SundayMAXleaders Sunday School Resource Produced by Jane Tibbs—Children’s Adviser

11 October 2015, the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity

Introduction In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells a young man what he must do if he wants to share everlasting life in the kingdom of God

Games Through the door Make a doorway, just big enough to crawl through, using building blocks or empty boxes. Who can get through without knocking it down? Give them a large empty suitcase. Can they get through with that? Today’s story is about something like this game.

Readings Job 23:109, 16 to the end Psalm 22:1-15 Hebrews 4:12 to the end Mark 10:17-31

“Buckaroo” If possible, play the game Buckaroo, where you load up the horse as much as possible before it bucks. Explain that, in today’s story, Jesus talks about not getting loaded down with too many things.

Discussion You might like to have a toy camel and a sewing needle as illustrations for the story What did the young man want Jesus to tell him? He wanted to know what to do to make sure that he would go to heaven when he died. What answer did Jesus give? First, Jesus told the man that he must obey God’s commandments. These rules were given to us by God, to help us choose between right and wrong. Then Jesus told the man that he must give away all his money and everything he owned. How did the man feel when he heard what Jesus said? The man went away feeling sad, because although he was a good man, he did not want to give away everything he had. Everything he owned meant more to him than the message of Jesus. Jesus said that it was easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven. Has anyone ever seen a camel? How big are they? How big is a needle? What do we mean by the eye of the needle? If you imagine how difficult it would be for a large camel to climb through a needle, then you can understand what Jesus was trying to tell us! In this story Jesus was talking about a narrow gate leading into the city of Jerusalem, known as “the needle”. A camel could not pass through this gate easily, and in this way Jesus helped his followers to understand the message. Why did Jesus want the man to give up what he owned? He wanted the man to understand that it is more important to have riches in heaven than riches on earth. Money can often make people greedy and selfish, and forgetful about the needs of others. God measures our wealth by our goodness, and whether we are generous and loving, and prepared to share what we have with others.

Songs Amazing Grace

Hymns Old and New 27

A new commandment

Junior Praise 303

Be thou my vision

Mission Praise 51

Blessed are the poor

Kidsource 424

I want to live for Jesus every day

Junior Praise 122

It's hard to say “I'm sorry”

Big Blue Planet 75

O Lord, all the world belongs to you

Kidsource 673

Seek ye first the kingdom of God

Junior Praise 215

Will you come and follow me?

Hymns Old and New 560

Prayer Favourites

Craft Activity

Ask the children to think of their favourite possession.

Through the eye of a needle

Father God, These are our favourite things… The children shout them out Help us to share them with you. Help us to share them with others, as you share so many good things with us. Amen.

You will need  Templates of a camel, doorway and luggage for each child, printed on card  Colouring pens and pencils  Scissors Give each child a camel, doorway and luggage and ask them to colour them. Slot the luggage onto the camel between its humps. Cut a slot in the doorway. Can you pull the camel through the doorway without losing its baggage?

Circle Stand together in a tight circle, holding hands. Help us Lord, not to keep to ourselves all the things that we have, but to share with those around us. All take a step backwards Help us to remember that, in some places in the world, people can’t have food whenever they want it. Help us not just to remember those people, but to think of ways that we can share with them. Take another step backwards

The Education Department, The Old Deanery, Wells BA5 2UG Tel:01749 685134 email:[email protected]

Though we may be small people in a big world, may the things that we have be spread around the world.

Amen.

SundayMAXkids Sunday 11 October 2015

Lots of people believe that the “eye of the needle” was a small gate into Jerusalem which a camel could only squeeze through if all its baggage was removed first.

Do you think a camel could get through the eye of a needle?

Which animal do you think would find it easier to pass through the eye of a needle? Circle the animal you think!

Perhaps the gate looked like this!

mouse

Find the letters HEAVEN hidden in the picture and circle them put o t t, us elp rs nex h , rd t. the O Lo first, o ves las you oursel rever. and and fo Now n. Ame

cat

camel

giraffe worm

‘That they may have life, life in all its fullness’ John 10:10

Today is the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity

SundayMAX

drama

Sunday 11 October 2015

It’s easier for a camel … One day, a man ran up to Jesus (run on the spot) and knelt down in front of him. (Kneel down) “What do I need to do to make sure that I will go to heaven?” he asked. (Stand up) Jesus said, “You know all the rules that you are supposed to keep.” “Yes I do and I’ve kept them all since I was young,” replied the man. Jesus loved him and said, “There’s one thing you still need to do. Sell all the things that you own and then give the money to people who need it more than you do. Then you will get to heaven and when you arrive there you will find that you have even more than you own at the moment.” The man was very disappointed (sad face) and went away sad (walk slowly on the spot) because he had lots of things, and he liked them too much to get rid of them. Jesus turned to his friends and said, “It’s easier for a big camel (stretch high and wide) to get through a small doorway (hold hands facing each other, close together) than it is for someone who is rich to get into heaven.” His friends were amazed (surprised face) and said, “If rich people can’t get there how can anyone get there?” “It sounds impossible,” said Jesus, “but with God it’s not. Anyone who will let go of their things (make fists, then open hands) and let others use them, will get much, much more when they reach heaven. The things that you own might seem important, but when you get to heaven you’ll be glad that you gave them away, because the things in heaven are so much better.”

SundayMAX Sunday 11 October 2015

Templates for through the eye of a needle

activity

SundayMAX Sunday 11 October 2015

Templates for through the eye of a needle

activity