Scripture: Matthew 21:12-17, Mark 11:12-19, Luke 19:45-48 and John 2:12-25
Learning Objectives:
- Students will learn Jesus cleansed the Temple twice while he was one earth – the first time early in his ministry (John) and the second time three years later right before the Cross (Matthew, Mark and Luke).
- Students will learn Jesus does not want religious leaders to use their positions to make money off of worshippers by stealing from them or putting a heavy financial burden on them.
- Students will learn our first priority should always be to worship God, not to make money.
- Students will learn appropriate vocabulary for money and banking.
Guiding Question: How can students learn appropriate vocabulary for money and banking?
Materials: Picture cards with labels for the words you choose to teach, props for a pretend bank
Procedure: Review the story of Jesus Cleanses the Temple. Remind students that the reason Jesus was upset was because the religious leaders were trying to make money off other people and taking advantage of them. That does not display a heart and mind of someone who puts God first. God wants us to put Him first so that we can work with others the right way and worship Him in all we do.
Introduce the activity. Remind students that there were money changers in the Temple. Teach the students money and banking words (cash, deposit, check, card, pin, bills, coins, etc). Then set up a pretend bank and have students interact as customers and bank employees using appropriate vocabulary.
Additional Questions: How can students apply knowledge of banking words?
Supplemental Activity: Have the students draw on a small poster, the inside of a bank and label using appropriate vocabulary for what you would find in a bank. Students can also describe the transactions that occur in each part of the bank.