Leader Guide

Object Lesson

Our SuperTruth says, “I will tell others about Jesus, the gift of God.” Everyone likes to receive gifts, don’t they? This is the absolute best gift we could ever receive! Have you ever been told that if you did a really good thing that you would receive a reward for it?

Yes, I think everyone probably has. Hold up jar or container. Sometimes a teacher at school will keep a jar and put marbles or some small objects in it each time that your class does something well. Put a few marbles in the jar as you say: Maybe the class listened really well one day or everyone turned in their homework on time. Now, what happens when the jar is full? 

The class is rewarded with something for all of your good deeds! It might be extra recess time, or popcorn, or maybe even a little party.

Empty the marbles out of the jar, back into the bag.

Now, is that how it works with God’s gift of Jesus? If we do a certain number of good deeds, or we obey God’s Word a certain number of times, then do we receive God’s gift?

No! God’s gift to us isn’t based on anything that we do or don’t do! God loved us all so much that He made a plan to save us—and it wasn’t based on how good we are or how hard we try! Read Romans 5:6–8:

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Hold up the empty jar. The depth of God’s love is amazing. Even when everyone’s jar was empty—God sent Christ to Earth to die as a gift to us! God’s gift is not based on anything we did or could do. All we have to do is believe and accept Him like our SuperVerse says! Then He gives us the right to become children of God! Read Ephesians 2:8–9:

God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.