EGG-actly the Problem
Lesson Focus: God Sees the Heart
"God doesn't look at things like humans do. Humans see only what is visible to the eyes, but the LORD sees into the
heart" 1 Samuel 16:7(CEB).
Props
In a bag place a Bible; plastic eggs; small crosses; plate; candy. (Before presenting, make a mixture of something rotten to look at, such as dirt mixed with ketchup, soy sauce, oil, gravel, etc. Spoon
rotten mixture into half of one of the colorful plastic eggs, and then tightly close the egg. Place one of the crosses inside a second plastic egg. You can cut your own crosses from red foam fabric. Make sure the egg colors are different so you can remember which one contains the cross! Keep the two eggs separate from the other eggs in the bag,
see the Home Connection, below).
(Remove the two separate eggs and the plate from the bag. Place the eggs on the plate.)
Say, "What do you suppose are in these eggs?" (Receive answers.)
"I sure do hope my favorite chocolate is in them! Let's take a look!"
(Slowly open the rotten egg and allow the mixture to ooze out onto the plate.)
"Oh my, that is disgusting! Where'd this rotten egg come from? Yuk! We
weren't expecting that, were we? We expected to find candy (or money or a toy)! This is very disappointing! Maybe the next egg contains something better. Shall we open it?"
(Create a bit of suspense by slowly opening the egg in the palm of your hand and peeking inside.)
"I see something wonderful! It's not candy, or a toy, or even money, but it does represent the best gift we could ever
receive!"
(Now open the egg for all to see, and hold up the cross.)
Kids, these two eggs can teach us a very important Bible lesson.
(Remove Bible from bag, read 1 Samuel 16:7 from a child-friendly Bible.)
"God doesn't look at things like humans do. Humans see only what is visible to the eyes, but the LORD sees into the
heart" 1 Samuel 16:7(CEB).
What do you suppose this verse means? (Receive answers.)
It's like our eggs; we could only see how beautiful they looked on the outside. Yet, that one egg was rotten on the inside, which can remind us of the sinfulness of our
hearts—how we look on the inside apart from Jesus. The Bible says our sins are like dirty rags (Isaiah 64:6); they keep us away from God.
Even so, the wonderful news is that God knows how we look on the inside, he knows the real you and me,
he knows our sins and he still loves us!
(Read John 3:16)
When we believe in Jesus, that is trust that he died for our sins, he will forgive us, so we can live with him forever. When Jesus forgives us, God no longer sees our sins (hold up the rotten egg), now when he looks inside our hearts, he sees Jesus, the One who is without sin, and what he did for us on the cross (hold up the cross).
Close in prayer.
Home Connection: a plastic egg containing a cross, and of course a piece of candy!
Copyright 2016 Sarah A. Keith
Egg-actly the Problem
is from the book, It's in the Bag! --52 Bible Talks for Children's Ministry
This children's message coordinates well with Lesson 4, "The Heart of the Matter," from our
Sermon on the
Mount Bible lesson plans.
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