Unwashed Hands

OBJECTS: A small wash basin and a wrapped bar of soap

Do you wash your hands before you eat? (Allow the children to respond.) Clean hands help us stay healthy. Dirty hands might have germs on them that can make us sick. So, it’s important to wash our hands isn’t it? (Acknowledge the children’s comments. Also, you might show the wash basin and bar of soap here.) Yes, we want our hands to be clean before we eat, don’t we?

One time some people noticed that some of Jesus’s followers were eating without first washing their hands. Those people asked Jesus why his disciples ate with unwashed hands. Jesus responded to the people who questioned him, but he talked about something very different.

Jesus talked about following God. The people who were asking the question about unwashed hands might have had clean hands, because they were following tradition. Tradition is something like a habit. Tradition is something we do every day without even thinking about it––like washing our hands before we eat, or like brushing our teeth.

Jesus knows our hearts and he knew the hearts of the people who were complaining about his followers’ unwashed hands. He told them they were like people the prophet Isaiah wrote about, “You set aside the commandment of God, and hold tightly to the tradition of men…” (v. 8). It sounds like Jesus was unhappy with those people for thinking that clean hands were more important than a clean heart.

SERMON CONTINUES

SOURCE: Sermon Writer

Your Move

OBJECTS: Checkerboard and checkers

Do you play checkers? (Called draughts in some countries.) If you haven’t tried it, you should. It is a fun game that can be played with your brothers and sisters, parents, and grandparents.

As with any game, there are rules. Those of you who have played checkers may like to help list some of the rules.

• Checkers is played with two players.
• Each player has twelve checker discs, usually red and black.
• The checkerboard has 32 dark squares and 32 light squares.
• Moves are allowed only on the dark squares.
• Each player takes turns.
• Only one move is allowed unless you are able to jump over your opponent’s checker and capture it.
• When a piece is captured it is removed from the board.

These are just a few of the rules for this simple game. While it is important to have rules and play by the rules, it is also important to have fun. Some people become so concerned with rules and winning that they forget about the spirit of the game which is to have fun.

Jesus talked about this very thing. When he lived on earth he told the Pharisees, “For you set aside the commandment of God, and hold tightly to the tradition of men” (7:8).

SERMON CONTINUES

SOURCE: Sermon Writer