Go to the Right Source for Your Answers
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What you need:
- Piece of paper
- Scissors
- Piece of colored cardstock (blue, yellow etc, just different color than the piece of paper)
- Cut and assembled paper, glued to colored cardstock (see below or video for more details)
Lesson:
I was looking for a good object lesson on prayer and so I did what every good Sunday school teacher does, I went online (AFTER praying of course, don’t look at me like that). After looking for a while I found a couple of different sources for the same object lesson which involves a very simple contest.
You begin by showing one child a paper that has been cut and tell them that you will give them one dollar (maybe $5 if you’re generous) if they can exactly replicate what you show them, in just 60 seconds.
When the 60 seconds is up and they very likely fail (it is very difficult to complete the task based on only seeing the finished product) you then explain that it is easier to do when there are 2 people involved.
Ask if they would like to ask one of their friends to help or even better, they can ask anybody in the room to help them. Anyone at all.
They will pick one of their friends or someone they think is smart and then you give them another 60 seconds. Again, they will very likely fail.
When you’re done you ask of the child that you originally called up, who made the paper that they are trying to copy. They will probably point at you.
You say, “Yes, that’s correct. I made it. So who here in this room knows how to do what I asked you to do?”
They should point you and say you do. Then asked them, “Then why didn’t you ask me to help you? I was the only one in the room that knew the answer but you didn’t ask me did you?”
There will be a moment of shock and then you can say, “I told you could ask anyone in this room didn’t I? Anyone at all, I was standing right next to you the whole time just waiting for you to ask me. I knew the answer and I was going to help you win that dollar. But instead you asked your friend.”
This is a lot like when we have problems in our lives. We ask our friends, sometimes our unsaved family, maybe a teacher or look in some self-help books when God is standing there with your answer the whole time. He standing there just waiting for you to ask but sometimes we don’t. We go to the wrong source for our answers.
1 John 5:14 – And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
Philippians 4:6 – Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Use this as a springboard to teach all about PRAYER!
How to make the paper:
Take an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper and make the three cuts shown. The order really doesn’t matter.
Grab either side of the paper and twist.
Crease the folds to make the paper stand up better. If the paper is a little “floppy” you can trim the part that is standing so it isn’t so tall.
More information on prayer you can use:
What is prayer?
- Prayer quite simply is TALKING TO GOD! Communicating with God.
- We may not be able to call God on the telephone or send Him a letter, but prayer is just as real as email, text messages or phone calls.
When are we allowed to pray?
- ANYTIME
- Jeremiah 29:13 – And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Why should we pray?
- Because it makes our relationship with God stronger.
- Praying also helps keep us out of trouble.
- Jesus told us to pray, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” (Matthew 26:41)
- God is so good and will help us when we are happy, sad, sick or even when we’re in trouble.
- God will give us wisdom, strength and understanding if we only ask Him.
- God is willing to give us many good things as long as we ask for them in accordance to His Will.
- Matthew 7:11 – If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
What else can we pray for? (Some examples include: Guidance, Protection, Strength, Wisdom.)
Prayers are POWERFUL!
- James 5:16 – Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Imagine if your friend just stopped talking to you.
- You tell everybody that you like him and that you guys are so close
- Used to talk on the phone every day or talk when you saw each other at school
- But all of a sudden you stop communicating.
- You haven’t talked to your friend in 3 months
- HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR FRIEND IS GOING TO FEEL ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP?
