Whose Harvest? Focus on Matthew 21: n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION. WHAT is important to know? WHERE is God in these words?

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1 October 8, 2017 Proper 22 Semicontinuous Exod. 20:1 4, 7 9, Ps. 19 Complementary Isa. 5:1 7 Ps. 80:7 15 Phil. 3:4b 14 Matt. 21:33 46 Whose Harvest? Goal for the Session Children will uncover, through the parable of the wicked tenants, the importance of serving God. n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION Focus on Matthew 21:33 46 WHAT is important to know? From Exegetical Perspective, Susan Grove Eastman This parable is bracketed by predictions of judgment, drawing on Isaiah 5:1 7 and Isaiah 8: In Isaiah, God, the Lord of Israel, is the stone of stumbling. Early Christians interpreted the stone as Jesus himself (Acts 4:11; Romans 9:33; Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:6 8). Such a reference seems implicit in Matthew 21:42 44 as well, given the reaction of the chief priests and elders. Jesus himself is the stone whom they have rejected and over whom they stumble. Jesus identity as Emmanuel, God with us, nevertheless stands (Matthew 1:23, quoting Isaiah 7:14). WHERE is God in these words? From Theological Perspective, Andrew Purves Personal rejection of the son of the landowner (vv ) is the heart of the parable. The issue, then, is a rejection of Jesus, a refusal to acknowledge him as Lord, as God s anointed, through whom God is given what is due. Embedded within this parable of rejection and deadly violence against the landowner s son is the reminder that the heart of faith is relationship with Jesus. The tenants did not seize and kill an idea, a principle, or a system of doctrine. They seized and killed the landowner s son. The gospel comes to us as a person. SO WHAT does this mean for our lives? From Pastoral Perspective, Richard E. Spalding The transfer of stewardship to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom (v. 43) is a restorative act. As we begin to recognize the messengers who have risked or sacrificed their lives while exhorting us to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly, perhaps the allegory may drill down to the recognition of some all-toofamiliar hubris among the current tenants of the vineyard where in Christ God has prepared everything we need for fruitful living. It is this same hubris that makes us vulnerable to the violence and judgment we have too often brought down upon ourselves. NOW WHAT is God s word calling us to do? From Homiletical Perspective, Marvin A. McMickle Anyone who turns away from Jesus will forfeit the abundant and eternal life that God has in store for those who live in faithful obedience. When we turn to that stone that the builders rejected, it will take away our pride and prejudice, our sin and selfishness, our greed and guilt. Once we have been brought down, the stone begins to build our lives upon a strong spiritual foundation. The world God is attempting to shape through the ministry of the church will not be established by chance or coincidence. It will come only when people change how they live no longer rejecting the will of the God who made them, but striving to live together in peace. 1

2 Whose Harvest? FOCUS SCRIPTURE Matthew 21:33 46 Focus on Your Teaching Children delight in using their physical senses to learn. The activities in this session taste, color, touch, movement will appeal to their senses and encourage them to engage their whole bodies in learning. This will help them form a strong memory of Jesus parable that they can draw on when they are older and able to understand the meaning of the story more fully. God, our Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer, inspire me to renew my commitment to serving you as a teacher of your precious children. Open me to their questions and help me find delight in the many ways that they learn and grow in their desire to live in your ways. Amen. YOU WILL NEED green cloth battery-powered candle clear glass bowl water Singing the Feast, ; CD player Bible basket of local fruits and vegetables or Color Pack 13 Color Pack 8, 10, 32, 33 Resource Sheet 1 copies of Resource Sheet 2 colored pencils basket of small stones For Responding option 1: slotted spoon, bowl, small cups, ingredients named in activity option 3: Color Pack 8, 14; purple and red stamp pads; markers; construction paper; wet towels n LEADING THE SESSION GATHERING As you welcome learners, play Simple Gifts (Color Pack 33, track 18 on Singing the Feast, ). Encourage the children to sing along as they help you arrange the green cloth in the center of your learning area and place the Bible, candle, and glass bowl on it. Ask a volunteer to light the candle as a reminder of Jesus promise to be with you. Lead the following response: Leader: We gather together in God s love. All: We are the church. Invite learners to pray with you: God of love, (Clasp hands over heart.) be with us today. (Raise both arms over head in a sweeping motion.) Guide our learning (Pretend to hold a book.) and what we do and say. (Shake hands with person on your right.) Amen. (Fold hands in prayer.) October is a harvest season. Bring in a basket of fruits and vegetables from your region, or show Color Pack 13. Invite children to name each fruit or vegetable, encouraging discussion about food likes and dislikes. Tell learners that the Bible story for today is a story about harvest time. 2

3 Whose Harvest? Option: Find information to share about a local food pantry or farming program that shares part of the harvest with those in need of food. You might plan a way for children and their families to help with this work. Simple Gifts Tis the gift to be simple, tis the gift to be free, Tis the gift that comes round where we ought to be, And when we find ourselves in the place just right, It will be in the valley of love and delight. When true simplicity is gain d, To bow and to bend we will not be asham d, To turn and to turn will be our delight, Till by turning, turning we come round right. Be mindful of any food alergies of participants when preparing the treat. EXPLORING Show Color Pack 10, and ask children to recall what they know about this building, such as its importance as a place for Jewish people to worship God and pray. Holding your Bible, say that your story for today comes from the book of the Bible called Matthew. Jesus told this story to the leaders in the temple. Read aloud Resource Sheet 1 (Matthew 21:33 46). Discuss the story: P What was the agreement between the owner of the vineyard and the workers? P Who did what they agreed to do? P Who did not do what they agreed to do? What did they do instead? P How would you answer Jesus question at the end of the story? Why? Read the last line of the story again. Without expecting children to come to complete understanding, wonder together about what the kingdom of God is like (the promised place for God s children, the time when all will obey God s ways, God s world that lasts forever, heaven). Distribute copies of Resource Sheet 2 (Fruits of the Kingdom) and colored pencils. Read the information at the top of the page. Ask volunteers to read the words in the grapes. Discuss ways you might produce fruit like this each day. Encourage learners to add words of their own, helping with spelling as needed. Summarize by saying that Jesus knows that when people turn away from him and refuse to live in God s ways, they cannot fully enjoy the place that God creates for us. Assure learners that Jesus promises that God gives us everything we need to live as God s people. God sends the Spirit to help us do these things. When we fall short, God will forgive us and give us another chance. Wrap up Exploring by discussing: P If everyone in the whole world tried to live in God s ways, what would be different? RESPONDING Mark the activities you will use. 1. Harvest Treat Make a tasty reminder of Jesus story about a harvest. Tell the children that these foods are also eaten in Israel, the land where Jesus lived. Put 4 ounces of soft cream cheese and 10 ounces of defrosted frozen raspberries in a bowl. Have children take turns mashing them together with a slotted spoon. When the mixture is well blended, add 1 cup vanilla yogurt and 2 tablespoons sugar (or more, if the raspberries are unsweetened). Have the children scoop this dip into small cups so that each child has her or his own. Give a few apple slices and grapes to each child for dipping. Offer this prayer of thanksgiving before you eat: Generous God, thank you for the food that grows from the earth you created. Thank you for the people who work to grow and harvest our food. Help us to share what you have given us with people who need it. Amen. 3

4 Whose Harvest? EASY PREP 2. Grape Stomp Continue exploring the bountiful harvest in Jesus parable. Many of the grapes that were picked would have been made into juice and wine. Water was not always available or good to drink, so people in Jesus day often drank juice or wine instead. Ask learners to imagine ways that people might have gotten the juice out of the grapes, acting out or telling about their ideas. Tell how some people stomped on the grapes with their bare feet. Make up a grape-stomping rhythm to do with your feet as you recite this verse about the meaning of the fruits of the kingdom (Matthew 21:43): God s Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. (Galatians 5:22 23, CEV) You might give each child a slip of paper with this verse on it to take home. If you do not have stamp pads, put a small amount of tempera paint on pads made from folded paper towels. I m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me I m gonna live so God I m gonna live so God I m gonna work so God I m gonna work so God I m gonna share so God I m gonna share so God I m gonna care so God I m gonna care so God 3. Grape Art The vineyard is a common image in the Bible. As you show Color Pack 8 and 14, comment that grapes were very important to people in Jesus day. Invite the children to tell about ways people might have used the grapes: juice, wine, raisins, to eat. Set out red and purple stamp pads. Give each child a piece of construction paper. Demonstrate how to use fingerprints to make grapes in bunches and then markers to add the details of leaves and vines. Have wet towels ready for wiping off fingers. Children may choose to make a picture of one bunch of grapes or of an entire vineyard. Send the pictures home for learners to use when telling Jesus story about the workers in the vineyard to their families. CLOSING Gather where there is space to move, and invite the children to join you in a freeze dance to the song I m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me (Color Pack 32, track 11 on Singing the Feast, ). While the song plays, everyone moves in time to the music. When you pause the music, everyone freezes. Sing along as you move with the music. When the song ends, gather around the candle and light it, if necessary. Pour water into the bowl. Give each child a small stone. Begin by dropping a stone into the bowl as you name one way you will try to produce the fruits of God s kingdom this week (reviewing Resource Sheet 2 as necessary). Ask each child to tell one thing he or she can do to live in God s ways this week while dropping a stone in the bowl. Reassure learners that God s Spirit helps us to do these things. Say good-bye to each child: God bless you, (name). Remove the stones from the water for use in upcoming sessions. 4

5 October 8, 2017 Whose Harvest? Grades (K)1 2 Resource Sheet 1 Matthew 21:33 46 ome leaders in the temple were angry with Jesus. They did not agree with the things that Jesus was saying, and they wanted him to stop teaching about God s ways. So Jesus told them this story: Once there was a man who planted a vineyard. (Show Color Pack 8.) It was a beautiful vineyard with healthy vines. Each year those vines grew lots of grapes. The owner of the vineyard made an agreement with some people to work in his vineyard. These workers agreed to give the owner part of the grapes they picked each year as the rent payment. The workers could keep the rest of the grapes for themselves. When harvest time came, the owner sent his servants to collect his share of the grapes as the rent payment. When the servants arrived at the vineyard, they asked the workers to give them the owner s share of the grapes, as they had promised. But the workers said to one another: The owner of the vineyard is not here. If we send the servants away without his grapes, we can keep all the grapes for ourselves. Those wicked workers beat the servants and sent them away without any grapes. The servants told the owner of the vineyard what had happened. So the owner of the vineyard sent even more servants. But the workers would not give them the owner s fair share of the harvest. Again, they beat the servants and sent them away empty-handed. The owner of the vineyard thought to himself, Those workers won t give my share of the harvest to my servants, but I am sure that they will give it to my son. So, the owner of the vineyard sent his son to collect the grapes. And those wicked workers killed his son. At this point, Jesus paused the story and asked, What do you think the owner of the vineyard will do to those wicked workers? And then Jesus said, The kingdom of God will be... given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom (Matthew 21:43) Westminster John Knox Press

6 October 8, 2017 Whose Harvest? Grades (K)1 2 Resource Sheet 2 Fruits of the Kingdom The kingdom of God will be... given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom (Matthew 21:43). Jesus teaches that God s world is for everyone who believes in God s power to save and love, and who tries to follow the ways of God. Some of these ways of producing fruit are written on the grapes below. Color matching grapes in the same color. Add some of your ideas to the bunch, as well Westminster John Knox Press