CSSPlus
Shaking Things Up
Children's sermon
Object:
Carry-out box from a restaurant (optional)
First Thoughts: In this Mark passage we see Jesus struggling once again with his old debate partners, the Pharisees. Many preachers seem to come down pretty hard on the Pharisees in their commitment to the rituals of the Jewish faith. But rituals are important in the church: they help orient us in the world, create sacred space, and give us a sense of identity. Good ritual addresses our very real need for connection and sacredness. The problem isn't with the rituals themselves, but when rituals become more important than actual needs.
