Try these Sunday school object lessons using a strainer, to illustrate how a watered down gospel is like watered down noodles: yucky and not as nutritious.
RELATED SCRIPTURES:
John 8:58, Revelation 22:13
OBJECTS NEEDED:
Cooked noodles in a pot of water.
Strainer.
Pan to catch the water once the noodles are strained.
Butter, salt, pepper.
PREPARATION:
If you’re in a kitchen you can boil the noodles right in front of the class. If not, you can bring steaming water from the church kitchen and cover noodles you already cooked.
LESSON:
Some people say that Jesus was just a nice man. What’s wrong with that? He’s the Son of God. Other people say he was a very wise prophet. What’s wrong with that? He’s the Son of God. Some people who say that Jesus was a prophet are really trying to be nice. They think they’re paying Jesus a compliment.
In this overcrowded world of so many religions, it is very important that we all get along. Or there could be a huge war or a lot of disagreements. We want to get along, but what is more important? To not make waves or to stand by what’s actually true? To be truthful.
It’s even kind of trendy today to say certain things like “Everyone has a right to their own beliefs.” And “Nobody can know the truth.” And “Jesus was good, but so were a lot of people.” These statements “water down” the truth, just like these noodles are watered down right now.
If we leave these noodles in the water too long, what will happen? They’ll become soggy. They’ll lose their flavor. They won’t hold together. Their nutrition will run down into the water.
If we allow ourselves to be swayed by people who are teaching a watered down version of Christianity – for example, saying that Jesus was just a prophet – what can happen to us? Our strength can become watered down. We can lose our power as Christians. We won’t hold together and we’ll forget about each other. We’ll become spiritually undernourished.
It’s important to keep the water out of today’s gospel. Take the strainer, hold it over a second pot. Pour the noodles and water through it. Hold up the strained noodles.
These are still warm and strong and good. They’re like us when we refuse to let a watered-down version of Jesus get into our hearts. In John 8:58, Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” He meant that He was God. In Revelation 22:13 Jesus said,: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End”¦the first and last.”
Jesus is Lord.
Did you enjoy that lesson? Let me know by leaving a comment below!
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