Bread of the Spirit
Children's sermon
Object:
"For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." (v. 26)
Hello, boys and girls! How are you today? (allow answers) Today we are going to talk about bread. How many of you like bread? (allow answers) Do you like to eat bread plain, or with something on it? (allow answers) We eat bread a lot. It is an important part of our diet! Would anyone like a plain piece of bread right now? (allow answers; share bread if they want some)
Bread is a very important part of today, too. Who can tell me what today is called? (allow answers) Today is Maundy Thursday. Maundy Thursday is when we celebrate Jesus' Last Supper with his disciples before he was crucified. We also celebrate Maundy Thursday on lots of Sundays during the year through one special thing that we do. Can any of you guess what special thing I might be talking about? (allow answers) I'm talking about communion. Maundy Thursday is when Jesus teaches his disciples how to take communion. Can you tell me the two things we use during communion? (allow answers) One of the things we use during communion is wine. The other is bread.
Bread is not only important when we talk about communion. When we take communion, we say that bread represents the body of Jesus, but it really represents much more. There are stories about bread in the Bible, since it is such an important food! When Moses and the Israelites were wandering in the desert, God sent them manna -- bread -- from heaven so they would not go hungry. Once, Jesus fed a crowd of 5,000 with just a little bit of fish and bread.
However, the Bible also tells us that we cannot live by bread alone. Do you know what that means? (allow answers) When the Bible tells us that we cannot live by bread alone, it means that even though we might have enough food to eat, we need more than that to lead happy, full lives. When we take communion, we are not only eating bread; we are also eating spiritual food. Communion mixes physical food with spiritual food to fill us up!
This is what Maundy Thursday is all about. Maundy Thursday reminds us that while food is important, there are things that are more important. Jesus, of course, is the most important; but also important is sharing time -- like mealtime -- with people you care about. Maundy Thursday was Jesus' last meal, and he knew it. He chose to spend his time with his disciples, who he cared about very much. Jesus was combining real food, the meal, with spiritual food: fellowship with his followers. Whether we are taking communion or eating together as a family at dinner or on holidays, we are feeding ourselves spiritual food as well as bread. Amen.
Hello, boys and girls! How are you today? (allow answers) Today we are going to talk about bread. How many of you like bread? (allow answers) Do you like to eat bread plain, or with something on it? (allow answers) We eat bread a lot. It is an important part of our diet! Would anyone like a plain piece of bread right now? (allow answers; share bread if they want some)
Bread is a very important part of today, too. Who can tell me what today is called? (allow answers) Today is Maundy Thursday. Maundy Thursday is when we celebrate Jesus' Last Supper with his disciples before he was crucified. We also celebrate Maundy Thursday on lots of Sundays during the year through one special thing that we do. Can any of you guess what special thing I might be talking about? (allow answers) I'm talking about communion. Maundy Thursday is when Jesus teaches his disciples how to take communion. Can you tell me the two things we use during communion? (allow answers) One of the things we use during communion is wine. The other is bread.
Bread is not only important when we talk about communion. When we take communion, we say that bread represents the body of Jesus, but it really represents much more. There are stories about bread in the Bible, since it is such an important food! When Moses and the Israelites were wandering in the desert, God sent them manna -- bread -- from heaven so they would not go hungry. Once, Jesus fed a crowd of 5,000 with just a little bit of fish and bread.
However, the Bible also tells us that we cannot live by bread alone. Do you know what that means? (allow answers) When the Bible tells us that we cannot live by bread alone, it means that even though we might have enough food to eat, we need more than that to lead happy, full lives. When we take communion, we are not only eating bread; we are also eating spiritual food. Communion mixes physical food with spiritual food to fill us up!
This is what Maundy Thursday is all about. Maundy Thursday reminds us that while food is important, there are things that are more important. Jesus, of course, is the most important; but also important is sharing time -- like mealtime -- with people you care about. Maundy Thursday was Jesus' last meal, and he knew it. He chose to spend his time with his disciples, who he cared about very much. Jesus was combining real food, the meal, with spiritual food: fellowship with his followers. Whether we are taking communion or eating together as a family at dinner or on holidays, we are feeding ourselves spiritual food as well as bread. Amen.
