ISAIAH 51:1-6

MATTHEW 16:13-20

Interactive sermon with children

10:30a.m. Service, August 21, 2005

Who is Jesus?

In today’s Bible story about Jesus, Jesus and his closest friends were going on a hike. Has anyone been on a hike up a hill or a mountain? (Responses.) Let’s imagine we’re going on a hike with Jesus up some mountains. (Walking in place with knees lifted up high.) (Aside to adults and teens: I’ve been to Caesarea Philippi, where today’s Gospel story is set, and it’s a mountainous area in the Golan Heights. To get there from the Seacoast, Jesus and his disciples had to have the physiques of Marines or Outward Bound instructors.)

O.K. Phew. We’re here. When they had stopped to rest on their hike, Jesus asked his friends if they knew his secret identity. He was more than just some guy named Jesus! Because learning who Jesus really is is like finding a treasure, let’s go on a treasure hunt around the church to find the answers!

(Around the church are sheets of paper saying “Is Jesus...” each of which covers possible answers, which the kids lift up one by one. In order, the papers underneath read “Is Jesus...” (1)“A member of the Fantastic Four?” (2) “Buzz Lightyear?” (3)“Harry Potter?” (4) “Yoda?” (5) A real person? (6) Only a nice guy who died long ago? (7) Just one of the prophets in the Bible? (8) The Christ, the Messiah? (9) The Son of God? (10) The Savior of the World? (11) The King of Kings and Lord of Lords? (12) Wonderful counselor? (13) The Prince of Peace? (14) The Resurrection and the Life? (Wrong answers are taken down, right answers are left in plain sight. The last two answers are under the last two Stations of the Cross.)

Wow! Jesus is all of those things – that makes him the most important person who ever lived! He is the person who makes God’s love live powerfully in our lives, now and forever!

(The Rev.) Francis A. Hubbard

St. Barnabas Episcopal Church