Object Lesson | Puzzler

Source (Where I saw it): Original

Supplies:  Two Puzzles

Preparation: Remove most of the pieces of the puzzle, leaving only 2 or 3 pieces inside the box.

The object lesson & how I used it...

Main Point: We need to give God our all!

Illustration:  Walk up to the front and ask for one person from each side to play a game.  The idea of the game is who can put together their puzzle the fastest.  The winning person will get a prize.  Then hand each volunteer a puzzle and say go!  Once they open it up and see only a few pieces they will be confused.  Stop the game and ask them what is wrong.  Of course!  There are tons of pieces missing!  Ask the two volunteers to have a seat.

Explanation:  Show the kids the 3 pieces and explain that this is what many people do with God.  They want God to build a picture of their lives, but then only hand over 3 pieces.  It is impossible to see the complete picture of a puzzle with only 3 pieces, and in the same way we can’t see all of the plan has for us if we don’t give up every single area of our life to Him!

Object Lesson | Transformers

Source (Where I saw it): Original

Supplies:  A transformer action figure, preferably an auto bot.

Preparation: Start with the transformer in the “car” position.

The object lesson & how I used it...

Main Point: The Holy Spirit transforms us!

Illustration:  Who has ever seen transformers?  Who has any of the toys?  The cool thing about transformers, particularly the auto bots, is that they start out as cars, trucks, and other cool vehicles.  Now when the bad guys come to destroy the world do they stay as cars?  Nope!  They transform into warriors!  Now they can still do a bunch of cool stuff as cars like drive fast and pull things, but they would be seriously missing out on some awesomeness if they stayed a car!

Explanation:  That’s what the Holy Spirit is all about.  When Jesus went back to heaven, God sent the Holy Spirit to be with us.  Jesus was a person and could only be in some many places, but when God sent his Spirit to be with us, he can be everywhere and with everyone.  When we ask for God to baptize us in his Holy Spirit we are opening ourselves to all that God has for us.  The Holy Spirit transforms us!

Object Lesson | Car That Can’t Go

Source (Where I saw it): Original

Supplies:  Toy Car, Play-Doh or something that can gunk it up.

Preparation: None.

The object lesson & how I used it...

Main Point: When we don’t forgive it stops you from loving!

Illustration: Show the kids the toy car and ask if any of them have ever had a toy car.  Ask them what their favorite thing to do toy cars.  It is so much fun to race the cars and make them go fast.  Now what happens if in the wheels we gunk it up with play doh?  The wheels don’t spin very well, and it has a hard time moving.  Are you going to be able to win any kind of race with this car?  Probably not.

Explanation: Forgiveness can be the same way.  Let’s imagine for a moment that we are the car.  As this car we are able to race around and share the love that God has for us with other people.  Now all of a sudden when people hurt our feelings and bring pain to our life, it is like getting all that play doh jammed up in the wheels.  We now have a choice.  We can leave that stuff in their where it will harden and get harder and harder to remove, or we can get it out.  With people we have to forgive, because if we don’t, we lose our ability to share God’s love.

Object Lesson | Remove The Pencil

Source (Where I saw it): Original

Supplies:  Pencil

Preparation: None

The object lesson & how I used it...

Main Point: When we don’t forgive it stops you from loving!

Illustration: Show the kids the pencil.  Ask them if they have ever accidentally poked themselves or got poked by someone with a pencil.  It doesn’t feel good at all.  In fact at times it can really hurt depending on how bad it pokes or stabs.  Now imagine if someone came up to you and stabbed the pencil into your hand.  That would be extremely painful.  Imagine if part of the pencil was still in your hand, would your hand be able to heal?  Most people would go to a doctor or hospital and get the pencil removed so the hand can heal.  Now in that situation who is in more pain, you or the person who stabbed you?  Clearly you are, because you are the one sitting at the hospital with a pencil sticking out of your hand.

Explanation: Being hurt and learning to forgive is exactly the same way.  When someone is mean, or forgets about us, or something else that hurts us it is like getting a pencil thrown in your direction.  There are times where it was just a little poke, and other times it was a stab through the hand.  Now the sad part is that many people decide that they don’t want to get that pencil out.  They want to be mad at the person who hurt them for the rest of their lives.  They take up ever offense they can and hold grudges.  Well over the years a person like that may have pencils sticking out of their hands, back ears, etc.  What they fail to recognize is they are the ones who are allowing the hurts to not heal.  The lack of forgiveness in a persons life ends up hurting themselves more than the ones who applied the hurt in the first place.  If we want to be whole, if we want to be able to love and be loved, then we need to forgive.

Object Lesson | Car That Won't Go

Source (Where I saw it): Original

Supplies:  Toy Car, Play-Doh or something that can gunk it up.

Preparation: None.

The object lesson & how I used it... 

Main Point: When we don’t forgive it stops you from loving!

Illustration: Show the kids the toy car and ask if any of them have ever had a toy car.  Ask them what their favorite thing to do toy cars.  It is so much fun to race the cars and make them go fast.  Now what happens if in the wheels we gunk it up with play doh?  The wheels don’t spin very well, and it has a hard time moving.  Are you going to be able to win any kind of race with this car?  Probably not.

Explanation: Forgiveness can be the same way.  Let’s imagine for a moment that we are the car.  As this car we are able to race around and share the love that God has for us with other people.  Now all of a sudden when people hurt our feelings and bring pain to our life, it is like getting all that play doh jammed up in the wheels.  We now have a choice.  We can leave that stuff in their where it will harden and get harder and harder to remove, or we can get it out.  With people we have to forgive, because if we don’t, we lose our ability to share God’s love.