This is not original, but I did see a Children's Message idea somewhere for this text. The suggestion was that the presenter bring a small branch with dead, dried-up leaves as an object to catch the kids' attention. Ask them if it you could stick this branch in the ground, pour some water on it, and expect it to grow. No … obviously that wouldn't work Why? It's dead. It is cut off from the tree. It has no roots. It has no trunk. And from there, the presenter can get back to our relationship with Jesus. When we are joined with him, we have His nourishment and life. Apart from Him, we are like the dead branch.
