Children's Conversations at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu

A children's conversation by Pastor Jeff Lilley -------------------------------------------------------- I was cleaning out my office and found this big box full of markers, crayons, and other things like that. It's like a tool kit for making dull things beautiful and colorful. In today's Gospel, Jesus talks about love, which is a different tool kit that lets us make the world beautiful. And like love, these makers and crayons won't make the world beautiful unless I share them with you. So I'm going to give you each some, and during the rest of the service, you use them to make these drab pieces of paper colorful.

A children's conversation by Pastor Jeff Lilley -------------------------------------------------------- Today's Gospel talks about vines. Several years ago Ms. Peggy planted a vine by my office. At first it was very small, but soon it grew big and covered the trellis she put behind the vine. God's love is like that. It starts small in the baby Jesus and we see it flower at Easter. I'm going to give each of you a flower from the vine by my office to remind you of God's love.

A children's conversation by Pastor Jeff Lilley -------------------------------------------------------- Today is Good Shepherd Sunday. You may never have seen a shepherd, but they often carry sticks like this to protect their sheep and guide them along the path. Jesus gathers us in a keeps us safe with a different kind of stick--the cross. When you see the cross, remember that Jesus is the good shepherd who lays down his life for us.

A children's conversation by Pastor Jeff Lilley -------------------------------------------------------- Today is Earth Day, and we thank God for everything God made. In the Gospel, Jesus appears to the frightened disciples, tells them not to be afraid, and sends them out into the world. Loving Jesus is all about care of the whole Earth. This shows God's love.

A children's conversation by Pastor Jeff Lilley -------------------------------------------------------- Today is Easter when Jesus rose from the dead. You remember that we hid the word "alleluia" at the beginning of Lent, and today you have to see if you can find it. Now, I want you to lift up the alleluia, and everyone else will say it as loud as they can. So, for the rest of the Easter season, I want you to wake up every morning and say "Alleluia! Christ is risen!"

A children's conversation by Pastor Jeff Lilley -------------------------------------------------------- In today's first lesson, the prophet tells the people that God will make a new covenant. A covenant is an agreement, and you know about God's covenants with Noah and Abraham and God's covenant in the Ten Commandments. People did not do well with those agreements, so God makes a new covenant in the shape of the cross, a new covenant in Jesus. In Jesus God loves all of us, no matter what.

A children's conversation by Pastor Jeff Lilley -------------------------------------------------------- In today's Gospel, we hear the famous verse John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that God gave God's only Son." Now Jesus said this to Nicodemus, a teacher who was afraid people would find out he was a follower of Jesus. So Nicodemus was afraid and kept this verse secret. But Jesus wants all of us and all of you to tell people about God's love.

A children's conversation by Pastor Jeff Lilley -------------------------------------------------------- In today's first lesson, we heard the Ten Commandments. One of the most important is to remember the Sabbath. It tells us that God created the world in six days and then rested. God gives us the Sabbath as a gift so we can rest and worship. So, each Sunday, we need to rest and remember God.

A children's conversation by Pastor Jeff Lilley -------------------------------------------------------- In today's Gospel, the disciples are excited to be with Jesus, but he tells them that he will suffer and die. Then Jesus goes on to say that whoever finds their life will loose it, and whoever looses their life for God's sake will find it. I have a conch shell here. It's dead, but once it was alive with a snail inside. Here in Hawai'i we call this a pu, and we use it to announce something important. When we blow through it, it gets our attention.

A children's conversation by Pastor Jeff Lilley -------------------------------------------------------- Today we heard the story of Noah and the Flood. At that time, people were bad, so God sent a flood, but Noah built an ark to save his family and the animals. After the flood, God promised never again to destroy the world with a flood, and God put the rainbow in the sky as a symbol of that promise. So, when you see the rainbow, remember the promise God made to all creation. But God also made a promise to you in baptism that you are a child of God. So, whenever you feel the rain on your head, remember the promise God made to you in baptism.