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Children’s Sermon

Mark 1:14-20

The Jesus Way of Fishing

January 21, 2024

Third Sunday after Epiphany

Lectionary Year B

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

Good morning!
I have a question for you this morning. [Hold up picture (or real container) of whip cream] Can you tell me what this?
That’s right! It IS whip cream.
Can you tell me some foods you like to put whip cream on? (pie, milkshakes, hot chocolate, french toast, jello, etc.)
Those all sound like fantastic foods to have with whip cream.
One of the things I’ve noticed about adding whip cream to certain foods is that it makes awesome food taste even more awesome!
For example, sometimes I see pumpkin pie and think, “No, thank you – I’m too full.” But if I see that same pumpkin pie with whip cream, then I’m like, “I think I’ll have two slices right now, please!”
What do you think – are there certain foods that you want to eat even more because it has whip cream on it?
Those are good answers!
Thank you for talking to me about whip cream. Keep this conversation in mind because I’m going to bring it up again in just a little bit.

TELL (a.k.a. The Freeway)

In today’s scripture story, we hear that Jesus sees Peter, Andrew, James, and John fishing.
They were fishing because that was their job. That’s what they did to help their family.
Jesus then invites them to stop working and to start following him as his disciples.
The story says that Peter, Andrew, James, and John immediately laid down their nets and followed Jesus.
They didn’t even have to think about it. They just did it.
In case you might be wondering why they were so quick to follow Jesus …[Hold up picture (or real container) of whip cream ] … I think this can help us think about why.

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

In the same way whip cream helps someone like me remember how much I like pumpkin pie, so does Jesus help people like Peter, Andrew, James, and John remember how much they like God.
Jesus was really good at helping people see God’s awesomeness.
Jesus was also really good at teaching his disciples, like Peter, Andrew, James, and John, how to better receive God’s awesomeness, how to receive God’s light, love, and healing.
And, as the disciples learned to receive God’s awesomeness, then they also learned how to share God’s awesomeness with others, which in turn, helped those people remember God’s awesomeness.
The same thing is still true, today, for us.
As we learn from Jesus (from the Bible stories) how we can better receive God’s light, love, and healing, then we are also learning how to better share God’s light, love, and healing.
And, when we share God’s light, love, and healing then we are helping others see and know God’s awesomeness – just like Jesus did.
That’s the good news for today. Let’s pray…

CLOSING Prayer

This is a repeat-after-me prayer.

Dear God,

Thank you for Jesus…

…who shares your awesomeness with others.

Please help us…

…to receive your awesome love…

…so that we can share it with others.

…just like Jesus did.

Thank you and Amen.

Originally posted January 11, 2015

Updated on December 23, 2024
Written and edited by Nathanael Vissia

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Supplies: A can of whip cream or a picture of whip cream (see last page of .PDF)

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