CrossKids Devo | The Vineyard
Activity – How RU Doing
Draw a line on a sheet of paper. Place a 1 on the left end of the line, a 10 on the right, and a 5 in the middle. As kids arrive, ask them to pencil in their initials on the line.
Say: If your day was so awful you wish you'd slept through it, place your initials by the 1. If it was a great day and you wish you could repeat, put your initials by the 10. Place your initials anywhere on the line that shows how you feel today.
Bible Time – The Vineyard – Matthew 20:1-15 Jesus spent a lot of time explaining a very basic truth to his audiences. The kingdom of God isn't just about rules or about behavior or about justice. It's also about grace.
Jesus told this story to help his audience grab hold of a basic truth: God is generous, and his gifts of salvation and eternal life are available to anyone who believes in him and trusts him--whether that belief comes at the beginning of a long life or just moments before someone dies.
Something about that arrangement doesn't seem fair to us. We want a bonus for spending a lifetime serving God. And in believing this, we miss the same three points that the people who heard Jesus' story (or parable) missed:
God gives us a wonderful gift, just as he promised.
It's up to God if he decides to be generous with others.
Having a lifetime serving God is a bonus!
You'll help your kids discover these truths today as you share the story of the workers in the vineyard.
Say: Jesus told a story about a vineyard where grapes are grown, and about a boss and his workers. Let's read the story aloud. As you listen, see whether you think the boss's payment to the workers was fair or unfair, loving or unkind.
Read: Matthew 20:1-12
Invite older kids to take turns reading aloud if they'd like. When you finish reading the passage, ask:
Do you think the boss was fair or unfair? Explain.
In what ways can something or someone seem unfair, but still be kind and loving?
Read: Matthew 20:13-15 Then ask:
Would you rather someone in charge be fair or loving? Explain.
Would you rather God be absolutely fair or loving? Explain.
Say: God is fair . . . and loving. And it's a good thing for us that he's loving, because if he gave us what we deserve, we'd all be in trouble. Romans 3:23 says that we've all sinned and disappointed God. If you have older kids, read aloud Romans 6:23 to remind them of God's loving grace through Jesus. Say: Good news, though: God sent Jesus to save us! Read aloud Romans 5:8. Then say: Life isn't always fair, but God is always loving. And for that we can be deeply thankful!
Pray