Aluminum foil is one of those things we often take for granted. It has so many uses. But this week’s lesson uses foil to remind us that as Christians we are destined to be conformed to the image of Christ, reflecting Him in all that we do. It’s not just being seen as Christlike, but God moulding us and shaping us into the image of His Perfect Son.
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Aluminum Foil Games
- Mirror Maze – Make a maze on the floor using masking tape. Make mirrors for teams by wrapping a piece of aluminum foil, shiny side out, around a small square of cardboard. Youth must walk through the maze by looking into the foil mirror held straight out from their eyebrows so that the mirror reflects the ground at their feet. Youth are only allowed to look in their mirror to navigate. The youth who completes the maze in the quickest time wins. To make it a little more difficult, assign time penalties for each time a person steps on a line or touches an obstacle. Variation: Everyone must walk backwards from one side of the area to the other using only foil mirrors to see.
- Mirror Scavenger Hunt – Place a variety of items inside a designated area that youth must collect and deliver to their team. They must look toward the ceiling, holding a foil mirror above their head so that it reflects the ground at the feet to navigate and retrieve the objects. if they look down at any time they are disqualified. The team that picks up all the items the fastest wins. Variations: Youth must pick up the items according to size or place some items that incur penalties when touched.
- Walk the Line – Make a zig-zag and single maze like line of masking tape or using chalk that winds around the room and ends on the opposite side of the room. While looking into a foil mirror placed above their heads youth are to walk the line to the end of the room then return. If they miss stepping on the line they must return to the start. Using a stop watch, time the team in getting all members to walk the line (relay style). Team with the quickest time wins.
- Mirror Dodge Ball – Make balls of foil from discarded aluminum foil. Place a line or divider down the center of the room. While looking AWAY from the supposing team and into a mirror so they can see the team behind them, youth must toss the balls of foil and try to hit people in the other team. if someone is hit they are out of the game. Team with the most remaining members after a given time period is declared the winner.
- Capture the Flag – Divide your youth group in two teams and the room into two territories so that each team has one territory. Give each team a flag they can place anywhere in their territory. (It must be visible when you are next to it and the other team must be able to directly access it) Teams can place tables, chairs, or other “defense objects” in their territory. Supply each team with as many aluminum foil balls as possible. The object is to get the other team’s flag to your side without getting hit by an aluminum foil ball thrown from the other team. If a person is hit with a foil ball, he/she must sit out until the next round. When the team members begin to dwindle, raids can be made on the other team’s flag. The first team to capture the other team’s flag is declared the winner. Everyone re-supplies with the aluminum foil balls and another round can be played.
- Foil wars – For this game you’ll need a dark room, a strobe light, and several rolls of aluminum foil. Make as many balls of aluminum foil as possible. Divide the room in half and have a line down the middle of the room. Place an equal number of foil balls on each side of the room, shut off the lights and start the strobe light. When the lights come back on the team with the fewest number of foul balls on their side wins the game. If you want to reduce the amount of foil used you can also cover ping pong balls with foil.
- Aluminum Foil Sculptures – Give each youth small sheet of aluminum foil. When the clock starts, they will have one minute to create an aluminum sculpture. When finished, display the Sculptures on a table in the front of the room and have the youth group vote on winners for various categories.
- Tallest Tower – Give each team a roll of aluminum foil and using only the foil teams must create the tallest free-standing tower possible in 10 minutes. For an extra challenge, give all the teams less time.
- Spot the Difference – Find some “spot the difference puzzles” – Two images that are mirror reflections of each other but with changes. Award points to teams of youth for correctly identifying the differences in the two mirror images.
NOTE: You can also replace the ping pong ball in many games with a ball of aluminum foil or use the wrapping paper ideas I sent at Christmas and use foil instead.
Final Game for Key Application
- Foil Faces – Give each youth a piece of aluminum foil big enough to cover his/ her face. Have each find a partner who will make an image of his/her face by placing the foil up to the person’s face and carefully molding the foil sheet to the face. If they wear glasses, a hat, earrings or other peculiar identifiable items ask them to leave them on during the mold making process. With a marker put the owners name on the inside of each. If you have a very large group you can reduce the time required by recruiting several representatives in advance. Place the masks in random order in front of the volunteers. The youth have to try to match the face with the mask. The player with the most correct wins.
TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL
KEY TRUTHS
- We are created in the image of God – We are created in God’s image to reflect his light in our lives. Image – “a physical likeness or representation of a person, animal, or thing, photographed, painted, sculptured, or otherwise made visible.” Our lives are moulded to him and we reflect him in our actions and thoughts.
- Sin corrupted God’s image in us – However when man fell he became a distorted, corrupted image of God. Like a piece of foil, wadded up and then used as a mirror, the reflection is shattered. When we sin, we choose to be moulded not into the image of God, but into the image of other things. We replace God with those things and they shape our lives, corrupting it and destroying the image of God in us.
- God redeems us – You’ve made an impression of your face in foil, but the foil isn’t really you. It looks a little like you, but It’s not you. It’s just an impression of who you are. In the same way, we are created in the “image of God.” We are NOT God, but created to be like Him and reflect what He is like. After our fall, God sent His perfect image, Jesus Christ, to restore God’s image in us as we accept Him as our Savior and Lord. Each of us was created, shaped, loved, redeemed, and called by God to be transformed into His Perfect You, reflecting the best of God in everything.
- God wants to Mould us into the image of His Son – God’s also want to leave His impression on us, specifically the impression of Christ – to be Christlike. We still look like ourselves, but God wants us to look like him in the ways we live and think. It’s not the reflection of our face, but the reflection of our heart God wants to change.
- Moulding requires pressure – It take pressure to mould the foil to your face. In the same way God may use pressure to mould us into the image of His Son. It may be through health, trials, temptations, challenges, tests of our faith. Whatever circumstances God allows in our lives are for the purpose of making us more Christlike. [Quite a personal application for me as I continue my chemotherapy]
MAKE IT SPIRITUAL
- What is an image? What is a mould?
- When you look at your reflection in a mirror, how does the quality of the mirror affect how you see yourself?
MAKE IT PRACTICAL
- Is it possible to not see a problem in yourself, even if the mirror is in front of you?
- What are some ways that a Christian begins to look like Christ in his or her actions, deeds, values, thoughts, habits, and words?
- What are some examples of Christlike characteristics?
- In what ways does a Christian mirror Jesus?
MAKE IT PERSONAL
- Do you spend most of your time looking into physical mirror or the mirror of God’s Word? What does this say about you?
- Does your life reflect Christ? Actions? Thoughts? Habits? Your Heart?
- In what ways is God moulding you into the image of His Son?
- In what ways is God still conforming you to his image?
- What Christlike characteristics would others describe in your life?
- What’s one thing that would change in your life if you were more Christlike?
SCRIPTURES
- Genesis 1:27 – “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
- 1 Peter 1:13-16 – “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
- Psalm 139:13-16 – “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
- Galatians 3: 26-29 – “You are all sons (and daughters) of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
- Peter 3:3-4 – “You should be known for the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.”
- Romans 12:1-2 – “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
- 1 Corinthians 13:12 – “Now we see a dim reflection, as if we were looking into a mirror, but then we shall see clearly. Now I know only a part, but then I will know fully, as God has known me”
- James 1:22-25 – “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it – not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it – they will be blessed in what they do.”
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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.