This Aprils Fools lesson involving disgusting dead spiders (actually delicious gummy worms) shows how April fools relates to our faith. Some parts of our faith are tough to understand, like blood sacrifice and the crucifixion. Some unfortunate people can be fooled into thinking it’s better to live without faith. But after we get close and trust just a little, we find our faith is delicious and fun…just like gummy worms!
When God Plays April Fools: An April Fools Lesson
Materials:
– Empty paper towel tubes, one for each child (substitute rolled and stapled construction paper if you don’t have enough of these)
– Big bowl full of candy
Lesson
Blindfold one volunteer student. Have him or her sit at the head of the table while the other students look on. Ask the student:
Are you afraid to touch things that are kind of scary? Without looking? Get the student to say she isn’t afraid.
Because, guess what? Today, my husband opened the bathroom closet. I screamed my fool head off! Guess what was in there, alive, and crawling around? Let them guess.
Probably 30 live disgusting spiders! My husband killed them all with the spray. I was scared. But it was my job to pick up all the dead spiders and put them in a plastic garbage bag.
One of them… run your fingers lightly up the blindfolded student’s back and scratch at the back of her head… was still alive! I could see it wiggling and jiggling…it was so disgusting I almost screamed.
So! Guess what I brought into class today? (With sarcasm), Something I’m sure you’ll all enjoy watching (blindfolded student’s name) touch.
Put your finger to your lips and look at all watching students, so they will know that you are about to play a joke on her and not to give you away. Open the top of the Ziploc bag that the gummy worms are in. Make sure the student cannot see.
Go ahead (student’s name). Touch what’s in front of you. Tell us how it feels to touch it.
The student should be squeamish but finally touch. Maybe she will get what it is. Pull off the blindfold after a bit.
What was REALLY in the bag? Gummy worms.
APRIL FOOLS! Who would like some delicious candy gummies? Pass the bag around, allowing each child to take six.
It’s April Fools Day. But I decided to play a trick on you so we can show you how our faith in Jesus contains a lot of April Fools.
Our faith is a lot like this bag of gummies. To hear some skeptical people talk, you’d think we had a bag of spiders.
Some people will say, “It’s stupid to believe in a God. You can’t see Him or hear Him. That’s just plain dumb.” All the while God is saying to them… Pick up a gummy worm and take a bite out of one yourself, smacking your lips.
Don’t be April Fooled about me! Just come and listen with your heart! Faith in me is great!”
Other people will say, “I want to do what I want to do. I don’t need some God telling me what rules to obey and how to live my life. What fun is that?” All the while, God is saying to them, “the only reason I set rules is so that people don’t hurt each other, or hurt me, their creator and best friend. All rules are for your safety, health, wealth and happiness.”
Take another bite out of one gummy worm. Smack your lips!
Don’t be April Fooled about God’s rules! Try some out and see if you don’t feel safer, more secure and more comforted with God in your life!
Some people say, “God let my grandma pass away. How can I ever trust Him, when I loved her so much?” All the while, God is saying, “I am about life. I will give you eternal life so you can be with your grandma forever. Without me, it would be all about death. But with me…it’s all about life!”
Take another bit out of the gummy worm. Smack your lips.
Don’t be April Fooled by bad things that happen down here on earth. God loves you no matter what, and His biggest and best promises have to do with heaven, not earth.”
We will always find people who believe that life in Christ would be scary or restricting or not fun. They believe in spiders in the closet. We know there really aren’t any spiders in the closet. It just wasn’t real. But the gummy worms are real. They are delicious and fun to eat. They’re like life in Jesus…sweet, soft, fun…and we can look forward to having a piece of
Christ’s love every day we walk with Him!
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