A Children’s Sermon on Luke 24:44-53 — The Ascension

Preface for Parents and Pastors

This children’s sermon on Luke 24:44-53 is for the celebration of the day of Christ’s Ascension. The official day is the Thursday before the seventh Sunday of Easter — that’s 40 days after Easter, when the Gospels date the event. But I ask you, how many congregations have a special service on the actual day of the Ascension? Not many. 

Churches shift those Ascension texts to Sunday if they want the congregation to prayerfully, worshipfully, devote their attention to the biblical story of the risen Christ taking his leave of the disciples and heading off to heaven. I suspect not all really want to. 

The text from Luke’s Gospel is always paired with the similar version of the events, from the same author, in Acts 1:1-11. There are key differences, though, and at some point I’ll write a separate children’s sermon on that text. But for now here’s a children’s sermon on Luke 24:44-53.

A Children’s Sermon on Luke 24:44-53

Good morning kids! I’m so glad to see you. It’s great that you are here in worship today. Thanks for coming up to hear the children’s sermon.

You remember that a few weeks ago, we celebrated Easter. On Good Friday Jesus was nailed to a cross and he died. But on Easter Sunday Jesus was alive again. For almost six weeks, Jesus kept stopping by to see his friends. 

But then, on the fortieth day, Jesus said goodbye and went up to heaven. Today’s reading from the Gospel of Luke tells the story of that day. Here’s how I imagine it happening.

Jesus Stops By

It had been forty days — almost six weeks — since Jesus had come back alive again. His friends never knew just when they would see him. One minute he wasn’t there. Then all of a sudden, there he was, right there with them. 

That is what happened on the fortieth day. A bunch of Jesus’ friends were together in a house. 

And then all of a sudden, 

“Hi everybody!” Jesus said. 

Well, that was startling. I mean he hadn’t knocked or anything. He just sort of appeared. Once Jesus’ friends calmed down they said hello, and asked Jesus how he was doing, and how he happened to stop by on this particular day.

Three Gifts

“I’m not going to be around much longer,” Jesus said. “I wanted to be with all of you one last time. Plus I have some surprises for you.”

Nathaniel said, “It was already pretty surprising when you just appeared here without coming through the door. I was kind of scared.”

“Sorry to scare you,” said Jesus. “But I knew you would be glad to see me. The surprises I wanted to bring you are good surprises. They are gifts, actually. Some going away presents. Three of them.”

“Cool!” said Peter. “I love presents! What did you bring me?”

Jesus said, “Peter, these gilts aren’t just for you. They are for all of you — for everyone who belongs to me.”

“Oh, okay,” Peter said, sounding a bit grumpy. “But what are the presents anyway?” 

The First Gift

Jesus said, “You remember before I died and rose again, how I kept telling you that I would get arrested, and people would say mean things about me, and they would finally nail me to a cross and kill me?”

“Yeah,” said Peter, “What was up with that?” 

Thomas said, “You always said it was all written beforehand by the prophets in the Bible, but I never really believed you.”

“I know, Thomas,” said Jesus. “I could tell.”

“I just don’t understand it,” said Mary Magdalene. “Could you explain it again?”

“I will,” said Jesus, “and my gift to you is something more.”

Then he was silent for a second or two, and he looked each one of them in the eye. 

“There,” he said. “Do you feel any different?” 

“Because you looked at us?” said Peter. “Of course not.”

“Actually,” Jesus said, “I just did a very important miracle. I opened your minds so you could understand.”

Then he explained one more time about how so many things in the Bible said that the Messiah was going to suffer, and die, and then rise up alive again.

“Wow!” said Peter, “I get it now!” 

“Wow!” said Mary. “That makes perfect sense!” 

“Wow!” said Thomas. “I really believe you — you were right all along.”

Jesus said, “I’m giving that gift to all of you who belong to me now. I’m also giving it to all the people who will follow me because you tell them about me. And that’s the job I’ve been preparing you for. I want you to tell everybody, everywhere, about what I taught you, and how I died and rose again.”

The Second Gift

Peter said, “Wait a minute! Thats a big job! I don’t think I’m really up to that.”

And all the other disciples said the same thing.

“And that,” said Jesus, “brings me to my second gift to you all. I’m going to send you the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God. The Spirit will be right beside you, right inside you, giving you the strength and courage to do all I’ve prepared you to do.”

“Well I guess that will help,” said Peter. “Are you going to give that gift to us right away, like the other one?”

“No Peter,” said Jesus. “You’ll have to wait here in Jerusalem for a little while more. But the Holy Spirit is coming. For now, though, let’s take a walk. When we get to Bethany I’ll give you my third gift.”

The Third Gift

When they got to Bethany Jesus stopped. They were out in the open on top of a hill.

“Here we are,” Jesus said, “This looks like a good place. Are you ready for my third gift?”

“Yes please!” said Mary. 

“Okay,” said Jesus. “This is a big one. I’m going to give you my blessing! Then I’m going to heaven.”

“Wait a minute!” said Peter. “You mean like when somebody sneezes? A blessing doesn’t sound like much of a present.”

“Actually, Peter,” Jesus said, “My blessing is a really big gift. It means that I think you are absolutely wonderful. It means that my love and approval will go with you everywhere you go. It means I’ll be rooting for you always, and working behind the scenes to make good things happen.”

“That sounds awesome,” Mary said. “Peter, you should try not to be so cranky.”

“Okay,” said Peter. “I’m sorry. I’d love to have your blessing.”

So Jesus lifted up his hands. He smiled at all of his friends. Then he started to speak his words of blessing. They could hear his love and his approval and his commitment to them in his words and his voice.

But then, while Jesus was still speaking, he started to go away. His friends were never quite sure how to describe it. 

Did he go up, up, up, onto the clouds in the sky? 

Did he get smaller and smaller and smaller until they couldn’t see him at all? 

Did he get bigger and bigger until he seemed to be every where and even beyond everywhere? 

All they knew is that he’d somehow gone to where his father was—to heaven.

Wondering 

I wonder what it felt like to suddenly understand what Jesus had been saying for so long?

I wonder what it was like to know that the Holy Spirit was coming, but not yet?

I wonder what it felt like to hear Jesus’ words of blessing?

++++++++++++

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.

• You can let me know that you are using it, either in the comments below, or using the contact form above.
• You can put a little notice in your church bulletin that your children’s sermon is adapted from one published on GaryNealHansen.com.
• You can support my work over on Patreon. (Just $1 per month brings my children’s sermons straight to your inbox about two minutes after they go live. And every little bit keeps me going…)