This children’s sermon was written for Easter 2019.
Happy Easter! Today is the biggest day of the year, when we celebrate that God’s love is the greatest, the strongest power of all!
We use all kinds of symbols as we celebrate Easter- like eggs, the cross, and lilies but I want to talk about my favorite, and it’s in this bag. It’s also on the Come Unto Me window and in our Easter window and in this box on my lap! Can you guess what it is? It’s a butterfly! This one I found in my garden after it had finished it’s beautiful life. I keep it in a special box because it’s a treasure to me. I’ve got a paper one* for each of you, which I’ll give you at the end of our service, so that you can take your time in picking one out. (Ask acolyte to go get the basket and show children.)
The butterfly is a beautiful symbol of Easter. I wonder why you think that is. What is it about a butterfly that reminds you of the Easter story?
Our children shared wonderful ideas! One said that butterflies have different stages of their lives, just like Jesus did, while he walked on earth and then went to heaven with God. Another said that if you take the wings off a butterfly and put them together, you make a heart. And another said that the chrysalis is kind of like a tomb, that the butterfly- or Jesus- comes out of! I let the children share their thoughts and brought them back to where we were going.
Yes, when it’s in the chrysalis or cocoon, it looks like it’s dead. Forgotten. Over. But is it? Sounds like Easter to me!
Inside, important changes have begun. It’s TRANSFORMING- changing form.
Jesus transformed, but he also helped others transform and helps us today too.
Now of course we all will transform when our life on earth is over and we live forever with God. But maybe one big thing Jesus did in his life and even as he died and came alive again, was to show us NOW how transform now into the person that God dreams for us to be.
Even when the world did the worst to Jesus, he refused to take revenge or run away. He stood up for love, even on the cross, loving the men beside him and the people who put him there. When he died, like a butterfly he transformed, showing us again we can transform too. I wonder what kind of people you and I will become if we keep transforming with Jesus’s help. It will be fun to see.
I’ll have one of these butterflies for each of you at the end of the service in the narthex. So come and find me and get yours, okay?
Let’s pray: Dear God, thank you for Jesus and your love, the greatest power in the world. Help us keep stand up for love, transforming into the people you made us to be. We love you, God. Amen.
*I found the butterflies on Amazon.
