Colorful Possibilities for 2018 – A New Year Science Experiment

Here is a great lesson that uses a rainbow to focus on God’s great attributes-which should bring peace to anyone who hears them, regardless of what circumstances bring.

Materials

• Skittles, 25 for the activity (five of each of the five colors) and enough for your students to have five or six each
• Clear or white dish
• Water in a microwave-safe container with a lid

Preparation

Heat the water in the microwave for 3-4 minutes. The water should not boil but should be plenty hot for the experiment. Preserve heat with a lid.

Lesson

Today, we are looking ahead toward a new year! We do not know what will happen this year. People are not born to know the future. Why do you think it is that God doesn’t want us to know the future? Take answers.   Here is one great reason you can help them along with after a couple answers from them: Some pastors have pointed out that if, say, people knew their death dates, they would become very nervous and not live a full life that year. Others would behave very badly up until about three days before and then try to repent. In other words, the not knowing is often what makes our lives richer and fuller.

We can’t know what sort of a year we will have. We can pray for improved talents, improved living conditions, a baby brother or sister. We can pray for a new pet. We can hope to be better people next year than we were this year.

But we don’t really know what is coming, do we? Will our area be hit with a giant snow or rain storm? Will our moms get in a fender-bender on a slippery road? Will a loved one suddenly suffer poor health?

All these things happen to people somewhere, sometime. We don’t know if the things that happen will make us feel sad… or great! This is one of the reasons we love God and Jesus. They make us promises in the Bible that stay the same!

Whether the car stays in one piece. Whether we get an A in a class or a C or worse. Whether we get that pet or baby brother or go on living the way we were.

All human beings need to rely on some things that will not change.

Here are some favorites from the Bible:

There are five colors of Skittles. As you speak, or your assistant speaks, have children take turns placing Skittles on the plate, one color at a time beside each other to begin the ring.

1. Jesus does not change. Hebrews 13:8 says Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
2. God’s love does not go away. Psalm 136:1 says God’s love is eternal. In other words, it is always there.
3. God’s light does not change. 1 John 1:5 says God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.
4. God never sleeps. Isaiah 40:28 says God does not faint or grow weary.
5. God understands everything. Isaiah 40:28 also says his understanding is infinite.
6. Proverbs 30:5 tells us that God is always truthful.
7. Hebrews 13:5 tells us that God will never leave you or forsake you. You can leave him. But he won’t leave you.
8. Psalm 18:30 says God will always protect us. His love is a shield.
9. God always forgives when you ask. 1 John 1:9 says he is faithful and quick to forgive, and he will make us clean again.

Count out nine Skittles to add in the appropriate colors and order:

10. God possesses all the Fruits of the Spirit, which he gives generously as we ask him. They include: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Count out seven more Skittles to complete your ring.

11. God never ceases to give the “seven supplements to faith” that Apostle Peter talks about in 2 Peter 1:5-7. They are virtue, knowledge, discipline, persistence, godliness, brotherly affection, and devotion.

There are actually many more wonderful attributes of God that are unchanging!

But we have now completed our beautiful rainbow ring of God’s colorful traits.

Is there anything God cannot do?

No.

Is there any spiritual gift he will not give to people who really seek him out?

No.

No matter what other goals we have for the New Year, we need to make it our foremost goal to get to know him better.

How do we do that?

Take answers.

The foremost is speaking to God lots in prayer.  We need to speak to God lots. Speaking to God—prayer is a little like this hot water.

Pour the hot water slowly, staring in the middle, until it gets behind all of the Skittles and they are halfway covered. Watch with students as the rainbow starts to appear.

When we speak to God, we become connected to him and to all his wonderful attributes. And whether we have storms or sun, good times or bad, great joy or great disappointments in the New Year, we need to remember this ring.

Let’s remember that God is always loving, always giving, always understanding, never leaves us, and as we are talking to him, we are soaking up his most precious gifts.