Pharisees Plot Against Jesus
Theme: We honor God.
Scripture: Matthew 22:15-22
Get Ready: Click here to get your complete supply list for this lesson.
The Children’s Sermon:
You’ll Need:
● Different coins (one per child)
Get Ready: Give each child a coin to hold. Explain that they are to hold it tightly in
their fist until you give them further instructions.
Do This:
SAY: Has anyone ever asked you a question that there just wasn't any way to
answer without getting yourself into trouble? That's what we call a loaded
question. A loaded question is one that is worded so that a person cannot answer it
without appearing to be guilty.
Here are a couple of examples of loaded questions:
● Have you quit cheating at cards? If you answer, "Yes" you are admitting that
you used to cheat. If you answer, "No" you are admitting that you still cheat.
● Do you still pick on your little brother? That is like the other question. You are
either going to admit that you used to pick on your brother or that you still
pick on him.
Sometimes a loaded question is asked to try to trick a person into saying
something that will get them into trouble. Our Bible lesson today is a good example
of that.
Jesus was gaining great popularity among the Israelites. This was very upsetting
to the religious leaders called Pharisees. They thought He was a threat to their
authority. They tried everything they could think of to make Jesus look bad and yet
Jesus had more and more followers every day. So a group of Pharisees met and
came up with a plot to trick Jesus into saying something that would discredit Him
among His followers.
The people in Jesus' day were required to pay taxes to the Roman government.
That was not very popular with the people. The plan was to go to Jesus and ask
Him his opinion about paying the taxes. So, the Pharisees sent their followers, with
a few of Herod’s followers mixed in and asked Jesus, "Teacher, we know how
honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. Now tell us what you think
about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" They were actually trying to
trick Jesus, because they knew if He said, "Yes," the people would be angry. But if
He said, "No," he would get into trouble with the Roman authorities.
Jesus saw right through their plan and He did a very wise thing. He asked them for
a coin. Then He said, "Whose picture is on this coin?"
They answered, "It is Caesar." Caesar was the Roman ruler and all taxes had to be
paid to him.
Jesus then said to them, "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God
what belongs to God."
Look at your coin. Whose picture is on it? (Allow kids to answer/guess.) What does it
say right above his picture? It says, "The United States of America." Well, I guess
that means that this coin belongs to the person whose picture is on it.
But what about God? Jesus also said "Give to God what belongs to God." The Bible
says that we were created by God and that we were created in the image of God. If
we are created by God, and we were created in His image, we must belong to Him.
That means we must give ourselves to Him!
On the count of three I want you to flip your coin in the air and repeat with me “give
yourselves to God” as you try to catch your coin. (Count to 3.)
PRAY: Dear God, help us give You what is Yours. Help us spend our hours in acts of
love and our days in doing acts of kindness. May we always obey You and give You
honor. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
“Okay to Question” Video Lesson
You’ll Need:
● “Okay to Question” video lesson
● Something to play the video
Do This: Show kids the video.
ASK:
● What is the right way to approach God with our questions?
● What questions do you have for God? (This is a great time to hear kids’ hearts.
Allow them to share openly but do not feel like you have to have all the answers.)
10 Questions Game
Do This:
Using people, places, and things from today’s Bible lesson (list below), play 10
Questions. Allow kids 10 yes/no questions to try to guess what person, place or thing
you have in mind from today’s lesson.
People, places, & things from today’s Bible lesson:
● Jesus
● Caesar
● Coin
● Pharisees
● Taxes
● Disciples
● God
SAY: You asked some great questions to figure out the answer. In today’s Bible
lesson, the Pharisees weren’t asking questions to get a true answer. They were
trying to trick Jesus, but they were not successful. Jesus knew what they were up
to and gave them a perfect answer: Jesus said to honor God with what belongs to
God.
Complete Supply List:
● Different coins (one per child)
● “Okay to Question” video lesson
● Something to play the video
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