Preparation:
You’ll need small and inexpensive LED lights to give to the children. I recommend “finger lights” like those shown in the image associated with this posting. Clicking on the image will bring you to a product page for them on Amazon.com. Be aware that there are several vendors who make these lights: some are good quality, many are not. The ones shown here are good and reliable (and cheap, when bought in quantity).
The Presentation:
Tell me what do you think of when you hear the word “darkness”?
(Solicit responses from the children, looking for ways in which they connect to darkness, prompt if necessary.)
Why would we want to talk about darkness here, in Church?
(Solicit thoughts, looking for the idea of salvation and Jesus’ Resurrection on Easter as God’s way of redeeming us from darkness.)
(Yes,) In a couple of weeks, we celebrate Easter, when Jesus rose again after he died, and promised that we would live again someday, too. Now, listen carefully to the very first words written in the Bible, [ready?] …
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”
God was there before anything, and created everything – the heavens and the earth. … And, the very first thing God did, hovering there in that empty darkness, was to create light: “Let there be light” God said, and there was light.”
This morning I wanted to bring you that message, that no matter how dark or scary things may seem, God is there with you, and has been there from the very beginning.
So, no matter where you are, God, and the light that comes from God, is there: God was there long before you, and is always there for you, now and forever. That is the message of Jesus.
Let’s end with a prayer…
God, help us to always remember that you are there for us, and that you created everything, including us and everything we know, out of the darkness. Help us to remember that you are everywhere, including in that darkness, all the time – always and forever ready to help us and take care of us. Amen.
Now, I want to give you something to help you remember this. So, here are some little finger lights. I want you to keep them with you, and whenever you need to remember that God is always with you, and will take care of you, I want you to turn them on, OK?
But before you go, I want you to share these reminder-lights with everyone here today – one per person – because we all need to be reminded from time to time that God is with us – always.
(But I’ll tell you a secret, I have lots of these lights, so if you take two for yourself, that’s OK!)
Copyright (c) 2014, Allen Vander Meulen III, all rights reserved. I’m happy to share my writings with you, as long as you are not seeking (or gaining) financial benefit for doing so, and as long as proper credit for my authorship is given. (e.g., via a credit that gives my full name and/or provides a link back to this site – or just email me and ask!)
The Here and the Hereafter 