Pentecost Uncovered (A children's address)

Pentecost Uncovered:  (‘Mirror’ Image& Practise chorus)

(Blow out a candle on top of a birthday cake, and close eyes to make a wish.)

TO THE CHILDREN~

If you had one birthday wish, what would it be that you would wish for? (USE MICROPHONE FOR THEIR ANSWERS)

And if someone you really trusted said, ‘Your wish will come true any day now, how would you feel?

Who would be ....Excited? Overjoyed? Emotional?  Impatient? Shocked? Nervous?

These are probably the same feelings Jesus disciples had when one day, just before he went back to heaven, he said to them:-

‘ I want you to wait in Jerusalem for a very special gift, a gift I’ve been telling you about for a long time now, and soon it will be yours!’

It was a gift that God himself wished them to have! (Mime the following words in italics and invite them to’ mirror’ them back...)

And so they waited and waited and prayed and prayed.

Very soon afterwards, when they were all together praying it happened.

They heard a really strong wind (sound effect)

They looked around at each other and saw strange flames on everyone’s heads, and when they opened their mouths they began speaking foreign languages that they had never ever learned.

The gift that they had been given was the same gift that had been given to Jesus; a gift that had helped Jesus to listen carefully to God, and follow his instructions, but also do wonderful things for God...healings and miracles.

It was a gift that no-one would be able to take from them.

A gift that would set them free. 

The Holy Spirit was that gift. The day was called Pentecost!

They had all been hiding inside a room with locked doors, in case the same people that had crucified Jesus, came for them too.)

Now they were filled with power and courage.

They flung the doors wide open and went outside, and began to tell the people all about Jesus, how they had been wrong to call for his death; that God had raised him from the dead, and that he above all others was Lord.

Three thousand people said they were sorry and ashamed that day, they came to believe in Jesus and they too were filled with the same Holy Spirit. Like some forest fire spreading....

Many many more people came to believe from that moment as the disciples began to heal the sick using the name of Jesus; they cared for poor people and fed the hungry, they spoke out fearlessly about the need to come to God and believe.

Now it was as though the Spirit of Jesus himself lived on in them.

We’re now going to have a song which tells this story and if anyone would like to stay and help me do some mirror work with cheerleader sticks please do.

From the CD Dependence by Dave Godfrey Track 15 ‘On the Day of Pentecost’,  I then mimed actions which all the children mirrored with cheerleader sticks. This song tells the story of Pentecost, and it is so uplifting. It tells the whole story.