The Quiz
Children's Liturgy and Story
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, we often think we're quite good people, especially compared to many others. Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, we're not always aware that our ideas of sin are different to your ideas of sin. Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, help us to see ourselves as we really are, then help us to receive and accept your forgiveness. Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Luke 7:36-8:3 (NRSV)
One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and took his place at the table. [37] And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. [38] She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. [39] Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him--that she is a sinner." [40] Jesus spoke up and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." "Teacher," he replied, "Speak." [41] "A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. [42] When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?" [43] Simon answered, "I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt." And Jesus said to him, "You have judged rightly." [44] Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. [45] You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. [46] You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. [47] Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little." [48] Then he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." [49] But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" [50] And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
[8:1] Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, [2] as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, [3] and Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.
Story:
When a woman of the streets anointed Jesus' feet with oil and massaged them on her hair, this very sensual act caused outrage amongst the upright citizens seated around the dinner table. But Jesus turned upside down their ideas of what was right and what was wrong by commending the woman for her actions.
In this story, Jayne acts in a way which causes outrage amongst her fellow students. But her teacher commends her for her actions, and makes Jayne's classmates think again.
The Quiz
Marcus was delighted. The class teacher had just announced a general knowledge quiz, with the fantastic prize (for the best team of two) of an overnight visit to London for shopping, visiting some of the tourist attractions and to see one of the shows in the West End. Marcus had never been to London, but had often dreamed about riding on one of the big red buses and visiting the Chamber of Horrors at Madame Tussauds and the dungeons at the Tower of London.
Since he was always top in any tests in class, he knew he had as good a chance as anyone. But when he was teamed with Jayne his heart dropped. Jayne was awful. She lived on the other side of town, where Marcus had been told by his parents never to go because it was "a bad area". It certainly looked as thought Jayne came from "a bad area" because her school uniform always looked dishevelled and untidy and none too clean. Most people avoided Jayne.
It was so unfair, thought Marcus. Jayne would ruin his chances. Everyone knew that she was stupid. She was certain to drag him down.
When came to sit next to him, Marcus just stared straight ahead. He didn't want her there and he wanted to make sure that she knew that.
When the quiz started, Marcus' heart sank even lower. The questions were really hard and he began to realise that although he was great in tests about subjects that he'd revised, his general knowledge wasn't very good.
Surprisingly, Jayne did seem to know a lot of the answers, both to their own questions and to other people's questions. If a pair didn't know the answer to their question, it was thrown open to the rest of the class and anyone who was able to answer gained an extra point.
It wasn't long before Jayne was beginning to amass more points than anyone else. Marcus was astonished. He couldn't believe she knew so much, living in such a dump, and he wondered where on earth she could have learned it all.
As if in answer to his unspoken question, Jayne leaned across and whispered, "We have the telly on all the time at home. My Mum and I watch loads of quizzes on the telly."
Marcus was disgusted. He knew that hours in front of a television were bad for you and was proud that he spent plenty of time in the fresh air, playing football. Besides, his parents despised quiz shows on television. They described them as "shallow" and "rubbish". Marcus edged away from Jayne. He didn't like her to be too close. Besides, he was beginning to feel very embarrassed, since Jayne's hand kept shooting up so that nobody else had a chance.
He and Jayne won the quiz easily. Or rather, Jayne won the quiz easily for both of them. Marcus should have felt happy, but he didn't. He didn't want to go to London with Jayne and he was angry that she had shown him up in front of the whole class.
He hissed at her, "You think you're so clever! If you were really clever, you'd have let other people have a chance. How do you think they feel, when all you do is try to show them up as stupid? You could at least have pretended that you didn't know some of the answers. You'd still have won by a mile. But you just had to rub their faces in it by winning by a massive margin."
Jayne's face crumpled, but Marcus didn't care. She had to be told, he thought virtuously. The Christian thing to do would have been to let the rest of the class think that they had a chance and to make the winning margin much narrower. Otherwise, it was just shpwing off. But of course, Jayne was no Christian. She never attended church.
The teacher was ready to award the prize. He said quietly, "I think we must all agree that although Jayne and Marcus won the quiz, it was Jayne who provided nearly all the answers. I've been running a quiz like this every year for ten years, but I've never before had a pupil with quite so much knowledge as Jayne." Then he looked straight at Marcus as he added, "Whatever anybody says to you Jayne, never be ashamed of your knowledge. Never pretend in order to protect the pride of your partner or class mates. You have been given a great gift by God, you must use it as God intended, no matter what anyone else tells you. But you must also realise that along with the gift will come pain. You will always find other people who are jealous of you, because of your gift. You have to face that jealousy and do what you know in your heart is right. Congratulations. You are a very worthy winner."
For a moment there was silence and some rather red faces. Marcus felt deeply ashamed of himself. Then Marcus looked at Jayne and smiled for the first time. "Thank you, Jayne," he said, sheepishly. He began to clap and the whole class joined in enthusiastically.
Jayne was so thrilled that for the first time ever in that class, she began to smile and laugh. And Marcus suddenly realised that perhaps she was really quite nice after all. Then he thought of the trip to London that she had won for him and where they would go together, and he suddenly felt very cheerful indeed.
Activity:
You need:
An A4 sheet of card for each child
Crayons or felt-tip pens
Glitter-glue (available from toy shops or craft shops)
Talk to the children about forgiveness. Ask them first whether anyone has ever been so nasty or unkind to them that they "hate" that person. Be prepared for truths about parents to emerge, as well as information about school bullies. Let the children talk together about how to handle situations when someone is unkind to them. Because children are powerless, sometimes they are unable to address the situation as it is occurring, and this can build up resentment inside them.
Talk about Jesus forgiving us for things we do wrong, and ask the children what sort of things they need to ask Jesus to forgive (lies, nastiness to others, laziness and refusing to help, etc.) Point out that if Jesus didn't forgive us, we would soon have such a huge pile of bad things stacked up against us that we probably wouldn't be able to function.
Then get them to think about the person/situation which has hurt them most. Give them each a sheet of card. Fold the card in half horizontally then in half again, vertically, to make a greetings card. On the front, get the children to draw and colour a picture of their worst memory – the thing that has hurt them most.
On the inside, get them to draw a picture of love (maybe a heart or a pastoral scene, or anything which makes them think of good times and good things). They could use the glitter-glue to make the inside bright and special.
Above the inside picture they could write "Jesus always forgives me" and underneath the picture they could write "I forgive you"
They should keep the cards themselves to remind them how important it is to forgive others and how the more you forgive, you the more you are able to love.
Intercession:
Forgiving God, sometimes we speak without thinking first and are unaware that we have hurt other people. In our church, help us so to learn to love others that we become sensitive to their needs.
Forgiving God, most countries are out for themselves and their own people. Enable us to see nationalism in the context of the whole world, so that we begin to feel concern for all human beings and not just for ourselves.
Forgiving God, we have passing acquaintances with each other. Help us to become genuinely interested in other human beings, so that we are able to learn to love each other.
Forgiving God, hold within your strong arms those who need comfort and help. Pour your healing power into those who are sick or who need other sorts of healing so that they may experience your great love for them.
Blessing:
May you be so confident
Of God's love and forgiveness
That you are able to allow it to overflow
To all around you. And the blessing of God almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with you now, be in your homes and in your families and with all those whom you love and for whom you pray, now and always. Amen.
Jesus, we often think we're quite good people, especially compared to many others. Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, we're not always aware that our ideas of sin are different to your ideas of sin. Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, help us to see ourselves as we really are, then help us to receive and accept your forgiveness. Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Luke 7:36-8:3 (NRSV)
One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and took his place at the table. [37] And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. [38] She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. [39] Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him--that she is a sinner." [40] Jesus spoke up and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." "Teacher," he replied, "Speak." [41] "A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. [42] When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?" [43] Simon answered, "I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt." And Jesus said to him, "You have judged rightly." [44] Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. [45] You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. [46] You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. [47] Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little." [48] Then he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." [49] But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" [50] And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
[8:1] Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, [2] as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, [3] and Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.
Story:
When a woman of the streets anointed Jesus' feet with oil and massaged them on her hair, this very sensual act caused outrage amongst the upright citizens seated around the dinner table. But Jesus turned upside down their ideas of what was right and what was wrong by commending the woman for her actions.
In this story, Jayne acts in a way which causes outrage amongst her fellow students. But her teacher commends her for her actions, and makes Jayne's classmates think again.
The Quiz
Marcus was delighted. The class teacher had just announced a general knowledge quiz, with the fantastic prize (for the best team of two) of an overnight visit to London for shopping, visiting some of the tourist attractions and to see one of the shows in the West End. Marcus had never been to London, but had often dreamed about riding on one of the big red buses and visiting the Chamber of Horrors at Madame Tussauds and the dungeons at the Tower of London.
Since he was always top in any tests in class, he knew he had as good a chance as anyone. But when he was teamed with Jayne his heart dropped. Jayne was awful. She lived on the other side of town, where Marcus had been told by his parents never to go because it was "a bad area". It certainly looked as thought Jayne came from "a bad area" because her school uniform always looked dishevelled and untidy and none too clean. Most people avoided Jayne.
It was so unfair, thought Marcus. Jayne would ruin his chances. Everyone knew that she was stupid. She was certain to drag him down.
When came to sit next to him, Marcus just stared straight ahead. He didn't want her there and he wanted to make sure that she knew that.
When the quiz started, Marcus' heart sank even lower. The questions were really hard and he began to realise that although he was great in tests about subjects that he'd revised, his general knowledge wasn't very good.
Surprisingly, Jayne did seem to know a lot of the answers, both to their own questions and to other people's questions. If a pair didn't know the answer to their question, it was thrown open to the rest of the class and anyone who was able to answer gained an extra point.
It wasn't long before Jayne was beginning to amass more points than anyone else. Marcus was astonished. He couldn't believe she knew so much, living in such a dump, and he wondered where on earth she could have learned it all.
As if in answer to his unspoken question, Jayne leaned across and whispered, "We have the telly on all the time at home. My Mum and I watch loads of quizzes on the telly."
Marcus was disgusted. He knew that hours in front of a television were bad for you and was proud that he spent plenty of time in the fresh air, playing football. Besides, his parents despised quiz shows on television. They described them as "shallow" and "rubbish". Marcus edged away from Jayne. He didn't like her to be too close. Besides, he was beginning to feel very embarrassed, since Jayne's hand kept shooting up so that nobody else had a chance.
He and Jayne won the quiz easily. Or rather, Jayne won the quiz easily for both of them. Marcus should have felt happy, but he didn't. He didn't want to go to London with Jayne and he was angry that she had shown him up in front of the whole class.
He hissed at her, "You think you're so clever! If you were really clever, you'd have let other people have a chance. How do you think they feel, when all you do is try to show them up as stupid? You could at least have pretended that you didn't know some of the answers. You'd still have won by a mile. But you just had to rub their faces in it by winning by a massive margin."
Jayne's face crumpled, but Marcus didn't care. She had to be told, he thought virtuously. The Christian thing to do would have been to let the rest of the class think that they had a chance and to make the winning margin much narrower. Otherwise, it was just shpwing off. But of course, Jayne was no Christian. She never attended church.
The teacher was ready to award the prize. He said quietly, "I think we must all agree that although Jayne and Marcus won the quiz, it was Jayne who provided nearly all the answers. I've been running a quiz like this every year for ten years, but I've never before had a pupil with quite so much knowledge as Jayne." Then he looked straight at Marcus as he added, "Whatever anybody says to you Jayne, never be ashamed of your knowledge. Never pretend in order to protect the pride of your partner or class mates. You have been given a great gift by God, you must use it as God intended, no matter what anyone else tells you. But you must also realise that along with the gift will come pain. You will always find other people who are jealous of you, because of your gift. You have to face that jealousy and do what you know in your heart is right. Congratulations. You are a very worthy winner."
For a moment there was silence and some rather red faces. Marcus felt deeply ashamed of himself. Then Marcus looked at Jayne and smiled for the first time. "Thank you, Jayne," he said, sheepishly. He began to clap and the whole class joined in enthusiastically.
Jayne was so thrilled that for the first time ever in that class, she began to smile and laugh. And Marcus suddenly realised that perhaps she was really quite nice after all. Then he thought of the trip to London that she had won for him and where they would go together, and he suddenly felt very cheerful indeed.
Activity:
You need:
An A4 sheet of card for each child
Crayons or felt-tip pens
Glitter-glue (available from toy shops or craft shops)
Talk to the children about forgiveness. Ask them first whether anyone has ever been so nasty or unkind to them that they "hate" that person. Be prepared for truths about parents to emerge, as well as information about school bullies. Let the children talk together about how to handle situations when someone is unkind to them. Because children are powerless, sometimes they are unable to address the situation as it is occurring, and this can build up resentment inside them.
Talk about Jesus forgiving us for things we do wrong, and ask the children what sort of things they need to ask Jesus to forgive (lies, nastiness to others, laziness and refusing to help, etc.) Point out that if Jesus didn't forgive us, we would soon have such a huge pile of bad things stacked up against us that we probably wouldn't be able to function.
Then get them to think about the person/situation which has hurt them most. Give them each a sheet of card. Fold the card in half horizontally then in half again, vertically, to make a greetings card. On the front, get the children to draw and colour a picture of their worst memory – the thing that has hurt them most.
On the inside, get them to draw a picture of love (maybe a heart or a pastoral scene, or anything which makes them think of good times and good things). They could use the glitter-glue to make the inside bright and special.
Above the inside picture they could write "Jesus always forgives me" and underneath the picture they could write "I forgive you"
They should keep the cards themselves to remind them how important it is to forgive others and how the more you forgive, you the more you are able to love.
Intercession:
Forgiving God, sometimes we speak without thinking first and are unaware that we have hurt other people. In our church, help us so to learn to love others that we become sensitive to their needs.
Forgiving God, most countries are out for themselves and their own people. Enable us to see nationalism in the context of the whole world, so that we begin to feel concern for all human beings and not just for ourselves.
Forgiving God, we have passing acquaintances with each other. Help us to become genuinely interested in other human beings, so that we are able to learn to love each other.
Forgiving God, hold within your strong arms those who need comfort and help. Pour your healing power into those who are sick or who need other sorts of healing so that they may experience your great love for them.
Blessing:
May you be so confident
Of God's love and forgiveness
That you are able to allow it to overflow
To all around you. And the blessing of God almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with you now, be in your homes and in your families and with all those whom you love and for whom you pray, now and always. Amen.
