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Encounters with Jesus

(2) The Police Who Would Not Make an Arrest

‘We never heard anyone speak like this’ - John chapter 7 verses 32 - 52

Outline for Leaders: One day the high priests of Jesus’ day sent temple guards to arrest Jesus. However, in going to arrest Him the guards hear Him speaking to the crowds and find that they can’t take Jesus in, because what He has to say is so amazing.

Props: Toy handcuffs, temple police tunic (cardboard), toy sword on belt.

Bible Chat

I want to talk to you today about the police, some special police of years ago. But first can you tell me (show slide of police) what it is that the police do? How many things can we think of, let’s make a list.
(1) Keep law and order
(2) Help out if there’s an accident
(3) Guide traffic
(4) Arrest criminals

I want to tell you about some police who wouldn’t make an arrest.

For this I’m going to pretend I’m one of those police. What I want you to tell me at the end, is exactly why me and my mates didn’t make the arrest we were supposed to. Here goes…

(Holding toy handcuffs) Hi my name is Joseph and I am a Temple Policeman. I work for the Chief Priests. My job is to keep order at the temple, keep any persons out who are not allowed in and arrest anyone, who the priests consider to be trouble makers.

I’ve seen all sorts of goings on you know, people causing trouble, people saying wrong things about the religious law, people trying to stir up crowds, you know the kind of thing. I’ve been on a few raids, made a few arrests, brought some rough trouble causers to the priests. When the priests think someone’s up to something they don’t like, they send us to bring them in, you know make an arrest.         

Well, it was a special holiday time in Jerusalem; the city was packed out with visitors you could hardly move. There were all sorts of people in town, they had come to celebrate a special religious occasion. It was the last day, nearly time for everyone to go home. This was the most important day of the celebrations. 

Whilst all of this was going on and all my bosses, the priests, could talk about was a man called Jesus.  Actually, I think they were a little afraid because Jesus was becoming a bit too popular for their liking. Well, the priests came over to us and said that they had got a job for us to do, which was to go and arrest Jesus. So we took the orders and off we went.

When we got to the centre of town Jesus was there with a big crowd around Him. It wasn’t easy to get near Him, there was just so many people. We pushed and shoved through the crowd until we could clearly see, I was just a few yards away from Jesus now. Right, I’ve got to just push a bit further and I will be able to arrest Him. But as I went to move, things Jesus was saying got my attention. Also, I looked around at the crowd; they were intently listening to every word He was saying. Wow, I’ve heard a few people shouting to the crowds in Jerusalem before but never heard anyone like this and the crowds were listening so carefully.

I was just amazed, I froze to the spot, and I couldn’t stop listening to what Jesus was saying. I stayed for a long time. Suddenly Jesus finished talking to the people and moved off. Why had I come, oh no, I’d come to arrest Jesus but I couldn’t arrest Him, I’d never heard anyone speak like this before, never ever. He spoke about God as if He really knew Him. My bosses were not pleased when we arrived back empty handed, ‘what have you done, where is Jesus?’ they shouted. ‘‘We’ve never heard anyone speak like Jesus’, we said, ‘‘we just couldn’t arrest Him’’. The priests were not happy.   

OK kids, so the temple police were instructed to go and arrest Jesus that day but they couldn’t and didn’t. Why was this?
What kinds of things do you think Jesus may have been saying to the crowds that day? (Discuss this with the children.)

DOWNLOADS

Leaders’ Notes for Bible Chat
PowerPoint (2 slides) Police Pictures