Rosie Diamond Sulks
Children's Liturgy and Story
Call to Worship:
Jesus was aware of people's deepest needs and what prompted their actions. In our worship today let us consider how we can discover people's deepest needs and the motives for their actions.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes we see only the surface and condemn without real understanding.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are afraid to get sufficiently close to other people to see their inner needs.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we hide behind excuses so that we can criticize other people.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Luke 13:10-17 (NRSV)
Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. [11] And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. [12] When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Woman, you are set free from your ailment." [13] When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. [14] But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day." [15] But the Lord answered him and said, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? [16] And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?" [17] When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.
Story:
Many of the religious officials felt threatened by Jesus, since Jesus was everything they ought to have been but weren't. They often looked for opportunities to make Jesus appear stupid or criminal. On this occasion the synagogue leader tries to make himself look good while at the same time making Jesus look bad for breaking the rules. We all have a tendency to do this on occasions, especially when we feel threatened. But Jesus always sees through us.
Rosie Diamond Sulks
Rosie Diamond enjoyed school. She found most of the work quite easy, although she was always better at reading than at maths. Rosie had lots of friends so that if she fell out with one friend she could always turn to another until the breach was healed.
When Jane Summers joined the school, Rosie couldn't help liking Jane, but deep down inside she felt just a teeny twinge of jealousy. She soon discovered that Jane was actually better than she was in all subjects and had a smiley personality as well. And she was pretty as well as clever.
Suddenly Rosie wasn't quite at the top of the pack any more and she didn't like that one bit. She rather wished that Jane would do something wrong, because then she -- Rosie -- would feel better. If only Jane wasn't quite so perfect!
One day when Rosie was hurrying to school, she spotted Jane bending over a small dog. Out of the corner of her eye Rosie watched as Jane took off her belt and attached it to the dog's collar. Then Jane started to lead the dog away.
When the bell went for the start of school, Jane was nowhere to be seen. Rosie immediately hurried to her class teacher. "I know where Jane is," she said, feeling rather important. "I saw her playing with a dog. I don't want her to get into trouble for being late, but if she's just wandering about on the streets on her own she may be in danger. That's why I'm reporting her to you."
The teacher thanked Rosie and Rosie felt good. At last Jane had done something wrong and Rosie had drawn her teacher's attention to it. But Rosie had managed to make it sound as though she was doing Jane a good turn, out of concern for her safety. Rosie felt better than she had since Jane joined the school.
When Jane arrived at school ten minutes late, the teacher called her over. "What is the meaning of this, Jane?" she asked. "You know what time school starts. Why are you late?"
Rosie laughed to herself with glee and waited for Jane's reply.
"I found a stray dog," Jane began. "It was dodging in and out of the traffic so I caught it and took it to the police station. I'm sorry I'm late."
The teacher beamed. "Why Jane," she said. "That dog must have been a danger to cars as well as to itself. You've done exactly right. In exceptional circumstances like this you must use your own judgment to decide what to do. On this occasion the dog was more important than school rules. Well done!"
Jane smiled a sunny smile as she went to sit down, but poor Rosie sulked all day.
Activity:
You need:
Paper and coloured pens or crayons for each child.
Ask the following questions relating to the story:
1. Did Rosie tell the truth? (Yes)
2. Did Jane tell the truth? (Yes)
3. Was Rosie right or wrong to tell the teacher about Jane?
Most children may think Rosie was wrong, because her motive was suspect. But she might also have been right, because it is dangerous for children to be out alone on busy streets.
Ask the children whether Jesus was right or wrong to heal the lady who was bent? They are likely to say he was right, so then ask them whether the leader of the synagogue was right or wrong when he challenged Jesus? (He was right that Jesus was breaking the law, but his motive was suspect.)
Give out the paper and pens and get the children to head each side of the paper, "Right or wrong?" Then get them to draw a picture of Jesus healing the woman on the Sabbath on one side of the paper, and Rosie telling the teacher about Jane on the other side of the paper. Suggest that they explain their pictures to their parents when they get home. You may need to check that they have understood that some things can appear to be right but are really wrong, by getting them to explain their pictures to you first.
Prayers:
Courageous God, in our church may we always be brave enough to look deeply at people and situations. May we never be content with simply following the rules, but may we make sure that our motives are always pure.
Courageous God, we pray for children across the world, especially those who live in areas where people fight each other because they are sure that they are right and those opposing them are wrong. May those children grow up with open minds, able to decide on the truth of a situation for themselves.
Courageous God, help us at school or at work to think things through. May we never just follow the herd, but work things out for ourselves. And may we always remember that you see into our hearts and know all our thoughts and motives.
Courageous God, we ask for healing for those who are sick as we name them before you now . . . .
Blessing:
May you be strong and courageous,
Filled with God's Holy Spirit
And pure in all you think and do and say.
And may the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Be with you, be in your homes
And in your families,
With those whom you love
And with those for whom you pray,
Both now and always. Amen
Jesus was aware of people's deepest needs and what prompted their actions. In our worship today let us consider how we can discover people's deepest needs and the motives for their actions.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes we see only the surface and condemn without real understanding.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are afraid to get sufficiently close to other people to see their inner needs.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we hide behind excuses so that we can criticize other people.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Luke 13:10-17 (NRSV)
Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. [11] And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. [12] When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Woman, you are set free from your ailment." [13] When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. [14] But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day." [15] But the Lord answered him and said, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? [16] And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?" [17] When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.
Story:
Many of the religious officials felt threatened by Jesus, since Jesus was everything they ought to have been but weren't. They often looked for opportunities to make Jesus appear stupid or criminal. On this occasion the synagogue leader tries to make himself look good while at the same time making Jesus look bad for breaking the rules. We all have a tendency to do this on occasions, especially when we feel threatened. But Jesus always sees through us.
Rosie Diamond Sulks
Rosie Diamond enjoyed school. She found most of the work quite easy, although she was always better at reading than at maths. Rosie had lots of friends so that if she fell out with one friend she could always turn to another until the breach was healed.
When Jane Summers joined the school, Rosie couldn't help liking Jane, but deep down inside she felt just a teeny twinge of jealousy. She soon discovered that Jane was actually better than she was in all subjects and had a smiley personality as well. And she was pretty as well as clever.
Suddenly Rosie wasn't quite at the top of the pack any more and she didn't like that one bit. She rather wished that Jane would do something wrong, because then she -- Rosie -- would feel better. If only Jane wasn't quite so perfect!
One day when Rosie was hurrying to school, she spotted Jane bending over a small dog. Out of the corner of her eye Rosie watched as Jane took off her belt and attached it to the dog's collar. Then Jane started to lead the dog away.
When the bell went for the start of school, Jane was nowhere to be seen. Rosie immediately hurried to her class teacher. "I know where Jane is," she said, feeling rather important. "I saw her playing with a dog. I don't want her to get into trouble for being late, but if she's just wandering about on the streets on her own she may be in danger. That's why I'm reporting her to you."
The teacher thanked Rosie and Rosie felt good. At last Jane had done something wrong and Rosie had drawn her teacher's attention to it. But Rosie had managed to make it sound as though she was doing Jane a good turn, out of concern for her safety. Rosie felt better than she had since Jane joined the school.
When Jane arrived at school ten minutes late, the teacher called her over. "What is the meaning of this, Jane?" she asked. "You know what time school starts. Why are you late?"
Rosie laughed to herself with glee and waited for Jane's reply.
"I found a stray dog," Jane began. "It was dodging in and out of the traffic so I caught it and took it to the police station. I'm sorry I'm late."
The teacher beamed. "Why Jane," she said. "That dog must have been a danger to cars as well as to itself. You've done exactly right. In exceptional circumstances like this you must use your own judgment to decide what to do. On this occasion the dog was more important than school rules. Well done!"
Jane smiled a sunny smile as she went to sit down, but poor Rosie sulked all day.
Activity:
You need:
Paper and coloured pens or crayons for each child.
Ask the following questions relating to the story:
1. Did Rosie tell the truth? (Yes)
2. Did Jane tell the truth? (Yes)
3. Was Rosie right or wrong to tell the teacher about Jane?
Most children may think Rosie was wrong, because her motive was suspect. But she might also have been right, because it is dangerous for children to be out alone on busy streets.
Ask the children whether Jesus was right or wrong to heal the lady who was bent? They are likely to say he was right, so then ask them whether the leader of the synagogue was right or wrong when he challenged Jesus? (He was right that Jesus was breaking the law, but his motive was suspect.)
Give out the paper and pens and get the children to head each side of the paper, "Right or wrong?" Then get them to draw a picture of Jesus healing the woman on the Sabbath on one side of the paper, and Rosie telling the teacher about Jane on the other side of the paper. Suggest that they explain their pictures to their parents when they get home. You may need to check that they have understood that some things can appear to be right but are really wrong, by getting them to explain their pictures to you first.
Prayers:
Courageous God, in our church may we always be brave enough to look deeply at people and situations. May we never be content with simply following the rules, but may we make sure that our motives are always pure.
Courageous God, we pray for children across the world, especially those who live in areas where people fight each other because they are sure that they are right and those opposing them are wrong. May those children grow up with open minds, able to decide on the truth of a situation for themselves.
Courageous God, help us at school or at work to think things through. May we never just follow the herd, but work things out for ourselves. And may we always remember that you see into our hearts and know all our thoughts and motives.
Courageous God, we ask for healing for those who are sick as we name them before you now . . . .
Blessing:
May you be strong and courageous,
Filled with God's Holy Spirit
And pure in all you think and do and say.
And may the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Be with you, be in your homes
And in your families,
With those whom you love
And with those for whom you pray,
Both now and always. Amen
