Children's Conversations at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu Lutheran Church of Honolulu

A children's conversation by Pastor Jeff Lilley -------------------------------------------------------- Please line up according to height. Now arrange yourself by first name; now by age. The world arranges us in different ways and has its own idea about who is first. In our Gospel, Jesus talks about being humble and not going for the highest place at a banquet. In God's love, each of you is the greatest because God loves each of you very, very much. God also tells us to love one another, so we also see each other as the greatest.

A children's conversation by Pastor Jeff Lilley -------------------------------------------------------- In today's Gospel, Jesus heals a woman who has been bent over for many years. We can begin to imagine how painful it was for her to live for all those years by walking around the church bent over. Jesus sees her suffering and heals her, so she praises God. But the religious leaders complain because Jesus healed her on the Sabbath. We know that the Sabbath is a day for us to meet God, and the woman meets God in her healing. God meets us all the time and brings us blessings.

A children's conversation by Pastor Jeff Lilley -------------------------------------------------------- I'm sure you noticed that you're sitting in a different place today. Are you comfortable? Many of us don't like change. In today's Gospel, the people don't respond well when Jesus asks them to change. But Jesus promises to be with us no matter what. Sometimes we just need a change in perspective, and Jesus is always with us.

A children's conversation by Pastor Jeff Lilley -------------------------------------------------------- Today's Gospel talks about treasure, so we're going to hunt for the great treasure we have from God, grace. Where do you think we can find it? You're right: in the baptismal font, in the piano, in the Bible, in the oil and communion on the altar, and in the door of the church. There is grace everywhere we look and in all these people. The grace of God is a great treasure.

A children's conversation by Pastor Jeff Lilley -------------------------------------------------------- I need your help today. Please tell me how to pray. You are right to start by thanking God and to pray for the things we need. It's like Jesus in our Gospel who tells the disciples to thank God for being God, to ask for our daily bread, to ask that we not be tested, and to ask for the things we need.

A children's conversation by Pastor Jeff Lilley -------------------------------------------------------- Today's Gospel is about Jesus visiting Mary and Martha. Mary is listening to Jesus while Martha is working, so Martha comes to Jesus and asks him to make Mary help her. Which is more important, the Bible with Jesus' words or the broom we use to clean up here at church? Jesus both wants us to listen to him and sends us out to do the work of the Gospel, so both the Bible and the broom are necessary for us to answer the call to love God and love our neighbor.