Saying or doing?
Children's Activity
Object:
Teachers or Parents: Today's theme is about hypocrisy --
saying something that sounds nice, but then not following through
on one's words with actions. It's also called phoniness. Children
understand incongruity of character.
*Have the children act out the parable. Whether just one child and yourself at home or twenty children in Sunday school, let some children really get into wild and extravagant promises. Others can say no more than what they will do. Show the contrast: Promises to rid the world of poverty sound wonderful but giving a jar of peanut butter to a food bank is more important than all the promises in the world.
*Actually do something to benefit others: Have a scavenger hunt, clean up litter around the church building or in the neighborhood, write letters to residents in the nursing homes, make and send a card to someone sick in the hospital, actually visit a nursing home, and so forth.
*As the elections get closer, politicians make more promises -- many of which they cannot fulfill. Bring news articles of some of the promises politicians are making and ask, "Do you think this person can actually do what he/she is promising?" The question Jesus raised is appropriate: "Is it more important to do or to say?"
*Explain the context and terms of the story to the children. Consult a good Bible dictionary to explain: chief priests, elders (v. 23); tax collectors, prostitutes (vv. 31, 32); righteousness (v. 32). The chief priests and elders of the temple considered themselves good ("righteous") people and they looked down their noses at those who were branded "sinners" (tax collectors, prostitutes). The religious leaders had nice-sounding words, but their actions were hypocritical. The "sinners" showed their response to the gospel with their changed actions.
*Have the children act out the parable. Whether just one child and yourself at home or twenty children in Sunday school, let some children really get into wild and extravagant promises. Others can say no more than what they will do. Show the contrast: Promises to rid the world of poverty sound wonderful but giving a jar of peanut butter to a food bank is more important than all the promises in the world.
*Actually do something to benefit others: Have a scavenger hunt, clean up litter around the church building or in the neighborhood, write letters to residents in the nursing homes, make and send a card to someone sick in the hospital, actually visit a nursing home, and so forth.
*As the elections get closer, politicians make more promises -- many of which they cannot fulfill. Bring news articles of some of the promises politicians are making and ask, "Do you think this person can actually do what he/she is promising?" The question Jesus raised is appropriate: "Is it more important to do or to say?"
*Explain the context and terms of the story to the children. Consult a good Bible dictionary to explain: chief priests, elders (v. 23); tax collectors, prostitutes (vv. 31, 32); righteousness (v. 32). The chief priests and elders of the temple considered themselves good ("righteous") people and they looked down their noses at those who were branded "sinners" (tax collectors, prostitutes). The religious leaders had nice-sounding words, but their actions were hypocritical. The "sinners" showed their response to the gospel with their changed actions.
