OBJECT LESSONS

OBJECT LESSONS

By Maurice Sweetsur

Break In Communication with God

All that is needed for this illustration is a piece of string or rope at least 1 meter long, and a pair of scissors.

Explain that the rope represents a line of communication. Start by stretching it out horizontally, and say that it could represent a telephone line, with your words going along the line to your friend, and their words coming back to you.

Now hold the rope vertically. Explain that this represents a prayer line to God, with your prayers going up the rope to Him, and His answers coming down to you. State that there is only one thing that can stop your prayers getting through to God - your sins (the bad things you do).

State that you are now going to demonstrate this problem by cutting the rope (prayer line). Hold the top of the rope in one hand, and grasp the center of it with the other. Bring the center portion of the rope to the top, but as your bottom hand reaches your top, swap the center for a piece of rope about 10 to 15 cm. from the top. This will take place behind your top hand, so will not be noticed. With a little practice you will soon become proficient. It will appear to your group that you are now showing the top and the center of the rope in your top hand, whereas you will actually be showing the top and a section 10 to 15 cm. below the top.

Cut the rope where it is looped. You have actually cut off just a small top portion, but have appeared to cut it in equal halves. While still concealing the top of the rope behind your hand, tie the small section of rope around the center, and release for all to see.

Explain that the knot around the center stands for sin, and prevents your prayers from reaching God. Explain that some people try to deal with the problem themselves by reducing their sin. Cut the ends off the knot to make it smaller. Obviously this doesn't work, because the problem (knot) is still there. Explain that some people try to hide their sin. Cover the knot with your hand. This doesn't work either, because we cannot hide anything from God.

Explain that the only way to remove sin is to bring it to God, tell Him you are sorry for it, and ask Him to forgive you. Say, "Imagine my right hand is God, and I am going to bring this sin (knot) to Him." Hold one end of the rope in your right hand, and begin to wrap the rest of the rope around it with your left hand. As you reach the knot - and while still continuing the wrapping - slide off the knot, and keep concealed in your left hand. Unwrap the rope, showing that it has been completely restored! No one will notice that it is now slightly shorter than at first.

Defeating Giants

Summarize the story by saying, "David was able to overcome the Giant because he realized that God was on his side. If you are trusting in Jesus, then God is also on your side and will help you defeat any Giants in your life." A Giant is any problem you have which seems too big for you.

Give a list of possible "Giants." e.g. Other People - Bullies, etc. Bad Habits - Lying, stealing, swearing, fighting, etc. Fears - The dark, nightmares, dying, flying, spiders, snakes, dogs, etc.

Produce two prepared "curved shapes" ; they are shaped rather like "fat" boomerangs. These can be made of cardboard or paper and cut to any suitable size. It is more effective to use different colors. You will note that the cards are actually the same size, but if one is held above the other it will appear to be smaller. On the first card, write the word "Giant" On the second card, write the word *Me" on one side and "Me + God" on the other side.

Hold card 2, showing "Me", above card 1, showing "Giant". State, "If you compare yourself with your Giant, the Giant will always appear to be bigger, and you will think that you won't be able to defeat it." Pull the cards apart, and turn card 2 over to show " Me + God". State, "Remember that if you are trusting in Jesus, it is not just you against the Giant, but you plus God against it." Bring the cards back together again, but this time hold card 2 below card 1. State that "no matter how big your Giant is, when you compare it to God, you will always find that God is far bigger, and that He is able to help you defeat it - just like David defeated Goliath".

Don’t Be Full of Hot Air

Supplies: Two balloons, string, and a party-size tank of helium.

Invite 1 student to help you by blowing up 1 balloon. After he/she has blown up their balloon, tie off the balloon and attach a long string to it. Then use the helium tank to blow up the 2nd balloon, tie it off and attach a long string to it as well.

On the count of 3, ask the student to throw the 1st balloon up in the air while you throw the 2nd balloon in the air as well. As you do, the one with hot air will fall to the ground, while the one with helium will rise to the sky (that is why it is important to tie a string to it).

Ask the students why the 2 balloons, which appear on the outside to be the same, reacted so differently when tossed into the air.

Read Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourself, it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Explain that Salvation is like these 2 balloons. If we want to rise to heaven (Helium balloon) rather than fall into the depths of Hell, we need something special on the inside. If we try to save ourselves, (example: the balloon with the hot air) we will fail and spend eternity separated from God. However, if we accept the free gift of Salvation through faith in Christ, (example: the balloon with helium - special air) we will spend an eternity with Christ in heaven.

Don’t Get Bowled Over

Materials needed: small ball (little sins), large ball (large sins), several plastic cups, small box to put the cups into (represents God surrounding us with protection).

In this fun, active children's lesson, the students will learn that with God's help they will not be "bowled over" by sin.

First, set-up several plastic cups in the bowling triangle. Then ask the kids what will happen to the cups if they rolled a small ball or a large ball at the cups. (They will fall over). Roll both balls at the cups to show that the kids were right.

Then ask the class what will happen if they placed the cups inside of a box. (Students might say that they will still fall.) Then try this method and see what happens. The cups are still standing.

This story can be related to David and Goliath. Without God's help David would have fallen to the enemy. Then tell the class that with God's help they will not be bowled over by the world of sin and temptation, but that they can stand strong in His protection.

Giving God’s Gifts

You will need a paper sack; a big, bright gift bag; a large, rough rock; and a soft blanket. Ahead of time put the rock in the sack and the blanket in the gift bag.

First bring the rock out and ask the kids if this would be something good to give to someone. Ask if you could hold onto this, if you could sleep with this at night, etc. The rock is like "Hate" and it isn't something nice to give someone or hold onto. Then bring out the blanket and ask the same questions. The blanket is like "Love". It can surround you and make you feel warm all over. It is nice to give to someone else (wrap it around someone's shoulders as you say this) to let them know that you care. Jesus said that we are to love not only the people that we like, but also our enemies and pray for those who try to hurt us. Since Jesus died to save EVERYONE, then I think we should listen to Him!

Little Sins Grow Bigger

To prepare, take a round balloon, inflate it, and write the word "sin" on it with a marker. Deflate the balloon.

Show your group the balloon, and while you are explaining that "little sins grow bigger", begin to demonstrate this by slowly inflating the balloon (and consequently the word "sin"). It is better to use a balloon pump for this, because eventually you will have inflated the balloon so much that it explodes! - a reminder that sin is very destructive.

Making the Right Choice

A well known magician's trick is to force a volunteer to choose the "right card" from a number of different cards. This technique can be used to ensure a child makes the "right choice" from a number of options represented by different cards.

This lesson is versatile. For example, you can pose questions such as: "How can we get to heaven?", or "How can we find peace with God?". The right answer is, of course, “Jesus”.

Now, choose 7 alternative answers which some people may give, such as: prayer, reading the Bible, going to church, keeping the Ten Commandments, doing good, not doing anything bad, believe in God, etc. (Other questions you can ask are "Who is the best role model you can follow?" - it is a good idea to choose a mixture of well-known "good" and "bad" role models, or "Who or what should be the most important thing in your life?".)

Take 8 identical pieces of cardboard (of the right size to suit your group), and write "Jesus" on the back of one, and the 7 alternative answers on the back of the others.

On the front of each card, draw a question mark. However, on the card with "Jesus", make the question mark slightly different from the others - e.g. have the "dot" slightly nearer the main symbol, or have the "curl" slightly more enhanced.

Choose your 1st volunteer to come and stick each card - question mark to the outside - on a board. Ensure that he/she does not let either you or the rest of the group see what is written on the back of each card. They have complete freedom to stick each card wherever they like, provided that they end up with 2 columns of 4 cards each. By looking at the question marks, you will know which is the "Jesus" card.

Explain the purpose of the lesson, and get a 2nd volunteer to come and make what you say you hope will be the right choice. Force him/her to make the right choice as described below. This is a very simple technique, but still seems to baffle the vast majority of people.

Suppose, for example, that the "Jesus" card is in the 1st column. Ask your volunteer to point to either the 1st or the 2nd column. If they point to the 1st, say "Fine, that is your choice, so let us now look at the 4 cards you have rejected in the second column." As you turn over each of these 4 cards, explain why they are wrong choices. If your volunteer points to the 2nd column, say "Fine, you have rejected these 4 cards in the 2nd column", and proceed as before.

You are now left with the 4 cards in the 1st column. Ask your volunteer to point to any 2 of the cards. If the "Jesus" card is 1 of those chosen, say "These are the cards you have chosen, let's look at the 2 you have rejected." Obviously, if they don't point to the "Jesus" card, say " The 2 you have pointed to are the ones you have rejected --------. " I think you will have got the idea by now, ensuring that your volunteer ends by choosing "Jesus."

The Church: Ephesians 2:20

You will need a table, a pre-made pizza crust, canned sauce, and pizza toppings.

Say: "Let's think about the church today. Listen to this morning's text." (Read Ephesians 2:20.) "This verse refers to all Christians. There are all different nationalities, races, and languages, but one thing is the SAME, we all believe in Jesus , as our Savior. The church is like a pizza! The church needs a good strong crust. Ephesians tells us Jesus and the apostles are the foundation of the church. The foundation is the bottom part, the thing that holds all the ingredients together. The foundation of a pizza is the crust. Now for the sauce. The sauce is what gives the pizza its taste. Sauce is full of good things that make us healthy. Sauce is like the Bible. It's full of things that are good for us. We can put a lot of other things on pizza. All these toppings are different. Each has a distinct taste. But together, all these toppings make a pizza yummy. There are a lot of different Christians, and God loves us all because we have the same foundation - Jesus. Now let's add the cheese. That will hold all the toppings together, just like the Holy Spirit holds us together in the church. The pizza is all put together! Let's remember that although Christians can be different, everyone has something to offer. Together, we make up one church, just like all our ingredients make up one pizza!"