Category Archives: Object Lessons

Object Lessons: Ken’s favorite word pictures to teach Biblical principles and stir the imagination of your youth. They also make great Children’s sermons. Christ often used them in his teaching, using common objects like a mustard seed, a fig tree, a grain of wheat, a drink of water, stony soil, and more.

Object Lessons

Like A Halloween Pumpkin

October 31, 2005 kensapp 2 Comments

In Athens, Paul was disturbed by the culture around him. (Acts 17:16). But instead of coming against it, he used things from that culture to present the gospel. (Acts 17:22-31).

Materials
1. A pumpkin (instructions for preparing it are below)
2. A candle or flashlight to go inside the pumpkin
3. Lighter or matches if you are using a candle
4. A large knife (not sharp, it is for effect).
5. Some mud or clay dirt
6. A damp cloth
7. A cloth large enough to cover the pumpkin

Preparation
1. Cutting carefully so that you can set it back in place, cut the top from the pumpkin.
2. Scoop out the seeds and inner membrane. Rinse, dry and save it. You may want to soak them in coffee or something similar to turn them dark. We will be returning them to the pumpkin.
3. Making sure to keep the cuttings on one side of the pumpkin only, cut a design into the pumpkin. You can use a traditional jack-o-lantern or some other design. Carving ‘JESUS’ into the pumpkin or carving a candle is effective. Be careful not to carry the design to the sides or back of the pumpkin as you do not want to show the cuts at the beginning of the lesson.
4. Put the seeds and membrane back into the pumpkin. If it is going to be over a few hours before the lesson, it would be better to put the seeds and membrane in the refrigerator until closer time.

Just before the session
1. Set the pumpkin in front of you so that the carved part is toward your body. You do not want the audience to see that it has been carved.
2. If the seeds were refrigerated, return them to the pumpkin.
3. Put the top on the pumpkin matching it as good as possible so that the cut is not too obvious.
4. Smear a little clay or mud on the front of the pumpkin so that the audience can easily see it.
5. Set the other supplies (knife, light, damp cloth) where you can reach them.
6. Cover the pumpkin with a cloth so that it is not visible from any side when your group comes in.
7. PRAY

The Lesson
Sometimes people ask what it is like being a Christian.
I’d like to tell you that it is all fun and easy.

But I’m a Christian.
I’m supposed to tell the whole truth.
And here it is.

It is fun to be a Christian because I am God’s child and God loves me. And it is never too hard for me because God helps me.

But sometimes it is pretty hard to be a Christian.
(Lift the cloth off of the pumpkin)
I think I can use this pumpkin to help explain.

We all start out like pumpkins.
We’re out in the garden along with all the others.
God is always walking through that garden asking if any of us what to belong to Him.

When we say ‘yes’ to God, he picks us up out of the garden.
(Use damp cloth to clean the dirt off the pumpkin.)
And he gently washes away the dirt.

That feels really, really nice.
(Pick up the knife)
But there is more to be done.

You see, dirt was not the only thing we brought with us from the garden.
(Pretend to cut around the top of the pumpkin)
Some of what we brought back requires surgery and that can hurt.

(Lift off the top.)
While we were out there in the garden, some things grew inside us.
(Take out a few seeds and hold them out to be seen.)

Sometimes the others were not fair to us.
(Take out more of the seeds)
We became angry and the seed of bitterness started to grow inside.

(Continue to take out seeds as you talk)
Sometimes others let us down or hurt our feelings.
We began to feel sorry for ourselves.
And the seeds of rejection started to grow.

We try to get even with those who hurt us.
The seeds of unforgiveness and violence begin to grow inside.

(Remove the last of the seeds)
Yes, all of this cleaning up hurts a bit.
But if we won’t let God clean all of this out, it gets infected.
And then we really have problems.

Christians who won’t let God clean out all the junk from the pumpkin patch are really miserable.
They have spiritual infections and they can spread them to others.
(Wipe the inside with the cloth)

(Pretend to make a few cuts with the knife on your side of the pumpkin)
I’m learning to hold really still and let God take care of anything that needs cleaning!
Sure it hurts sometimes.
Put the light inside the pumpkin and light it
And sometimes I wonder what God is trying to do!

(Turn the pumpkin around for the group to see)
Then God reminds me that He has a wonderful plan for my life.
He wants the beauty of Jesus to shine through me so others can see the way to Jesus.

That’s what we are, you know.
We are not really better than those poor pumpkins who are still in the garden.
We are just a whole lot better off because Jesus has taken us out of the darkness and into His wonderful light.

(Lights off)
Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.
A city on a hill can’t be hidden.
Also, people do not light a lamp and put it under a bowl.
Instead, they put it on its stand.
Then it gives light to everyone in the house.
In the same way, let your light shine in front of others.
Then they will see the good things you do.
And they will praise your Father who is in heaven.*

Please pray with me.
Father God, thank You for asking us to be Your children.
Father, we want to be more like Jesus.
We want others to see Your light shining in our lives.
Help us to open our hearts to You.
Take away all our bad attitudes.
Give us Your light and love inside.
We’re asking this in Jesus’ Name. Amen

Source: http://www.beau.org/~vickir/halloween/

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Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Object Lessons

Fear Factors

October 29, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
A variety of scary Halloween masks

Activity
Put on the various masks and make threatening gestures.
Are you afraid of me?
What about this one?
Why are you afraid / not afraid?

Discussion
At Halloween, children often dress up in scary costumes for fun. Sometimes we hide behind a corner and try to scare a friend. We aren’t afraid when we know something isn’t real. While we may not be afraid of the child in the ghost costume knocking at the door and saying “Trick or Treat” each of us do have real fears. Even though we all know that scary halloween monsters aren t real, sometimes our imaginations make things seem real. What are some things that you are afraid of? What are some of your fears?

The top ten fears are:

1.	Spiders	Arachnophobia
2.	People & social situations	Anthropophobia or sociophobia
3.	Flying	Aerophobia or aviatophobia
4.	Open spaces	Agoraphobia, kenophobia
5.	Confined spaces	Claustrophobia
6.	Vomiting	Eemetophobia or emitophobia
7.	Heights	Acrophobia, altophobia
8.	Cancer	Carcinomaphobia, carcinophobia
9.	Thunderstorms	Brontophobia or keraunophobia
	lightning	astraphobia
	cyclones	anemophobia
	hurricanes and tornadoes	lilapsophobia
10.	Death	Necrophobia or thanatophobia

There are 365 “Fear Nots” in the Bible – one for every day of the year. But how do we deal with the reality of fear in our lives? The cure for our fears is to walk closely with God, who is bigger and more powerful than anything that might scare us.

Scripture
“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

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Object Lessons

Time for God

October 22, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
1. Obtain a variety of clocks, watches and other time pieces.
2. Bright colored small sticker dots from the stationary store. Write “Take time” on them

Activity
Ask youth to choose a clock that represents them and to tell the group why.

Examples
* “It’s always time to Praise God.”
* “I seek to worship God in every minute of of life.”
* “Nothing disrupts my time of worship with God.”
* “Take time for God.”

Application
Ask youth to place the stickers on their watches so that every time they look at their watch they will be reminded to “take time” for God. Distribute 3X5 cards and ask youth to write goals such as, “every time I look at my watch I will spend a moment in meditation with God.” etc.

Object Lessons

Greatest Prize

October 17, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
A trophy, a ribbon, a medal, a crown, and a certificate of achievement.

Activity
I have some objects with me today that people work really hard to get. They are awards for some great accomplishment. As you can see, these awards come in different shapes and sizes:

This one is a statue with some writing at the base. (Read.) It’s called a trophy. It was given to a person who did an excellent job at __________.

Here is a ribbon. Blue means first place and red usually means second place.

This is a medal. These are often awarded for soldiers for bravery or to someone who does an outstanding job. They are also given to Olympic athletes who are the best in their event.

Crowns were awarded to those who were the victors in the ancient olympics. Today crowns are given to beauty queens.

This certificate is designed to be hung on the wall. It describes the achievement of the person. (Read.)

Application
It’s wonderful to be able to win an award for working hard and doing something really great. But I want to talk about the most wonderful award of all. For Paul, the greatest prize is the calling of Christ. (Phil 3:12 – 16)

Object Lessons

Connect-The-Dots

October 14, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
A difficult Connect-the-Dots puzzle that is not obvious as to the final results. (You might wish to have it photocopied to a transparency and use an OHP so all can see as you connect the dots.)

Activity
Hold up the connect-the-dots puzzle or show it on the OHP. Ask the kids/ youth if they believe a picture will appear if you connect the dots.
* Let kids / youth guess what the final outcome might be if all the dots are connected?

Applications
Doing a connect-the-dots puzzle is a little like faith.
As you’re explaining, start connecting the dots of the puzzle.
1. You begin by believing that an image-really will be revealed-even though you have no idea what it is. In other words, you can’t see the picture, but you believe it’s there. You trust that an artist designed a picture that will be revealed if you continue to trace the sequence, dot to dot.
2. If you don’t connect the dots in sequence, or if you decide to stop drawing, you’ll never see the full picture the artist has designed.

It is similar with your faith in God.
1. You don’t always see exactly where God is leading you.
2. Sometimes you have only part of the picture.
3. You need to follow the steps God has prepared for you and take life as God gives it to you.
4. If you don’t continue your journey of faith you will never see the final results God planned for you.

In John 20:19-29, Thomas wasn’t there when Jesus appeared to the other disciples so for him a piece of the picture was missing. But faith is when, in the words of one experienced Christian, we continue to trust God’s heart even when we cannot trace his hand.

Discussion
1. Why can you trust that God has adequately planned the picture even if you don’t understand everything yet?
2. What happens to the picture when you begin disregarding the proper order of things in life?
3. DO you feel, like Thomas, you missed something and now are lost and don’t understand?
4. What kinds of problems have caused you to doubt God’s design? Seemingly missing numbers? Vague dots? Big gaps?
5. For Thomas it took his hand in the nail scars and side of Christ to get him back on the journey of faith. What would it take to get you back on track in your life?
6. Can you see the dots well enough, but have lately lost interest in joining them because you can’t make sense of the image you’re outlining?
7. What is the next dot in your life? What connection do you think God has planned next for you?

Following Jesus is sometimes like completing a connect-the-dots puzzle.

Object Lessons

How do I measure?

October 2, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
A variety of tools used to measure things… a scale, ruler, measuring cups and spoons of all different sizes, thermometer, carpenter’s level, plumbline, voltage detector, protractor, stop watch, spring scale, watch or clock, etc.

Activity
Q: What do all these things have in common?
A: They are used to measure things.
Q: What would be the best device to measure a _____________. (Fill in the blank with various objects around the room)

Application
How do we measure our Christian growth?
How do we measure our spirituality?

We could measure our growth and spirituality by many different means. We could use the 10 Commandments, the Fruits of the Spirit, the Great Commission and many other ways to measure our spiritual life. This could be used as an introduction to any of these topics. But Christ said that the primary way we will be known / measured as Christians in by our love for others. (John 13:35)

Object Lessons, Teaching Illustrations

Dart Test

September 18, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

A young lady named Sally, relates an experience she had in a seminary class, given by her teacher, Dr. Smith. She says Dr. Smith was known for his elaborate object lessons.

One particular day, Sally walked into the seminary class and knew they were in for a fun day. On the wall was a big target, and on a nearby table were many darts. Dr. Smith told his students to draw a picture of someone that they disliked or someone who had made them angry, and he would allow them to throw darts at the person’s picture, if they wished.

Sally’s girlfriend drew a picture of a girl who had stolen her boyfriend. Another friend drew a picture of his little brother. Sally drew a picture of a former friend, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing, even drawing pimples on the face. Sally was pleased with the overall effect she had achieved.

The class lined up and began throwing darts. Some of the students threw their darts with such force that their targets were ripped apart. Sally looked forward to her turn, and was filled with disappointment when Dr. Smith, because of time limits, asked the students to return to their seats.

As Sally sat thinking about how angry she was because she didn’t have a chance to throw any darts at her target. Dr. Smith began removing the target from the wall.

Underneath the Target was a picture of Jesus.

A hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled picture of Jesus; holes and jagged marks covered His face, and His eyes were pierced.

Dr. Smith said only these words…..

“In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me.” Matthew 25:40.

No other words were necessary; tears filled the eyes of the students, focused only on the picture of Christ.

– Author Unknown

Object Lessons

Window Christians

September 15, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
A small mirror and a piece of window pane glass.

Discussion
1. These two objects that are both made from a flat piece of glass, yet they are quite different. Name some of the differences?
(In one you see yourself. Through the other you see other things.)
2. As you go through the day are your thoughts more on yourself or on others?
3. Imagine living in a house where all the windows have been turned into mirrors. How would you like living there? You wouldn’t be able to see outside. You wouldn’t see the sun, the trees, the clouds, your friends walking by, or anything else. It would also make your house very dark as it is at night because no light can get through a mirror.
4. The same thing happens when you and I think mostly about ourselves. Life gets dark for us. We stop seeing the beautiful things around us and the exciting ways we could help other people. We only see ourselves.

Application
God doesn’t want us to always be focused on ourselves but to be focused on him and other people. God wants us to spend more time looking out for others than looking out for ourselves. When we spend more time thinking about what other people need and less time about our own wants and needs, we become happier more blessed people.

Object Lessons

Invisible Helper

September 5, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
Bring a variety of items that involve air in some way. Possibilities are: balloons, a bicycle tire, a hair dryer, various types of inflatable balls (such as basketballs, soccer balls), an air pump, a water floatation device, an aerosol can, a fan, a paper windmill, soap bubbles, a super soaker water gun which uses air pressure, etc.

Activity
Ask kids to identify what all the objects have in common? The answer is that they all use air. While we can’t see the air, we know it is there because of the affects it has on each of these objects.

Application
After Jesus left earth, we couldn’t see him anymore. But he promised to be with us forever. He also promised to send a help John 14:16. We can’t see the helper but we can see the things he does, the affect that he has on us and other people. We know he is there by the things that he does. The same is true of the Helper, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit.

Object Lessons

Magnifying Glass

September 3, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
Magnifying Glass

Lesson
Magnifying glasses are fascinating and lots of fun. Let the children play with it for a minute – making their EYES big, looking at plants, etc. Point out that magnifying glasses are very useful. They are found in microscopes to help scientists & doctors see the “invisible,” and they are in telescopes to help us see things far, far away. The principle is easy – we look through them and can see things better.

Application
Questions are like magnifying glasses for our understanding. When we don’t understand, we ask questions and things become clearer. And just like in a microscope – sometimes the things we cannot see or understand become clear. We can see the “invisible”

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