ultimate short story – only four verses tell the whole event.  It is so short that it can be read before listeners start paying attention.  So, it is worth giving careful attention to its presentation.  At the very least have it read by a woman.  Or, better, ask 3 adults (2 women and 1 man) to pantomime the story as a fourth reads it.  Rehearse with them to get them to communicate what their character is saying and thinking with their faces and bodies.  Their body language and facial expressions as the conversation unfolds will communicate more of the story to the children than the words will. 

JL  This sibling fuss appeals to children who participate in such fusses.  It is reassuring to children to know that such stories make it into the Bible.  It is also satisfying that the aggressive sister is called off – especially to those deal with more aggressive siblings at home.  None of this has any particular gospel message in it for children, but is a Jesus story they enjoy hearing and knowing.

n This is also a story about choices and consequences, about which children hear a lot.  With them identify the choices Martha and Mary made about what to do when Jesus showed up at their house.  Maybe list some other things they might have chosen to do like hide, sing for Jesus, or play a game with him.  Emphasize the fact that each made a free choice.  Then identify the consequences of each of their choices.  Pay special attention to Martha on this.  This is not Luke’s point in telling this story, but it is a message that children can appreciate.  When we make choices, we have to take the consequences.  Martha chose to fix a dinner, so she missed out on sitting to talk with Jesus and Mary.  That was her choice and its consequence.  Jesus is also clear that some choices are better than others.  Mary made the better choice.  It would also be a little moralistic, but possible, to explore the choices we make when Sunday morning comes around and we have to decide whether we will go to church and how we will participate in activities there.

 

JJ  Sharing M&Ms to eat while talking about this story is really tempting.  Getting the message right may be challenging. 

One possibility is simply to pass out the candies in honor of the two sisters whose names both started with M and who loved each other, but like most sisters did not always get along.  Then read the story.

A more complicated possibility I’ve heard about is to note that M&Ms come in all sorts of different colors, but are the same chocolate inside.  People are the same.  That means that people in families, classes, churches, even the kids at the pool come with many different outsides, but the same insides.  The trick is to enjoy each one as he or she is and to be content being who we are.  That is both a little simplistic and too object lessony for many children to grasp, but it might work. 

Anyone got another way to work with the candy????

When the Children Make Us Laugh

 

She is sitting on the steps with the pastor who asks a question.  She offers what seems like a perfectly sensible answer and the whole congregation laughs.  In that moment one of two things happens, either a comedian is born or a child feels humiliated.  When a comedian is born, he often uses the children’s time to practice his new-found vocation, generally with beginner comedian results.  He may even compete with the pastor for the attention of the congregation – especially if mom or dad is the pastor.  The results can embarrass everyone – except probably the young comedian.  But if the child who drew laughter feels humiliated, she often decides the conversations on the steps are dangerous.  Humiliated children do not speak up again for a long time and eventually fold their arms across their chests saying emphatically, “I am not going up there anymore.”  That response is the more common one and also poses the biggest threat to the growth of a young worshiper. 

But congregations love this kind of laughter!  Many adults look forward to it as possibly the only unscripted light-hearted moment in the whole service. 

What to do? 

 

*   To protect and respect young worshipers stop asking children questions during the children’s time.  No adult would willingly converse with the preacher on an unannounced topic in front of the whole congregation.  Why ask it of children?  Instead sing songs together, recite prayers and verses, tell stories, and explain things.  The adults enjoy all those things and might at times laugh with the children during them, but they don’t put the children on the spot.

 

*   Ask questions but teach the congregation to withhold their laughter as a baptismal responsibility to the children.  Point out that no one likes to be laughed at unless they are telling a joke.  When children make good faith comments that seem funny to adults, we need to love them by enjoying their comment silently.  Congregations often need to be taught this practice.  Articles in newsletters or printed in bulletins are good starters.  At times it is necessary to flat out discuss it with a worshiping congregation.  Most adults wouldn’t laugh at a child knowing the hurt it can cause.  They simply haven’t thought about it from the child’s point of view.

 

*   If a child does draw a laugh, support her immediately.  If she is within reach, give her a hug.  Say seriously, “that is something I never thought of before.  I think that is why everyone laughed.  But, I think you may be right.  Why do you say that?”   Or, say something to agree with or validate what the child said.  Don’t let the laughter go unanswered.

Not letting the congregation laugh at a child is a little thing that can make a big difference in the life of a child.  It is also a matter of congregational worship etiquette and keeping our baptismal promises to welcome children into the community of God’s people.

Year C - Second Sunday of Easter (April 7, 2013)

Happy Easter – even if attendance is not what it was on the first Sunday of Easter, it is still very much Easter today!

U Especially if you did a Lenten series, an Easter season series may not be attractive.  But, the texts for this season are filled with stories of people acting on their Easter faith.  So “Easter People” could become an announced series or simply a frequently used term as you tell these stories and call worshipers to become Easter people today.  

Easter 2       Peter and John are witnesses to what they saw

Easter 3       Paul changes sides and/or Peter accepts
                       Jesus’ forgiveness

Easter 4       Dorcas uses her sewing skills to care for others

Easter 5       Peter accepts people he wouldn’t even eat with as brothers and sisters in Christ

Easter 6       Lydia extends hospitality

Easter 7       Paul does not escape from prison to save the jailor’s life

U Many congregations are celebrating “Holy Humor Sunday” on the Second Sunday of Easter.  It is an opportunity to laugh at the failure of evil to defeat God in Christ and to celebrate the resurrection of Christ with jokes, skits, and other humorous forms of worship.  This year laugh with Peter and John at the authorities who thought they could shut them up and with the disciples as they realize Jesus really is alive again.  Go to Year B - Second Sunday of Easter for historical background, resources and links to official “Holy Humor” web sites.

 

Acts 5:27-32

U Especially if you are celebrating Holy Humor Sunday, expand this reading to include the interactions with the religious authorities that lead up to today’s verses (Acts 4.1-4, 13-21 and 5.17-32).  Because the authorities really do come off as a key stone cops group, the text could be easily turned into a clown skit without changing a word.  A youth class would have fun developing and presenting this.

U To read only verses 27 -32 one reader takes two roles turning and adopting different voices for the authorities and the disciples.

U If witness is a key word in worship today, begin worship by presenting it printed on a big poster cut like a speech bubble possibly mounted on a banner pole.  Briefly define it as saying what we know about God and Jesus.  Invite worshipers to join you in praying, singing, hearing and telling stories about Jesus in worship.  Display the poster throughout worship.  Refer to it if you discuss the difficulties of witnessing.  Then at the benediction turn it around displaying the words “speak up” printed on the back.  Charge worshipers to speak up during the week witnessing for Jesus at school, home, and word.  Carry the poster out as part of the recessional.  

Psalm 118:14-29

U This is the psalm for all three Passion-Palm Sundays in the lectionary cycle.  As a whole it really fits there better than here.  Today pick one or two images such as the cornerstone to explore with children.  Point out the cornerstone in your church, demonstrate how a cornerstone works using children’s blocks and insist that Jesus is the real cornerstone of the church.  Or focus on “this is the day the Lord has made” in music and responsive readings.

Psalm 150

U This is the alternate psalm, and may be the first choice psalm for children, today.  It is a grand way to bring Easter joy into another week.  At the beginning of worship invite worshipers to read it together with instrumentalists playing the first line of the opening hymn after the verse mentioning their instrument.  Children with rhythm instruments respond to verse 6.  The whole congregation then sings the hymn together.
 

Revelation 1:4-8

U Today begins an Easter series of readings from Revelation.  It is the major appearance of Revelation in the lectionary.  Children as well as adults encounter all sorts of interpretations and misinterpretations of this book.  There is even a Left Behind series for pre-teens!  That means we need to talk to children as well as adults about this book.

U To introduce Revelation make a big deal about turning to it at the very back of the Bible.  Read verses 1 and 2 adding details to explain what kind of book this is and to provide context.

 

U Older children are fascinated by Revelation and like the fact that it is in the Bible WHEN they know that it is a book that was written in code during a time when being a Christian could get you thrown to the lions.  As they learn to decode the word pictures in the book, they enjoy imagining what a soldier might have thought when he found the scroll and read it while searching the home of a suspected Christian.  They also enjoy realizing what the coded messages meant to the early Christians and what they mean to us today.  Some of the code pictures in this season’s texts are more meaningful to children than others.  So rather than promising a new code to crack each week, I’d present only chosen ones.  The whole list includes:

Easter 2         alpha and omega

Easter 3         the Lamb

Easter 4         white robes washed in blood

Easter 5         a new heaven and new earth

Easter 6         the new Jerusalem

Easter 7         Lord, Jesus come!

U The coded image in today’s passage that is of most interest to children is the alpha and omega in verse 8.  There are several ways to unpack it.

If you have alpha and omega symbols in your sanctuary this is a good opportunity to point them out.  Note that they are the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet.  Compare them to the first and last letters in several other alphabets.  Then state what we are saying when we display those letters in a sanctuary.  In the process reread verse 8 and explain how it answers the question, "what was there before the very beginning and what will be left after the very end of the world?"

On a seminary sponsored podcast a group of professors talked about how many times they had to see “The Wizard of Oz” before they could stay in the room for the scary parts.  Only seeing the ending multiple times finally enabled them to face the scary parts on the way to that ending.  Every time we see the alpha and omega we are reminded that God is at the end of the world.  Knowing that makes us braver when life gets scary before the end.  

U On the Second Sunday of Easter read this text to answer the question “who is Jesus really – now that he has risen from the dead?”  Go through verses 5-6 stopping to put in your own words each description of Jesus.  Conclude with “Wow!  Jesus is not just a special person.  Jesus is Lord of and in charge of the whole universe!”  If you made a big deal of burying the Alleluia for Lent, lead the children/congregation in responding with several loud “Alleluias”. 

     Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.  To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever.

 John 20:19-31

U This is the gospel reading for the Second Sunday in Easter every year.  Rather than list links to other years, I’ve gathered all the resources here and added one or two more.  So there is no need to check out Years A and B.

U This passage is not that long, but a lot of different things go on.  To help children follow it, try the following group reading

? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ?

John 20:19-29

Reader One (probably you) invites the children to come forward to help with the gospel reading.  Imagine with them that they are the disciples on Easter Sunday  night hiding out in a locked upper room, wondering about what the women said about Jesus’ tomb being empty, and still afraid the soldiers would come for them too.

Reader One:  When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. ²¹ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” ²² When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” 

Thomas joins the group off to one side to read this line.  Then sits with the group as Reader One continues.

Thomas Reader: But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

Reader One:  A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” ²⁸ Thomas answered him,

Thomas Reader:  “My Lord and my God!”

Reader One:  Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

                                                        New Revised Standard Version

? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ?  

Or

U Invite children forward for back story before hearing the gospel read:

The disciples were behind locked doors because they were afraid, embarrassed and ashamed.  Recall some of their names and what they had done as Jesus died.  Then note that they were afraid of what Jesus would say to them about all their desertions if he really were alive again.  They were afraid the soldiers would come for them like they had for Jesus.  And, if the women were wrong and Jesus was still dead, they were afraid to face people who now knew that they had been wrong about Jesus.  They had been so sure, so loud in proclaiming Jesus and were apparently so wrong.  They did not want to see anyone ever again.  That is why they were hiding in locked room.  Then read the story from the big Bible.  After reading it, point out that Jesus did not say, “What happened?  Where were you?  You screwed up!”  He said, “Peace.”  In other words, “It’s OK.  I understand.  I forgive you.”  Imagine how they felt when they heard that. 

U This passage offers several clues to what Jesus was like after the resurrection – he can appears inside a locked room, he can be touched (he is not ghostly), he still has the wounds, and still loves them and explains what is going on to them.  Next week he will eat fish.  Children are curious about all this.  Take time to ponder with them what they think Jesus was like after the resurrection, being open to new ideas and affirming the mysterious part of it all.

Either include this discussion of reflection in the sermon.  Or, it could be introduced before reading the scripture.  In this case listeners are instructed to listen for clues about Jesus after the resurrection raising a hand each time they hear one.  In an informal setting stop at each one to clarify the clue and ponder it briefly.

Forgiveness and Peace

U In this short passage Jesus gives the disciples (and us) two Easter gifts (the Holy Spirit and peace) and one Easter task (forgiving others as God has forgiven us).

U If your congregation regularly passes the peace in worship, before you do so today connect the ritual with this story.  We are being like Jesus passing peace to other people.  We don’t just say “Hi.”  We say, “The peace of God be with you.”  It is a wish or prayer for the other person.  We can say it because we know God loves and forgives both of us.  Then invite people to pass the peace to their neighbors.

U Jesus’ forgiveness and call to the disciples to forgive in this story provide another opportunity to highlight and explore the Lord’s Prayer petition “forgive our debts/trespasses/sins, as we forgive…”  Write “forgive us our debts/trespasses/sins” on one poster strip and “as we forgive our debtors/those who trespass or sin against us” on a second poster strip.  Present them first in the order they appear in the Lord’s Prayer.  Then connect the first strip to Jesus forgiving the disciples on Easter evening and the second strip to his command that they forgive others.  Flip the order of the phrases and point out that we often have to pray this prayer backwards when we have someone to forgive.  Note how hard it is to forgive people who have treated us badly.  The only way we can do it is by remembering how Jesus forgave the disciples and forgives us.

U Create a responsive prayer in which a worship leader describes situations in the world and in personal lives that need forgiveness and the congregation responds with “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”  Pray this prayer after having explored it’s meaning in light of today’s story.

Thomas

Caravaggio, Michelangelo Merisi da, 1573-1610.
The Incredulity of Saint Thomas,
from Art in the Christian Tradition,
a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library,
Nashville, TN. 
http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54170
[retrieved February 24, 2013].

JESUS MAFA. Jesus appears to Thomas,
from Art in the Christian Tradition,
a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library,
Nashville, TN. 
http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48302
[retrieved February 24, 2013].

U There are two especially interesting paintings of Jesus and Thomas.  Show one or both of them.  Look first at Thomas’s face and imagine what he is thinking and feeling as he touches Christ’s body.  Then, look at the faces of the other disciples and imagine what they are thinking and feeling.  (I suspect they are glad Thomas asked his question because they really wanted to know the same thing but were afraid to ask.  It does take courage to ask some questions and Thomas had it.)  Then, look at Jesus’ face and posture and imagine how Jesus felt about Thomas and his question.  (This could be a conversation with worshipers or could be the ponderings of the preacher in a sermon.) 

 

U The story of Thomas is important to children who already ask lots of questions about everything and to those who will ask deep questions as they get older.  If we want to encourage children to ask their questions, we must not label Thomas a doubter.  No amount of explaining can make doubter into a positive adjective – especially in this story.  So describe Thomas as a curious person who wanted to see for himself what others had already seen.  Recall what it is like when everyone is talking about an exciting event that you were not at.  Insist that Jesus welcomed Thomas’ questions and ours.  There is no honest question God/Jesus cannot handle.

In describing Thomas, remember that he was the disciple who cared enough to interrupt Jesus when he did not understand what Jesus was saying (John 14:5).  He really wanted to understand Jesus.  Thomas was also the one who after telling Jesus he was nuts to go to Jerusalem where his enemies were out to get him, replied to Jesus’ insistence that he was going anyway, “Let us go and die with him” (John 11:7-16).  He was that loyal.  Finally, upon seeing Jesus’ wounds after the resurrection, Thomas replies, “My Lord and my God!”  That was his statement of faith.

Thomas wasn’t the only confused, questioning disciple after Easter.  List the responses of Mary, Peter, John, and the others as they encounter the risen Christ.  Everyone was so confused that they were frightened. 

U To celebrate Thomas’ questions turn this into Questions Sunday.  Collect questions about the Easter stories and God from the whole congregation.  Take them verbally or invite people to write them on pieces of paper to put in the offering plate.  Today read through the questions.  Celebrate them.  Elaborate on them adding related questions.  Even, ask for clarification on questions you do not understand.  Do NOT answer any of them – even if you can.  Instead promise to deal with them during the coming weeks.  If there is high interest in this, you might even print the questions in the newsletter or on the website.  As you work through the Easter season, point to the question/s that you are working with at any given point.

 

U Finally, if you have a little time to sit back and enjoy a somewhat longer story on the Sunday after Easter, read Miss Fannie’s Hat, by Jan Karon.  It is the story of 99 year old Miss Fannie who gives her favorite hat, her Easter hat, to a fund raising auction to repair the church.  On Easter she goes to church hatless for the first time and finds the church surrounded with flowers like those on her hat.  To shorten the story a bit consider omitting pages 6, 7, and 13, then jumping from the first sentence on page 18 to page 21.  Miss Fannie demonstrates that giving a loving gift is more important than having a pretty Easter hat.