Matthew 20:1-16.
Act out the parable with a clock to manipulate the hours, and a few gardening tools. Get the kids out there play acting it out. Bring in a few new workers as in the parable. Play it up a bit, "How does it feel out there in the heat', that kind of thing.
Then bring in the last group. What do the kids think? Quite simply, this is how God does it. Just becasue you are a disciple of Jesus your whole life doesn't mean you get a bigger reward! God wants to reward everyone, no matter how much they do!
[Pentecost 19(A), September 21, 2008]
