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Object: An empty trash bag. I use a large, black plastic bag that everyone can easily see. You will also want three photographs to use. I used 8x11-sized copies of photos of three unknown people.

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Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent! But before I tell you our story, I have a question for you. (Hold up the trash bag.) Who can tell us what I have here? (Let them respond.) It’s a trash bag, isn’t it? (Let them respond.) And what do we do with these? (Let them respond.) We put things in it that we want to get rid of, don’t we? (Let them respond.) We put things in here that we want to throw away and not have around us anymore, right? (Let them respond.) Well, did you know that some of the people around Jesus believed that God used trash bags? (Hold up the bag and let them respond.) Some of the religious leaders like the Pharisees believed that. Well, they didn’t believe God actually carried trash bags around, but they did believe that God did not like some people.

 (Hold up the first photo or piece of paper.) When the Pharisees saw someone who did not obey all of the religious rules they had, they believed that God did not like those people and just wanted them to be thrown away. (Wad up the photo or piece of paper and throw it in the bag.)

(Hold up the second photo or piece of paper.) And if someone was really sick, or maybe they were really poor and didn’t have a home and had to beg for food, the Pharisees believed they were that way because God was angry with them for some reason, so they should just be thrown away, too. (Wad up the photo or piece of paper and throw it in the bag.)

(Hold up the third photo or piece of paper.) And if someone came around from another land, and didn’t talk like we talk, and maybe ate different things than we eat, the religious leaders believed that God did not like those people and they should just be thrown away, too. (Wad up the photo or piece of paper and throw it in the bag.)

The religious leaders believed that God only liked the people who were like them and agreed with them, and anyone else should just be left alone and no one should help them. It was just like they were being thrown away, wasn’t it? (Close the trash bag and put it on the floor.)

And, that’s why the Pharisees and other religious leaders were so angry with Jesus. Do you remember some of the stories we have heard about him? (Let them respond.) One day, Jesus met a woman who was a Samaritan and did not follow all of the rules the Pharisees said everyone was supposed to follow. Do you remember what Jesus did? (Let them respond as you open the trash bag and pull out the photo or piece of paper.) He sat down and talked with her about how much God loved her. (Use your hands to flatten and unwrinkle the paper or photo.) Jesus did not believe God thought she should be thrown away, did he? (Let them respond.)

And another time when Jesus was walking he saw a homeless man by the road who was blind and sitting by the road begging for food to eat. Do you remember what Jesus did? (Open the trash bag and pull out the photo or piece of paper.) He talked to the man and healed his eyes so he could see again, didn’t he? (Let them respond.) Jesus did not believe that man was trash and should be thrown away, did he? (Let them respond.)

And one day, a group of people wanted to see Jesus but they were from the country of Greece. They were foreigners that didn’t follow the Pharisee’s religious laws, and ate food the Pharisees said people should not eat. Do you remember what Jesus did when they asked to meet him? (Let them respond.) Jesus talked with them and told them how much God loved them. Jesus did not believe those people were trash and should be thrown away, did he? (Let them respond.)

Sometimes, even today, we hear people say mean things about people they don’t like because of where they are from, or what they believe, or what they do, don’t we? (Let them respond as you pick up the trash bag and open it up.) And sometimes it sounds like they would like to just throw them away too, doesn’t it? (Let them respond.) But that’s not how God works, is it? (Let them respond.) God doesn’t carry a trash bag. (Toss the bag over your head behind you.) God doesn’t throw anyone away.

God didn’t send Jesus to be with us to punish us if we make mistakes, or to condemn us if we are different. (Pick up the pieces of paper or photos.) God sent Jesus to remind us that God loves every one of us, and wants us to do the same thing. Let’s pray and ask God to remind us that Jesus loves every one of us and wants us to follow him and take care of each other the way God takes care of us.

Prayer
Dear God, thank you for reminding us how much you love us and for forgiving us when we forget that. And please help us remember that you love all of the people you have created and help us let the people around us know that we love them just like Jesus loves us. Amen.