This week: a children’s sermon on Mark 6:1-13 — Jesus’ friends go on their first mission trip.
Actually it’s just the last half of the passage. The lectionary selection has two separate but related stories:
- First Jesus has a frustrating day in ministry. (6:1-6a)
- Then Jesus sends his friends out on their first mission trip. (6:6b-13)
If you happen to have read my “Monday Meditation” on this passage, you know that I think the first half of the passage is kind of funny. Jesus is frustrated by his old neighbors’ criticism and lack of faith, and he was “only” able to “lay hands on a few sick people and heal them.”
That sounds like a better day in ministry than I’ll ever see.
Anyway, I think it makes sense to focus on just one of the stories.
I’m choosing to write my children’s sermon on Mark 6:1-13 on the last half, because I think it contains stuff kids in a church might find more familiar. You know: Mission trips, packing for a journey, that kind of thing.
A Children’s Sermon on Mark 6:1-13
Hello Kids! It is so good to see you. Thanks for coming up to hear the children’s sermon.
I want to tell you a story from the passage of the Gospel we read in this morning’s service.
Jesus and His Friends
Jesus was traveling around with his friends. And each place they went, Jesus helped people.
Just that day he’d been teaching people about the kingdom of God. Plus he met some people who were sick, and he healed them.
Jesus actually did this kind of thing a lot. So finally his friends decided to ask Jesus about it.
Of course they made Peter ask the question.
“Um, Jesus?” Peter said. “Why is it that you always make us come along when you are healing and teaching and stuff?”
“What?” asked Jesus “Don’t you like traveling around with me?”
“Oh no, nothing like that,” said Peter, “It’s great and all. We’re having lots of fun. But—I mean, why do you want us along?”
“Ah, good question Pete.” Jesus said. “I want you to learn how to help people. Someday, you know, you’ll be doing all the same kinds of things I do.”
“No way!” said Peter.
“Yes way!” said Jesus.
The Mission Trip
“In fact I just had a great idea. I’m going to send you guys out on a little practice trip. You’ll have a mission. We’ll call it a ‘Mission trip.’”
“Ooh…” said Thomas. “That sounds kind of scary. I doubt I could do that.”
“Well I think it sounds great,” said Peter. “Let’s make it a contest. I bet I can go farther than any of you guys! I bet I can teach more and—“
“Um, slow down there, Peter,” said Jesus. “It’s not a contest. And I’m not sending any of you alone. You’re so confident, and Thomas is so full of doubts, I think the two of you should travel together. The rest of you pair up. It’s the buddy system.”
So each of Jesus’ twelve friends found a traveling partner.
The Not-Packing List
“Okay,” said Peter, “Now we just need a packing list. I have this big backpack I brought from home. What should I put in it?”
Jesus said, “Well, Pete, you can skip the backpack. That’s number one on my not-packing list.”
“What’s a ‘not-packing’ list?” asked Thomas, kind of nervously.
Jesus said, “It’s a list of all the things not to bring on this mission trip. Item One: No bag.”
“But where am I going to put this loaf of bread?” said Peter. “I always get hungry on the road.”
Jesus said, “Item two on the not-packing list. No bread.”
Then Judas spoke up. “Oh, I get it,” he said. “We just bring enough money to buy food along the way.”
(Judas carried the group’s money bag, so thought he could divide it up.)
“Nope,” said Jesus. “Item three: No Money.”
“But Jesus,” Peter complained. “Where am I supposed to put my clothes?”
“Oh Peter,” said Jesus, “You’re still stuck on the bag thing aren’t you? Well, just wear what you have on. That’s item four: No extra clothes.”
“Oh man!” Peter complained. “Can I at least go home and get my hiking boots?”
“Nope,” said Jesus. “Item five: No boots. Just your everyday sandals please.”
“Um, Jesus?” asked Matthew shyly. “Can I bring this stick? It helps me keep my footing on trails.”
“Sure, Matthew,” said Jesus. “Sticks are fine. But just one each.”
The Real Purpose
“But Jesus—” said Peter. “How are we supposed to eat and stay warm and stuff for a whole week I we can’t bring anything but what we’re wearing?”
“Good question, Peter,” said Jesus. “First of all, you’ll have each other. Together you can solve all kinds of problems.”
“What’s second?” asked Thomas. I guess he doubted Peter would come up with many good ideas.
“Second,” said Jesus, “you’ll have all the people you’ll meet everywhere you go. You know, there are good and kind people everywhere!”
“But what if the people are mean to us?” asked Thomas. He really did have doubts about this whole ‘mission trip’ idea.
“Well Thomas,” said Jesus, “if they won’t welcome you, wipe the dust off your feet and go somewhere else.”
“So we have each other,” Thomas said, looking doubtfully at Matthew. “And we might meet some nice people along the way. Don’t we have anything else to rely on?”
“Yes,” said Jesus, smiling. “You have exactly what I rely on to do what I do. You have God.”
“Oh!” said everybody.
“That’s actually why I’m sending you on this mission trip,” Jesus said. “So you will learn to trust God—that’s called faith. And so you’ll learn to help each other. That’s called love.”
So they went out, two by two, for a week-long trip doing what they’d seen Jesus do.
Wondering
- I wonder what it felt like to go out to do what they had seen Jesus do?
- I wonder what it felt like to take nothing but each other and God?
- I wonder if you’ve ever had to trust God or other people?
- I wonder if you were to go out to do things Jesus did, where you would go and what you would do?
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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.
- 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. And every little bit keeps me going…)
Thank you for your blog. The other part I feel that is really important in the story is the role of hospitality in that culture. Knowing that people will take you in, feed you, and provide for your needs.
This interdependency on one anther, and the ability to receive that, I feel is key to this story too.
Hey, thanks Linda!
True enough. There would be much more room in a regular grown-ups’ sermon to talk about different emphases.
In a kids’ sermon, especially when I use a storytelling format, my goal is to stick to one theme, and in talking about it stick to what the story and dialogue can bring out.
I say I want to “stick to one theme” but as I type it I realize I often am downplaying many many of the text’s themes (each text could be preached with any one of a number of key issues). And even with my chosen theme I’m not really emphasizing it — rather just trying to make sure that it gets into the story.
I learned from “Young Children and Worship” (Steward & Berryman) the great value of simply telling the story and inviting kids to wonder, directing their questing minds with “wondering questions.” My storytelling style is quite different from theirs, but I aim for much the same kind of engagement with the text.
Blessings,
Gary
I’m going to borrow from this today! Thank you so much. So glad I found your blog.
That’s great Laura!
I hope you’ll let me know how it is received.
Same bible verse we read at church today. I enjoyed it more at the level of story telling making it easy for kids to understand. So interesting!
Thank you so much!
Thank you so much for this Gary. I shall be borrowing from it for a homily in a nursing home this week. They residents who attend worship really enjoy something from the perspective of the folk in the Gospel reading.
May the Lord continue to bless your ministry.
Thank you Gillian!
I hope it goes well. (I’m putting these out most weeks and if you subscribe they’ll reach you by email on most Fridays.)
Blessings,
Gary
This lesson was perfect for our After school group, we read it as a skit.
Thank you
Awesome Pat! I’m so glad you found it useful.
(And I hope you’ll come back soon — or subscribe. I’m bringing out a new children’s sermon each week.)
Blessings,
Gary
Hello Gary,
I would like to use a portion of this sermon. I volunteer at a Foodbank where we offer a bible discussion to homeless clients and the very poor. I find it helpful to use very simple language and comparisons when discussing Jesus in order to offer his love and hope for their lives.
Thank you.
That’s great, Linda!
I hope it goes really well.
Come back soon! (Or better yet, subscribe…)
Blessings,
Gary
Praise God!
Thank you Gary! I will be using this for my Children’s Ministry. Children always find understanding the gospel beautifully when enacted as a skit. I truly found it amazing especially the wonder questions. I have already subscribed and looking forward to enrich myself and my ministry. God bless you!!
That’s great Ryana!
I’m so glad you found it helpful. And thanks for subscribing!
Where are you in ministry? I’d love it if you would zap me a message using the contact form.
Blessings,
Gary
Excellent, thank you.
You are welcome, Denise! Stop by again soon…
Gary
Thanks for this wonderful resource Gary! I will be using it regularly for my children’s sermons-also a great starter for the “adult” sermon. Bless you for sharing!
Too are so welcome, Patty! So glad to have you as a reader.
(If you subscribe, every new children’s sermon comes straight to you by email…)
Blessings,
Gary
Thank you for this message – great storytelling that the children will relate to. I appreciate your gifts!
Hey, thank you, Belinda!
I hope the kids really do relate to this story.
And I hope you’ll stop by again soon…
Blessings,
Gary
I think this will be the basis for my children’s message this week. And I think we’ll decorate walking sticks as our children’s activity after the message.
That sounds like great fun, Denise! I hope it goes really well.
Blessings,
Gary
Gary, I am planning to use excerpts from your sermon for my Sunday School lessons tomorrow. I trust that is okay with you. I am from Holy trinity Anglican Church in the beautiful island of St.Lucia.
Glenda, of course that’s great. I hope it goes well.
St Lucia! I hope you were spared damage from the hurricane. I didn’t track its path in detail.
Blessings,
Gary
Thank you for this lesson. I’ll be borrowing it tomorrow morning for my 10-yr old granddaughter’s Sunday School Class. She will especially love the “play” we will do by reading the “Jesus and His Friends” script.
Wonderful, Sara!
I hope you and your granddaughter (and any other kids) have a great time with it.
You can always revise these slightly to make them bedtime stories…
Blessings,
Gary
Hi there–I am going to adapt this for my Children’s Sermon tomorrow. I had come up with the basic Big Idea, but your script and the “UN-Packing List” provide really clever ways to make the lesson come alive. Thank you so much!
Laurie
(upstate NY)
That’s great, Laurie!
Hey, I’m in Upstate NY too —- Binghamton to be precise. Hope we get to meet sometime.
Blessings,
Gary
Thank you Gary for your great ideas! I will adapt some of these ideas for my Children’s Liturgy this Sunday.
Very appreciative !
Jan
Hi Jan!
So glad you found it helpful. Come back again soon…
Gary
Thank you for this! I’ll be using sone of it when I teach Children’s Liturgy at my church this morning. God bless you and your ministry!
Thank you Liz! Your affirmation means a lot to me.
Blessings,
Gary
Hi Gary,
Thank you for this lesson. I will use a part of it for our children’s sermon tomorrow in worship.
That’s great, Cindy. Thanks for letting me know!
Blessings,
Gary
We are doing a presentation of a recent mission trip in a couple weeks. This will be a great way to explain to the children what we will be talking about.
Lovely, Amanda!
I’m so glad you found it helpful.
I hope it goes really well…
Gary