VERSES: Matthew 17:24-27
MEMORY VERSE: Matthew 17:27 "...go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up....thou shalt find a piece of money..."
BOOK TO REMEMBER: Exodus. Write "Exodus" on small slips of paper and hand out at the end of class for the students to take home and memorize. Exodus is the second book of the Old Testament. As we continue our lessons, we will continue to memorize books of the Old Testament.
PRAYER: Thank God for the blessing of being able to freely read His Word.
SPECIAL SONG: Jesus Taught By Parable And Miracle (see March - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #4 on this blog. Click on orange circle to hear tune.)
VISUAL AID: A large Activity (see below)
LESSON POINTS:
- When Jesus and His disciples came to Capernaum, there were publicans who came up to Peter and asked him if Jesus paid tribute money. Publicans were people who we call tax collectors. They collected money from citizens and gave their money to the king or their government. Peter said yes, Jesus did pay tribute money or taxes.
- Jesus knows everything. He knew what Peter had told the tax collectors about paying taxes or tribute money. When Peter went into the house where Jesus was, Jesus stopped Peter and asked him, "Who pays the tribute money to the kings of the earth? The king's children or strangers?" Peter replied that strangers were the ones who paid taxes. Jesus told Peter that the children were free or did not need to pay taxes. Jesus did not need to pay taxes, but, just in case He offended someone like the king, He told Peter to do something unusual. He told Peter to go to the sea and catch the first fish that came up and to open his mouth. Inside the fish's mouth, Jesus said Peter would find the money to pay the tax. Jesus told Peter to then go and use the coin to pay the taxes for Himself and Peter. Jesus taught Peter by performing this miracle.This was another way Jesus taught people beside speaking parables or commands.
- This miracles teaches us two things: Sometimes we must do something that we do not need to do, so we will not offend others, and it also teaches us that we must obey the laws of the land or government, as long as the laws do not go against God's laws.
"Older Student" Tips:
- Publicans or tax collectors were people who collected money. Because of this, the people who had these jobs were not liked very much. Sometimes, tax collectors took more money than they should.
- Matthew was a tax collector, yet Jesus saw something good in Matthew and wanted Matthew to follow Him and be His disciple. Jesus chose Matthew (Matthew 9:9).
Materials needed: 12" x 12" orange construction paper, 3" x 3" shiny gold (or silver foil) paper, tape or staple and staples, glue, marker, crayons, scissors.
- Hand out orange paper.
- Fold orange paper in half.
- With fold at top of fish, draw the outline of a large fish.
- Cut out fish.
- Hand out shiny, gold paper.
- Please note: If using aluminum foil, you will also need a sturdy circle to cover in foil. Perhaps the Bible teacher could cut out circles from cardboard before class for the young ones, then the students could cover the cardboard or poster board in foil.
- Cut circle out of gold paper.
- Either tape or staple along the outside of the fish, so the fish stays closed, except for the fish's mouth. Make certain there is a wide enough opening for the fish's mouth to accommodate the coin. I used tape.
- Color fish.
- Write "The Miracle of the Tribute Money" and "Matthew 17:24-27" on the fish.
- Place money inside of fish's mouth, so the coin can be taken out and placed in the fish's mouth at the student's will.
- Make sure all coins are inside all fish before leaving class.
