Do Not Be Alarmed

Mark 13:1-8, New International Reader's Version

When the Temple Will Be Destroyed and the Signs of the End

13 Jesus was leaving the temple. One of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What huge stones! What wonderful buildings!”

² “Do you see these huge buildings?” Jesus asked. “Not one stone here will be left on top of another. Every stone will be thrown down.”

³ Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, across from the temple. Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him a question in private. ⁴ “Tell us,” they said. “When will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to come true?”

⁵ Jesus said to them, “Keep watch! Be careful that no one fools you. ⁶ Many will come in my name. They will claim, ‘I am he.’ They will fool many people. ⁷ You will hear about wars. You will also hear people talking about future wars. Don’t be alarmed. These things must happen. But the end still isn’t here. ⁸ Nation will fight against nation. Kingdom will fight against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many places. People will go hungry. All these things are the beginning of birth pains.

New International Reader's Version (NIRV) Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Object:

Familiarize yourself with leading the “Clapping Game” so that you are comfortable enough to lead it in front of the children.

Message:

Today I want to teach you a new game. To play this game, you have to pay close attention to me and how I move my arms. Are you excited to play? I will explain the rules of the game to you now.

Hand Clap Game

1. Stand in front of your group and get their attention.
2. Explain that every time your hands cross in front of you, you want the group to clap loudly once.
3. Test your group’s reaction by crossing your hands in front of you once, and expect a loud clap.
4. Continue to cross your hands in front of you several times, slowly at first, and then gradually faster.
5. Trick your group by making it look like your hands are about to cross but stop just short.
6. Continue with a varied series of arm-crossing moves.
7. Continue for up to a minute, reach a crescendo, and move on.

(Source: https://www.playmeo.com/activities/ice-breakers-get-to-know-you-games/clapping-game/)

To participate in this game, everyone must stand up. I am going to extend one arm straight out in front of me with my palm facing up. Then with the other hand, palm down, I will bend and move it, passing over the other arm. Every time my hands cross, everyone must clap once as loud as you can. If you don’t clap, you are out and must sit down. The clap must be loud enough for others playing to hear it. Let’s try it. (Cross your hands in front of you once to hear all children clap. Be deliberately slow, so that they all can clap.) That was good. Now, I will continue to cross my hands several times. Remember every time my hands cross, you must clap. If you don’t, you are out and must sit down. Let’s see who the last person standing will be. (Continue to cross hands, changing the pace a time or two – then trick the group by stopping before your hands cross.) Uh-oh! What happened? I caught a few of you. I tricked you by stopping before I crossed my hands.

My hands didn’t cross, but some of you still clapped. If you clapped, you must sit down. I told you to pay close attention and watch me. (If you have enough time, give everyone a second chance now that they know your hands might not cross every time. Then continue several times. Each time you stop, remind the children who didn’t clap to sit down. Build up the excitement and continue to heighten the exaggerations of your hands crossing as the game continues. Repeat until there is only one child left standing; then continue with the lesson.)

When we were playing that game, I was trying to trick some of you into doing the wrong thing. It was only a game, and we were just having some fun, but there are times when people try to trick us into doing the wrong thing. In today’s scripture passage from Mark’s Gospel, Jesus gave warnings about people like that.

Jesus told his disciples to be careful not to let anyone deceive them. Deceive is another word for trick. Jesus warned that there would be many false teachers who were trying to trick his followers. Some of those false teachers would even claim to be Jesus himself. Jesus said that many people would be fooled or tricked by these false teachers.

It was fun trying to trick you in the hand-clap game, but it isn't any fun to see people tricked into following false teachers instead of following Jesus. It is important to know what Jesus really teaches in the Bible, so we won’t be tricked. It is important to read our Bible to understand what it says. It’s important to go to church with people who love and care about us so that we aren’t fooled into beliefs about God that aren’t true. We know that Jesus won’t trick or deceive us. His love is pure.

Let’s give thanks to God for the reminder through our game that by following Jesus, we will know and understand what is true. Instead of clapping hands, this time let’s put our hands in the praying position.

Prayer:

God, sometimes it is hard to love someone that we don’t trust. Thank you for reminding us through Jesus’ teachings that sometimes people might trick us, but by following close to him, we won’t be fooled. We want to put our full trust in you, as we receive true love from you.