Leader Guide

Bible Activity

Bibles—to make the activity fair for all children, do not use tabbed Bibles or electronic devices unless all the children have them
Whiteboard and marker or chalkboard and chalk
Eraser
Sticky note pads—one pad per pair of children
Pencils—one per pair of children
Timer, such as a stopwatch, clock or watch with a second hand, or timer app

Make sure there is a clear path between the children and the whiteboard.
If you would prefer not to use sticky notes, have children raise their hands to answer.

Take It Away! Race to find verses about confession, repentance, and taking our sins away.

When we believe in Jesus and confess our sins, something amazing happens—He forgives us and even forgets the sin! This doesn’t happen just once in a while or even most of the time. Each time we confess our sins, He is faithful and can be trusted to forgive us. Every single time!

In this activity, we are going to look up verses about confession, repentance, and taking our sins away.

Have the children sit in pairs. Try to pair an experienced Bible user with a child who isn’t as familiar with the Bible. Give each pair a Bible. The experienced Bible user can quickly look up the verse while the other player writes the answer on a sticky note.

The notes are then stuck to the board. If both players are experienced Bible users, the players can alternate looking up a verse and writing down the answer. Have children close their Bibles before you announce the next verse. Note that the suggested answers are from the New Living Translation. If children are using different translations, their answers will vary.

I will say a Bible reference, telling you whether it is in the Old or New Testament, and then write it on the board. You may start to look it up, and I will then read a fill-in-the-blank question for that verse. One player in each group will write the answer on a sticky note and walk quickly to stick it on the board. You have thirty seconds to do that. The first team scores ten points for the correct answer; all other teams score five points for the correct answer stuck to the board within the time limit.

Every pair will have a chance to finish, so don’t give up! The team with the most points wins. Are you ready to learn more about how our sins are taken away... forever? Let’s get started!

Allow spelling errors because of the fast pace of the game. Do as many verses as time allows. Be prepared to help any children with special needs.

1. Isaiah 43:25—Old Testament: Through the Prophet Isaiah, God said He would never _____ of their sins again. (Think)

“I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for My own sake and will never think of them again.”

2. Hebrews 8:12—New Testament: God forgives our wickedness and will never again _____ our sins. (Remember)

“And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”

3. Micah 7:19—Old Testament: God will _____ our sins under His feet and throw them into the _____. (Trample, Ocean)

Once again You will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under Your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!

4. 1 John 1:9—New Testament: When we confess our sins to Jesus, He is _____ and just to forgive and cleanse us. (Faithful)

But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

5. Psalm 103:12—Old Testament: God removes our sins as far from us as the east is from the _____. (West)

He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.

6. Isaiah 1:18—Old Testament: God will make our sins white as _____ and white as _____. (Snow, Wool)

“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.”

7. Psalm 32:5—Old Testament: David said that instead of trying to hide his guilt, he _____ all his sins, and God forgave him. (Confessed)

Finally, I confessed all my sins to You and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the LORD.” And You forgave me! All my guilt is gone.

8. Proverbs 28:13—Old Testament: If we confess and _____ from our sins, we will receive mercy. (Turn)

People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.

9. Luke 15:21—New Testament: The Prodigal son confessed that he had _____ against God and his father. (Sinned)

“His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’”

10. Acts 3:19—New Testament: Peter told the people to repent and turn to God so their sins could be _____ away. (Wiped)

Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.

Conclusion: When we confess our sins to Jesus, He doesn’t judge us. He takes them away, and God forgets them. It’s as if we never sinned!