Resources for Christian Education

Children’s Sermon

Mark 5:21-43

Jesus Never Gives Up

June 27, 2021

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Year B

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ASK    (a.k.a The On-Ramp)

• Good morning!
• I have a question for you – what’s something that was difficult for you to learn and took you lots of tries before you were able to do it right?
• [Who knows what the kids might say, but if they get stuck, here are some ideas to use to prompt them:

• Were you always able to tie your shoes?
• Ride a bike?
• How about walking? Talking? Eating with a fork, spoon and knife?]

• Because you didn’t give up or quit, you can now do those things, right? You kept at it, right?
• Well done with keeping at it until you learned it!

TELL    (a.k.a. The Freeway)

• In today’s scripture story, we see that Jesus is just like you: He doesn’t give up either. But there were a number of times when he could have quit.
• First, a father is asking Jesus to heal his daughter. That’s not an easy thing to do, but Jesus agrees to help.
• But, trying to get to the father’s house proves difficult because there are so many people surrounding Jesus. Jesus could’ve quit, right then, but he keeps moving towards the father’s house.
• During this journey, a woman who is sick touches Jesus and is cured. But Jesus wants to know who touched him. His disciples are like, “What a weird question -- EVERYONE IS TOUCHING YOU!”
• But Jesus doesn’t give up, here, either – he keeps asking who touched him. The woman finally steps forward to say, “It was me.”
• Jesus then tells the woman that her faith has healed her and to go in peace – this is an important part of her healing and Jesus knows it, which is why he didn’t stop asking the question about who touched him.
• While this was happening, news arrived that the father’s daughter had died.
• The people then tell Jesus to give up, to turn around, to quit.
• But Jesus doesn’t listen to them; he doesn’t give up.
• Jesus continues on. He eventually makes it to the father’s house and once he’s there, he brings the daughter back to life.
• The reason that Jesus does not give up in this story is because the first thing Jesus does and then KEEPS doing is focus his attention on God.

• And because he keeps his attention on God, Jesus keeps receiving God’s spirit and God’s healing love – which he then has to share with the people around him, even when the things that are happening are not easy things.

SHARE the Good News   (a.k.a. The Destination)

• You know, we live in a world where there’s a lot of need for God’s spirit and healing love.
• There’s so much need, in fact, that we might feel like the world is asking for too much and that we should just give up.
• Which is why today’s story is such a good reminder for us to focus on God and what God gives us – instead of focusing on all the things that are being asked for.
• Just like Jesus kept paying attention to God, so too can we keep paying attention to God.
• And when we do keep paying attention to God, then we’ll be able to keep receiving AND sharing God’s spirit and God’s healing love with those around us – just like Jesus did in today’s story.
• That’s the good news for today. Let’s pray.

CLOSING Prayer

• This is a repeat-after-me prayer.

Dear God,

Dear God,

Thank you for Jesus...

Thank you for Jesus...

...who never stopped…

...who never stopped…

...paying attention to you…

...paying attention to you...

...and teaches us how to do the same.

...and teaches us how to do the same.

Thank you and amen

Originally posted June 13, 2015

Updated on May 31, 2021

Written and edited by Nathanael Vissia

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