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Read Matthew 21:23-32.

In today’s gospel, Jesus tells another parable.  You remember that a parable is a teaching story.  In this parable, Jesus tells the story about a man who had two sons.  He asked each of his sons to go work in his vineyard (a place where grapes are grown).  The older son said he didn’t want to. The younger son said he would.  But that’s not exactly what happened.  Let’s watch the video of the parable and find out what did happen.

Watch this video together:

Read

As you saw, the older son said that he wouldn’t help in the vineyard, but then he did.  The younger son said that he would help, but then he didn’t.  Jesus asked, “Which one did what their father wanted?”  It was the older son because he actually worked in the vineyard.  So what does that have to do with us?  Most of us aren’t going to help grow grapes.  Right?  But there are times when we say we are going to do something and then don’t.  Right?  We might say that we are going to pray and then we don’t take the time to do it.  We might say we are going to read our Bibles and then we don’t.  We might say that we are going to share what we have with others who are without and then we don’t.  We might say that we are going to welcome people who are different than we are and then don’t really do it.  Parables are stories that are designed to teach us something.  Maybe in this parable Jesus is encouraging us to do those things that God asks of us…to pray, to read the Bible, to share what we have, to love others.  Elsewhere in the Bible it says how can we love God when we don’t love our brothers and sisters?

Discuss

  • When was a time you said you were going to do something and then didn’t?
  • What keeps us from doing things we say we are going to do?
  • Why do you think Jesus told this parable?

Song

Take My Life and Let It Be.

Activity

Play a game of “Simon Says.”  Talk about the difference between being a hearer and a doer.

Activity

Fold an Origami Heart to remind you that as followers of Jesus we are called to love God and to love others.  That’s not something we ever want to forget or not have enough time for.  This video shows you how to do it:

Discuss

Jesus tells a parable about a man who had two sons.  He asked them both to do some work in his vineyard.  One said he wouldn’t, but then did.  The other said he would, but then didn’t.  Jesus reminds us that through this parable that our actions should match what we say.  Jesus also reminds us that even if we say or do the wrong thing, we can make the right choice, like the older son who said he wouldn’t help but then did.  God sent Jesus into the world and Jesus died on the cross and rose to new life.  When we are baptized, we are forgiven of our sins, made part of God’s family forever, and given the gift of eternal life.  As God’s baptized people, we are called to love God and others.

  • Which of the two sons are you most like?
  • What is a difficult choice you had to make recently?  Did you make the right choice?
  • How can remember your call to love God and others?

Closing Prayer

Pray:  God, thank you for loving us with a love that never ends.  Help us make good choices.  Help us remember that you call us to love you and others.  We pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

 

Pastor Dan Fugate, Assistant to the Bishop for Discipleship in the Indiana-Kentucky Synod, ELCA, put this lesson together for Sunday School @ Home.  There will be a new one for each Sunday while we are unable to gather together physically in our congregational buildings.  Contact him at dfugate@iksynod.org.

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