SermonStudio

Exegetical Aim: Sometimes we can't see what we are doing wrong.

Props: A tray, a glass of milk (a glass with a wide bottom to prevent an accident), powdered chocolate mix (preferably Nestles Quick), a spoon, and a blindfold.

Lesson: As the children are coming sit down and place the blindfold on securely. Place the tray in a place where it can be easily managed. I am going to make some chocolate milk. How many of you like chocolate milk? (response) But I am having a little trouble seeing so you are going to have to help me. Where is the tray? (response) Pick up the tray. It's hard to pick up a tray when you can't see ... you have to keep it level so you don't spill the milk. Place the tray in your lap or on the ground in front. Fumble around for the objects. Where is the spoon? (response) Got it! Now, I have to open the chocolate. This isn't very easy when you can't see. Do I have the spoon in the right place? (response) All right, here goes. Hey, we opened it! Now comes the hard part. I have to get the chocolate out with the spoon and get it in the glass without spilling it. Do you think I can do it? (response) You will have to help me, okay? (response) First I need to find the glass. Where is it? (response) Got it.

Now I am going to get some chocolate ... is there chocolate on the spoon? (response) Is it enough? (response) I need to put it in the glass; here goes. Place the spoon in a position so that it is NOT over the glass. Am I over the glass? (response) Can I drop it? (no!) Which way do I go? (response) Slowly proceed toward the glass and slowly pass over it and past it. What about now; am I over the glass? (no, you went too far) You want me to go back? (yes) Now place the spoon over the glass. What about now? (yes!) Can I drop it? (yes!) Great! Depending on the time you have, you might make the first attempt a failure so that chocolate falls all over the tray. Line up over the glass but when you turn the spoon miss the glass and ask them, "What happened?" and then repeat the process of getting the chocolate. Continue seeking their help and spoon powder into the milk until the children start complaining that you are putting too much. The object here is to make an awful chocolate drink.
You think it's ready? (response) Good. I can't wait; this is going to be good. Take a drink. Yuck! This is awful. There's too much chocolate in this milk! Take off the blindfold. Oh, I made a mess and this is the worst chocolate milk I have ever tasted. What did I do wrong? (response) I made a mistake, didn't I? Why did I get chocolate all over the tray? (because you couldn't see) and why did I put too much chocolate in the glass? (because you wouldn't listen)

Application: You're right. Sometimes we make mistakes because we don't understand we are doing the wrong thing and we need to open our eyes and look at what we're doing. Sometimes we make mistakes hold up the glass because we will not listen and we need to stop and open ours ears and listen carefully to what others are telling us. I didn't listen to you and I made a chocolate disaster. Let's remember to use the eyes and ears that God has given us.

Let's Pray: Lord, open our eyes and our ears. Help us to see and listen so that we might learn and live without disasters. Amen.

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Lent 4
Ephesians 5:8--14

A Fruity Life

Exegetical Aim: The fruit of being in the light.

Props: An apple, an orange, a banana, and a bag in which all three are hidden.

Lesson: Do you know what? Sometimes in the middle of church I get hungry. Do you ever get hungry while you're in church? (response) What do you do about it? (response) Well, today I came prepared. Hold up the bag. The first thing I did this morning was go to my garden, I dug down in the dirt and I pulled up this banana. If any of the children challenge you, ignore them and continue. Then, I went to my flowerbed and reached down deep into the soil and picked an apple. Then I went to a bush and dug into the ground and got an orange. What's the matter? (response) Don't bananas come from the ground? (response) No? Doesn't an apple come from the flower bed? (response) No? Doesn't an orange grow in the ground around the bushes? (response) No? Where do bananas, oranges, and apples grow? (response) In the trees? Right out in the open? Why do they grow there? (response) They need the light? What do they do with all that sunlight? (response)

Application: Do you know what else needs light? (response) The Bible says that Christians are like fruit. They need sunlight in order to grow. What kind of sunlight does a Christian need? (response) If they do not know the answer, explain further: Not the sunlight up in the sky but a different light. What kind of sunlight does a Christian need? (response) Possible answers: God's truth, Jesus, God's Son. And when we get God's light, we produce fruit. Now let me ask you one other question. What kind of fruit grows on a Christian? (response) Let me help you out. Here is the fruit that grows on a Christian. Hold up the orange. Righteousness grows on a Christian. That means we do the right things. Hold up the banana. Goodness grows on a Christian. Hold up the apple. Truth grows on a Christian. When God's light shines on us, we grow the fruit of righteousness, goodness, and truth.

Let's Pray: Dear God, just as these fruits need light to grow, so we need your light to produce the fruit of goodness in us. Amen.

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