A Children’s Sermon on Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

Here’s my children’s sermon on Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30. As I write, this is the text for next Sunday — “Proper 9(14)” for Year A in the Revised Common Lectionary.

The passage is a bit of a hodgepodge, really. Jesus rants a bit about the contrasting styles of himself and John the Baptist, as well as the people’s general rejection of both. Then there’s a section of grim predictions, which the lectionary leaves out. Then he prays out loud a bit. He concludes with the beautiful, if enigmatic, statement that his way is easy, his burden light. 

All hard to access, especially for kids. Also, there’s no story here. Though one can look for a story in the larger context, it is better, I think to create one. 

To resolve some if not all the difficulties, my children’s sermon on Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 will focus on the one portion that makes explicit reference to kids. That’s the prayer.

(Oh, by the way: You can find my regular Monday Meditation on this same text here.)

A Children’s Sermon on Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

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

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but in the Gospels there are lots of stories where Jesus prays.

• Sometimes at the end of a long day, Jesus would climb a hill all by himself. He wanted talk to God for a long time without being interrupted. 
• And when they were about to eat, Jesus would take the bread and pray to ask God’s blessing. 
• Then one time after they ate their dinner, Jesus started to pray out loud and he didn’t stop for a long time. 

Well, in today’s story from the Gospel. Jesus was talking to his friends. He’d been talking to them for a while. But then, all of a sudden, he was praying — just talking to God for a bit! Then, pretty soon, he was talking to the people again.

It seems kind of odd to me. Maybe it happened exactly like that. Or maybe some of the things that people said got left out. Maybe it happened sort of like this…

Jesus Needs to Pray

One day, Jesus was sitting around with his friends. Jesus was telling them about all kinds of things. He told them some things about his cousin, John the Baptist. He told them stuff about some different cities he had visited. All kinds of things.

Then Jesus said, “Excuse me, you guys. I need to pray for a minute.” 

Then he stood up with his hands raised. He look up to the clouds. He was all quiet and still.

“Um, Jesus?” said Peter. “Weren’t you right in the middle of talking to us? Isn’t it, well, kind of rude to just turn away and talk to God instead?”

“Oh, sorry Peter,” said Jesus, “I didn’t think I was being rude. Actually I’m talking to my Father all the time — even if you don’t know I’m doing it.” 

“Really?” said Thomas. “How could that be? I’m sure we would notice. Anyway, what’s so important that you have to talk to God right now, in the middle of talking to us?”

“It’s not extra important, Thomas,” Jesus said. “I talk to my father about everything. You can too!”

“Actually, I can’t,” said Thomas. “My dad never wants to listen to me.”

“Thomas,” said Jesus, “that’s really sad about your dad. But I meant that you can talk to my Father about anything, and at any time. You can always pray. God will always listen. My Father loves you.”

“Jesus?” said Mary Magdalene. “Would you mind praying out loud? I’m really curious to hear how you talk to God.”

“Okay,” said Jesus, “you can listen.” 

A Prayer

Then he lifted up his hands, and looked to the clouds again. “Father I’m so glad for how you decided to do things! I think it’s just great that you are hiding all the good stuff from the grown ups, and showing everything to the little children.”

“Now wait a minute, Jesus!” said Peter. “That doesn’t seem fair at all. What do you mean that God is hiding all the good stuff from us grown-ups? We’ve been listening and learning from you for a long time. We understand everything!” 

“Well, Peter,” said Jesus, “to be quite honest, a lot of times you don’t seem to understand at all. None of you do.”

(And kids, you know what? That’s very true. When you read the Gospels for yourselves someday you’ll see. Peter and the others always seem a little bit confused.)

What the Children Know

“Well, anyway,” said Peter, “what do the little kids understand that we don’t?”

“You watch, next time we’re around some kids,” said Jesus. “They come close. They want me to bless them. They want to talk and play. It’s all pretty easy for them to see what it’s all about.”

“Um, Jesus?” asked Peter. “What, exactly, is it all about?”

“That’s precisely my point,” said Jesus. “Watch the kids, and they’ll show you. They come to me and they want to know me. They learn about God. I love them and they find out what God is like.” 

“We already know you!” said Thomas. “How can we know what God is really like?”

“Here’s the deal, Thomas,” said Jesus. “You think you know me, but only my Father really knows me. And really, only I know my Father. But I can let anybody I choose know my Father.”

“But this seems all hard and complicated,” said Peter.

“It’s actually pretty easy,” said Jesus. “The kids know. They want to stick close to me. They want to learn from me. They want me to bless them so their lives will be full of joy. That’s my way. Doesn’t that sound easy?”

Wondering

I wonder if grown ups really have such a hard time following Jesus’ way? 

I wonder if kids really understand Jesus so easily?

I wonder if you want to stick close to Jesus and have his blessing?

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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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