Leader Guide

Object Lesson

Pop-up sponge from a craft store or dollar store
Large bowl or metal cake pan
Empty salt shaker or spice shaker to sprinkle water
Towels or paper towels for spills
Permanent marker
Scissors
Table
Whiteboard and marker or chalkboard and chalk
Bibles or the Superbook Bible App

Using the permanent marker, draw a large heart on the dry sponge.
Carefully cut out the heart.
Fill the salt (or spice) shaker with water.
Place the dry sponge, plus the bowl and salt (or spice) shaker filled with water on the table.
Write Ezekiel 36:26 on the board:

“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you.”

A Responsive Heart: Demonstrate the SuperVerse.

Let’s look at the board and say our SuperVerse together. Ezekiel 36:26:

“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you.”

Hold up the heart sponge. Have a few children tap it with a finger or knuckle so they can feel and hear how hard it is. Scratch it with your finger. This is definitely NOT tender; it is hard and scratchy. Can you believe that this is even a sponge? It doesn’t appear or act like one, does it?

In the second part of Ezekiel 36:26, immediately following the SuperVerse, God says this:

“I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.”

This sponge represents the stubborn, stony heart. God’s people had turned away from Him. They were disobedient and chose to worship idols instead. Tap on the sponge.

This is a heart that isn’t tender or responsive toward God. You could say it isn’t soft toward God. Now, let’s read the verse that precedes the SuperVerse, Ezekiel 36:25:

“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols.”

What do you think the filth is in this verse? Is it dirt on people’s skin? Children respond.

The filth is from sin; the verse is talking about cleansing us on the inside, not the outside. Hold the hard sponge horizontally over the bowl with one hand and lift the salt (or spice) shaker with the other hand. Or, choose an older child to hold the shaker.

When we are born again, our hearts are cleansed by God’s Word and the work of the Holy Spirit. In many places in the Old and New Testaments, the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit is compared to water.

Begin to pour/sprinkle water on the sponge. Continue until the sponge completely expands to its full size and is saturated with water. Hold it up so the children can see it clearly.

This is what Jesus was referring to when He was talking to Nicodemus in John 3:5:

Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.”

Walk around with the sponge over the bowl and allow children to touch and press it gently. Is the sponge still hard? No!

Would you say that it is tender and responsive when you press it? Yes!

This is what happens inside when God washes away our sins. He puts a new heart and Spirit in us. Our hearts become soft, responsive, and tender toward Him. Press the sponge a few times.

Can you see how this moves and doesn’t resist now? That is how we should respond to God’s touch as He molds and changes us into what He created us to be!

Pray: Heavenly Father, let our prayer each day be that our hearts remain tender and responsive to You! In Jesus’ precious name, amen.