ASK (a.k.a The On-Ramp)
- Good morning!
- We’re going to play a game of “Simon says and does”.
- The way this works is that I’ll say “Simon says” and then the thing that I say, I
will also DO.
- If what I say and what I do match each other, then you are supposed to do it, too.
- HOWEVER, if I what I do and what I say do NOT match, then you don’t do what I’m saying
OR doing.
- So if I say, “Simon says “FALL OVER” but I stay standing up, what do you think you
should do… fall over?” (NOOO!)
- Why? (Because you stayed standing)
- Ok, it sounds like you’ve got it. So…let’s play! [OVERALL NOTE: We are not trying
to trick the kids, here. The idea is to do the things that you say every time.]
- Simon says “Clap your hands” [I prefer doing a rhythmic clap, like two short claps
and a long clap, but how you choose to do the clapping has no bearing on how the
message proceeds]
- Simon says “Stomp your feet” [Again, I prefer a rhythmic stomp, like left-left-right
and then right-right-left instead of a pitter-patter, but again, how you choose to
do the stomping has no bearing on how the message proceeds]
- Simon says “Shout “AAAAAAAAAHHHHH” “ [Note: Be sure to move the mic away from your
face AND the kids when shouting “aaaahhhh” ]
- [Repeat the three steps]: “Simon says “Clap your hands” ; Simon says “Stomp your
feet” ; Simon says “Shout AAAAHHHH”
- [Then] Simon says “Do all three things at the same time – clap, stomp, shout AAAAAHHH”
[chaos ensues]
- [Then] Simon says, “Sit down because the game is done” [NOTE: be sure to sit down
when you say this!]
- Thank you for playing – you all were very good clappers, stompers, and shouters.
TELL (a.k.a. The Freeway)
- So, in today’s scripture story, Jesus is talking to his disciples.
- And one of the things that he says is that they, the disciples, are going to do even
greater things than he, Jesus, has done.
- That’s a pretty amazing thing for Jesus to say, don’t you think?
- Another thing that Jesus tells the disciples is that he tells them HOW they will
be able to do greater things than he has.
- The way the disciples will do the same and greater things as Jesus is by doing the
very things that Jesus has been saying to them and then doing.
SHARE the Good News (a.k.a. The Destination)
- It’s almost like Jesus is playing a game of “Simon says and does” with his disciples.
- If we think back to the our “Simon Says and Does” game – why did you do the things
that I did? – Because I said AND did them, right?
- Although you were doing the same things as I was, there were MORE of you doing those
things – so you were doing them louder and greater than I was, weren’t you? – Yes,
yes you were!
- So that’s the same thing that Jesus is telling his disciples: Do what I’ve said and
do what I’ve done and when you do that together, then you will do what I have done…and
because more of you are doing those things, it will be greater than what I’ve done.
- And guess what? We can do the same thing today!
- We can choose to be disciples of Jesus, where we study what Jesus taught and did.
And then, we can actually do what Jesus taught and did.
- And when we do this, when we do what Jesus taught and did, then we are doing what
Jesus said his disciples would be doing in today’s story: The same things that Jesus
did and even greater (because there are more of us doing those things).
- That is the good news for today!
CLOSING Prayer
- Let’s pray. This is a repeat-after-me prayer.
Dear God,
Dear God,
Thank you for Jesus…
Thank you for Jesus…
…who did what he said…
…who did what he said…
…and taught us and showed us…
…and taught us and showed us…
…how to do the same.
…how to do the same.
Thank you and Amen.
Originally posted May 11, 2014
Updated on April 8, 2023
Written and edited by Nathanael
Vissia
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