Free From Rulers

🕊 Children’s Message

John 8:31–36 • Reformation Sunday

👋 Hey friends!

• Have you ever used a ruler before?

• When do we use a ruler?

• How often do we need it?

Well, sometimes people use invisible rulers—not the kind in your pencil box, but ones that try to measure how good or how smart or how special we are. They might say things like: “You’re too loud.” “You’re not fast enough.” “You should be more like them.”

📏 Free from Rulers

We live in a world that tries to measure us with rulers:

How tall we are. How fast we run. How good we behave.

But God doesn’t use rulers like that. God uses grace.

Grace means we’re loved even when we mess up.

Grace means we’re forgiven and free to be a new "Me" each day.

Grace means we don’t have to pretend to be someone or be perfect.

We just stay close to Jesus.

You are God’s masterpiece.

📅 Reformation Sunday

Today is Reformation Sunday. It’s a day we remember how God’s people were reformed.

"Reform" is a big word that means to make something better, helpful, comforting, joyful, practical. It also means to correct something that is not quite right.

More than 500 years ago, the church had some rules that didn’t help people grow close to Jesus. So God stirred up brave hearts to say: “Let’s go back to Jesus. Let’s follow his truth. Let’s be free from "rules” that keep us away from God.

And they did. One of those brave hearts was Martin Luther.

Reformation is like:

• 🌬 A big breath of fresh air—a chance to grow in love, not just follow old rulers.

• 🔥 A fire that burns away what’s not helpful, making room for Jesus in our lives.

• 🎂 A birthday—a new beginning for God’s people.

❤️ What Do You See?

👀 Take a look around our worship space. What color do you see today?

❤️ Red!

What does red remind you of?

• 🔥 Fire that warms us and shapes us—like God’s love burning bright.

• 🌬 Breath that helps us live—like God’s Spirit moving through us.

• 🎂 A birthday! The birthday of God’s people—washed clean in baptism, made new in God’s promises.

🎉 Jesus says...

Jesus says, “If you follow me, you’ll know the truth, and the truth will set you free!”

Free from rulers.

Free to be loved.

Free to be kind.

Free to be YOU.

Jesus doesn’t use rulers to measure us.

He uses love.

He invites us to walk with him, learn from him, and be shaped by his Spirit.

🙏 Let’s Pray Together

From being washed in our baptism... That’s good enough!

From being renewed each day as we breathe in and out... That’s good enough!

Teach us how to love you each day.

Show us the chances.

Lead our steps.

Be with us everywhere we go.

With your love and care.

Amen.