Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (vv. 61-62)
Object: A piece of ribbon between 4 and 6 feet long. I used a 2-inch-wide piece of bright ribbon, but a piece of string or rope would work as well.
Note: Depending on the number of children you have, and the time available, you can have as many children try the activity as you choose. The more the merrier!
Hello, everyone! Are you ready for today’s story? (Let them respond.) Great! But first, I have a question for you. One day, Jesus was with a bunch of people and he said something that might sound kind of strange. He told them, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” Does anyone have an idea of what Jesus meant or why he said that? (Let them respond.)
It might help if we remember what was going on when Jesus said that. People had been coming up to him all morning saying things like, “Oh, Jesus, you are wonderful. I will do whatever you ask me to do. But can I wait and start tomorrow because I have things I need to do today?” And some said, “I will follow you, Lord. But there are a few people I don’t like, so don’t make me be nice to them, okay?”
The people were all telling Jesus that they wanted to follow him and be like him, but they also said there were some things they didn’t want to do differently. They would be nice to people the way Jesus wanted them to, except for just a few people they knew that they did not want to be nice to. So instead of really following Jesus and watching him and always trying to do what he wanted them to do, they kept thinking about things from the past that they didn’t want to change and do differently. It is like they would follow him, but they would keep looking back behind them to make sure some things did not change.
Is that what Jesus wanted them to do? (Let them respond.) No.Jesus knew that would not work.
Jesus knew that many of the people there were farmers, so he tried to say things in a way they would understand. Back then, farmers didn’t have big tractors and other machines to use like we do today. Back then, when a farmer needed to plant his field, he used a plow that he pushed himself. He would push the plow across the field, and it would dig the rows the farmer could then plant the seeds in. Now does anyone have an idea why Jesus said a farmer shouldn’t keep looking back when they are using a plow? (Let them respond.)
When a farmer plows the rows for their crops, they try to make the rows straight, don’t they? (Let them respond.) If the rows are all crooked, some of the plants won’t get enough sunshine, and it is a lot harder to get the weeds out. So, if a farmer keeps looking behind him and doesn’t plow straight rows, they will end up getting what? (Let them respond.) Crooked rows and a field that isn’t very good.
And Jesus told them that’s what would happen if they didn’t follow him and do the things God wanted them to do. If they wanted to follow him, they had to follow him all the time and not keep looking back.
I thought it might be fun to see if Jesus was right about looking behind us when we are trying to follow him. Let’s see what happens. (Stretch the ribbon out on the floor.) Since we can’t actually plow a row in the floor here and see if it is straight, I thought of another way we might try it. Instead of plowing, let’s see if we can walk a straight line if we keep looking behind us? (Let them respond.) Would someone like to try it? (Let them respond.) Great. Okay, you start by standing at one end of the ribbon. Now, one step at a time put one foot in front of the other and walk down the ribbon. Only, turn your head to keep looking behind you as you go. Let’s see what happens. (Let the volunteer try it and have some fun with it. Let as many children try it as you choose.)
Well, what happened? (Let them respond.) It is hard to plow in a straight line if we keep looking behind us, isn’t it? If we don’t keep watching where we are going, we end up with crooked rows and a poor field, don’t we? (Let them respond.)
And it is hard to do what God wants us to do if we keep looking behind us and not keep watching Jesus and doing what he wants us to do, isn’t it? (Let them respond.)
So, let’s pray together and ask God to keep reminding us how much God loves every one of us no matter who we are, what we have, or where we are from, ask God to help us keep trying to do the things that Jesus would do so we can take care of each other the way Jesus asked us to.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for reminding us how much you love us. Please help us remember that you love all of the people you have created and help us let the people around us know that we love them just like Jesus loves us. Amen.
