What I Really Need
While you are riding in the car, review the simple truth that we need Jesus to get to Heaven. One person will think of a situation where someone needs help and the other will guess what is needed. For example, “When my house is on fire, what I really need is __” (a fireman; a fire extinguisher). Other situations: I am sick, I am blind, I am hungry, I am lost and don’t know which way to go, I am cold, etc.
For the last one, add the situation: When I need to have my sins forgiven or when I need to go to Heaven, I really need __. (Jesus)
Jesus forgives us and treats us as if we never sinned! That process is called justification. It is a gift to us that can’t be earned—just like grace. Say this together: Jesus is the only way to Heaven!
How Good Can You Be?
Item needed: Bible
Announce to the family at breakfast that the family is going to have a contest to see who can be completely good. (You may want to review the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20.) At dinner, talk about it.
At the end of the day, ask the following questions:
Did you put God first in everything today?
Did you tell the truth?
Did you want what someone else had?
Did you love something else more than God?
Did you honor and obey your parents?
Can anyone be good enough to obey all God’s rules every single day? No! Some people might do a better job following God’s rules than others, but no one can obey all of God’s rules all the time.
If we can’t keep all of God’s rules, how can we be right with Him?
Our sins are taken away only by believing in Jesus and what He did for us. He died on the cross and then came alive three days later. When we have faith (believe) in Jesus, He takes away our sin and makes us right before God. We are justified…just as if we never sinned.
Justified
Items Needed: Chalkboard and chalk, whiteboard and marker, or paper and pencil
Share an object lesson to show how God wipes our sins away. Ask your child to name some sins that children their age do (disobeying, fighting, stealing, etc.). Allow them to write the sin on the chalkboard, whiteboard or paper.
When sins have been recorded, ask:
How does God feel about sin? (He hates sin; He cannot be around sin; etc.)
Jesus died on the cross to take our punishment for sin. If we believe in Jesus and what He did on the cross, God will forgive us—wipe away our sin. (Invite one of the children to erase all the sins or rip up the piece of paper.) We will be justified—just as if we never sinned.