Balloon Game

Bounce Back With Forgiveness: Play a fun game to illustrate the SuperVerse.

In Large Group, you were asked to listen and watch carefully for something Jesus said about Zacchaeus. Who did Jesus say that Zacchaeus was a true son of? Abraham.

Zacchaeus confessed his sins. Jesus forgave him, and his new life in Christ began. When we confess our sins to Jesus, we can always trust what we will receive back from Him. Is it punishment? No!

Is it guilt or shame? No!

Is it criticism or rejection? No!

What can we trust we will receive from Jesus? Forgiveness!

That is what this game is all about!

Divide the children into two equal teams. Have the teams make two single-file lines, with players standing about an arm’s length behind each other. Leave several feet of space between the teams—see illustration.

Give a “Sin” balloon to the player at the front of each line. Give a “Forgiveness” balloon to the player at the back of each line. Start the game. Without turning around, the first player must toss the “Sin” balloon backward over his/her head to the player directly behind. The balloon continues to move backward in this way until it is caught by the player at the back of the line. That player keeps the “Sin” balloon in one hand while using the other hand to toss the “Forgiveness” balloon to the player directly ahead. The “Forgiveness” balloon moves forward until it reaches the player at the front of the line.

At the end of the round, the entire team immediately turns around to face the opposite end of the room, and the second round begins. The player who was at the back of the line is now at the front of the line. He/she tosses the “Sin” balloon overhead and backward to the player directly behind. Continue with the game as it was played in the first round. The first team to complete both rounds wins.

Note: If a balloon falls to the ground, the player who was to receive the toss must pick it up and continue play from that point.

We could say that you all put your sins behind you! We serve an amazing God who loves us and offers forgiveness through His Son when we come to Him and let go of our sins. It doesn’t matter what the sin is—He can always be trusted to forgive us. Let’s learn more about this in today’s teaching.