Sting of Sin - Follow Jesus

The Sting of Sin

Discussion: Sin doesn’t belong

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:22

YOU WILL NEED: A stack of small sticker sheets.

Version 1: “Bee Sting” Sticker Tag—Team vs. Team

Divide your class into teams and choose someone to be IT. IT is not on any team. Give IT a sheet of stickers. He is the Bee and he is trying to “Sting” or tag everyone else. As he tags people, for them to be out, he has to stick a sticker on them. Once they are out they are supposed to sit down along a wall or in another area that you have designated for them. The last person left isn’t the only winner—their whole team wins.

POINT 1

ASK: Does it hurt to get stung by a bee?

ASK: What do you think the “sting of sin” would be? (Separation from God, hurt, hurting others, eternity without God taking the punishment for our own sins, etc.)

ASK: How many of you were out but your team still won?

SAY: You won because of what someone else did. In life, we can win and have REAL life and go to heaven because of what Jesus did. Jesus was God’s perfect Son, who died on the cross and then rose from the dead.

ASK: Why did He do this? (Because if he hadn’t, because of the wrong things you’ve done, you couldn’t have a relationship with a perfect God, you couldn’t be “saved” and there would be NO WAY that you could get yourself into heaven.)

ASK: What does it mean to be “saved”? (To have given your life to Jesus.)

ASK: What does Jesus save you from? (A life of emptiness, a lot of trouble and pain—if you walk with Him, and Hell which is the punishment that God made for the devil and the angels who rebelled against Him. But this also became our punishment when we did wrong things. [NOTE: Don’t overly emphasize hell. Touch on it and move on.]

ASK: What did God save you for? (A relationship with Him, to know Him, to live for Him, to follow and serve Him.)

Version 2: “Bee Sting”Sticker Tag— Everybody vs. Everybody

Play the game again. This time there are no teams and the only “winner” is the last person left.

POINT 2

ASK: When everyone was out for themselves, was it easier to win? (No. And living for yourselves isn’t how to win in life either. You win when you follow Jesus.)

Version 3: “Bee Sting” Sticker Tag— Never Out

Play the game again. This time, no matter how many times they are “stung,” they stay in the game. No one is ever out.

(NOTE: IT will use a lot of stickers on this game, so be sure to have enough on hands.)

POINT 3

Ask the students: How many times did you get stung?

Call up a volunteer with a lot of stickers.

SAY: It would look weird if he went to school like this. Just like a lot of stickers don’t belong all over him, sin doesn’t belong in a Christian’s life.

ASK: What are some examples of sin?

SAY: In the game most of you were trying to get away from the “Bee.” Listen to what God wants us to “get away from.”

Read from your Bible:

2 Timothy 2:22

SAY: In the same way that you didn’t want IT to get you and you fled from IT, God wants you to flee from sin.

ASK: What do you think “evil desires of youth” means? (Sins that youth are more likely to give in to, like disobeying parents, rebelling against authority, etc.)

ASK: How many of you thought it was fun to get “stung” by the stickers?

SAY: Some people think doing wrong things is fun, but the Bible says that sin will always lead to destruction. In other words, sin will always hurt you and never give you what you truly want.

ASK: Everything you’ve ever wanted in life is found where? (In Jesus.)

Extra Variation: Blind Bee Sting Tag

IMPORTANT—Students CANNOT run during this game. The bee can see but everyone else is blind.

ASK: Was it harder?

SAY: Sin blinds you to all the good things God wants to do in your life. The only people who would ever want to stay in sin are those who are blind to the love of Jesus. And you can be the one to tell others about how they can give their lives to Christ.

Share your salvation testimony—afterward emphasize that someone told you about Jesus and now you’re telling them about Jesus. People who know Jesus should be excited to tell others.