Adult Object Lesson: Keeping the Law
Mathew 5: 21-37 • Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Psalm 119: 1-8 • 1 Corinthians 3:1-9
What Are the Consequences
of Breaking the Law?
Each of the lectionary readings for February 16, 2014, or the sixth Sunday in Epiphany, has to do with keeping the law.
The Gospel keeps us in the Sermon on the Mount where we’ve spent the last few weeks. Today’s passage is just one part of Jesus’s longest (but still short) sermons. He is talking to people who take the law seriously. The people gathered around Jesus on the hill live under the law of the land (Roman rule). They must also keep the law of their religion, which has consequences that are more dire than today. And then there is tradition—perhaps the hardest task-master of all.
Consequences of breaking any of these laws were swift and harsh.
In walks Jesus, with a new message. Let’s not dwell so much on things like murder and adultery and the trouble they bring.
Let’s talk about how we live our lives before we reach extremes.
Today’s object is a cage. It can be a bird or pet cage.
The cage is a symbol of consequences for failing to follow law.
Harm, steal, murder and expect to go to jail.
Today’s lesson suggests that there is a lot going on inside our heads and heart before we ever get to crimes that call for such drastic intervention by society.
They are crimes against God’s intent for us. They are laid out early in the Ten Commandments—before we get to murder, theft, lying, adultery and coveting.
- Love God. Treat God with respect.
- Honor mom and dad—the foundation of societal structure.
- and coming up in Matthew 22 but hinted at here: Love your neighbor as yourself.
Disobeying these laws today will not put you in jail.
Disobeying the later commandments might get you there.
Today’s message reinforces these early commandments. If we set standards for our lives that honor God’s intent, the consequences are freeing.
- Don’t insult one another.
- Work harder at making peace than strife.
- Respect the relationships of others and the boundaries that come with them.
Do these things because you love and honor God.
These are rules for happy living—rules that set us free.
You might use your cage in this way.
Write down on separate index cards each of the infractions listed in any of today’s lessons.
ANGER, INSULTS, LUST, CONTENTION, LYING, SWEARING, etc. You can expand on them.
As you talk about each, toss its card into the cage, repeatedly locking the door.
As you near the end of the list, pick up the cage, unlock the door and allow the cards to fall out.
Following God’s rules sets us free to do good and honor God. We’ll have our place in the kingdom—close to God.
photo credit: Pensiero via photopin cc
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