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Peter's
Rescue
based on Matthew 14:22-33
spontaneous drama of the gospel lesson, involving your congregation's
children and the entire congregation
props: plastic cups, a pot and a stick (or wooden spoon)
Have your children pretend they are the disciples in a boat caught in a
storm. Give them plastic cups to help bail out the water. Ask for a volunteer (a
kid who likes thunder storms?) give them a pot and a stick to imitate the sound
of thunder.
Encourage the entire congregation to imitate waves by lifting up their hands
and swaying them from side to side. (Assure them that this won't turn them
into Pentecostals).
Pick two adults from the congregation (or from your staff), one to be Jesus,
the other to be Peter. Re-enact with them the part where Peter gets out of the
boat. Have Jesus walk toward the boat.
Proceed to say that there was an unusually high wave approaching (have the
congregation intensify the wave motion). Have your Peter pretend that he's going
under (fall to knees?). Then have Jesus grab his arm and help him back in the
boat.
Interpretation: God wants us to know through this story, that he
will always be by our side, even when there are unusually big waves hitting us
in life. What are some of those storms and waves that may hit us in life?
(bad mark on a test, getting into a fight and loosing a friend, loosing a toy,
loosing a pet, getting an unfair punishment; getting less than your
brother/sister . . .). Let the kids talk if they are willing. Explain how
God is always near us--especially in difficult moments; that God cares for us
and is there for us (even if we don't notice him).
Closing Prayer: "Thank you almighty and most gracious God for this
story which reminds us that you will never leave us nor forsake us, but that you
will always be by our side; even in the most severe storms in life. Should
we ever lose faith, we know that you will rescue us too as you rescued
Peter. We thank you from all our heart and praise your holy name.
Amen."
