Use a trash can, soda and empty paper cup to drive home the need to stay clean before God. Rick Bundschuh, Pastor of Kauai Christian Fellowship and author of the noted Soul Surfer series tells one of his favorite object lessons. It’s a great one for kids in Upper Elementary and on up through High School.
Click the image to watch. Runtime: 2:17
POINT: This object lesson can be used to teach that it's more important to keep clean before God than to keep clean physically.
MATERIALS NEEDED: Smallish trash can, trash in the can, a cold drink such as a can of soda or juice, a paper cup large enough to hold the drink.
INSTRUCTIONS: In the video Rick demonstrates the object lesson: Offer a cold drink (perhaps after a hot team game) to the first person to come forward to claim it. Let's say you've offered a cold soda. Take the trash can, dump the trash inside out onto the floor, pore the soda into the empty trashcan, pore the soda from the trashcan into the cup, offer the cup to the kid. "Why don't you want it?" The soda is no longer pure
Sin stains. It's garbage in our life.
NOTE: This works even better if you call two volunteers forward. Give a cold drink to one of the volunteers to enjoy. Then do the above object lesson, swirling the soda in the empty trashcan. When the person refuses, ask the reason why. The person will likely say something like, "It's dirty! No way I'm putting that in my body! It would make me sick!"
Point out that in the same way, we must be careful not to pollute our lives with sin.
Don't let some wise guy try to drink the polluted soda! There's one in every crowd.
Be sure to download the 100% free lesson plan and activity page! Get it HERE.
