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Misc Bible Chats
(2) Peter Goes Fishing (coin in the mouth of a fish)
Matthew 17 vs 24 - 27
Outline For Leaders
This is an interesting little story in the New Testament and there are various things that can be taken from it. For the kids we will focus in on verse 27 “But just so we don’t offend them, go to the lake…” Many things that Jesus said and did, did actually offend some of the people, but only because Jesus’ actions exposed the folly and injustices in their practices. Here Jesus did not wish to offend the temple tax collectors because it was neither the time or place, for Him to explain why He didn’t need to pay their tax. So not to cause offence, He paid it. There are times in life when followers of Jesus will cause offence by their actions, but there are also times when we need in humility to be compliant so that we too don’t offend. In doing this we show love and bring peace.
This presentation is written as if Peter has travelled through time in some manner. He could enter through a door, come through a curtain, or exit from a time travel machine (big cardboard box maybe). Use your imagination as to how he arrives, he will need to return to his own time in the same manner.
For this drama an imitation model or toy fish, and line may be used. The fish needs to be very light weight and needs somehow to be able to be caught on a line. Use your ingenuity as to how this is achieved. The fish also needs to be made in a manner that a fake coin (possibly cardboard) can be concealed and drawn from its mouth.
Characters: Peter and one of your team. The team member is referred to as TM for the purpose of the script below.
Drama
Peter: (Peter bursts onto the stage in a flustered manner as if wondering what on earth is happening) OK, OK what’s going on here then?
TM: (team leader one of your team - looking totally shocked...) Actually, I really don’t know. Who are you and where did you come from?
Peter: (looking somewhat puzzled and bewildered as he gazes around the room) I come from Galilee, and I am one of Jesus’ disciples. But more importantly, who are you and where are we?
TM: Well, actually you are in................... the year...................
Peter: You gotta be joking!
TM: (Taking a coin from their pocket) Well actually no, here’s a coin and the year is on it _ _ _ _
Peter: Oh my goodness, I’ve travelled 2000 years into the future.
TM: Look, quick before you disappear from us, tell us about yourself one of the amazing things that happened to you whilst you was with Jesus.
Peter: (composing himself) OK I will tell you, if you insist.
I used to be a fisherman and fished in the Sea of Galilee with a net like this one, I was good! But all that changed the day I became a follower of Jesus. Actually I was one of Jesus’ very first disciples.
I saw Jesus do many miracles – all things are possible with Him. Blind people’s eyes opened, lame people walked, even dead people were brought back to life again.
Well, one day when we arrived in a place called Capernaum the collectors of the temple tax came up to me and asked me, “doesn’t Jesus pay the ‘Temple Tax?.” This was the tax people gave to help keep the temple, clean, tidy, and in good repair. “Well of course Jesus pays temple tax I said.” After that, I left off the conversation with these guys and went into the house where Jesus and the other disciples were.
I was just about to ask Jesus about this temple tax when suddenly before I could even say a word, He turned to me and started talking about it. I was amazed, Jesus wasn’t with me earlier, but He knew all about the conversation I’d had with the guys outside. Jesus told me that because of who He was, He didn’t really need to pay this tax. I mean I should have known this really. But do you know what He said to me? “Peter we don’t want to offend these guys collecting the temple tax so let’s pay it anyway.” But (with emphasis and turning out his pockets) we didn’t have any money!
Then came another surprise. You’ll never guess what Jesus told me to do. Well He told me to go down to the lake and cast my fishing line, then open the mouth of the first fish caught and in it there would be a silver coin, This would be enough money to pay the tax for both of us.
As this was Jesus telling me what to do, I couldn’t say you’ve got to be joking could I? I went down to the lake and managed to persuade some guy to loan me his rod and line for a few minutes. I couldn’t believe I was doing this but in obedience I cast my line and nearly fell into the water as immediately I had a bite. There was a fish on the line in seconds after the line had hit the water. I quickly brought it in and sure enough there in its mouth was a silver coin. Why should I have been surprised? Jesus had told me to do this. The people around me were astonished as they watched me open the mouth of the fish and pull out a coin and throw the fish back. It was another miracle. Jesus had used a fish to provide the money we needed to pay the temple tax. How cool is that!
How much I learned from Jesus that day. He didn’t have to pay the tax because Jesus Himself was God’s Son, so the people were actually going to the temple to worship God. Jesus knew that the tax collectors wouldn’t understand that, so rather than upset them, we paid our tax.
There’s a lesson here for us too. Jesus once said “Happy are the peacemakers”. There are times in our lives when we do things because it’s a good thing to do to keep the peace, even when we actually don’t really need to. When we act like this we are doing what Jesus encourages us to do to make the world a better place. If more people had this attitude of keeping the peace the world would definitely be a better place.
Well I need to get back to my own time, now which door did I come through? Oh that’s the one over there, I hope it works! (Peter walks through the door waving goodbye as he goes.)
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