Preface for Parents and Pastors
This children’s sermon on Mark 2:23-3:6 is for the 2ⁿᵈ Sunday after Pentecost. This year that’s “Proper 4 (9).” This would have been the Gospel for the 9ᵗʰ Sunday after Epiphany, by that time we were already in Lent. Pity the poor texts of Proper 1(6) , Proper 2(7), and Proper 3(8). They don’t get read in worship at all this year.
Anyway, it is a rich text, and it packs a big punch. What issue is more memorable in the Gospels than Jesus disputing with the Pharisees about the Sabbath?
I find that this presents two dangers to avoid: stereotyping the Pharisees, and denigrating the Sabbath.
First, it is way too easy to be judgy about the Pharisees. It is is kind of a self-righteous thing to do, which ironically means we take on the very problem we condemn the Pharisees for. Plus, we Christians so quickly slip from there into Antisemitism, that misguided, unreflective, ignorant and murderous form of bigotry.
And Second, we have the Sabbath. Too many Christians seem to think that when Jesus refocused the Sabbath he meant that the Sabbath is not actually important.
That would leave us with Christian lives guided by “The Nine Commandments.” Wise Christians take all ten commands seriously. It’s God’s way and bears witness to a culture that seems to welcome murder, adultery, covetousness, false witness and all the rest.
But I digress.
It is a story with two distinct scenes. Telling it to kids I’ve focused on just one of the scenes, drawing a hint of the second in along the way. That makes it a bit shorter than usual, which is probably a good thing anyway!
With no further ado, here’s my children’s sermon on Mark 2:23-3:6.
A Children’s Sermon on Mark 2:23-3:6
Good morning, kids! I am so happy to see you. Thanks for coming up for the children’s sermon.
This morning, as we usually do, we are reading a story about Jesus in the worship service. Let me tell you how I picture that story happening.
One Sabbath Morning
Jesus and his friends had been camping out, beyond the edges of town. That’s because every time Jesus went into town, lots and lots of people gathered, asking Jesus to help them, heal them, and teach them. He was happy to help people, but sometimes it was just more peaceful to camp out.
When the sun came up Jesus said to his friends. “Get up everybody! Today is the Sabbath. Let’s walk into town and go to the service at the synagogue.”
(A synagogue is the place Jewish people gather to pray and worship on the Sabbath. It’s kind of like how you and I come to worship in this church on Sunday.)
“Can’t we have breakfast first?” asked Peter. “I’m hungry.”
“Me too!” said John. “My tummy’s rumbling.”
“I don’t think we have any food,” said Andrew. “Not a single loaf of bread.”
“That’s okay,” said Jesus, “we’ll get some along the way.”
In the Barley Fields
On the way to town they passed through a farmer’s fields.
“This field is growing barley,” said Peter. “I love barley!”
“Let’s have some for breakfast,” said Jesus.
“That doesn’t seem right,” said Mary Magdalene. “Won’t the farmer be upset?”
“No, it’s alright,” said Jesus. “In the law of Moses, in the Bible, God says for farmers to leave some grain behind after the harvest. That way the poor people can gather it and have something to eat.”
“Hey!” said Peter. “That’s us!”
“Oh, look,” said Mary. “Most of the field has been harvested but there’s a bit left here at the ends of the rows.”
So they all picked handfuls of grain from what the farmer had left for the poor people. Then they went to the synagogue.
At the Synagogue
As they walked up to the door they found some grumpy looking men blocking their way.
“You’re in trouble, Jesus,” said one of them, “We saw you doing something against the law! You were picking grain.”
“Oh it’s alright,” said Mary, “Jesus reminded us that the law tells farmers to leave a little grain for the poor people to pick. That’s all we were doing.”
“HAH!” said the grumpy man to Jesus. “This follower of yours admits it! You were harvesting grain! That’s against the law on the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a day of rest!”
Nathaniel said, “Well you don’t seem too relaxed. Maybe you should try to get some rest, yourself.”
Jesus said to him, “Nathaniel, let me handle this please.”
Then he said to the grumpy man, “God didn’t give us the Sabbath to make us suffer. When people are hungry, they need food—even on the Sabbath.”
“Wait a minute…” said the grumpy man.
“Think about it,” said Jesus. “Did God make human beings so they can serve the Sabbath? Does God want people to be hungry and sad on the Sabbath? Or did God give the Sabbath to the human beings as a joyful blessing?”
“Well, I guess the Sabbath is supposed to be a blessing,” said the grumpy man. But he didn’t seem super happy about it.
“Right,” said Jesus. “The Sabbath is God’s gift to humanity. We get to rest from our work, and we have time to sing and pray and learn together. It’s a day to treat people well — to help people, not to harm people.”
The Son of Man
“Well I’ll have to think about that,” said the grumpy man. “But who do you think you are trying to teach me about the Sabbath, anyway?”
Jesus smiled. “I’m the son of Adam—the true human child the prophets spoke about. That makes me the Lord of the Sabbath.”
Wondering
I wonder why that man was so grumpy about the Sabbath?
I wonder if Jesus’ friends were surprised to find out how God made plans to provide for poor people?
I wonder how you feel about God giving you the gift of a day of rest?
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