Materials
A variety of sports equipment. Possibilities include: (a baseball mitt, baseball, bat, and baseball cap), (soccerball, soccer shoe, shin guard), (golf club, golf ball, putter, golf tee), (table tennis table, ping-pong ball, racket, net), (basketball, basketball net), (chessboard, chess pieces), (Chinese chess pieces and board), (tennis ball, tennis racket), (croquet set), (swimming fins, goggles, swimsuit, skull cap), (bowling ball, shoes, and glove) and various balls and equipments from other sports. While using actual equipment will make the lesson more exciting, if you can’t obtain the different sports equipment you can write the names of the items on note cards.

Activity
Have children or youth group the items together. As a children’s sermon make believe you are playing the different sports, but use the wrong equipment. For a fun youth lesson, actually play a sport with the wrong equipment.)

Debrief
While we may be able to play with the wrong equipment, we are NOT going to break any records. If I hit a basketball with a golf club it will take me forever to reach the hole and when I reach the hole the ball won’t fit! While some small items like a baseball cap may not make a difference, other equipment may be impossible to use for the wrong game. Imagine running a race in flippers. If you want to be successful and victorious you need to use the right equipment.

Application
Solomon tried a lot of things in life. While some of them worked for a while, his relationship with God was the only thing that could let him be successful and victorious spiritually.

Alternate Application
Applied to Spiritual gifts, God gives us each gifts with a purpose. Like a piece of sports equipment, We each have our own role to play in this game called life. We are not all called to play the same game or even to use the same gifts and skills. If we try to serve God in ways for which we were not created or for which he did not intend for us to serve, we may be able to function, but we will be far from our potential in Christ.

Alternate Application
While some of the wrong equipment may work for a while, you won’t realise your true potential until you use the right equipment for the right task and are pursuing the right goal. For Paul, (Phil 3:12 – 16 ) there was only one goal that mattered. His relationship with God was the only thing that could let him be successful and victorious spiritually. We have to make sure that in life we are playing the right game and pursuing the right goals.

MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”
200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.
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Our “Destined to Win” series is a great follow up for youth who are new Christians or to emphasize the basics of our spiritual Journey in the Faith. This Bible Study / Camp Curriculum / Small Group Study has a sports theme and is great for athletes and works well as a tie in to the Olympics.
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