I had just finished up with the Sunday school opening. This morning, I had a lot of ground to cover with the kids. The lesson touched on Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the clearing of the temple, the Last Supper, the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas’ betrayal, and the arrest of Jesus. It was way too much to cover in my allotted 10-15 minutes, so I had to pick my battles. I asked who could tell me about Palm Sunday, and one of the 4th graders gave a description that would have made a Pastor proud. Whew! No need for me to cover that, so I had them repeat the key verse of the day (John 15: 12-13), and then I launched into my story of how Jesus cleared the temple.
I had set up a table in the front with piles and stacks of poker chips. And I explained how the whole money-changing business worked: According to the Temple priests, real money was unacceptable to God, so you had to change your money into temple money… for a slight fee of course. I took out my ancient bull whip, but bits have snapped off over the years, it is half the length it used to be, and it just won’t crack anymore… no matter how hard you try. As a matter of fact, all I succeeded in doing was to whip my backside… to the amusement of all the kids.
I set the whip aside, and picked up a well wrung out, wet dish towel I had borrowed from the kitchen and rolled it into a tight rat-tail. I told the kids how the Bible says that Jesus wove a whip from cords, but that lots of things make for good whips… like the towel. Their laughter at my seemingly ridiculous statement gave way to surprised gasps when I snapped it at the edge of the table and got a loud “CRACK!”
Wide eyes were glued on me as I bellowed the words of Jesus as he overturned the tables of the money changers:
“My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.”
- Matthew 21:13
CRACK… went my whip, and money chips went flying like mini-Frisbees for 30 feet in every direction!
CRACK… went my whip again, and money chips exploded off the table to rain down on all the children!
And then… the chips were everywhere, as I lifted the table by one end, and overturned it by flipping it upside-down!
The kids were surprised that Jesus could become angry. I asked them: “Who was he angry with?”
They replied: “He was angry at the robbers in God’s house.”
In the end, as the children helped pick up the scattered chips, they each got to keep one. We called it temple money, and they kept a piece as a reminder that God doesn’t want us to bring special ‘holy’ money, sacred birds, or blessed offerings when we pray to Him. God only wants our hearts; nothing else is required.
After a prayer, an offering, and a final song, the kids all go off with their teachers to their classrooms to work on the rest of their Sunday school lessons for the day. I had packed up my stuff, and was heading out of the Life Center, when I noticed a man with a little toddler. It looked like he had come from the service, and I began to tell him about the wonderful child care available just at the other end of the building. He smiled, and said that his daughter didn’t want to go into child care… she wanted to be in with her big brother’s first-grade Sunday school class. As a matter of fact, that’s exactly what she voiced (quite loudly, too) as they peered through the glass into his classroom.
I told her that all the Sunday school children got a piece of temple money today, and asked if she’d like a piece, too? She nodded, followed me to my bag of chips, and selected one for her very own. Now she was content to follow me and her Dad back out into the courtyard. There I discovered a bright, articulate, inquisitive, happy, and polite little girl of just 21 months.
This then, is the story of how I encountered Grace.
Mom soon joined us, and immediately wondered why her daughter was clutching a poker chip. I told her about the lesson (but without the dramatic special effects), and she was delighted. As Grace went off with her father in search of a donut, Grace walked up to me, pointed her little finger right at me, and said: “Thank YOU!”
At that instant, a thought washed over me… “This is exactly how we often encounter God’s grace.” Sudden… unexpected… pure… and it fills you with an uncontainable joy!
The little girl was living up to her name. Awesome!
Then another thought struck me… here was a bright, intelligent, and joy-filled girl… worthy of my awesome 2 and a half year old grandson. No betrothal has been announced yet, but… you never know.
Your brother in Christ,
Dave
By the way… here’s a portrait of Grace and her family. Make sure you say “hi” to them on Sunday.
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