The rich man, Possessions more important than loyalty to God. “Eye of the needle”

Today's selected readings: – Mark 10:17-31

• Do any of you play a sport? (Discuss the sport, how good they are, if they have to practice etc)
• As you get older, you will find that team sports become more demanding (Explain)
• If you wish to play in the team, you will be expected to attend practices. Further more, these practice sessions more than often are now on a Sunday morning.
• Why do you think this could be a problem for a Christian? (Discuss)
• Obviously you want to play the sport, but so do you want to remain a member of the church family here, and enjoy the sunday worship and fellowship. What should one do? (Discuss options)
• In today's story Jesus tells about the difficulty of trying to get a camel through the head of a needle. (Have some blunt large needles for the children to thread cotton through.
• It is difficult isn't it. But Jesus was not really talking about a real needle or a real camel. He was talking about the very narrow gate in the city wall that only thin people could get through side on. This was a protection against invaders massing into the compound but allowed a person to come in after dark when the main gates had been closed. It is called the needle gate. No way would a camel come through. You would have to leave your valuable camel outside which could be stolen.
• Jesus was using this example to say people wanting to be Christians have to make choices at times and it is never easy.
• My son played basketball - Practice was on Sunday morning - He compromised by going every 2nd week and fortunately the coach saw the fairness of this decision. It also said that Peter was one that could be relied upon to do the right thing by his team.
• All through life you will find you have to make many decisions. Jesus is asking us today to never forget that if we believe it is important to have him as a friend, at times we are going to have to put him first as well.
• When we do that it shows how much we truly love Jesus. and that we show it in action as well as in word.

Kids Church Activity:
To make a model of a camel and a large needle. This to be affixed to a shoe box lid or a large paper plate. On the needle cut out print the words “It is easier to value our possessions more than we do Jesus”

What you need to get ready:
Play dough to mould a camel, card to cut out large needle, Textas or pencils, Masking tape, Paper plates or small shoe box lids