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Children’s Sermon

John 16:12-15

How Jesus Keeps In Touch

June 12, 2022

First Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Year C

Supplies: A cell phone / smart phone (it doesn’t need to work or be turned on).

Related message(s): N/A

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ASK (a.k.a The On-Ramp)

Good morning.
Can you tell me what this is in my hand? [hold up a cell phone]
Very good! It IS a (cell/smart) phone.
Can you tell me what we use cell phones for?
That’s right! We use cell phones to share and get information, sometimes by text, sometimes by talking, sometimes through apps, sometimes through the internet.
What do you think are some good things about being able to share information with people who are far away from us?
[Possible answers: Sometimes we miss people when they are away and we want to reconnect with them; sometimes we want to share something new; sometimes we forgot to say something; sometimes there was not enough time to say all that we wanted to say in person]
Those are good answers! Thank you for sharing your ideas.

TELL (a.k.a. The Freeway)

In today's scripture passage, Jesus tells the disciples that there is too much for him to share in the time that he has with them.
Uh-oh – that doesn’t sound like very good news!
But then, Jesus tells his disciples, “Don't worry! I’m going to give you God's Holy Cell Phone so that we can talk later on."
Except Jesus doesn't actually say “God's Holy Cell Phone...”
Instead, he says, “The Spirit of Truth,” – which is another name for “God's Holy Spirit.”
Jesus then tells his disciples that this Spirit of Truth will share Jesus' words with them.
So in the same ways we use a (cell/smart) phone to communicate with loved ones who are not near us, so too, can Jesus communicate through the Holy Spirit to his disciples.
This is not the only thing that God's Holy Spirit does for us, but just by itself, this is pretty cool, don't you think?

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

So waaaaay back at the start of his ministry, Jesus tells his disciples to follow him and to COPY him in how he seeks first God and God's kingdom.
The disciples eventually learned how to copy Jesus.
And, one of the most important things the disciples learned from Jesus was how to talk to and listen to God in prayer.
Which means that Jesus taught the disciples how to hear God’s words and receive God’s Holy Spirit even if Jesus was far away from the disciples.
And guess what!? The same thing is true for us!
As we copy how Jesus seeks first the Kingdom of God (which we learn by reading the stories about Jesus), we will also learn how to listen for and hear God's Holy Spirit.
And, as we listen for and hear God's Holy Spirit, we will then be able to hear and understand Jesus' continued teachings about how to live God's better life...
...including how to share God’s better life with those who are around us.
That’s the good news for today. Let’s pray.

CLOSING Prayer

This is a repeat-after-me prayer.

Dear God,

Help us to learn from Jesus…

...how to seek you first …

...so that we can then hear more…

…of Jesus’ words and teachings…

…through your Holy Spirit.

Thank you and Amen

Originally posted April 28, 2013
Updated on June 12, 2022
Written and edited by Nathanael Vissia

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