Lesson Learned: God wants us to be good inside and out.
Materials Needed: washcloth or rag, cup, apple juice
Bible Verse:
Matthew 23:25-28
25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
Talking Points: A hypocrite is someone who says one thing and does something else. It’s kind of like telling a lie. Some men in Jesus’ time said one thing to impress their followers and then did another. God wants us to think good and act good. He knows even when you think bad thoughts about someone.
Questions: Why is it a bad thing to lie? Does God like it when you think bad about someone?
Activity: Have the child pour some apple juice in a cup. Let them drink the juice while you talk about the verse. Then, ask the child to wash the outside of the cup, but not the inside. Is it still dirty inside? Did it do any good to clean the outside and not the inside? Remind the child that God knows when we are dirty inside too, even if we look good on the outside.
Prayer: Dear God, please help me to think and act in the way you want me to. We love you and thank you for your word. Amen!