OBJECT LESSON GOAL:
Teaches the lesson that the Holy Spirit can’t dwell in us when we are unclean.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE:
Romans 5:19, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
A men’s long and muddy white sock in a clear plastic bag. A matching clean sock in a different clear plastic bag. Both of these should be hidden from sight.
MESSAGE:
Today we are going to learn about the idea of the Holy Spirit living in us. In the book of Acts, which is the historical account of the early church, the Holy Spirit came to dwell in the bodies of the believers. And you know, if you accept Jesus into your heart and ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit, it can happen to you as well. However that first part, about accepting Jesus is important and let me show you why in a little demonstration. I need someone who will represent the Holy Spirit for this demonstration. Now it needs to be someone who knows how to put on a sock. (Pick a helper)
Now this is really going to be easy, I have a sock here (bring out a muddy sock in bag and hand it to the helper) and all you need to do is take it out of the bag and put it on your foot. (Helper and audience should react in disgust). You don’t think you want to be inside something that is so dirty do you? What would we need to do before you would want to put this on? (“Wash it,” is probably what you will hear from all over the room) You mean before you want to be inside this sock you want it to be clean?
Well as you can imagine, the Holy Spirit is the same way. Did you know if you are dirty with sin in your life, the Holy Spirit won’t come inside you? But did you also know that no one can live a sinless life, no matter how hard they try? So how can we be clean of sin? (Audience may give answers)
Jesus lived a sinless life, something no one else ever did before or after Him. In Romans 5:19 it says that, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” In other words, His “life” was perfect and clean. (Pull out the clean sock from the bag)
When we admit we are sinners, believe that Jesus came and died for our sins and rose again and ask him into our hearts we get to have His “life” replace ours. (Exchange bags with the helper) He can do this because he took the sin in our life and paid for it on the cross.
Now representing the Holy Spirit, please put on the sock. (Wait for helper to do this) Now that is a visual example of what it means to have the Holy Spirit dwell inside of you.