Friendship is for... giving
Introduction:
Curriculum links
Key Stage 2: New Testament; Stories that Jesus told; Circle Time/PSHE and SEAL
themes using bible stories—Getting on and Falling out; Relationships
Introduction to this story:
The encouragement to be at peace with everyone—to be friends not enemies—is
all very well but what about the real world where people hurt others again and
again? Some enemies just don’t seem to want to become friends!
This is at the heart of the very practical question that Peter put to Jesus
once as recorded in Matthew 18:21. Aren’t some people and some situations simply
unforgivable? Jesus tackles this important question by telling a story. It is a
story about what it is like in God’s scheme of things—God’s kingdom. He is
saying that people are like the servant in the story who owed millions and there
is no reason why the king in the story should let them off. However, the story
says that the king chose to show mercy, and this makes forgiveness possible. The
servant is forgiven, but then this forgiveness needs to be passed on.
Peter and the others who heard the story for the first time would have
reacted with anger at the way the pardoned servant failed to pass it on and at
his treatment of those who were dependent on him. So Peter has the answer to his
question. Just as Jesus explains when commenting on the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew
6:14-15), Peter should pass on forgiveness to others, because he has experienced
forgiveness himself.
The following lesson outline explores the parable with some practical
suggestions as to how to earth it in the children’s experience.
Preparation:
Use the retelling of this story from
The
Barnabas Schools’ Bible on page 288.
Development:
1. Introduce the topic of forgiveness and its relationship to turning enemies
into friends by making or adapting a die. Print off some labels to stick on to
the different sides with the following phrases:
I find it hard to forgive others when…
I find it hard to forgive others because…
I find… unforgivable.
I would forgive others but…
I can only forgive others if…
True forgiveness means…
Ask the children in turn to throw the die and then to complete the sentence
that is uppermost. This should get some discussion going.
2. Make the parable very visible by piling up lots of coins of different
denominations on one side of a table (include some notes if you dare!) and a
comparable but much smaller pile of just a few pence on the other side. Imagine
the reactions to being let off from one or the other of these different amounts
by a bank or credit company.
Explore how the class feel about this. Now tell the story from the Bible
about the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:21-35) and help the children to
unravel its meaning for themselves. Perhaps some of the following questions
might help the discussion:
- I wonder why the king let off the man with the big debt?
- I wonder how the forgiven man felt?
- I wonder how the members of his family felt?
- I wonder why he then went away and behaved so differently towards others?
- I wonder what the others in the story thought of him?
- I wonder what Jesus means by his comment that the servant didn’t know what
it means to be able ‘to forgive from his heart’ (18:35)
3. In groups try and put together costings on a bill for some of the things
that the children enjoy each day but which have no ‘market value’, such as: the
air we breathe; friendships and family; good health; beautiful scenery;
wonderful parks and gardens to visit; new sights and sounds to enjoy.
Draw up an imaginary price list for all this and then in bold letters across
the whole list write No Charge
Seeing it like this, what consequences might it have for their relationship to
and thoughts about all these things?
Christians would add: No Charge, love God. How does the class think
this might affects their relationship to God?
4. Read the Lord’s Prayer from Matthew 6:9-15.
Why do you think that Jesus feels he has to add further comment on the
section about forgiving others?
For further ideas on this section of the Lord’s Prayer, including more
stories, craft, drama and prayer suggestions, see the appropriate chapter of
The Lord’s
Prayer Unplugged.
5. There are some craft ideas based on the senses for this parable in
Step into
the Story and there is a modern-day version of the parable, exploring the
theme of fairness in particular, in
Stories to
Teach about God.
6. Unwillingness to forgive creates barriers between people, which grow
harder and harder to break down the longer the situation is allowed to continue.
Read what Jesus had to say about this in Matthew 5:25-26.
Back in the Genesis story, following the murder of Abel by Cain, the breakdown
in friendship led to a 77-fold revenge (Genesis 4:24). Jesus turns this whole
idea upside down with his words to Peter by speaking of a 77-fold forgiveness.
Discuss with the class whether they think that this is really
practical/possible.
Now look at Matthew 5:43-44, where Christians are told they should forgive
even their enemies. How can people ever hope to do this ‘impossible thing’?
7. Friendship is for-giving… but it doesn’t come quickly. It’s like building
a paper chain between objects, link by link. Every time we forgive, we
strengthen the possibility of a link-up.
In a time of reflection, create some ‘forgiveness paper chains’ made up of
chains with the word ‘forgiveness’ written on each. String these between some
symbols or words for those things, which build barriers between people such as:
distrust and fear
angry words and ignorance
jealousy and unfairness |
