Leader Guide
Fulcrum Object Lesson
- Bibles or the Superbook Bible App
- Children’s balance scale, or make a fulcrum
- Two full water bottles
- 12" ruler
- Masking tape and marker
- Two small paper cups
- Table
- Paper towels for clean-up
Tape a cup to each end of the ruler. For each cup, run masking tape from the top of one side of the cup, underneath the ruler, then up the other side of the cup in a “U” shape.
With the marker, write “Strength” on one cup and “Joy” on the other cup. Words must be on same side of both cups to be visible to children.
Lay one bottle on its side and loosely tape the middle of the ruler across the middle of the bottle to create a fulcrum or see-saw—see illustration.
Pour water from the other bottle into the “strength” cup until it is about 3/4-full. Recap bottle. Try the experiment before class so you can do it smoothly.
Who remembers our SuperTruth today? “God will overcome my weakness.”
Weakness is the opposite of strength isn’t it?
In other words, if you are strong in an area, you aren’t weak, correct?
Have children look up Nehemiah 8:10 in their Bibles, then have one child read the last sentence of the verse aloud:
“Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
One way we can turn our weakness into strength is by filling ourselves with the joy of the Lord! What is the joy of the Lord?
It’s knowing that Jesus loves us so much that He died and rose from the dead. It is knowing that He forgives our sins and that one day we can live in heaven with Him, forever! Now, that should fill everyone with joy! No matter how weak we feel or how bad things seem at the moment, the joy of the Lord can give us the inner strength we need! What are some things we can do to allow God to fill us with His joy? Pray, read the Bible, sing praise songs, think of all the blessings God has given us, spend time with other Christians, help others.
Listen to what Jesus told His disciples in these verses. Have children look up John 15:10–11:
“When you obey My commandments, you remain in My love, just as I obey My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with My joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”
What did Jesus say was another way you could have joy? By obeying God’s commandments, obeying His Word.
Jesus said when you live according to God’s Word, you experience God’s love and the joy of the Lord. Here is the really cool part—not only will you receive joy, but joy overflowing—joy that you can’t possibly contain! And think about this—if joy brings God’s strength, then overflowing joy also means overflowing, unlimited strength! Wow, can you imagine unlimited joy and strength!
Place the fulcrum you constructed, or the children’s balance scale, on the table so the children can read the writing on the cups. Hold the water bottle in place with one hand.
Take a look at this! Let’s say that this bottle of water -hold the opened water bottle—is God’s joy. As you follow Jesus and obey God’s Word, you are filled with the joy of the Lord. Begin to pour water into the “JOY” cup slowly. As you are filled with joy, watch what happens to your strength. It goes up! Continue pouring until the cup overflows. This is just what Jesus said would happen—your joy would overflow!
Pray a prayer over the children, thanking God for surrounding us with His love and filling us with His joy that brings strength to overcome our weakness!
