The Cross or Hell?
Materials
A piece of paper and scissors
Description
(drama/object lesson, visual - Use caution when discussing Hell with young kids)
The Background Story
A Japanese man was in prison for his faith. He was told by his interrogator the next day he was going to be executed. But since they were such experts in origami he could go free if he could make a cross with only 1 cut in a piece of paper. The man asked for a piece of paper to practice on but he was told that he could not have one. He went and prayed and the next morning he was brought before his interrogator who was all smiles. He was given a piece of paper and a pair of scissors. The prisoner took the paper and folded it as follows.
Preparation
Fold the top right corner to left side of paper, forming a triangle, then the point at the top left over to the right side of the paper. Now it looks like a house with a pitched roof. Then folded it along the horizontal so that it looked like an arrow. Fold it again along the horizontal to make a thinner arrow. Now cut the paper vertically down the middle as indicated below.
The Lesson
After unfolding all the pieces he found he had a cross. He was free and would have an opportunity for a new life of freedom,, but he wasn't finished. He put all the other pieces together to make the word HELL.
Easter gives us the choice of the CROSS or HELL.
Application
Jesus suffered and sacrificed Himself for our sins and offers us the only way to heaven.
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Title: The Cross or Hell?
Posted by Ken Sapp on April 16, 2006 06:38 PM | Link
Category: Object Lessons
Average: 3.14 (147
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Keywords: Easter, cross, crucifixion, new life
Comments
This teaching as well as your site are awesome!!!
Thanks for letting yourself be used to expand the kingdom!!!
Posted by: Cindy Agosto | December 30, 2006 03:09 AM
This object lesson is awesome
Posted by: kim | January 13, 2008 10:40 AM
We used to use this folding trick with a different story - I have been looking for the folding technique for years! I couldn't remember how to make the cross anymore! (We didn't do the last fold though... instead the story requires the paper to be cut twice, once - if you look at your fourth diagram, you would cut first to the right of the dotted line (about an inch and a half off of the paper), and then a second cut another inch and a half into the paper.
The story we used to use went like this: A man was hanging out with his friend. The man was not a Christian, but his friend was. The man asked his friend, "Where do you think you're going to go when you die?" The Christian friend replied, "I'm going to Heaven. Jesus has reserved a place there for me. I have my ticket right here." (Show paper) The man said that he would like to get into Heaven when he died too. The Christian friend told him that he could, that all he needed to get into Heaven was a ticket, just like his. (Start folding the paper as you talk.) The man said, "Well, how do I get my ticket?"... his friend replies by saying, "You have to believe that Jesus is your Savior and give your life to Him." The man tells his friend, "I don't think I can do that... I like my life the way it is. Can't I just have a piece of your ticket?" The friend says, "I don't think it will help, you need your own ticket... but here..." (Cut off the first strip of the folded "ticket") The man says, "I've done a lot of bad things in my life, and this isn't much of a ticket... maybe I could get another piece?" The friend replies again that he's sure this won't work, but gives him another piece (cut off the next strip) - Fast forward: One day the friend dies and when he gets to Heaven they ask for his ticket to pass through the pearly gates... he hand them the folded and cut up ticket - they unfold it to reveal the cross and tell him to come in. Then, the man dies... but when he gets up to the pearly gates they ask for his ticket and he says, "I have it here... it's in a few pieces...." They take the pieces and assemble them, it spells out "HELL" - They say, "I'm sorry... you can't come in." The man replies, "But I have this ticket!!!" They reply to him, "Jesus gives these tickets for free... but you can't get into Heaven by stealing somebody else's ticket!"
Posted by: Kristin | February 19, 2009 05:30 AM