First Thoughts: A first reading of this text makes it seem fairly pragmatic in nature: If you want to avoid public embarrassment it is better to place yourself in a position of low honor rather than high honor, so you're more likely to be promoted than demoted. But this teaching is broadened by the second. Here Jesus advises us to offer hospitality to those who can't reciprocate, so our blessings will come from God and not our fellow humans. Holding these two teachings together we begin to see that Jesus isn't simply teaching us to avoid a social faux pas, but to radically alter how we understand greatness. We put ourselves in the servant's position not just to appear humble before others, but because Jesus himself took that position, thereby transforming it from an expression of weakness to an expression of the greatest power. When we willingly choose the life of a servant, a life of vulnerability and emptying of vain ambitions, we discover we are no longer susceptible to the world's slings and arrows. When we invite people to our party to impress them, hoping for a return invite, our plans and dreams are subject to the whims of others. When we invite people to our party out of a simple desire to serve, our goals are achieved right from the start, since the seed of blessing is found in the act itself. As those who willingly choose servanthood, we find our sense of happiness and purpose is no longer assailable by the slings and arrows of the world around us, but is held firmly in the love of Christ. That is greatness indeed.
Teaching On Your Own: Hey everybody, guess what I did this weekend. I went to my friend's birthday party. Do you guys like to go to birthday parties? Yeah, they're usually lots of fun, but this one was kind of embarrassing. We were all playing games outside when my friend's mom called us all in for cake and ice cream. Now I am EASILY the fastest runner among all my friends, so I raced to the house and beat everyone there. I ran into the dining room, grabbed my plate, and I was first in line. I wanted to be sure to get a piece of cake with a lot of icing on it. Here's where the embarrassing part comes in. When my friend's mom saw me standing there, she asked me to change places with my friend. She said the birthday boy really should be up front to blow out the candles and to get the first piece of cake. But my friend was at the very back of the line! So I had to go all the way to the back and was the very last person to get a piece of cake. It was embarrassing AND frustrating. I barely got any icing at all! I would have been better off in the middle of the line somewhere, huh? That reminds me of our scripture lesson today.
Jesus was at a dinner party with his friends. Everyone was trying to get the best places at the table so they could get the most food. But Jesus told them that was not the way to behave. If they tried to get the best places, they might be asked to move if someone more important came around, just like what happened to me. On the other hand, Jesus said that if they allowed other people to take the best places, someone might see them in the worst seats and insist they be moved to a better spot. I know I would rather be asked to move to the front of line than being made to go to the back. Wouldn't you? Jesus wanted the disciples to understand that we don't have to try to fight for the good things in life. We can trust that God is looking out for us. God will make sure we have the best food, the best seats, the most icing! So you know what? Next time I'm going to do things differently. I'm still going to race back to the house, but only to hold the door so everyone else can go in. Good plan, huh?
Teaching As A Team:
Leader 1: Hey (name), what did you do this weekend?
Leader 2: I went to a friend's birthday party.
Leader 1: Oh, was it fun?
Leader 2: Kind of. Actually, it was a little embarrassing.
Leader 1: What do you mean?
Leader 2: We were all playing games outside when my friend's mom called us all in for cake and ice cream. Now I am EASILY the fastest runner among all my friends, so I raced to the house and beat everyone there. I ran into the dining room, grabbed my plate, and I was first in line. I wanted to be sure to get a piece of cake with a lot of icing on it.
Leader 1: So what was the embarrassing part?
Leader 2: When my friend's mom saw me standing there, she asked me to change places with my friend. She said the birthday boy really should be up front to blow out the candles and to get the first piece of cake. But my friend was at the very back of the line! So I had to go all the way to the back and was the very last person to get a piece of cake.
Leader 1: I guess that would be a little embarrassing.
Leader 2: And frustrating -- I barely got any icing at all!
Leader 1: That reminds me of our scripture lesson today. Jesus was at a dinner party with his friends. Everyone was trying to get the best places at the table so they could get the most food. But Jesus told them that was not the way to behave. If they tried to get the best places, they might be asked to move if someone more important came around.
Leader 2: That's what happened to me!
Leader 1: On the other hand, Jesus said that if they allowed other people to take the best places, someone might see them in the worst seats and insist they be moved to a better spot.
Leader 2: I guess it's better to be invited to move up in the line than being told to move back.
Leader 1: Sure. Jesus wanted the disciples to understand that we don't have to try to fight for the good things in life. We can trust that God is looking out for us. God will make sure we have the best food and the best seats.
Leader 2: The most icing!
Leader 1: Exactly.
Leader 2: Next time I'll do things differently. I'm still going to race back to the house, but only to hold the door so everyone else can go in.
Leader 1: Sounds like a good idea.
Closing Prayer: Loving God, help us to trust you to take care of us, so we never feel like we have to fight with other people to receive your blessing. Help us to make room for others, so no one feels left out when it comes to your love. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this message in a home or classroom environment, ask the children to share their own experiences at birthday parties. Talk about how the party "system" works. If someone invites you to their birthday party, you probably invite them to yours. So, in the end, everyone ends up getting presents for everybody else, and everybody gets to go to everybody's party. In other words, everybody wins. Now go on to talk about Jesus' instructions at the end of the passage, where he tells his disciples that they shouldn't invite their friends to their parties. Instead they should invite the poor, the crippled, and the lame. Ask the children what they make of this teaching. Explain that Jesus was saying the best kind of party we can give isn't one where we're getting presents, or in which we know we're going to be invited to the next party. The best kind of party is one in which we invite people who can't really give us anything. When we're inviting these people, we're not doing it to get anything out of them, only because we want them to have a nice time and know we care about them. Jesus wanted his disciples to know that the greatest rewards we receive aren't the ones people give us in the world, but the ones God gives us for being kind and faithful. What are some rewards God might give us? Peace, happiness, love, joy.
Invite the children to play a game. Set it up like musical chairs, putting chairs in a circle with one less than the number of children you have. Play music and invite the children to circle the chairs, sitting in a chair when the music stops. Here's the twist: every time a child is eliminated, give that child a bag with a treat inside (cookie, gum, and so forth). Let the child have the treat but encourage them to keep it hidden from the other children. Continue playing until only one child is left, at which point you give them a treat as well. Ask the children how the game connects to the story today. We might think that the people who are getting the seats are winners, but actually it's the one who gives up his or her seat who gets the treat the earliest. Ask the children to come up with ways they can practice this in their lives this week. Perhaps they can allow others to be ahead of them in line at lunch, or offer to help with chores at home before they play a favorite game, or allow a friend to decide what activity to do at recess. These are all ways we can allow someone else's needs to take "center stage" in our lives. Close your time with the children in prayer.
