LESSON: Your future can take you anywhere
BIBLE PASSAGE: Grapes, Vineyard, Communion
Invite the Children to join you on a picnic. Throw down a blanket and have them sit on and around it. Open up the picnic basket.
In our story today, Jesus talked about a vineyard. Do you know what grows in a vineyard? That’s right – VINES! And do you know what grows on these vines? (Pulling out the grapes, ask) Who can tell me what these are? That’s right – grapes! And they are the most amazing fruit! Not to be confused with grapefruit (pull out a grapefruit) which is an entirely different thing and I don’t even know why I have this. (Dispose of grapefruit in an amusing manner, tossing it over your shoulder, perhaps) But wait – not only are THESE grapes, but LOOK! (Pull out a different color of grapes) Look at these! Grapes can be purple or they can be green or white or any number of colors. You know what else? YOU CAN EAT THEM! I know! Here, have some. Let the Children eat the grapes while you are talking
Okay, but that’s not all. You know what else we get from grapes? The adults will laughingly call out “wine!” That’s right – GRAPE JUICE! as you pull out a bottle of grape juice. And you can drink this! In fact, we are having grape juice with our communion today. And if you don’t want to drink grape juice, you can also get grapes to make WINE! Pull out a bottle of wine. Turn to the oldest child present and ask Do you want some wine? Okay, we’ll have some later. IN ABOUT EIGHT YEARS LATER! depending on child’s age.
And finally, LOOK AT THESE! Pull out raisins RAISINS! These are grapes that have been left out intentionally to dry and they are delicious too! Have some! Pour them into a bowl.
You know who are a lot like grapes? All of you. You all come in different colors and shapes and sometimes you are in big groups, hold out a large cluster of grapes like your church family, and sometimes you may be by yourself, hold out a single grape maybe when you are praying. You know what else? God has an amazing plan for you. Maybe you will be the most delicious grape in the world or maybe you will be juice or wine or a raisin hold up each of these items or in raisin bran cereal or who knows what? All I know is that God is putting all these wonderful choices for you as part of your path and I promise you this – if you live the life that God wants you to live – it’s gonna be delicious!