A Children’s Sermon on John 15:1-8 — The Vine and the Branches

Preface for Parents and Pastors

I’m bringing you this children’s sermon on John 15:1-8 because it is the Gospel assigned for the 5th Sunday after Easter in Year B of the lectionary. Why this text is assigned in the season of Easter is a bit of a mystery as I noted in my “Monday Meditation” on it a good while back. But in any season of the year, meditating on Jesus as the vine is a lovely thing.

I had a flash of inspiration to tell this one in a new way. If you use this children’s sermon on John 15:1-8 please let me know if the kids seem to get it.

A Children’s Sermon on John 15:1-8

Good morning kids! I am so glad to see you. Thanks for coming up to hear the children’s sermon.

The passage of the Bible about Jesus that we are reading today is actually part of a long speech. He talked to his friends about a whole lot of things in that speech. This is just a small piece of what he said.

I imagined him saying the same things on another day, in a different place. Here’s how I picture it happening.

Jesus in the Vineyard

One day, Jesus went out to a field. He saw that the field was filled with rows and rows of little fences. All along the fences, the farmer had planted grape vines. The branches of the grapevines grew along the fences. Big bunches of grapes hung from the branches.

“This looks like a good spot!” Jesus said.

Then he took his shovel, (I forgot to tell you he was carrying a shovel,) and he started digging a hole. His hole was along side one of the fences. Jesus dug the hole about a foot deep. He piled the rich black earth beside the hole.

Then he took off his sandals and stepped down into the hole.

“Ooh!” said Jesus. “That feels so nice! I love to wiggle my toes in the dirt.”

Then he bent down and pulled all the dirt back into the hole. His feet were buried.

Jesus’ Friends Stop By

While Jesus was standing there with his feet buried deep in the rich black earth, some of his friends came walking along.

“Jesus!” cried Peter. “What happened?”

“Did you fall in a hole?” asked Mary.

“Are you stuck?” asked John.

“Here,” said Martha, “Let me help you get out of there.” And she started digging up the earth at Jesus’ feet. Martha was always ready to help.

“No I’m not stuck,” said Jesus, “and I don’t need help to get out. I’m here on purpose!”

“But why?” they all asked at once.

“That’s crazy,” Peter added. “Just sayin’.”

A Vine

“No” said Jesus, “I’m playing a game. It’s fun.”

“What’s the game?” asked Mary. Mary was always ready to play.

Jesus stretched his arms out on the fence and said “Okay, look at me! What am I?”

“Um…” said Peter, “A guy with dirty feet leaning on a fence?”

“Nope,” said Jesus, “Guess again.”

“Oh!” said Martha. “I know. You’re working on these vines, Are you a farmer? Like the kind that grows grapes? What’s the word for that?”

“A vinedresser,” said Jesus. “But no, I’m not the vinedresser. My father is the Vinedresser. You give up?”

“Yeah,” said John, “tell us.”

“I’m a Vine!” Jesus said, “Get it?”

“Uh, Jesus,” said Peter, “I get it. But really, these are vines,” and he pointed to all the vines growing in the field, “You’re just a guy with his feet in a hole pretending to be a vine.”

“Okay,” said Jesus, “but pretending is fun. And anyway, there’s a way that I really am a vine, the True Vine. All of these others are just trying to be like me.”

Branches and Sticks

“What are you talking about?” asked Peter.

“Come on, this sounds fun,” said Mary, “Let’s play.”

“Great” said Jesus, “Take my hand.”

So Mary took Jesus’ hand.

“Now what are you?” asked Jesus.

“I’m a branch!” said Mary.

“Ooh!” said John, “I want to be a branch too!”

So he took Jesus’ other hand.

“Hey,” said Martha, “you’re out of hands. Can’t I be a branch too?“

“Absolutely,” said Jesus. “You are all branches. Put your hand on my shoulder. You too Peter.”

Martha did, but Peter held back.

“I don’t want to,” Peter said.

“It’s up to you,” said Jesus, “I wish you would though.”

“No!” said Peter, “I won’t!” I don’t know why, but Peter was kind of cranky that day.

“But like I said,” Jesus added, “my Father is the Vinedresser. He’ll be coming by soon.”

“What will he do?” asked Peter.

“He tends the branches,” said Jesus. “The ones that are bearing fruit he trims so there’s even more good fruit. And the dry sticks he gathers up for kindling in the fireplace.”

“You mean, if I’m not a branch —” started Peter.

“— Then you’re just a stick,” Jesus finished. “Sorry Peter.”

“Well in that case,” said Peter, “I guess I’ll be a branch too.” And he put his hand on Jesus’ shoulder just like Martha.

Staying Close to the Vine

“That’s great, Peter,” said Jesus. “This will be a lot better. Now you just need to stay close to me — as close as a branch is to its vine.”

“Why is that?” asked John.

“Think about it,” said Jesus. “What happens when a branch is attached to its vine?”

“I guess… Well, I don’t really know,” he said.

Jesus asked, “When the rain falls, and soaks into the ground, does a connected branch dry up?”

“Oh!” said Mary. “No! The water in the ground goes into the roots. The water in the roots goes into the vine. And the water in the vine goes into all the branches.”

“Right!” said Jesus. “And what does a connected branch do with all that water in the summertime?”

Martha plucked a cluster of grapes from one of the grapevines nearby using her free hand. “The vines use the water to make yummy grapes!” she said.

“Right,” said Jesus. “Can I have some?”

“Sure,” she said, and she gave some grapes to everybody.

Staying Close to Jesus

Jesus said, “So I’m telling you to stay close to me like the branches stay close to their vine. What will happen to you if you stay close to me?”

“Let me think,” said Peter. “Um… we’ll grow grapes?”

“Peter,” said Jesus, “you are very silly. What is it like for you when you are close to me?”

“I feel… happy,” said Martha.

I feel… loved,” said John.

“I guess I feel more alive,” said Mary. “Like some of what is inside you is inside me too.”

“Ah,” said Jesus. “I think you are all on to something. And when you stay close to me, and I travel around teaching and helping people, what happens to you?”

“I learn stuff,” said John. “I get to do some of the things you are doing.”

“Right,” said Jesus. “That’s better than grapes isn’t it? Now how about helping me get out of this hole.”

Wondering

I wonder what it was like to hold Jesus’ hand?

I wonder what it feels like to be so connected to Jesus that his life starts to be in us?

I wonder what you can do to stay close to Jesus?

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You are, of course, free to use this children’s sermon, or adapt it as you find most useful. But, if you use it, please do one (or more!) of the following.

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