The Bridge
Do a simple object lesson to help your kids understand the holiness of God. Line up all the kids side by side facing you. As you share a list of sins, ask them to take one step back if they have ever committed that sin. (For example: If you’ve ever told a lie, take a step back.)
If you’ve ever:
- Disobeyed
- Hated anyone
- Been mean
- Talked back and disrespected parent
- Fought
- Stolen
- Loved something more than God
- Slandered others
- Got revenge
- Coveted
- Etc.
By now (unless they are very young kids who don’t want to admit they’ve sinned or don’t really understand about sin), your kids should be far away from you.
Just as you are far from me, our sins separate us from God. (God is holy and has no sin.) When we choose to sin, we are going our own way – away from God. Our sin makes us enemies of God.
When Jesus died on the cross, He became the bridge, bringing us close God.
Invite kids to walk back to you. Read Ephesians 2:12-18 for a picture of what Jesus did for us.
Say a prayer of thanks for God’s holiness and for the gift of Jesus bringing us close to God even though we are sinners.
Be Safe
Devise a fire escape plan for your family. Tell everyone what he or she should do in case there is a fire. Assure them that you want each one to be safe and unhurt. Practice the drill a few times.
Ask:
Why is it important to have a fire escape plan? (So we can all get out of the house in case of fire; so we can be safe)
Even though a fire would be a terrible thing, we don’t need to worry about it, because we have a plan of escape.
God made a plan so we can be safe. God is holy and must punish sin. When Jesus died on the cross, He took the punishment for sin. If we accept Jesus into our lives, we do not need to worry because we will not have to suffer the punishment for our sin.
Say a prayer thanking Jesus for suffering the punishment for our sin and thanking God for making a way for us to be with Him in heaven one day.
Lean on Me
Items Needed: One object (ball; pencil; stuffed animal; etc.) per team
Run a relay with a partner. Ask kids to find a partner. Pick a starting point and finishing point. Partners must run from the starting point to the finishing point with the object between them. To change it up, announce a different way for them to carry the object:
- elbow to elbow
- finger to finger
- back to back
- cheek to cheek
- head to head
If they drop the item, they must pick it up and keep going. Have fun!
It’s fun to do things with a partner. We all need help to know the right things to do and so God has given us the Holy Spirit to live inside us. He will guide, comfort, correct, and show us how to please God.