Time
15-20 minutes
Description
This object lesson teaches that unforgiveness can hinder our prayers for forgivenss.
Materials
- One “Energy Ball” from www.stevespanglerscience.com. (This ball sends a small electric current through your body when you touch a metal strip on the side. (You cannot feel the current.) The current will pass through as many people as you link together (through holding hands). As long as everyone is touching in the chain, the ball will light up with the last person touches the metal strip with you.)
Preparation
· Purchase the “Energy Ball” (under $10). Allow a few weeks for shipping and delivery.
· Practice the script.
Procedure
Use the following script (or modify to suit your needs):
- “How many of you know how important it is to forgive other people when they do something that upsets you?” (Look for a show of hands.)
- “When we won’t forgive someone, it separates us. Let me show you what I mean.” (Ask for a volunteer to come up.)
- “(Child’s name) and I are good friends. We are very close.” (Give child a side hug.)
- “But if I get upset with (child’s name) because of something he/she does, it separates us.” (Gently push child about an arm’s length away.)
- “As long as I’m mad at (child’s name), we are no longer in fellowship.”
- “But when I forgive (child’s name), it brings us back together. (Give child a side hug.)
- “Now, God says in the Bible that if we are angry with someone and won’t forgive them, He won’t forgive us of our sins.”
- “How many of you knew that already?” (Look for a show of hands.)
- “Well, I didn’t know it for a long time. Let’s look at the Scripture that says this.” (Ask a volunteer to read Mark 11:25-26.)
- “Jesus is saying that if we are upset with someone, we shouldn’t even bother praying for forgiveness for our own sins until we have forgiven that person.”
- “What He is not saying is that if we don’t forgive someone we can’t go to heaven.”
- “The only thing you have to do to go to heaven is believe that Jesus died for your sins and accept the gift of his sacrifice on the cross.”
- “But what He is saying is that your relationship with God will suffer until you forgive that person you are upset with.” (Ask for a second volunteer to come up. Put this volunteer on the opposite side of you.)
- “It works like this. When I’m close to (first volunteer’s name), then it’s possible for me to be close to God.” (Give both children a side hug at the same time.)
- “But when I won’t forgive (first volunteer’s name), then it’s not possible for me to be close to God.” (Gently push both volunteers about an arm’s length away from you.)
- “God wants us to forgive others just like He has already forgiven us for all our sins. In other parts of the Bible, He points out that the person who is forgiven of much should also forgive others of much.”
- “Let me show you another way. Let’s say this ball (show Energy Ball) will tell us if God will or will not answer our prayers for forgiveness.”
- “If it lights up, God will answer our prayers. If it doesn’t, He won’t.” (Have child put finger on one sensor, and you put finger on other sensor. Then, join hands in a circle with volunteer representing God. The ball should light up.)
- “Good! I don’t have anything against (first volunteer’s name), so God will answer my prayers.”
- “But if I’m upset that (first volunteer’s name) took the last piece of dessert at lunch (separate from both children and touch one sensor while the first volunteer touches the other sensor), God won’t answer our prayers until I forgive (first volunteer’s name).” (Join hands in a circle again while touching sensors, and ball should light up.)
- “Cool, huh? Let’s see what happens when we add people.” (Get a few more volunteers and have them form a circle and each hold hands with the person next to them.)
- “So, now what we are creating is the Body of Christ, which is made up of all the people who trust Jesus as their Savior.”
- “When we love each other and forgive each other for things that upset us, God is pleased and answers our prayers.” (Have the original volunteer stand at the beginning of the circle and touch a sensor while the last person in the circle touches the other one— the ball should light up.)
- “But if one of these people is mad at this other one because he jumped on top of him in the swimming pool…” (point to two children as you say this, and separate their hands as you do so – they should not be touching in any way. — The light will go out),
- “…God won’t answer their prayers until this one forgives this one.” (Have them join hands again, and the ball should light up.)
- “Now, let’s see what happens if we add everyone else to the circle!” (Allow all the other children to join the circle. They should hold hands like the others, and the first and last people in the circle should touch the contact points on the ball.)
- “Hey! God must be answering our prayers!” (Let individuals in the circle break the chain and then reestablish it to see what happens to the ball.)
- “Jesus said that people will know we are His followers if we love one another.” (John 13:35)
- “Loving one another makes us look so different from those who don’t know Jesus that they will want to know why we are so different, and that gives you a chance to tell them about Jesus.”
- “You can’t love someone in the same way God loves us (unconditionally) if you are resentful of them, so let’s keep practicing forgiveness so that we can show the world what a forgiving God we have!” (Let other children be the ones to touch the contact points on the ball and experiment with it.)
Teach Them 