First Thoughts: This story presents us some challenges. There are several confusing and scary elements here: the man possessed, the swine driven off a cliff, the frightened villagers asking Jesus to leave. Although I think it's important to introduce the children to the elements of the story, we are likely not to have time or space to address the nature of demon possession with very young children. Therefore I have decided to focus on the story's end, where Jesus instructs the healed man to return to his home. Often we are drawn to the possibility of doing God's work in other places, taking exciting mission trips, or collecting money for causes overseas. Truthfully it's easier to "love" people we don't know. Our friends and family bring with them emotional baggage that can cause us pain, and relationships keep us trapped in certain unwanted behavior. We're also more vulnerable when we share the truth of ourselves with those we truly love; if they reject us, it will hurt us so much more! But true transformation only happens when we're willing to overcome the fear of rejection and ridicule and share the truth of our lives with those we love, in our own hometowns. Spend a few moments in prayer, asking God to help you share the truth of your faith right here, in your hometown, with the children you've been given this week.
Teaching On Your Own: (holds gardening tools) Hey everybody. See what I have here? They're gardening tools. Know why I have them? See, I went out for a hike in the woods yesterday, and I found the most beautiful wild rose bush! Just looking at it made me so happy that I decided I needed to take it home. That's what I'm going to do today -- dig it up, so I can plant it in my yard. Doesn't that sound like a good idea? Taking the rose bush out of the woods? Why might that not be such a good idea? Hmmm. Well, I guess the forest really is the rose bush's home, isn't it? There are probably lots of animals who depend on it for nectar -- like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Also I bet there are other people who like to see it on their own hikes. Maybe God had a good reason for planting the rose bush there. There's an old saying, "Bloom where you're planted." Does anyone know what that means? That means you give your best love and care right where you are. I think that applies to rose bushes, don't you?
It also reminds me of our lesson today. Jesus was traveling with his disciples in a place called Gerasenes. There he met a man who had been sick for many years, possessed by demons. Sounds awful, huh? Jesus told the demons to leave the man, which they did. In fact, the demons went into a herd of pigs and the pigs ran off a cliff. Now that's just weird, and it's kind of scary, don't you think? That's what the villagers thought too, so they asked Jesus to leave. But as Jesus was leaving, the man he had healed asked if he could go with Jesus. You know what Jesus told him? It was better that the man stay in his own village and share the story of how God had healed him. See, God had placed that man in this village for a reason, to help them understand how much God loved them so they wouldn't have to be afraid anymore. If the man were to leave his hometown, who would share the story? Now that I think about it, I guess I'll just leave the rose bush in the woods, after all. Yep, bloom where you're planted. It's a good idea for rosebushes and for people, to share God's love with those who need it most -- everyone we see!
Teaching As A Team:
(Leader 2 has the gardening tools)
Leader 1: Um, (name)? What are you doing with those gardening tools?
Leader 2: I went out for a hike in the woods yesterday, and I found the most beautiful wild rose bush! Just looking at it made me so happy that I decided I needed to take it home. That's what I'm going to do today -- dig it up, so I can plant it in my yard.
Leader 1: But wait, you're going to take the rose bush out of the forest? I don't think that's a good idea.
Leader 2: What do you mean? Seeing the bush made me so happy, and if I had it in my yard it would make me happy all the time.
Leader 1: But the forest is its home. There are probably bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds that depend on that bush for their meals, and I'm sure there are other people who like to see it on their own hikes.
Leader 2: Wow. I didn't think about all of that.
Leader 1: I bet God had a good reason for planting the rose bush there. There's an old saying, "Bloom where you're planted." That means you give your best love and care right where you are. I think that applies to rose bushes, don't you? It also reminds me of our lesson today. Jesus was traveling with his disciples in a place called Gerasenes. There he met a man who had been sick for many years, possessed by demons.
Leader 2: That sounds like it would be awful.
Leader 1: I'm sure it was. Anyway, Jesus told the demons to leave the man, which they did. In fact, the demons went into a herd of pigs and the pigs ran off a cliff.
Leader 2: That's so weird -- and scary!
Leader 1: That's what the villagers thought too, so they asked Jesus to leave. But as Jesus was leaving, the man he had healed asked if he could go with Jesus. You know what Jesus told him? It was better that the man stay in his own village and share the story of how God had healed him. See, God had placed that man in this village for a reason, to help them understand how much God loved them so they wouldn't have to be afraid anymore. If the man were to leave his hometown, who would share the story?
Leader 2: I guess that makes sense. Okay, I'll leave the rosebush where it is and just visit it now and then.
Leader 1: Yep, bloom where you're planted. It's a good idea for rosebushes and for people, to share God's love with those who need it most -- everyone we see!
Closing Prayer: God, help us to share your love and kindness first with those people close to us -- our neighbors, our friends, our family. Show us how to bloom where we're planted, so that your glory may radiate out from our lives. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this message in a home or classroom environment, spend some time reviewing the story a little bit, going through each piece of the narrative and giving the children a chance to explore their feelings about it. At the end, ask the children why they think the man wants to go with Jesus. He probably wants to be part of Jesus' important work in the world, and he thinks the best way to do that is to travel with Jesus. But Jesus reminds him that he has his own important work to do -- right in his own hometown. Remind the children that they have important work to do too. Ask them to think about the people who depend on them -- parents, teachers, friends, neighbors. What are the special gifts only they can bring to these relationships? If they weren't around, who would fill their shoes? No one, which is why God placed them where they are.
As a craft idea, give each child a small flower pot and invite them to write or paint the words, "Bloom Where You're Planted" on the outside. Provide potting soil and a small flower, and help the children plant it so they can take it home. Close in a prayer.
