THE FLOWER
READ IT: Memory Verse: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 NIV
HEAR IT: Clean Up
Snow, cotton, clouds, flowers, and soft carpet. These objects are all the color white. Have you ever spilled something on white carpet? Maybe it was juice, ketchup, or some slimy goo from a science experiment mishap. Whatever it was, I can guess it was hard to clean. Sometimes after you clean up a mess, you can still see a bit of it left behind. When you walk in the room and spot the juice stain, you instantly remember the juice spitting fight you had with your cousin. When you see the faint ketchup ring, you think of the slumber party and the attack of the giant French fries. The green gooey stain reminds you of the explosion the whole neighborhood remembers. Memories are difficult to wash away. Thankfully, when Jesus died on the cross, he washed away all of our sins. All of them. No stains are left behind. When we confess our sins to God, he erases them until they are white. Clean, white, and super clean.
PRAY IT: (Pray with your group)
STUDY IT: What’s the Problem?
Sin. It’s a little word that’s a great big problem. Kids sin. Parents sin. Grandparents sin. Even police officers and the rulers of the country sin. It’s not something you grow out of or get over. The words we yell, what we whisper, and even the thoughts in our head; God hears it all. A perfect life is required to enter heaven. That means No Sin -Nada-Zero- Zip. Whoa, wait a minute! That means even a small child could mess that one up. One little lie about eating the last cookie on the plate and YOU LOSE. Now, does that sound like something a loving, heavenly Father would agree with? No way! God made a way for all of us sinners to live in heaven with Him for ever and ever. What is it? I’m so glad you want to know. It wasn’t an easy way. It required God sending his son, Jesus, to Earth to pay the price for our sins. That’s like you breaking an entire store of priceless treasures and your best friend having to pay the enormous bill. But the price for our sin wasn’t a hundred dollars or even a million. It cost Him His life. Now that’s an expensive price tag! All He asks in return is that we confess our sins, say we’re sorry, and allow God to be in charge of our life from that point on. Sounds like a deal of a lifetime!
Want to know more? Read the entire story in Luke 23.
TRY IT: Colorful Carnations
Items needed:
White carnation, small vase, water, and food coloring
Directions:
1. Fill vase one-fourth full of water.
2. Add 10 to 20 drops of food coloring (red or blue)
3. Place the carnation into the water and let it sit overnight. Observe the colorful results.
Discussion Question:
The colored water travels up the stem and into the leaves and flowers. Sin affects us in the same way. What could we do to get the color out of the flower? What did Jesus do to wash away our sin? How does that make you feel?
LIVE IT: Clean and Mud Free
Have you ever played in the mud? I mean REALLY played in the mud. You come into the house, covered in mud, head to toe. Mud is in your hair, between your toes, and even up your nose. If this has ever happened to you, you were probably told right away to wash up. I’m guessing you were sent to the water hose out back, because no mama would let you set foot in her clean bathroom covered in that muck. After a few minutes of flowing water, you looked more like yourself again. This is a great verse to memorize, because it reminds me of that muddy clean-up session. We cover ourselves with sin, but God washes us clean. Without him, we would have to live our whole life covered in that yucky, filthy sin. I’m thankful for water hoses, but I’m even more thankful for God’s love for you and me. It feels good to be clean!
SHARE IT: Sparkling Clean
Grab your mop bucket and dust cloth and make everything around you clean. Ask around and find someone who needs a little help. Clean an elderly neighbor’s house. Work in the yard for someone that who not able to do it themselves. If you look hard enough, you’re bound to find someone that could benefit from a little spring cleaning. Be the hands and feet of Christ and start serving others.
READ IT: Memory Verse: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 NIV
HEAR IT: Clean Up
Snow, cotton, clouds, flowers, and soft carpet. These objects are all the color white. Have you ever spilled something on white carpet? Maybe it was juice, ketchup, or some slimy goo from a science experiment mishap. Whatever it was, I can guess it was hard to clean. Sometimes after you clean up a mess, you can still see a bit of it left behind. When you walk in the room and spot the juice stain, you instantly remember the juice spitting fight you had with your cousin. When you see the faint ketchup ring, you think of the slumber party and the attack of the giant French fries. The green gooey stain reminds you of the explosion the whole neighborhood remembers. Memories are difficult to wash away. Thankfully, when Jesus died on the cross, he washed away all of our sins. All of them. No stains are left behind. When we confess our sins to God, he erases them until they are white. Clean, white, and super clean.
PRAY IT: (Pray with your group)
STUDY IT: What’s the Problem?
Sin. It’s a little word that’s a great big problem. Kids sin. Parents sin. Grandparents sin. Even police officers and the rulers of the country sin. It’s not something you grow out of or get over. The words we yell, what we whisper, and even the thoughts in our head; God hears it all. A perfect life is required to enter heaven. That means No Sin -Nada-Zero- Zip. Whoa, wait a minute! That means even a small child could mess that one up. One little lie about eating the last cookie on the plate and YOU LOSE. Now, does that sound like something a loving, heavenly Father would agree with? No way! God made a way for all of us sinners to live in heaven with Him for ever and ever. What is it? I’m so glad you want to know. It wasn’t an easy way. It required God sending his son, Jesus, to Earth to pay the price for our sins. That’s like you breaking an entire store of priceless treasures and your best friend having to pay the enormous bill. But the price for our sin wasn’t a hundred dollars or even a million. It cost Him His life. Now that’s an expensive price tag! All He asks in return is that we confess our sins, say we’re sorry, and allow God to be in charge of our life from that point on. Sounds like a deal of a lifetime!
Want to know more? Read the entire story in Luke 23.
TRY IT: Colorful Carnations
Items needed:
White carnation, small vase, water, and food coloring
Directions:
1. Fill vase one-fourth full of water.
2. Add 10 to 20 drops of food coloring (red or blue)
3. Place the carnation into the water and let it sit overnight. Observe the colorful results.
Discussion Question:
The colored water travels up the stem and into the leaves and flowers. Sin affects us in the same way. What could we do to get the color out of the flower? What did Jesus do to wash away our sin? How does that make you feel?
LIVE IT: Clean and Mud Free
Have you ever played in the mud? I mean REALLY played in the mud. You come into the house, covered in mud, head to toe. Mud is in your hair, between your toes, and even up your nose. If this has ever happened to you, you were probably told right away to wash up. I’m guessing you were sent to the water hose out back, because no mama would let you set foot in her clean bathroom covered in that muck. After a few minutes of flowing water, you looked more like yourself again. This is a great verse to memorize, because it reminds me of that muddy clean-up session. We cover ourselves with sin, but God washes us clean. Without him, we would have to live our whole life covered in that yucky, filthy sin. I’m thankful for water hoses, but I’m even more thankful for God’s love for you and me. It feels good to be clean!
SHARE IT: Sparkling Clean
Grab your mop bucket and dust cloth and make everything around you clean. Ask around and find someone who needs a little help. Clean an elderly neighbor’s house. Work in the yard for someone that who not able to do it themselves. If you look hard enough, you’re bound to find someone that could benefit from a little spring cleaning. Be the hands and feet of Christ and start serving others.