Tunstall pm CHILDREN 12.8.07.Riddles.

Place: Tunstall Apo.               Date: Sunday, pm 12th August 2007.

Text: Judges 14:12-14.           Theme: Riddles.

Objects: A sponge, a hand towel, and a glove.
Judges 14:12-14

          “Then Samson said to them, “Let me pose a riddle to you. If you can correctly solve and explain it to me within the seven days of the feast, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing. But if you cannot explain it to me, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.” And they said to him, “Pose your riddle, that we may hear it.” So he said to them:

“Out of the eater came something to eat,

          And out of the strong came something sweet.”

Now for three days they could not explain the riddle.”

Do you like riddles? I have some riddles to ask you today. They are not too difficult, but you will have to think a little. I will tell you this, I have the answer to each and every riddle right here in my bag, and it will be something you have all seen before.

1. Here is the first riddle. What holds water even though it is full of holes? If you think you know, raise your hand. I have the answer right here in my bag. It is a sponge!

2. I have another riddle for you. What gets wet when it is drying? Surely someone will guess this one. It is a towel!

3. I have one more riddle. Now listen very closely. When I am filled, I can work or play; when I am empty, I do nothing all day. What am I? That is a hard one, is it not? It is a glove. 

With your hand inside, it can do many things, but when it is empty, it can do nothing.

In the Bible there is a riddle given in the Old Testament. Do you know who give the riddle? Do you know where it is found? Answer is Samson and in Judges 14:12-14

          “Then Samson said to them, “Let me pose a riddle to you. If you can correctly solve and explain it to me within the seven days of the feast, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing. But if you cannot explain it to me, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.” And they said to him, “Pose your riddle, that we may hear it.” So he said to them:

“Out of the eater came something to eat,

          And out of the strong came something sweet.”

Now for three days they could not explain the riddle.”

The story goes like this: Judges 14:5-9

          “So Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother, and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Now to his surprise, a young lion came roaring against him. And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.

Then he went down and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. After some time, when he returned to get her, he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion. And behold, a swarm of bees and honey were in the carcass of the lion. He took some of it in his hands and went along, eating. When he came to his father and mother, he gave some to them, and they also ate. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey out of the carcass of the lion.”

The answer was that honey was found in the body of the dead lion that Samson killed. “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?”

I think Jesus must have liked riddles too. Sometimes He used a riddle to teach people a lesson. Like many of the parables of Jesus. One day Jesus was teaching in the temple. The priests and elders of the temple did not believe that Jesus was the Son of God and they were upset because He had been performing miracles.

“Who gave you the authority to do these things?” they asked Jesus. Jesus said, “I will ask you a question and, if you can answer me, then I will answer you. Here's my question. Did the baptism of John come from heaven or from men? Where did he get his authority?”

The priests could not answer Jesus' riddle.

If they said it was from heaven, Jesus might ask them why they did not believe John when he said that Jesus was the son of God. And if they said it was from men, the people would turn against them because they believed that John was a prophet of God.

The only way they could answer was, “We do not know.” Well, maybe the priests and elders did not know who gave Jesus the authority to perform miracles, but we do. It was God, his Heavenly Father!