"Produce or perish"
Children's Activity
Object:
Teachers or Parents: Jesus told this parable to make the
point that God's people are expected to produce good works. As it
says in Ephesians 2:10, we are God's workmanship, created in
Christ Jesus for the specific purpose of doing good works. We need
to instill in our children a Christian work ethic that leads them
to do good works because they are God's people. This is what God
demands of the people he has saved.
*Make up some fruit tree signs that can be pinned on the
children. Have some apple, cherry, peach, and so forth (enough for
each child to be labeled as a tree). Make a number of round paper
or light cardboard pieces that can represent fruits of different
kinds. Explain to the children that we are all God's fruit trees,
and God expects us to produce fruit. The fruits God wants us to
produce are "good works," things we do that help others. Pass out
the round pieces and tell them to write down on these pieces the
good works that they have done in the last week and attach them to
themselves. (You will need to provide pins or some means of
attaching them.) You will probably need to give them some examples
to get them started and help younger children who may not be able
to write. When everyone has got some fruit attached, go around the
group asking them to talk about the good works they have done. Be
sure they understand that, as God's people, we do good works
because God loved us and saved us, not in order to be loved and
saved. Ask them what we should do with a fruit tree that doesn't
produce fruit, in order to make the point that such trees are
worthless.
Sunday school assembly opening:
*Bring various kinds of fruit and show the fruit to the
group, asking them to identify the fruit and tell what kind of a
tree it came from. Give each child a piece of fruit to keep, and
explain the parable that Jesus tells in the Gospel message.
point that God's people are expected to produce good works. As it
says in Ephesians 2:10, we are God's workmanship, created in
Christ Jesus for the specific purpose of doing good works. We need
to instill in our children a Christian work ethic that leads them
to do good works because they are God's people. This is what God
demands of the people he has saved.
*Make up some fruit tree signs that can be pinned on the
children. Have some apple, cherry, peach, and so forth (enough for
each child to be labeled as a tree). Make a number of round paper
or light cardboard pieces that can represent fruits of different
kinds. Explain to the children that we are all God's fruit trees,
and God expects us to produce fruit. The fruits God wants us to
produce are "good works," things we do that help others. Pass out
the round pieces and tell them to write down on these pieces the
good works that they have done in the last week and attach them to
themselves. (You will need to provide pins or some means of
attaching them.) You will probably need to give them some examples
to get them started and help younger children who may not be able
to write. When everyone has got some fruit attached, go around the
group asking them to talk about the good works they have done. Be
sure they understand that, as God's people, we do good works
because God loved us and saved us, not in order to be loved and
saved. Ask them what we should do with a fruit tree that doesn't
produce fruit, in order to make the point that such trees are
worthless.
Sunday school assembly opening:
*Bring various kinds of fruit and show the fruit to the
group, asking them to identify the fruit and tell what kind of a
tree it came from. Give each child a piece of fruit to keep, and
explain the parable that Jesus tells in the Gospel message.
