Great Exchange
Items Needed: two objects (one good such as a candy bar or treat and one not so good such as a piece of trash–smellier the better)
Use a simple illustration to talk about a great exchange–our sin for Jesus’ holiness.
Give the piece of trash to one of the children and explain that this is what our sin is like. In fact, even the good things we do are like garbage when compared to Jesus’ holiness (Isaiah 64:6).
Show the good object and ask your child if he would be willing to exchange his trash for the candy bar.
Jesus is completely perfect and never sinned. When He died on the cross, He paid the penalty for our sin. If we believe in Him and what He did, He will give us His holiness in exchange for our sin. When God looks at us, He sees Jesus’ holiness–not our sin. Isn’t that a great exchange?
Beauty of God’s Holiness
Items Needed:
- Rocks
- Piece of jewelry
Ask everyone to go outside and bring back one rock. Lay them on the table. Then place a diamond or fine gem (a diamond ring or piece of jewelry) on the table.
Ask, Is there one item that seems different than the rest? (The jewelry, of course) Yes, this jewelry is very valuable and is in a different classification than the rocks we find in our yard. It is separate from these rocks. It is beautiful, and valuable. This reminds me of one of God’s characteristics—His holiness.
What does it mean to be holy? (To be without sin; to be perfect; God is different from us—we have sin, He doesn’t; etc.)
God is holy. He is without sin which is very different from us. We have sin because we do wrong things, but God never sins. Because He is holy and has no evil in Him, we can trust Him to always do what is right and we can follow His example of holiness.
Bombarded
Items Needed:
- Paper
- Writing utensils
Give each family member a piece of paper and have them write down a thought or lie they’ve heard about sin. If you have younger children, do this together. (It’s okay to sin; Sin is not that bad. Stealing a pack of gum is a little thing. Telling a little white lie is okay. Everybody disobeys their parents sometimes.)
Wrong thoughts like these are ways the Devil tempts us to sin. The Devil wants us to sin. Let’s wad up these lies.
Choose one person to be it and have him or her stand on one side of a line while the others stand on the other side. At the count of three, throw the paper balls at him or her.
Ask:
How did you feel when all the paper balls were coming toward you at once?
How do you feel when there are so many temptations to do wrong things?
Give him or her a trash can lid (or cookie sheet or lid to a big box) to use as a shield.
At the count of three, pick up the paper balls and throw them at him again.
Ask:
How did you feel having a shield? (Protected; able to ward off the attack; etc.)
Read 1 Peter 1:16.
God’s Word is like a shield that protects us from the lies we hear or think. When Jesus was tempted by the Devil, He quoted God’s Word back to the Devil each time. Jesus is holy and without sin. We can follow His example to resist sin and choose holiness.