Which is more important, worshipping God or having a lot of coins?
In our scripture today we are learning about a group of people who forgot all about worshipping God and instead, were focused on making money. Even worse, they were using Gods house, the Temple, to do this! Jesus and his friends, the Disciples, had travelled to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast and were looking forward to being in the Temple and worshipping God alongside others. However, when they arrived they found the money collectors doing business inside of the Temple and not worshipping God at all!
Jesus was hurt and became very angry with the people for being so disrespectful. This was his Fathers house and was meant for worship, praise and prayer!
Can you think of a time you were really angry? What made you angry? How did you respond?
It can be easy to react when we feel angry. Before you react, it is important to stop and ask yourself, "why am I angry and what am I trying to solve with being angry and reacting?" Jesus' anger was based on his love for God. He was put in a situation where he was forced to stand up for what was right. With strength and courage, he was able to teach the people about loving and worshipping God!
Activity
Money is not bad! Jesus just tells us that our relationship with God is just more important. Many good things can be done with money when we use it to show our love for God by helping others! Get out a handful of coins. what is the oldest coin? Do you have any from other countries? Try making coin imprints using crayons and white paper. Imagine the journey these coins have been on and the many ways they may have been used to help others. What can you do with your coins to help others?
Prayer
Dear Jesus, Thank you for teaching us that it is okay to use our voices to speak up for what is right. Give us the courage to do the same. Amen.