Splink | Freedom from Sin

Trapped

Show the kids a mouse trap. (If you have creative kids, ask one of them to think of a story about a mouse and the trap.)

A mouse is a pesky little creature that eats through packages of our food and leaves nasty droppings—ewwwww!

Why do we set a mouse trap? (If you do.)

What do we put on the trap to try to catch the mouse? The mouse wants the cheese (or peanut butter, etc.) so badly that he goes after it and is CAUGHT by the trap.

How is sin like a trap? (It catches us when we give in to it and makes us want to sin again; it looks good, but the end result is not good; we want what we want so we give in and we can’t stop; etc.)

There are bad results when we sin even if we don’t get caught. Jesus frees us from sin!

Win Over Temptation

We are all tempted (it is not a sin to be tempted), but when we give in to temptation and do what is wrong, we sin.

After dinner, talk about what we could do when tempted and yet not give in to sin.

• You want a pack of gum at the store, but don’t have any money.
• You are tempted to look at a friend’s test paper when you don’t know the answer.
• You feel angry at your mom when she wouldn’t let you go to a friend’s house.
• Your little brother is annoying; you want to scream at him to leave you alone.
• You’re supposed to clean your room; instead, you want to play a game.

Asking for God’s help can help us win over temptation.

Someone to Help

Assign a specific chore to each child—one that is hard to do alone. As they struggle to complete it, ask if they would like some help. Complete the chore with them.

What helped get the chore done faster and better? (I worked with you; I joined in and helped; etc.)

We all need help to do what is right. God gives us a wonderful gift when He gives us the Holy Spirit. Even though we can’t see Him, He lives inside us to help us do what is right. Say yes to the Holy Spirit and no to our selfish wants and sin.