By FMCSF Youth Group

Note: Our church’s youth group rewrote the Gospel stories for each Sunday of Lent and then presented them as children’s stories during worship.

First Sunday of Lent, Feb. 18
Luke 4:16-21, “Jesus’ first sermon”

Narrator 1: Before we get started with the story, I want to tell you a little bit about Jesus. He was a radical guy, some would say a quirky dude. He was poor and didn’t come from a powerful or famous family. Not everyone agreed with him or could accept what he had to say. He was kinda like Robin Hood or Martin Luther King Jr. or Mr. Incredible. No matter what, he did what was right—that’s integrity.

Narrator 2: In this story, Jesus shows up in his hometown—Detroit, Michigan. Jesus was unemployed. He used to work at a car factory until the factory closed. After that he was hitch-hiking around the country for awhile. One weekend he got a ride to Detroit with a truck driver and decided to go to his home congregation for a worship service.

Narrator 1: He hadn’t been there for awhile and when sharing time came he went up to the microphone, announced that he was filled with God’s spirit and then read this scripture:

Jesus: I have come to proclaim good news to the poor.

Narrator 1: People who have too much money and stuff will give it to those who do not have enough. 

Jesus: God has sent me to proclaim release to the captives.

Narrator 1: Release to immigrants in detention and people in prison. 

Jesus: Recovery of sight to the blind.

Narrator 1: Everyone can go to the doctor whether or not they have money. 

Congregation: Who is this guy again? He sounds crazy.

Jesus: To let the oppressed go free.

Narrator 1: To let the oppressed go free. 

Jesus: To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

Narrator 1: To proclaim that everyone living on the street will have a house. 

Narrator 1: Then he sat down and the congregation said…

Congregation: “Whoaaaaa!”

Narrator 1: They were all looking at him so he stood up and said,

Jesus: “I’m not talking about the future, folks. This is all happening NOW.”

Narrator 1: So this Jesus guy, like we said, he was radical and not everyone knew what to do with him. He was a poor person who was teaching other poor people and together they were creating a movement to change the world. He called the movement the “kingdom of God.” The movement was about being in healthy relationships with each other and working together for justice. It was about sharing, about everyone having enough food and everyone having a home and being free.

Come back next week to hear a story about Jesus and a rich guy who wanted to join his movement.