Category: Children’s Sermon

My children’s message for the 4th Sunday after Pentecost (June 21, 2026).

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I’m so glad you are here today and I want to talk a little bit about something we’re going to hear Jesus say. It’s a bit confusing because Jesus seems to be saying two things – one that is loving and one that is a bit mean that is hard to put next to each other. But to do that – I brought a couple of props with me. And the first one is this, bring out a wig. It’s no surprise that I don’t have a whole lot of hair on my head. I started losing it when I was barely out of high school and I shave the little bits that grow twice a week. If I want to act like I have hair, I have to wear a wig – which I’ve done a few times for costumes on Halloween. And if I’m going to wear a wig, it should be a big wig with long, flowing strands that are incredibly tangled.

Now each strand looks similar to each other but each one is a bit different. Some have slightly different colors or shine to them while others are different lengths. And these strands, there’s a lot of them, so many that it would be really difficult to count. It would be a pretty long – and boring worship – if everyone just watched us count each strand in this wig one by one. I know I don’t have the attention span to count all these strands. But if we could – and if we also paid attention to each strand and noticed how different and unique each one was – it would feel as if we really know – and understand this wig. We would know every tangle; every one that is loose; every one that shines brightest; and each one that might need a little help. And it would be pretty awesome to know something that deeply. 

So Jesus – today – is going to make a promise to us. He’s going to say that the creator of the universe – the One who created the stars and the sky and the planets; the One who set everything in motion; the One who keeps tab on wind and rain and the orbit of the stars around the galaxy – that One knows you, cares about you, and cherishes you. The One who knows all the big things – also cares about every single hair on your head. Just like if we took the time to count the strands on this wig, God knows our gifts, our struggles, our mistakes, and what we get right. God knows you’re not perfect yet God values you and that promises never goes away. 

I find that to be a very comforting thing to hear especially during moments when I’m feeling a bit mixed up – wondering if I said the right thing, made the right decision, or find myself in a situation that’s just hard. Knowing God cares makes a difference. 

But then, Jesus, a few moments later is going to talk about this – a sword. And he’s going to say that he wasn’t here only to bring comfort, care, and healing. He also came to bring a sword – which feels very violent and angry. He’s going to talk about division and splitting families up to the point where parents and children don’t get along with each other. Jesus is going to seem to be encouraging the things we are sometimes too good at – harming one another – and then acting as if it’s okay because God says so. 

So what do we do with these two things that Jesus says right next to each other? 

When I’m reading the Bible and something hard like this comes up, I don’t ignore it. I don’t pretend something isn’t in here. I also don’t try to act as if Jesus didn’t say what we did nor act as if my feeling confused or upset or scared or even angry about it isn’t something I’m really feeling. It’s okay to not get it; to not understand; to ask questions; and even to pray about what Jesus said. I also wonder what those who Jesus first talked to – how they would understand what he said as well as wonder those who wrote these words down – how they understood His words. And then I try to take all of Jesus’ story – his words, his life, his journey to the cross, his death, resurrection, and ascension – and how that might reveal a little bit of what Jesus meant for us. Then, after all that work – and it takes work, energy, effort, and time to listen to Jesus – I, with the help of the Spirit, make a prayerful, faithful, and reverent best guest around what Jesus said. And Jesus, I think, invites us to do the same. It’s important for us to not only take one verse or one word or one story and assume that’s the entirety of Jesus’ story. Jesus also doesn’t want to pretend we’re not doing that when we really are. So when I hear Jesus talk about swords, I don’t hear him encouraging us to harm or divide or fight each other. He’s not encouraging us to use His words or His name as an excuse to not care. Rather, there’s something about showing up for others, for getting to know each other, for caring and supporting one another that cuts through all the ways we choose to not be there for each other. A Jesus willing to, on the Cross, have his arms open to all – is a Jesus who reminds us how love really is a sword that cuts through all kinds of hate and hurt. Loving others isn’t easy; it’s often complicated and requires us to change our own thoughts, experiences, and points of view. Yet a God who knows all about you is a God who also knows how powerful, gracious, and meaningful life is when we choose to be in that same kind of relationship with others too.

My children’s message for 3rd Sunday after Pentecost (June 14, 2026)

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Bring your orange bag full of your daily stuff.

I’m so glad you are here today and I brought with me something I carry everyday. This is the bag I bring to the church every time I come here and so lets spend some time looking through it. This is an old bag that I’ve had for years and I even had it repaired at one point. It used to have a strap that broke off and it has small holes on the corner. This is a bag I use to carry stuff – and I’ll admit I put stuff in it that I forget it is even there. So we have my laptop, my prayer book, a series of papers and receipts and things I’m supposed to do. I have an old mask I used during COVID because I’m terrible at throwing things away. I have receipts that I need to record that are used by the Tri-Boro Food Pantry. I have an old plastic bag with little knickacks including a cross and other things. I’ve got a directory with contact information of various people at the church. And also few notebooks full of notes – some that are brand new and some that are old. This is sort of like my version of the backpack you bring to school – and is full of different kinds of stuff I use to be a pastor. 

So I wonder – what are the things you carry in your backpacks? Accept answers. 

Today’s reading about Jesus is going to include words where Jesus sends his friends on a journey. He’s sending them out to show kindness and compassion to others. And since they’re going on a journey, Jesus invites them to pack their own bags full of stuff that might help them. What are the things that might help Jesus’ friends? Accept answers. 

Those are great answers. And we can imagine Jesus’ friends need all those things to help them. They’d need extra clothes, food, first aid kits, a map, a guide, and all those other things to help others. They might run into people who don’t speak their same language even though they share the same background – so a translator could be helpful. Or they might need money to buy the food and other things they would need. Jesus will, in verses we don’t here today, talk a little about what not to bring. But he begins this whole conversation, I think, reminding his friends what they always bring wherever they are going. And that’s because what they carry with them in Jesus himself. Jesus, in his love for you, and in the baptism he’s extended to you, and in the way he has promised that you belong – you matter – and you have value – Jesus promises to also be with you wherever you go. So when you’re at school, Jesus is with you. When you are on vacation, Jesus is with you. When you are at home, Jesus is with you. And Jesus invites us to remember that we carry Jesus with us even if we don’t always sense his presence or realize he is with you. Jesus, though, promises that he is. And just like Jesus says you matter, we get to show others by listening to them, talking to them, getting to know them, by sitting with them when they’re sad, including them when we play games, and by choosing to work through our conflicts rather than just fight and yell – by being patient and kind and showing compassion – we get to be the ones who show others how they matter to Jesus too.

My children’s message for Palm/Passion Sunday (March 29, 2026)

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Based on work from Dollar Store Children’s Sermon (click here)

So I’m glad you’re here today! Now if you’ve been watching college basketball, you know we’re in the middle of March Madness. It’s a big tournament where 64 college teams from both men’s and women’s basketball teams compete to see who will be this year’s national champion. Even if we don’t pay attention to much college sports, it’s a fun experience since we have big schools and little schools competing against each other. The tournament includes blow outs and last second shots that make this entire week very exciting. If you’re watching the games on tv, you’ll notice a lot of people wearing jerseys and holding signs celebrating their team. And if you’re paying extra attention, you might notice a few folks waving what looks like giant foam fingers claiming their team is #1. So let’s pretend we have some giant foam fingers right now by holding up our index finger. When we do that, we can start cheering “we’re number 1,” “we’re number 1,” “we’re number 1” since even if we’re not on the court playing basketball, we still like to act like we’re part of the team. This act of raising our finger and saying “we’re number 1” reminds me a little bit of what we just did in worship. When we came into worship, we remembered Jesus’ last journey into the city. He came as a part of a crowd and his disciples and friends acted like he was a king. So they sung and celebrated and acted as if Jesus is #1. He’s #1! He’s #1! He’s #1. And some in the crowd joined in. They did that by cutting down tree branches – palm branches and celebrated JEsus’ arrival. They were so excited that the God they knew was here and they imagined Jesus would soon take over the city, take over the community, and kick the Roman Empire and they would be politically powerful and mighty and strong in the world. Jesus was #1. 

But later in worship, this “Jesus is #1” is going to change. Everyone is going to no longer celebrate Jesus. We’re going to change our finger from celebrating in the air to shaking it and saying “We’re going to get you.” We often imagine that Jesus is going to act all strong and mighty – overpowering those who we imagine to be our enemies. But when Jesus didn’t do that – and in fact welcome and celebrated people who are different or who we might not consider to be worth anything or part of our family – the crowd turned. Jesus’ friends ran away from him. And the mood changed. The celebration at the start of worship today is going to be replaced by a long reading of when we tried to end his story. And while we might sometimes act as if we didn’t do this or we wouldn’t have been mean to Jesus or if only those like Jesus turned on him – the truth is that God knows we all struggle and turn on Jesus when God’s love starts to make a difference in the lives of those we consider to be our enemies or wrong. This isn’t a story about how those people a long time ago took Jesus to the Cross. It’s a reminder how we all do that because God’s love for us – and the world – is difficult to understand. 

So I invite you today to pay attention to that change in worship. And remember that even when we are awful to ourselves and others – God loves you. God is with you. God will guide you. And God will always have a new chapter for us and for the world. 

My children’s message for the Second Sunday in Lent (March 1, 2026)

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Bring a list of what names mean (see end of sermon – from https://www.popsugar.com/family/meaningful-baby-names-39798140 ). 

So I’m glad you’re here today and I wanted to talk about something we all have – and that’s a first name. You have a name. I have a name. Some of us have similar names – the same name – and some of us don’t know anyone who has our name. So I’m curious – do you know why you have the name you have? 

Accept answers. 

Now, for a lot of us, our parents are the ones who name us. Others might go by a middle name or a nickname and some even choose their name after not really liking the one they grew up with. My parents named me Marc – with a c rather than a k at the end – because my mom liked it and it was the name of one of her brothers. Names come in all shapes and sizes and letters. And we sometimes will change the letters in a name – but pronounce them the same way – as a way of making it unique. If you don’t know where your name comes from, I invite you to ask your parents and guardians. And when you do, you might learn that they not only liked your name – but that they picked your name because it has a meaning. Names, like words, mean something. Now not everyone agrees that every name means the same thing but you can find lots of lists online telling you what certain names mean. For example, Abigail comes from the Hebrew language – the language the early books of the Bible were written in – and it means “The father’s joy.” Charlotte comes from the French language and means “petite – or little.” Naila is Arabic and means “successful.” Anthony is Latin and means “successful.” And “Ian” is Scottish and means “God is gracious.” My name, Marc, is the french version of the Latin word – Mars – who was part of a group that the ancient Roman Empire thought controlled the universe. Do you know what your name means? Accept answer. And did you know that most of the names in our Bible mean something – and that meaning is important to understanding who these people are. 

In our reading today about Jesus, we’re going to meet someone named Nicodemus. Nicodemus was Jewish, like Jesus, and were told he was a very learned, religious, and faithful person. Nicodemus was the kind of person we might reach out to if we need help or if we had questions about where God is in our life. And his name meant “victory of the people.” But one thing I found interesting was that his name wasn’t connected to his Hebrew or Jewish background. It’s Greek. That doesn’t mean folks of one background aren’t allowed to use names from other backgrounds. But I find it striking that a person who was faithful, religious, a devout follower of God and who probably knew ancient Greek and might have even known Hebrew – had a name that was a bit different. And yet this person whose name – or story – didn’t match all of the Biblical story – was still part of God’s family and what God was up to in the world. So that makes me wonder if part of what is going on when Nicodemus visits Jesus is if Jesus is reminding Nicodemus of who God is. God isn’t only for one kind of people; or one kind of community; or for only people who look like who we think God’s people will look like. God really is a God of everyone and of the entire world. And if God is a God who welcomes and includes everyone – that means Jesus is for everyone too. Jesus just isn’t here for only one kind of person or only for the people who do everything right. He’s for me. He’s for you. He’s for everyone. Jesus helps all of us grow in kindness, mercy, compassion, and to discover how we always have a place with our God no matter what our name is or where our name comes from. Jesus is for you, is with you, and will never let you go.

My children’s message for Reformation Sunday (October 26, 2025)

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Bring a ladder. 

So it’s my tradition after the prayer of the day to bring a message to all of God’s children. And I brought with me something fun. It’s a ladder. What do we use a ladder for? To reach high things! Right. If we need to change a light bulb, paint the top of a door, hang some shelves, form a candy pipe for halloween that you can slide down candy or potatoes on Halloween – and it’s high up or you’re fun sized like me – you need a ladder. I wonder how we use a ladder. Have kids explain. Demonstrate – carefully – how we go up one step at a time. 

One step at a time. And when you use a ladder, it’s good to have someone to watch and help steady the ladder for you. Each step brings us up higher and higher. You shouldn’t stand on the very stop step – that’s dangerous. And if we’re scared of heights, being on a ladder can be scary. But if we are careful, if we take our time, and if we do what we can – one step at a time can help reach us to our goal. 

And that’s the general idea we do for a lot of things, right? When we’re learning to read or do math or practice sports – we talk about doing one thing at a time to get better. We’ll never be perfect – but we can practice – and we imagine we’ll get to our goal eventually. It’ll take hard work and patience to get to the top – such as being the best reader in our grade or the best player on our team. But as a way to encourage one another and to support each other, we act as if all areas of life are like climbing a ladder. And if you try – if you take those steps – you can reach your goal. 

This idea has also sometimes been applied to God too. We imagine that if we’re good enough, if we say the right things, if we’re kind in the right ways, if we believe and are faithful and try our best – we can get closer to God. The closer to God, this thinking goes, will lead to more peace and comfort in our life. The more we do to be faithful, the better Christians we will become and the more God’s love will be made real in our life. Faith, then, is a ladder we climb to get to where God’s love is fully formed and available to us. 

But my experience is that faith isn’t like that. We might, for example, get better at saying our prayers and hope that saying more prayers will make us, our loved ones, or our world better. And sometimes it does – but other times things get hard – or we feel as if our prayers go unanswered. We might decide to read our Bible since God wants us to read these Holy Words. But we’ll notice that we still get upset, still get angry, and still aren’t super nice to the strangers who come our way. We try our best to be more patient, more supportative, more like Jesus. Yet everytime we take a step up the ladder to get more of God’s love, we end up taking lots of steps down since being human is hard and none of us are as perfect as we know we should be. If faith is all about climbing a ladder to God, then we’ll always be climbing but not get very far. And that feels very sad, disheartening, and makes us feel if we should even be faithful in the purpose. 

So, if it’s really hard for us to go up to God – what, if we were God, would be a more helpful thing to do? For God to come down the ladder. And that’s what God chooses to do. God chose to be born – living as Jesus and knowing how imperfect we can sometimes God. God comes down to us in worship, serving us at the Lord’s table, and granting us words that bring us a sense of holiness and peace. God comes down to us in God’s word through the Bible, preaching, and other words. And God shows up in the self-sacrificing acts of love that people show us and that we offer to others. God keeps coming down to us, inspiring and helping us realize that we can live differently in the world. The joy of God – the joy of being a Christian – and the joy of following Jesus comes from God coming down the ladder and into our lives. 
Does that mean we shouldn’t try to be kinder or nicer or better listeners? No. Does that mean we shouldn’t try to help people grow? No. Does that mean we should be selfish and a bully? No. We should still try to be better but not because we’re trying to get God to love us more. Rather, God comes down to transform us into who God knows we can be. And it’s this insight – and making this emphasis at the heart of who we understand God to be – that forms what our flavor of Christianity is all about. It’s a hallmark of Lutheran Christianity which is what this day – this Sunday – is something we’re celebrating. What Lutheran Christians trust and hold onto is a God willing to come down to meet us as we are but who promises to not leave us where we are. And instead of going up the ladder to God, we lean into the Jesus who is already here with us – and we learn to love, serve, and forgive just like he does.

My children’s message from the 17th Sunday after Pentecost (October 5, 2025)

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So it’s my tradition after the prayer of the day to bring a message to all of God’s children. And I’d like you to help me come up with a list. How do we – or what does it look like – to care for someone? Accept answers. 

Let’s imagine we have a cold and we have to stay home from school. How do our parents or guardians care for us? Medicine. Taking us to the doctor. Making us sleep and rest. 

Let’s say a friend of ours fell down on the play ground and scrapped their knee. How do we take care of them? Tell a teacher. Get a bandaid. Help them wash. Let them cry but also comfort them by telling them jokes. It’s going to be okay. 

Let’s say we’re at school and we notice that a friend forgot their lunch and they’re too nervous/anxious to go get a lunch (if it’s an option) from the lunch staff? We can share what we have. We might not have everything we want – and we might be a little hungry later. But we can share as a way of showing we care. 

And what if we’re playing with siblings or a friend and they want to play a board game with us. We just want to keep playing on our iPad or tablet. But our sibling/friend has been feeling a little lonely and like they’re invisible. How do we care for them? We play the game. 

So much of how we care for people is noticing them, seeing them, and taking the time to help them.  And we do this not just because it feels good or so that people will care for us when we’re in need or because we assume that’s just what good people do. We care because Jesus calls us to do exactly that. Care. Help. Show up. Because God’s love won’t do anything less. 

Today is a day when we recognize a committee in this church who care. The Care Committee does a lot of things. They help manage our prayer team – so the folks who pray for us and for our loved ones and friends. They also support those who have been in prison – and while no one connected to CLC is currently in prison, there was someone who was in there for a long time who just recently got out. And the Care committee cared for them even though it wasn’t always easy to do so. The Care Committee brings meals to folks who maybe had a surgery or are going through a hard time and could use a little help. The Care Committee also cares for people in our community – providing Christmas gifts for adults living in a group home nearby, food drives during Advent and Lent, sending cards to thoughts who need to know they’re not alone, and more. The members of the Care Committee are not the only ones who care – and, in fact, there’s a lot of people here who either help the care committee or who care for those in need. They Care because God invites us to Care. And caring is something all of us could do. 

Sometimes that Care also shows up in surprising way. So one of the groups within the Care Committee is the Knit 1, Crochet Too group. They meet every Tuesday at 10 am and spend time all day crafting, talking, knitting, and working on a variety of projects. A lot of the projects are personal but also they do a lot of different things to help others. Not that long ago, someone came up to them with a bit of an emergency. Their nephew had put together a project to provide crochet hats for kids receiving cancer treatment but needed more. The team, very quickly, looked at what they had made and then made a bunch more for kids they didn’t know. 44 were made and delivered. And I want to show you pictures I received just a few days ago – ones they hadn’t seen yet – with these hats (and more) being delivered. The Knit 1 Crochet Too didn’t know personally the kids who could use these hats. They didn’t even know the kid who made this project. But they were asked to use the gifts God gave them – their time and their ability to knit – and they did exactly that. 

God invites us to care. And God knows you can care too. I invite you – even if you don’t join the Care Committee – to partner with them or come up to them with different ways we can care. And if you ever need help, let them and me know. Because caring is something we can give and receive.

My children’s message from the 16th Sunday after Pentecost (September 28, 2025)

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So it’s my tradition after the prayer of the day to bring a message to all of God’s children. And I brought with me a book. As you might know, I’m a bit of a nerd. I like comic books, playing card games, reading fantasy and science fiction, and more. The stories I read about these far off and fantastical places have a way of inviting me to think deeper about the world we’re living in today. And so, a while ago, I got this book – Marvel’s Fantastic First – to read the very first appearances of superheroes such as Spider-man, Iron Man, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four. These superheroes have been around for decades and we now have the opportunity to see them acted out in movies and tv shows. But before that, they were merely pictures and panels on a comic book page. 

One of these superhero groups – the Fantastic Four – first came out in 1961. Some of your grandparents might have been able to go down to the local drug store and, for 10 cents, buy their own copy of the story. The Fantastic Four is a story about a family who, after flying into space, end up developing all kinds of strange powers. One ends up being able to turn their entire body into flame, flying through the air like a torch. Another gets incredible strength but their body is changed so that it looks like they’re made out of large orange rock. Another can stretch their body, arms, and legs. But the very first superhero we are introduced to is a woman named Susan Storm. 

As you can see – she can make her body invisible. She leaves a room without anyone noticing and zooms down the street, pushing people out of the way, so they think they’re being harassed by a ghost. She even goes into a taxi cab that drives her around for a bit without the driver even realizing it. Imagine – for a moment – what it would like to be invisible. What if, suddenly, you could make it so no one could see you? What would you do right now? Where would you go? Accept answers. 

It’s pretty wild to think about what we might do if no one could see us. We might imagine we could do all kinds of things that we usually can’t – like sneak into the kitchen and take extra candy from the cupboard even though our parents say no. And while we might think that’s the kind of stuff we – or those around us might do – I’m pretty sure if we could turn ourselves invisible, like really do it, we’d probably think long and hard about what we should do. Being able to go into spaces where no one can see us – and where we decide no one can see is – would be a powerful thing. But I also imagine we all know what it’s like to go into a place and feel as if we really are invisible. Maybe we’re playing kickball at school – and we get picked last or are not picked at all. Maybe we’re sitting at the lunch table and watch all our friends sit somewhere else. Maybe we’re raising our hands in class to answer a question – but the teacher calls the person sitting next to us. There are times when our parents and guardians are super busy and they act like they don’t see us or that we don’t matter. Everyone feels this way at some point or the other. And while it would be really powerful to make ourselves invisible when we want to – it’s so hard, sad, and scary when we feel invisible while standing in a room full of people. 

Which is why the story Jesus tells today is, I think, important. He talks about a rich man who spent his entire life acting as if a man named Lazarus didn’t exist. The rich man was wealthy, could buy whatever he wanted, and had all the best stuff. Lazarus, though, didn’t – and instead of seeing, noticing, and helping the one who didn’t have enough – he acted as if Lazarus didn’t exist. In fact, he assumed Lazarus was supposed to pay attention to him, to honor him, to serve him since he acted as if those without money are supposed to always honor and serve the rich. Yet Jesus reminds us that we have a responsibility to make sure no one is invisible. We have to do the work of learning their stories, learning their names, and discovering what they think about themselves. We have to notice all the ways we act as if people are invisible and change what we do. We have to invite those on their own to sit with us at the lunch table, hang out at the buddy bench, and even pick the player who can’t play kickball to be part of our team. Jesus wants us to see those around us because Jesus – even now – sees you. He loves you. He is with you. He has, through baptism and faith, promised you will always belong. And so if Jesus doesn’t let us feel invisible, than we can respond by showing others how they’re not invisible too. 

My children’s message from the 15th Sunday after Pentecost (September 21, 2025)

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So it’s my tradition after the prayer of the day to bring a message to all of God’s children. And – as you can see – I brought a bunch of stuff from our playroom here at church. There’s a room, right through that hallway, that is full of toys, books, and games that have been donated over the years. If we need a little break from sitting still and listening to me – and we don’t want to keep running around the sanctuary even though I’m okay with that – then the room is available. I took the stuff out because I’d like to try something with you. 

So let’s stand up. And come over here closer to the rail. I’d like you to take a step down. Great! That was pretty simple. Now come back up here. Hold out your arms and I’m going to start putting stuff onto it. I want you to hold as much as you can – and we’re going to keep piling and piling and piling until you can’t even see what’s in front of you. Here’s another stuff animal. And another. And another. And another! You’re doing a great job. 

Now that your hands are full, I’m going to ask you a question. When you had nothing in your hands, was it difficult for you to step down? No. It might be difficult for some – and that’s okay. But, for you, you could do it. Great. But what if you wanted to take a step right now with your arms full? It’s way more scary. You’re holding a bunch of stuff. You can’t see where you’re going. And while you might feel confident you could take a step, it’s much harder than it was before. What do you think would make this easier? If there was someone to help. Maybe someone could guide you and hold your arm. Or maybe someone could take the step first and let you know what to expect. Maybe someone could take the stuff from you – sharing the load so it’s not so hard. We might feel like we should be able to do this on our own. We might feel like we have to take this step, assuming a person as smart, as old, as special, and as amazing as you can do this. We might not want to ask for help because we’ll feel ashamed or embarrassed or we know someone might make fun of us. But you want to know a little secret? Asking for help is a holy thing – and it’s something God wants us to do. Because when we ask for help, we’re able to do more, to experience more, to learn and grow and embrace the freedom God has given us. Asking for help – and offering helping – is a hard but very faithful thing to do. 

So I want to invite you when you need help, to ask for help. And if someone asks for help, you help if you can. We don’t make fun. We don’t argue. We don’t joke. We help. And when we ask for help, know that there is no shame in it. You’re a person who deserves help and should receive help since the help we’re given actually helps us do more than we could before. Asking for help is very hard – probably the hardest word to utter in our English language. Yet when we ask – and when we give – we do more than just help those around us. We also make real the love God has for us everyday.

⁵¹ When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. ⁵² And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to prepare for his arrival, ⁵³ but they did not receive him because his face was set toward Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ When his disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” ⁵⁵ But he turned and rebuked them. ⁵⁶ Then they went on to another village.

⁵⁷ As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” ⁵⁸ And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” ⁵⁹ To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” ⁶⁰ And Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” ⁶¹ Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” ⁶² And Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Luke 9:51-62

My children’s message from the 3rd Sunday after Pentecost (June 29, 2025) on Luke 9:51-62.

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Dr. Kathleen Ruen, executive director of Camp Koinonia, preached today. We do not have a copy of her manuscript so below is Pastor Marc’s message to the kids. 

Behind the altar is the display used for the Saturday night concert. It’s a large archway decorated in fake flowers as well as strings of light hanging down.  

So it’s my tradition after the prayer of the day to bring a message to all of God’s children. And I want to talk a little bit about Jesus’ words today. But before we do that, let’s turn around and look at the altar. What do you see?

A lot of lights streaming down on an archway covered in flowers. 

This decoration was used last night at a musical concert hosted here at the church. We had folks sing all kinds of musical numbers from shows and movies. It was a lot of fun – and it was exciting to celebrate different voices who are part of CLC and also welcome new people into our community. The lights streaming down in the darkened sanctuary reminded me a little bit of stars we might see in the night sky. And while it’s hard to see stars where we live here in Northern New Jersey, it isn’t hard to see stars out in the wilderness – like at Camp Koinonia. When we look up and see stars – we discover just how vast and beautiful and amazing God’s creation truly is. 

I’ll admit, though, that it’s hard to see the stars. We live in an area full of artificial lights so the lights from our buildings and homes drown out the distant light from stars. Our environment can make it hard to focus on the night sky but I’m sure other things can make it hard for us to go outside and look at the stars too. What makes it hard to see stars? 

The weather. Clouds. Our schedule. Maybe it’s bedtime. Or maybe we’re inside watching a movie. Or maybe we’re visiting friends or family. Being outside in the dark can be scary. If we do go outside, maybe the crunch of leaves caused by an animal scurrying in the bushes might cause us to look around. It’s possible we might be talking to a friend or taking care of ourselves and our family – so we’re too busy to go outside. Or maybe we’re looking at a screen – having fun playing games or watching youtube – and miss going outside.  

Even if we go outside, we might be distracted and lose focus because our phone keeps sending us notifications. The notifications might be important – like a friend is in need. It could also be something silly like letting us know our favorite youtuber has posted a new video. It is very easy to lose focus and to have our attention split in a variety of ways. And while that might be because we have a medical condition, our inability to focus can also be caused because companies, apps, and everything around us is fighting for it. It’s easy to lose focus and learn how to keep focused, to pay attention, and to recognize what we should change our focus to and when we shouldn’t – that’s something we all need to work on. I’ll admit that us older folks haven’t always modeled that very well and while we might act as if only kids these days lose focus, we’re the ones who are distracted all the time. Keeping focused on what we should do is something we all need to figure out.

And that, I believe, is what Jesus is hinting at today. He reminds the disciples that they shouldn’t use their anger or fear of people who aren’t like them to distract them from the message of grace, welcome, love, and support Jesus brings. He reminds those who have legitimate reasons to change their focus to remember how keeping our focus on God and on hope should be at the center of who we are. And while this is always hard and we won’t always get it right, when we struggle reminding ourselves what to be focused on, all we need to do is remember Jesus’ story and how he stayed focused on showing how the marginalized, the poor, the sick, the hurting, and even you are worth love and care. Your attention is important. Your focus matters. And there’s going to be a lot of stuff and apps and screens and noises trying to draw your attention away from what’s important. But if you keep your focus on the One who has already claimed you as part of God’s holy family; if you pay attention to the One who says you matter and have value even when the people around you or other kids or those in power say you don’t; and if you hold to your responsibility to welcome, include, support, and care even when its hard; when you keep your focus on Jesus rather than on everything that pulls you away from who God already says you are – then we truly embrace and live out the grace, mercy, and love God gives us every day.