Adam & Eve--Family Devotion with Object Lesson

(A foil covered “robot” given the ability to choose to obey or disobey shows us along with Adam and Eve why it is important to obey the Lord.)

Weekly Scripture:
Genesis 1:26-2:25

Story:
“Adam and Eve”

Precept:
God wanted Adam and Eve to live, just as He wants us to have eternal life, so He gives us commands to keep us spiritually alive, but He also gives us the choice to obey or disobey.

Finding Christ:
These two chapters are packed with types of Christ. See how many you can find. Just one would be the Adam is referred to as the “first Adam” and Jesus is referred to the “last Adam” according to 1 Corinthians 15.

Live the Lesson:
Make up Dad (or Mom) to be a robot! Have the kids help wrap and tape foil all around him! (Get out the camera…you do not want to miss this.) Now give the robot some basic commands and watch the robot comply and obey. Continue this and let the kids join in giving him some basic commands. Have the robot add some drama to get some laughs. Now go to the back of the robot. Take your screwdriver and open up his head and put the “ability to choose” into his mind to either obey or disobey you. Now give him some more commands in which he complies. However, beforehand have it planned which thing the robot will not obey. Such as if you are in the kitchen area (with a mop handy) you could tell him to get a glass of water (make sure to use a plastic cup in case this slips out of your hand). Tell the robot to drink the water. The robot begins to comply, but shocks everybody when instead he tosses the water on all of you!!! Explain to the kids how we too have the choice to obey or to disobey all of God’s commands. When we choose to disobey, we too will have a mess on our hands.

Memory Verse:
“Children obey your parents in all things.”
Colossians 3:20

Prayer:
Dear Lord, please help me to obey all of your commands. Help me to obey my parents too

Living the Life:
This week, discuss the commands of the Lord and the blessings and consequences associated with obedience or disobedience.

God Gave Man Responsibility--Family Devotion with Object Lesson

(Water balloons, eggs, or macaroni help teach us to be responsible as we learn with Adam about God giving us work to do.)

Weekly Scripture:
Genesis 1 & 2

Story:
“God Gave Man Responsibility”

Precept:
The Lord gives us responsibilities to do His work and care for each other.

Finding Christ:
These two chapters are packed with types of Christ. See how many you can find. Just one would be the Tree of Life. Jesus is our Eternal Life!

Live the Lesson:
Depending on where you will be doing this object lesson, what kind of weather you have, and what time of day/night…you have the option of using either: water balloons, eggs, uncooked elbow macaroni noodles, or whatever you can imagine. Have your family sit in a close circle if you use macaroni or a lot further apart if using water balloons or eggs. Without telling your family the purpose, place one bucket next to the first person in the circle with the entire “product” in it and place an empty bucket next to the last person. Explain the rules that they are responsible to pass the product around the circle. If anything drops, do not retrieve it. Just continue passing more product to the next person as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Memory Verse:
“We are God’s fellow workers.”
1 Corinthians 3:9

Prayer:
Dear Lord, please help me to be very careful with the responsibilities you give to me. Help me to always do my best and to always seek Your help!

Living the Life:
This week discuss responsibilities each person is given to care for each other in the family. Teach your children good manners such as holding the door open for others.

Family Blueprint New Testament #3: John the Baptist is Born!

(A bee helps us to understand that we are created with a purpose to serve!)

Weekly Scripture:
Luke 1:57-80

Story:
“John the Baptist is Born”

Precept:
Created for a purpose.

Live the Lesson: Bee with a Purpose
Open with a joke about bees such as “Who is the bees favorite singer?” “Sting!” or “What kind of bees hum and drop things?” “A fumble bee!” If you can catch a bee in a jar or find a video online about bees, that will only add to the effectiveness of this object lesson. Here is a video with Africanized honey bees landing on tickle me elmo and then elmo chooses to visit a European bee hive the next time. http://beekeeper.dbs.umt.edu/~bees/videos/ElmovBees.wmv

Now many of us believe bees really do not have that great of a purpose once we have endured a sting by one of them. When a bee flies close to us, the only thing we view them as is a pest that may sting us. However, bees were born with a purpose greater than to just make honey for your biscuit. Bees are what cross pollinate our flowers and are greatly responsible for the fruit and vegetables we have to eat. A bee is constantly working for the purpose it was born to serve. It knows nothing else. If a simple honey bee was created for a purpose to serve, how much more were you created for a purpose? The difference is that a bee never questions its purpose, it just serves it. You however, can question your purpose and refuse to serve it. If bees are responsible for the food we eat, then you need to understand that you have an even greater purpose. Today, will you submit your life to God, the very life He gave you, and surrender to serve His purpose for your life?

Memory Verse:
“So the child grew and became strong in spirit.” Luke 1:80a

Prayer:
Dear Lord, please help us to comprehend Your purpose for creating us and help us to grow strong in spirit that we may serve You.

Living the Life:
This week share with your children how they can grow strong in spirit and discern the purpose of God for their lives.

Copyright © Family Blueprint and Precepts for Children 2002-2007
All rights reserved.www.familyblueprint.org

Family Blueprint New Testament #2: Mary's Visitation

(A shelled hard-boiled egg and a salad dressing bottle illustrate that God can accomplish great things!)

Weekly Scripture:
Luke 1:26-56

Story:
“Mary’s Visitation”

Precept:
God can accomplish great things, even in us!

Live the Lesson: Egg in a Bottle
You will need one clear salad dressing bottle or milk bottle with a small neck opening, one hard-boiled egg with the shell removed, boiling water, a funnel, and an oven mitt to handle the hot bottle.

Now in front of the class, put the boiled egg on top of the bottle and demonstrate that the egg cannot fall into the bottle. It is impossible. However, when Gabriel told Mary she would be the mother of Baby Jesus, even though she was not yet married to Joseph and had never been alone with him, she chose to believe God can do anything. Today, we too choose to believe that the egg can fall into this bottle.

Put the funnel on top of the salad dressing bottle and fill the bottle with the boiling water. Whish the water around inside the bottle and then pour out the boiling water. Immediately, put the hard-boiled egg with its shell removed on top of the bottle and watch closely. The egg will now be sucked into the bottle with such an incredible sound. Hooray! (To remove the egg, hold the bottle upside down and blow into the bottle for a while and the egg will drop out from the increase in air pressure).

Memory Verse: “For with God nothing will be impossible.” Luke 1:37

Prayer:
Dear Lord, please help us to believe You can accomplish great things in our lives, if we surrender to you.

Living the Life:
This week share with your children something you accomplished by the grace of God.

Copyright © Family Blueprint and Precepts for Children 2002-2007
All rights reserved.
http://www.familyblueprint.org/

Family Blueprint New Testament #1: Zacharias and Elizabeth

(A raw egg and some vinegar prove that nothing is too hard for God!)

Weekly Scripture:

Luke 1:5-25

Story:

“Zacharias and Elizabeth”

Focus:

Nothing is too hard for God!

Live the Lesson: Disappearing Egg Shell

This object lesson requires one week of preparation. On the week previous to this lesson you will start the object lesson. You will take a raw egg and put it in a jar. Tell the children that eggs have an incredibly hard shell that water cannot disintegrate and this egg’s shell represents something too hard for you to accomplish. However, you are going to put the power of God in the jar on the egg, because NOTHING is too hard for God. Now cover the egg in the jar with white vinegar and sit it aside. A mason jar with a lid works well for this kind of project.

On the second day, you need to pour off the old vinegar and recover the egg with fresh vinegar and then allow it to sit very still for the next six days.

The next week keep the jar out of sight of the children. Now ask the children what types of things are too difficult for them to accomplish? Have some suggestions of things in your own life that seem too hard for you to do without God. Pull out a fresh egg and remind them about the egg shell representing what is too hard for them to do apart from God. Now break that egg into a cup to show them that while you can make a crack or break in the hard shell by yourself, without God you cannot make the shell vanish, because it is too hard for you.

Pull out the jar from last week and carefully drain off the vinegar and rinse off the egg in water. The egg will look translucent because the shell in no longer existent. Only the membrane inside of the egg is holding the egg intact. Show them NOTHING IS TOO HARD FOR GOD!

Memory Verse:

“And he will turn many to the Lord their God.” Luke 1:16

Prayer:

Dear Lord, please help us to believe You and Your word, knowing that nothing it too hard for God!

Living the Life:

This week share with your children times you thought something was impossible and then God proved to you that it was indeed possible with Him!

By Julianne Bell
Copyright © Family Blueprint and Precepts for Children 2002-2007

All rights reserved. http://www.familyblueprint.org/