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Listening Loudly

Children's sermon
Mark 9:2-9
Transfiguration Sunday - B
Arley K. Fadness
Object: 
Choice of Sounds like a bell, whistle, humming, snoring, crying, laughing, whispering, shouting
“This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” (v. 7b)

Good morning boys and girls,

Happy morning! I am happy this morning. How happy are you?

Just for fun – between one and ten what is your happiness number? Let's pretend “one” is grouchy, “five” is happy/sad and “ten” is “Wow happy!” What's your number? (children respond) My number is between nine and ten. I'm happy because you are here at worship. I'm happy because you and I have two ears so we can listen to this amazing bible story:

One dayjust before he died, Jesus, went up to a mountain top. He went with his friends, Peter, James and John. And while they were up high on that mountain, something mysterious happened. A bright light appeared. And suddenly there stood Moses and Elijah from long, long before. They talked.

It was unbelievable!

Then to top it off, the cloud speaks. Do clouds talk? Normally no! Do clouds make sounds? Yes. Children, shut your eyes and listen. (presenter makes sounds, children guess) Would you believe the sound was a Voice that came from the clouds? The voice sounded like thunder, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!”

Since clouds don't normally talk this was, obviously, God speaking. “Jesus, you are my beloved Son.” And since God declared Jesus as God's Beloved Son who would suffer and die for all people, we are to put on our ears and listen to Jesus now.

“You are my beloved Son” was also heard at Jesus' baptism.

And at your baptism and mine a voice declares you and I are also Beloved.

We are God's beloved sons and daughters. Wow.

Prayer: Dear Beloved Son, Jesus, help us to listen to you and believe that we, too, are God's beloved sons and daughters. Amen.
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