Have a Full Life

NEEDED:

• Diaper Genie refill pack (can be found at most grocery and discount stores) or can be ordered through Amazon.com at the link below:
  • Mama Bear Diaper Pail Refills for Diaper Genie Pails, 270 Count
• Scissors

ABOUT THE LESSON:

This is a very easy lesson that can teach a couple of different concepts. I used it recently to teach on the story of Sampson, how God is the source of all strength and not ourselves. You can also very easily adapt this to teach that if you want a full life, you MUST allow God to be the one to fill us. If we try to do it ourselves then we are just going to wear ourselves out and accomplish nearly nothing.

PREP:

The diaper genie refill contains really nothing more than a really long tube of plastic about 6”-8” in diameter. Cut off 2 pieces of the same length that are approximately 6 to 8 feet long. Tie a knot at one end of each of them to seal it. You have effectively created a long balloon.

LESSON:

GET A VOLUNTEER

“I need someone with strong lungs to help me out! I mean REALLY strong lungs. Someone that can huff and puff and blow the house down!”

HAVE THEM COME UP TO THE FRONT

“Today, we are going to have a contest to see which of us can blow up this bag the fastest. I hope you are ready! This isn’t going to be easy.”

Split the audience into two cheering sections, one cheering for the volunteer and the others for yourself. Tell them that you need their excitement and enthusiasm or this just won’t work.

“Ok, when we count to 3 you can start, you are going to blow that bag up just as fast as you possibly can.”

COUNT DOWN AND HAVE YOUR VOLUNTEER GET STARTED. WHILE THEY HUFF AND PUFF AWAY, BEGAN SPEAKING TO THE AUDIENCE.

“Look at them go! Aren’t they doing a great job? They are certainly trying their very best but wow, it looks like this could take a while.”

Even after they have been going for a while, it will look like nothing has change with their bag.”

Everyone wants their life to have meaning right? Of course we do! No one wants to leave this world and have no one remember anything about them. We all want to leave our mark on the world, that change it, to make it better and for others to REALLY miss us when we are gone, DON’T WE?

Well, if you don’t you are the exception…

ASK YOUR VOLUNTEER HOW THEY ARE DOING

“Don’t hyperventilate over there, you are doing a good job, just be careful not to pass out.”

Continue talking… “SOME people (glance over at your volunteer meaningfully), try to fill their lives on their OWN!”

They trust in the wrong things… they trust in themselves rather than God!

Psalm 20:7 | Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

Some people think they don’t need God because of their own abilities or resources

Instead of trusting in God to make their life meaningful, sometimes they trust in… WHAT?

ASK THE CLASS FOR IDEAS – HELP THEM FILL IN WHAT THEY DON’T THINK OF

• Their own money
• Their own abilities or talents
• Their own physical strength
• The power or influence of their moms and dads
• WHATEVER – Anything that isn’t of God

Revelation 3:17 | Because thou sayest, “I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing,” and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable, and poor and blind and naked”

YOU PROBABLY WANT YOUR VOLUNTEER TO STOP OTHERWISE THEY WILL PASS OUT – GRAB THEIR BALLOON AND PUSH ALL THE AIR THEY HAVE FILL IT WITH TO THE KNOTTED END SO EVERYONE CAN SEE HOW MUCH THEY HAVE DONE SO FAR

“Not too bad! They are doing good aren’t they? Well, actually, I hate to say this, but I think they have wasted a LOT of time… because if they had just allowed GOD to fill their lives instead of trying to do it themselves, it would have been SO MUCH EASIER!”

All the while, God is standing back, JUST WAITING TO HELP OUT! He must be thinking, “It doesn’t have to be that hard! I can make it so much easier for you!”

HAVE SOMEONE GRAB THE KNOTTED END AND STRETCH YOUR DIAPER GENIE BALLOON OUT. USE YOUR HANDS TO STRETCH THE OTHER END AS WIDE AS POSSIBLE, POSITION YOUR MOUTH ABOUT 10” AWAY FROM THE OPENING AND BLOW A LONG, SMOOTH, BREATHE IN THE BAG… THE ENTIRE BAG WILL FILL ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. GRAB THE END AND SEAL IT AND SHOW THE CLASS THE FULL BAG.

“See!? If God helps you, it makes it SO much easier! Allow Him into your life and if you follow his lead, live for Him with all your heart, love Him, make the decisions in life that He wants you to make, YOU CAN HAVE A FULL WONDERFUL LIFE!”

You can be FULL OF THE HOLY GHOST which is the first and best step you can take.

USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE PLAN OF SALVATION