The Advocate comes
Children's sermon
Object:
a butterfly chrysalis (or picture of one)
The lowly caterpillar crawls along the ground like a worm.
He wishes he could do more, but all he can do is crawl. One day
he curls up in himself and spins a shell around him -- a cocoon.
He must do that because the next step of his growth is what?
Does anybody know? (Let them answer.) The next step is that the
caterpillar will become a butterfly. He had to leave behind
being a caterpillar so he could become a butterfly.
As Jesus neared the end of his life, I am sure that none of his friends and certainly none of his disciples wanted him to die. They loved him and didn't want to be without him. The thought that he might go away from them would make them feel very bad.
One day Jesus gave his followers a promise of an "Advocate" -- someone who would come in his place. He said it was necessary for him to go, but that someone would come after him who would fill his place and even more.
Since Jesus was human like we are, he could only be in one place at a time. But when the Advocate came, he could be anywhere. I don't understand how this works, but God's Spirit, the Advocate, is with us even now. The Spirit came after Jesus rose to heaven. The day the Spirit came, we call Pentecost.
That same Spirit who came on Pentecost is with us now. That Spirit gives us faith and hope and helps us believe in Jesus. I wish I could see Jesus like the disciples saw Jesus, but I can't. But I can believe because the Spirit helps me believe. I'm so glad Jesus gave us the Advocate -- the Spirit.
Dearest Jesus: Thank you for going away so you could be with us today. Amen.
As Jesus neared the end of his life, I am sure that none of his friends and certainly none of his disciples wanted him to die. They loved him and didn't want to be without him. The thought that he might go away from them would make them feel very bad.
One day Jesus gave his followers a promise of an "Advocate" -- someone who would come in his place. He said it was necessary for him to go, but that someone would come after him who would fill his place and even more.
Since Jesus was human like we are, he could only be in one place at a time. But when the Advocate came, he could be anywhere. I don't understand how this works, but God's Spirit, the Advocate, is with us even now. The Spirit came after Jesus rose to heaven. The day the Spirit came, we call Pentecost.
That same Spirit who came on Pentecost is with us now. That Spirit gives us faith and hope and helps us believe in Jesus. I wish I could see Jesus like the disciples saw Jesus, but I can't. But I can believe because the Spirit helps me believe. I'm so glad Jesus gave us the Advocate -- the Spirit.
Dearest Jesus: Thank you for going away so you could be with us today. Amen.
