A Parable Party Popper Lesson & Demonstration

Like most parables, the Parable of the Rich Fool or Rich Farmer has several approaches you can take with it. On the surface, it appears to be a parable about "greed," and it is about that too, but it is about much more.

The following "Party Popper" idea is based on how I'm explaining the parable to the kids. I've included some preliminary ideas below. More notes follow in the "Bible Background" section of this post. The "popper" is the "barn" and what you put in it is the "right" (or wrong) stuff.

Unlike many popper "how-to's," the one seen in the video below is simple and can be reused again and again.

A Basic Understanding of the Parable:

Jesus describes a farmer who has a surplus of crops that he decides to keep for himself by building a larger barn. Furthermore, Jesus says the farmer thinks he has "enough" wealth (which some think is a sign of God's blessing) and can take it easy now (believing he is righteous enough, saved, doesn't have to help others). And Jesus basically says, "You got it all wrong, You're accumulating the wrong stuff."

The Party Popper Activity
~~ Being Rich in the Right Stuff

Students create a "big barn" -- a Party Popper they can use over and over again.  See the video included below for how to make a reusable party popper with a balloon and paper roll. Decorate the outside of the popper roll like a barn and attach the balloon as seen in the video.

(https://youtu.be/U-Xa7PijBJg
There are other ways to make a party popper, but this creates a reusable one!)

They will then load their popper at your command with two different types of "stuff" at different times -- the wrong stuff and the right stuff. The wrong stuff is heavy and won't go very far. The right stuff is light and will really fly out of the popper.

Here's how to make the wrong and right stuff for the popper:

Right: Discuss and write on the board "godly things" -- what God wants you to be "rich" in.  Then have students write four or five of these on strips of tissue paper or thin silver mylar and cut with scissors into "confetti." Make several piles for each person's popper! Set aside.

Wrong: Discuss and write on the board the "wrong stuff" people try to get or do in their lives. Greed, wealth, status, selfishness, etc. Then have students write four or five of these on strips of posterboard and cut with scissors into "posterboard confetti." Make several piles for each person's popper! Set aside.

Of course, creating the right stuff and wrong stuff to put into the party popper (barn) is where all the lesson discussion can take place.

Select students to demonstrate their "wrong" confetti in their popper. Then select students to demonstrate with the "right" confetti. Of course, you're asking questions and discussing as you do all this.

More Bible Background
Discussion Points, Insights to Share

When you substitute the word "Israel" for "Farmer," and "Righteousness" for "Crops" in the parable, the meaning of the parable is plain to see. The self-righteous and exclusionary practices of the old religion are not what Jesus wants you to grow and harvest. Jesus wants us to possess godly things -- and godly things are by their nature -- things you give away (love, forgiveness, healing, wealth).

Jesus often made priests, rabbis, Pharisees, and rich people the self-righteous characters in his parables. Like the priest in the Good Samaritan and Older Brother in the Prodigal Son, living a godly life means loving others, even if they are "unclean" to you, and sharing your abundance of goods and care is not optional, it is "required of you this night" and EVERY night if you want to live a godly life.

• Jesus describes an event that you want to prepare for -- "when your life is required of you."  (LK 12:20)
• And you prepare for that event by storing up "the things of God" rather than earthly riches.
• The "barn" in the parable can be thought of as "YOUR LIFE." What do you want to fill it with?  What do you want to be wealthy IN? Gold or God?
• Let's also keep in mind that living a godly "life is required" all the time!  Practically speaking we know that the parable isn't describing a single event, but a way of living. While some people want to steer it towards "Judgment Day" or some kind of "saving event" upon our death, we know that salvation is something you respond to, not wait for. That gift has already been given. Like many other "be prepared" parables and sayings (like the women with the oil lamps), being prepared is a way of living  --- living EVERY DAY as an opportunity to seek and serve God, and be found by God loving others.
• The "party" metaphor in the demonstration is not out of place. The father of the Prodigal threw a party when he found his son. And there was great joy in heaven at the return of the lost sheep. The ten women with their lamps were waiting for the Groom and wedding party to begin. Leading a godly life is the equivalent of joining God's party. What you bring to that party and share is what Jesus is talking about.