Once, there was a storm in Holland, and a boat capsized in the wind and rain and fog. A Rescue Team went out and worked to exhaustion recovering all but one survivor. They came back and the team was exhausted. “Who will go?” someone shouted. Then 16 yr-old Hans said “I will go!” His mother begged him not to go: “Your father died at sea 10 years ago. Your brother Paul was lost at sea just three weeks ago. I can’t take any more heartache. You are all that I have left.”

Hans explained: “I have to go. What if everyone said, Not me. Let someone else do it’?” Hans went out to try to rescue the last survivor.

An hour passed anxiously for his mother and everyone. Then a voice came through the fog. Hans called out: “Tell my mother that I have rescued my brother Paul!”

Source: Unknown

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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At Christmas time there was a man who looked so out of place,
As people rushed about him at a hurried sort of pace.
He stared at all the Christmas lights, the tinsel everywhere,
The shopping center, Santa Claus, with children gathered near.
The mall was packed with shoppers, who were going to and fro,
Some with smiles and some with frowns and some too tired to go.
They rested on the benches or they hurried on their way,
To fight the crowd for purchases to carry home that day.

The music from a stereo was playing loud and clear,
Of Santa Claus and snow men and funny-nosed reindeer.
He heard the people talk about the good times on the way,
Of parties, fun and food galore and gifts exchanged that day.
“I’d like to know what’s going on,” the man was heard to say,
“There seems to be some sort of celebration on the way.
“And would you tell me who this is, all dressed in red and white?
“And why are children asking him about a special night?”

The answer came in disbelief,– “I can’t believe my ear!
I can’t believe that you don’t know that Christmas time is here.
The time when Santa Claus comes around with gifts for girls and boys,
When they’re asleep on Christmas Eve, he leaves them books and toys.”
“The man you see in red and white is Santa Claus, so sly,
The children love his joyful laugh and twinkle in his eye!
His gift-packed sleigh is pulled along by very small reindeer,
As he flies quickly through the air, while darting there and here.

The children learn of Santa Claus while they are still quite small,
When Christmas comes he is the most important one of all!”
The stranger hung his head in shame, he closed a nail-pierced hand,
His body shook in disbelief, and he did not understand.
A shadow crossed his stricken face, His voice was low but clear:
“After all these years, they still don’t know …”

And Jesus shed a tear.

Christmas Collection

Materials
Fishing Lures (no hooks for safety’s sake.), Fishing pole or net, other fishing gear, tackle box, etc.

Activity
Does anyone know how to use this equipment?
Has anyone here ever been fishing?
Has anyone ever caught a fish?
This is a fishing pole, and you cast the line out in the water and hope to catch some fish. (Do this if you have room but remove the hook from your lure to avoid catching some poor fellow’s toupee.)
Display and describe important equipment used in fishing such as fishing rods, fishing line, waders, floats, weights, and hooks.

But the most important thing is missing – a fishing pole and fishing line by itself won’t catch fish. You need bait!

Select some common fishing lures and explain how each is used.
1. Some lures sink to the bottom where catfish and bottom dwelling fish can be found.
2. Others such as a fly float on the surface.
3. Some move through the water and have spinning parts and reflectors to attract the fish.
4. Some look like worms while others look like shrimp or other live creatures the fish like to eat.
5. Some people may not use lures but instead use live bait.

Application
Read Matthew 4:17-22
1. How is telling others about Jesus similar to fishing?
2. Fishing lures are created to be attractive to fish. How can you make the good news about Jesus attractive to your friends?

Jesus was sending His disciples out to fish for men, rather than fish. Jesus wants each of us to go fishing with Him every day of our lives. We are to fish for people to bring to the Lord. We are to tell them how Jesus loves them so much that He died on the cross to forgive their sins. We must tell people how they can invite Jesus into their hearts to become their Savior. That way, we become fishers of men.

Extra
As closing gesture, give each kid a fishing lure (in which the hooks have been removed for safety) and tape them to a card with a key phrase from the passage.

Food for Thought
Is a person a fisherman if year after year he never catches fish? Is a person a true disciple of Jesus Christ if he never wins a soul for Christ? Jesus never suggests that the world should come to the church but he commands the church to go into the world to witness. Jesus has given us the example – he goes to the people, he never waits for the people to come to Him.

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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Materials
Many different kinds, sizes and shapes of keys: old-fashioned keys, keys on funny key rings, car keys, a huge honorary key (as “a key to the city”), hotel keys (both the traditional kind and the plastic card kind with the electronic code), etc. Have a one lock which can be opened by one of the keys.

Activity
Ask kids to identify what all the objects have in common. Of course they are keys. Then ask them what each key might open?
The keys represent things to us
House keys – a home
Skeleton key – something old/ antique
Key ring – lots of opportunities
Car Key – going places
Hotel Key – Vacation / Holiday
PadLock Key – Security for your valuable possessions

Then show them the padlock and let them identify which key might open the lock?

Application
Some people say there are many different ways to GodBut the Bible says the only way to God is through Jesus. Which is what Jesus meant when be said, “I am the way” in John 14:6.

He is the key to heaven and eternal security with God. Like the house key, he is the key to our heavenly home. Like the car key, he is our way to go there. Like the padlock key, he opens up the riches of God to us. Jesus didn’t say he pointed to the way, or that he knew the way, or even that he could teach the way. He said he is “the way.”

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.

Learn More…

Materials
Some delicious fruit

Activity
Pull out a piece of fruit, such as an apple, and begin eating it while you’re in the midst of your discussion. Continue your discussion as you normally would. Stop occassionally and tell the others how delicious the fruit you’re eating is! Then continue again with your discussion. After stopping and telling the others about your delicious fruit several times, ask if someone else would like to try the fruit also. Have someone else try the fruit. After they agree that the fruit IS delicious, make the following application:

Application
As you have just demonstrated, you can tell others how “delicious” the Gospel is, and they can believe you …trusting in your testimony of it. But, they will never truly know and understand “how delicious it is,” until they taste it for themselves.

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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Materials
Make a jello egg by making a small hole in each end of an egg using a needed or penknife. The hole can be about 1/2 cm in diameter. You can then blow through the other hole and empty the contents of the egg. Use some water to rinse the inside of the egg until the water exits clear. You can then make ordinary jello and fill the eggshell with jello. Once the jello has set you can remove the shell and you have a jello egg. You may wish to leave the jello in the egg and use a little white toothpaste to cover over the holes.

Prepare another egg just as above, but instead of filling it with jello, leave it empty.

Activity
Use the jello egg, empty egg, a raw egg, a soft boiled egg, and a hard boiled egg. Each of the 5 eggs are placed in separate zip-lock bags. The youth then get to feel the eggs and test the firmness of each one.

Application

The Jello egg is a great example of testimony or faith that is based on the continuous changes in life. It is solid. It is firm. It retains it’s shape and identity. Yet it gives a bit and adjusts to changes around it, which may include guidance from a parent, teacher, or church authority; experiences with others; revelation; inspiration; etc.

The empty egg may symbolize the vaccuum we have wthout Jesus in our life.

A raw egg might represent a new Christian and lacks the firmness in his convictions.

A soft-boiled egg might represent a Christian which is firm in some things, but still has some core issues unresolved.

The firm egg may represent someone who is legalistic or rigid in his faith.

A great change occurred in Nebuchadnezzer’s life. His heart was very hard and unyeileding to God. So God crushed his shell by giving him a time of difficulty. During this time King Nebuchadnezzer lost his senses and lived among the wild animals and acted like one of them. He ate grass like cattle do, his hair grew to look like the feathers of an eagle and his fingernails grew to look like the claws of a bird. But in Daniel 4 he turned to God and something special happened. Like the eggs of birds that hold many surprises, God can break us out of a shell and change us if we will put our trust in him.

Easter Collection

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Materials
In the middle of your meeting room, lay out as many of the following items as you can find to be used as props: a packet of seeds, a flower, a pencil eraser, a pencil, a blank sheet of paper, several balloons, a fork, sandals or tennis shoes, a telephone, a newspaper, several pieces of wood bubbles, a dust rag, finger paints and paper grocery bags, a brick, a pillow, a banana peel, a flashlight, a harmonica, an empty cup, and a bar of soap. Add other things as you wish. You’ll also need Bibles.

Introduction
Read aloud the story of the change that occured in King Nubuchadnezzer in Daniel 4.

King Nubuchadnezzer’s story of how he began a relationship with God is exciting, but it’s no more unique than your story. Take a few minutes to think about how you became a Christian. Then think about ways you might use one or more of these props to explain to others the story of how you became a Christian.

Activity
Form two teams. Have as many kids who are willing use as many props as they can to tell the whole group how they became Christians. Allow only the same number of kids from each team to share. Award teams 1,000 points for each prop used by its team members. Props may be used more than once but not in the same way that someone else previously used them. After each person has had a turn, tally the points and congratulate the winning team.

Debrief
Next have kids choose a partner from the opposite team to form pairs. Wrap up the game by asking pairs to discuss these questions:

1. Why do we sometimes get more excited about “extraordinary” conversion stories like King Nubuchadnezzer than “ordinary” ones?
2. Are people better or worse Christians based on how they were before they became Christians? Explain.
3. What are some creative ways to tell others about how you became a Christian?
4. Why is it important to use different methods in telling how we became Christians?

Application
The fourth chapter of Daniel tells the story of Nebuchadnezzar’s turning to God. He told his testimony voluntarily and enthusiastically:

1) His life before he turned to God. He begins by telling us what happened eight years before. “I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my place, contented and prosperous.” But his ease and prosperous condition did not last long because he says, “I had a dream that made me afraid…” Then he shared how he suffered from a mental condition.

2) How he turned to God. “At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my sanity was restored. He repented and turned to God.

3) The results of turning to God. “At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom… and I became even greater than before.”

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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Materials
Various objects from the store with the price tags on them.

Activity
Divide the class into several teams. Then display one of the items but with the price tag concealed. Each team must try to guess the price of the item without going over. The closest team to the actual price is rewarded a token, a one cent coin, or play money. Continue through all the items you have brought. Then have a package of candy or similar item that all the kids can share as a final reward. Allow kids to purchase the items using their tokens, coins, or play money. But set the prices impossibly high so that even if one team won all the tokens they still would not be able to get the final prize. When they have discovered it is impossible then give the prize to the class as a gift from you they can share.

Application
The Bible says it is impossible for us to reach heaven by our own efforts, but God gives us the free gift. The cost is too high. It cost God his one and only Son. Yet God gives us salvation as a free gift. All we have to do is trust in him.

Variation
Add some items for the price guessing that are sentimental in value. You could use a package of baseball cards, a special pokemon monster which is rare, a rare “Star Wars” figure, a rare collectible, or even one of the “hello kitty” dolls from McDonalds or “Muppet Babies” which were such a hit. While these items had a set price, there are people willing to pay much more. This is because the wish to complete their collection or because of the rareness of an item. Baseball cards may be only worth about 20 cents each, but some baseball cards can be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars. They are just a picture on a piece of cardboard. Yet some people collect baseball cards and if they want a particular card, and there aren’t many of them, they may have to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to get one. We can identify the worth of something by how much someone is willing to pay for it. Our salvation is priceless because we could not acheive it ourselves and because God gave that which was of greatest worth to him so that we could have salvation as a free gift. He gave us his life so that we might be saved.

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.

Learn More…

Activity
Ask the kids if the following people need to be saved?
First, only say the first half… then after a dramatic pause, and perhaps some “no’s” from the audience, add the second half! (Works great drawing it on a whiteboard too!)

1. Guy swimming in the ocean?
(no?) add a shark!
2. Girl driving in car?
(no?) add a cliff for the road to drop off!
3. Man reading book on the sidewalk?
(no?) add Piano falling from a window!
4. Kid walking to school?
(no?) add teacher w/ Pop Quiz!
5. Youth tanning on the beach?
(no?) add a tidal wave!
CREATE YOUR OWN SURPRISES

Finally
X. Kid riding bike?
(no?) add the 10 Commandments and the Book of Life or add the verse of Romans 3:23

OPTION
Draw the first half on the whiteboard… then draw the second half after your pause. The additional information changes everything! Or reveal the 1st half of a predrawn picture and then the later reveal the second half of the picture.

INTRO TO SALVATION LESSON
The Bible says that everyone needs to be saved – only most people do not realize it. They think they are “fine,” just like the man reading the book- he needs to look up and realize it isn’t just a clowdy day. People need to see the things in this world that show that there is more to it, and that they are indeed in need of being saved. (Romans 6:23)

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.

Learn More…