Memory Verse:
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Teaching Aids:
Bring ice cream bars in a cooler. Pick two kids at random as class helpers. Explain to them that you would like them to help with various tasks throughout the class and promise each of these two helpers an ice cream bar at the end of class.
Read and Discuss:
1) Discuss the context of this passage by explaining that the Pharisees believed that they deserved first place in God's kingdom because of their hard work in keeping God's law.
2) (vss 1-2) A denarius was a small coin and represented about one day's wages. The Pharisees would have seen themselves as those who worked all day (in this case a 12 hours day)
3) (vs 3) "standing idle in the marketplace" (ie, just "hanging out")
4) (vss 4-6) "and to them he said, 'You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you."'
What you think would be "right" to pay those who began work at the third hour? The sixth hour? The ninth hour? How about those who only worked one hour (ie, those hired at the 11th hour)? (ie, if the master of the house were paying them based on what they deserved, how much should they get?)
5) (vs 7) Why were the people in the marketplace not working? ("because no one hired us")
6) (vss 8-10) Name 2 things the master of the house did that made the "all day workers" mad (he paid the last workers first and he paid everyone the same)
Did the master of the house treat all the workers equally? (yes)
Did he give each worker what they deserved? (not really)
7) (vs 11-12) The hearts of the "all day" workers are exposed by what the master of the house does here; they didn't enjoy their work and they thought they were better than (not equal to) the others
8) (vs 13) Did he give keep his promise to the workers who worked all day?(yes)
9) (vs 14-15) Note that the "all day" workers get only what "belongs" to them, while the other workers get what "belongs" to the master of the house! What would you rather have?
The Main Point:
Why were the people who worked all day angry?
Why were the people who worked 1 hour glad?
Which worker do you think you are (1, 3, 6, 9 or 12 hour)?
Does this parable make you angry... or glad? (depends on which worker you see yourself as!!)
Some Definitions:
Justice - getting what you deserve
Grace - getting what you don't deserve
Look up and Read: Romans 4:4 ("Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.")
What did the "all day" workers want? (more than what they deserved; see vs 10)
What did they get? (justice...only what belonged to them)
Look up and Read: Romans 11:6 ("But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.")
What did all the others want? (what they didn't deserve)
What did they get? (grace... what belonged to the master of the house)
Look up and Read: Romans 3:23 ("for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,")
What do we want from God, justice or grace? How do we get it? (through faith)
Recite the Memory Verse:
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
But there is One who is able to boast... there is One who worked perfectly in this life... isn't there... Who?
Give the ice cream bars to the helpers... Those who "worked" for them and ask them, "based on what we've learned, who should get them (everyone)?
Have the helpers give ice cream bars to everyone
The Gospel:
God spent His most precious "belonging" (vs 15) His only begotten Son, on us! Jesus, God's most precious "belonging" (vs 15), the only perfect "worker", worked in the heat of the day, for us... gave up the wages He rightfully earned, for us... spent Himself for us... so that we get so much more than we could ever deserve!
Gospel Consequences:
For Ourselves: Seeing ourselves as "all day in the hot sun" workers makes us grumpy! (vs 11) Realizing we are all 11th hour workers (and that we're all really getting much more than we deserve) makes us glad and grateful to work for God!
For Others: Realizing we are getting what we don't deserve and that we are all sharing in God's generosity (vs 15) makes us generous and keeps us from thinking we are better than others.
No comments:
Post a Comment