The Aspen And The Wind
Children's sermon
Story Time At The Altar
86 Messages For Children
"Whoever wishes to be first must be servant of all."
James and John, friends of Jesus, said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."
And Jesus said to them, "What is it you want me to do for you?"
They said to him, "Grant us to sit one at your right hand and one at your left in your glory."
They forgot to ask where the others would sit, and that reminds me of a story.
"Someday I will make beautiful music," said the small aspen tree, hearing the music float out of the tent. The aspen lived in the city of Aspen, Colorado, where beautiful music was made in the summer.
The old pine asked, "Who will teach you?"
"I need no teacher. I am tough and strong. I can do it alone."
The pine tree agreed, remembering the fire out of which the aspen grew through that adversity.
Day by day the small aspen grew tall and straight and sturdy. Listening to the music sweep through the streets and hills and skies of Aspen, he said, "Someday I will make music."
The spruce tree asked, "Who will help you sing?"
"I need no one. I am tough and strong. I can do it alone."
The spruce agreed, remembering the year there was no rain, yet the aspen grew through that adversity.
At the beginning of fall, the aspen's leaves turned golden and sparkled under the autumn sun. "Someday I will make music!"
The fir tree asked, "Who will help you sing before you lose your golden tones?"
"I need no help. I can do it alone."
But when the music school, the opera house, and the symphony hall closed and the music was leaving Aspen, the aspen cried.
"What is the matter?"
The aspen sobbed, "I cannot make music alone."
"The wind will help you."
The aspen asked the wind and the wind blew through its golden leaves, and there was music in the air, for at last the aspen had learned that we make music together.
Jesus said, "Whoever wishes to be first must be servant of all."
Talk together: What is the "music" you make? Do you do it alone or together with others?
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for wind, trees, music, things we sometimes take for granted. Help us learn to live with and create with others. Amen.
James and John, friends of Jesus, said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."
And Jesus said to them, "What is it you want me to do for you?"
They said to him, "Grant us to sit one at your right hand and one at your left in your glory."
They forgot to ask where the others would sit, and that reminds me of a story.
"Someday I will make beautiful music," said the small aspen tree, hearing the music float out of the tent. The aspen lived in the city of Aspen, Colorado, where beautiful music was made in the summer.
The old pine asked, "Who will teach you?"
"I need no teacher. I am tough and strong. I can do it alone."
The pine tree agreed, remembering the fire out of which the aspen grew through that adversity.
Day by day the small aspen grew tall and straight and sturdy. Listening to the music sweep through the streets and hills and skies of Aspen, he said, "Someday I will make music."
The spruce tree asked, "Who will help you sing?"
"I need no one. I am tough and strong. I can do it alone."
The spruce agreed, remembering the year there was no rain, yet the aspen grew through that adversity.
At the beginning of fall, the aspen's leaves turned golden and sparkled under the autumn sun. "Someday I will make music!"
The fir tree asked, "Who will help you sing before you lose your golden tones?"
"I need no help. I can do it alone."
But when the music school, the opera house, and the symphony hall closed and the music was leaving Aspen, the aspen cried.
"What is the matter?"
The aspen sobbed, "I cannot make music alone."
"The wind will help you."
The aspen asked the wind and the wind blew through its golden leaves, and there was music in the air, for at last the aspen had learned that we make music together.
Jesus said, "Whoever wishes to be first must be servant of all."
Talk together: What is the "music" you make? Do you do it alone or together with others?
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for wind, trees, music, things we sometimes take for granted. Help us learn to live with and create with others. Amen.
