People, I can’t tell you how much I LOVE THIS BOOK! When I learned that our main sermon was going to be about the importance of asking for help and forgiveness in the kingdom of God, I knew that this book would be a great vehicle to help the kids think and talk about that.
Here’s the script I planned to give for the children’s sermon:
Good morning, girls and boys. Today I brought with me a new favorite book of mine. It was written by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers, and its called The Day the Crayons Came Home. It’s a funny book, and it also reminds me of the today’s scripture. I’m going to read just a little of it, but I’ll put a copy in the children’s gathering room so that you can read the whole thing. After I finish reading some of it, let’s talk about it.
One day, Duncan and his crayons were happily coloring together when a strange stack of postcards arrived for him in the mail.
(Now I read a few postcards from the book. I chose to read the ones from Maroon, Pea Green, and then Turquoise.)
Duncan was sad to learn of all the crayons he’d lost, forgotten, broken or neglected over the years. So he ran around gathering them up. But Duncan’s crayons were all so damaged and differently shaped than they used to be that they no longer fit in the crayon box. So Duncan had an idea. He built a place where each crayon would always feel at home. (Show the picture of the crayon box and what the crayons say.)
I wonder what you hear God saying to you in this story. (Allow children to respond.)
I hear God saying that God’s kingdom is for all of us! His box is a home for the broken and lost! For the forgotten and neglected! For the ones whose lives has been chewed up and spit out on the carpet! For all of us!
Oh those crayons had been through so much! But they all did something that the scripture reminds us to do when we feel forgotten or different or broken, when we’ve made mistakes or had mistakes happen to us: ask for help! Our scripture says that Jesus knows what our life is like- he was here too- So let’s walk right up to him and get what Jesus is so ready to give. Take the mercy, the forgiveness, accept the help. That’s a wonderful thing to remember!
Let’s pray: Dear God, thank you for loving us all the time- when we feel lost or broken or different, when we’ve made mistakes or when sad things happen to us. Help us remember to ask you for help when we need it and for forgiveness when we do wrong. Thank you that you are our home where we are all welcome, no matter what. We love you, God. Amen.
* Just an after thought: the Monday after I shared this book in worship, a stylishly dressed grandmother marched in my office and grabbed me by the elbow. “Thank you for sharing that book,” she said. “I have to tell you, I’m a broken crayon. More broken than most. Some days it seems like only a paperclip is holding me together.”
I am too! We all are, aren’t we?
Hooray for a God who gathers us up when we’ve made mistakes or when bad things happen to us. Thank goodness we have a God who build us a home where all are welcome, no matter what!
*This children’s sermon was given to accompany a sermon based on Hebrews 4:12-16, on October 11, 2015 (Year B, Proper 23, 20th Sunday after Pentecost)
