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Children’s Sermon

John 3:1-17

Nicodemus Visits Jesus

March 5, 2023

2nd Sunday in Lent

Lectionary Year A

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

Good morning!
I have a question for you -- can you tell me what this is? [show the balled up piece of paper]
And, what do you think -- if I drop it from up here, do you think it will drop straight down? Or do you think it will land somewhere else? [ listen to their answers ]
Those are all good guesses! Let's see what happens [ hold balled-up paper in air and drop it ]
Yep – looks like it dropped straight down.
But what if we didn’t want it to drop straight down? Do you have any ideas about how this piece of paper might be able to catch the air better so that, when I drop it, it wouldn’t drop straight down? [it will be interesting to hear what they have to say]
Those are some good ideas! I think I heard someone say to uncrumple the paper. I think I'll try that.
[uncrumple and smooth out the paper]
OK, I'm going to drop this piece of paper again -- do you think it will drop straight down or land somewhere else? [listen to their answers]
Those are all good guesses! Let's see what happens [ hold up flattened paper and drop it ]
So, did the paper fall straight down? (No -- it floated and drifted)
Why do you think the paper acted differently?
Yes, I think you're right. Because the paper was flattened out, it was able to catch more of the air and then float on its way to the ground.

TELL (a.k.a. The Freeway)

In today's scripture story, Nicodemus, a religious teacher, asks Jesus how it is that Jesus can do all the things that Jesus is able to do.
Jesus' answer is that he can do what he does because of God's Holy Spirit.
Jesus then says that God's Holy Spirit is like the wind.
Finally, Jesus tells Nicodemus that he has to learn how to receive God's Holy Spirit.
In other words, Jesus tells Nicodemus that he has to be like a flat piece of paper and not a balled up piece of paper so that he can better catch God's Holy Spirit.

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

Sometimes, it is difficult to understand a different way to do something.
Just like some of us may not have thought to flatten the balled-up piece of paper, it seems like Nicodemus did not understand by himself how to invite God's Holy Spirit into his life.
But that's one of the gifts that Jesus offered -- he helped people to see what God's Holy Spirit could do and then he taught them how to invite God's Holy Spirit into their lives.
Which is why today's story reminds us that God so loved the world that God gave us Jesus, who showed us both why we would want to receive God's Holy Spirit and then how to do it..
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…

…who taught us…

…how to receive and then share…

…your Holy Spirit…

…with the world you so love.

Thank you and Amen.

Originally posted March 7, 2014
Updated on February 3, 2023
Written and edited by Nathanael Vissia

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Supplies: A balled-up sheet of printer or copier paper

Related message(s): Here’s an old and overly-complex message about John 3:1-17