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Do It, Jesus!

Children's sermon
Luke 17:5-10
Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C
Arley K. Fadness
Object: 
A tiny seed, a photo of a large mulberry tree, exercise equipment
“The Apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’ ”  (v. 5)

Good morning children,

How are you this wonderful day? (presenter comments on the beauty of the day)

Is there something you would like more of? Like more toys? More pretty clothes?

More video games? More money? More candy? More love? (children respond)

How about more kindness? More sharing? More trusting? More faith? (children respond)

Once the disciples asked Jesus a question about more of something. “Increase our faith,” they answered him. Make our faith bigger. Make our faith stronger. Increase and make our faith deeper and wider and richer. That was a daring and awesome request.

Now if Jesus had said to the disciples, “increase your faith” that would be terribly hard.

The disciples would have to get busy and do stuff. They would have to run to a “spiritual gymnasium” and exercise like mad. They would have to build up their spiritual muscles, run marathons and leap high in a pole vault attempt. But running to a “spiritual gymnasium,” and doing “stuff,” that would be impossible and silly. (show dumbbell and so on)

Jesus does not tell the disciples to increase their faith.

It’s the disciples that say to Jesus, “increase our faith.” They are learning, as disciples, that faith is a gift. Jesus gives us this precious gift through the Holy Spirit.

And when Jesus gives even a tiny bit of faith, the size of a mustard seed, (show seed) it will grow into a large tree (show photo of large mulberry tree)

Children, isn’t that amazing? You and I get to ask Jesus to increase our faith, too. We do want more and more faith, don’t we? Just think, our tiny, weeny bit of faith, as small as a mustard seed, does wonderful things already. (presenter gives examples)

Prayer: Jesus, make our tiny bit of faith into something great. Show us the importance of asking again and again, “Jesus, increase our faith.” Amen.
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At Jesus' baptism God said, "This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased." Let us so order our lives that God may say about us, "This is my beloved child in whom I am well pleased."

Invitation to Confession:
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"Jan wasn't baptized by the spirit, she was baptized by spit," went the joke. Jan had heard it all before: the taunting and teasing from her aunts and uncles. Sure, they hadn't been there at her birth, but they loved to tell the story. They were telling Jan's friends about that fateful day when Jan was born - and baptized.


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The lectionary often begins a reading at the end of one poem and includes the beginning of another. Such is the case here. Isaiah 42:1-4 forms the climactic last stanza of the long poem concerning the trial with the nations that begins in 41:1. Isaiah 42:5-9 is the opening stanza of the poem that encompasses 42:5-17. Thus, we will initially deal with 42:1-4 and then 42:5-9.

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BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS

Lesson 1: Isaiah 42:1--9 (C, E); Isaiah 42:1--4, 6--7 (RC); Isaiah 42:1--7 (L)
Tony S. Everett
Jenny was employed as an emergency room nurse in a busy urban hospital. Often she worked many hours past the end of her shift, providing care to trauma victims and their families. Jenny was also a loving wife and mother, and an excellent cook. On the evening before starting her hectic work week, Jenny would prepare a huge pot of soup, a casserole, or stew; plentiful enough for her family to pop into the microwave or simmer on the stove in case she had to work overtime.

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E-mail
From: KDM
To: God
Subject: Being Inclusive
Message: Are you sure, God, that you show no partiality? Lauds, KDM

The haughty part of us would prefer that God be partial, that is, partial to you and to me. We want to reap the benefits of having been singled out. On the other hand, our decent side wants God to show no partiality. We do yield a little, however. It is fine for God to be impartial as long as we do not need to move over and lose our place.
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One: When the floods and storms of the world threaten
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Your voice whispers
over the waters of life,
Amy C. Schifrin
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Gathering (may also be used for Gathering on Epiphany 3)
A: Light shining in the darkness,
C: light never ending.
A: Through the mountains, beneath the sea,
C: light never ending.
A: In the stillness of our hearts,
C: light never ending.
A: In the water and the word,
C: light never ending. Amen.

Hymn Of Praise
Baptized In Water or Praise And Thanksgiving Be To God Our Maker

Prayer Of The Day

CSSPlus

Good morning, boys and girls. What am I wearing this morning? (Let them answer.) I'm wearing part of a uniform of the (name the team). Have any of you gone to a game where the (name the team) has played? (Let them answer.) I think one of the most exciting parts of a game is right before it starts. That's when all the players are introduced. Someone announces the player's name and number. That player then runs out on the court of playing field. Everyone cheers. Do you like that part of the game? (Let them answer.) Some people call that pre-game "hype." That's a funny term, isn't it?
Good morning! Let me show you this certificate. (Show the
baptism certificate.) Does anyone know what this is? (Let them
answer.) Yes, this is a baptism certificate. It shows the date
and place where a person is baptized. In addition to this
certificate, we also keep a record here at the church of all
baptisms so that if a certificate is lost we can issue a new one.
What do all of you think about baptism? Is it important? (Let
them answer.)

Let me tell you something about baptism. Before Jesus
Good morning! How many of you have played Monopoly? (Let
them answer.) In the game of Monopoly, sometimes you wind up in
jail. You can get out of jail by paying a fine or, if you have
one of these cards (show the card), you can get out free by
turning in the card.

Now, in the game of life, the real world where we all live,
we are also sometimes in jail. Most of us never have to go to a
real jail, but we are all in a kind of jail called "sin." The
Bible tells us that when we sin we become prisoners of sin, and

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