Christmas Lights – Preteen Object Lesson

PREP

Get a strand of Christmas lights, preferably the large “Charlie Brown” style lights. Place the strand so that all of the sockets are hidden beneath a table except one. Arrange it so this one socket is sitting on a table in the front of the teaching area, and remove the bulb from this one socket.

If it’s a light strand where it’s necessary to have all the bulbs in for the strand to light up, keep the rest of the bulbs in, but do your best to conceal the other bulbs’ light. If it’s a strand where it’s not necessary to have all the bulbs plugged in for a single socket to light up, remove all the other bulbs.

Have several bulbs of different colors sitting on the table where the socket is. Make sure each of these bulbs fits into the socket that’s on the table and that each of these bulbs will light.

Plug the strand into a power strip that has a switch so you can easily turn the strand on and off each time you switch bulbs during the demonstration.

Mark a Bible at Matthew 28:19.

DEMONSTRATION

Show the students the empty socket on the table and then pick up one bulb (for example, the green bulb). Say, “This green bulb fits into this socket, and when it’s plugged in, it can light up this room. Watch!”

Plug in the green bulb, dim the room lights, and turn on the light strand. Say, “Wow! That’s awesome. It almost seems like this green bulb was made to connect with this socket, and then to light up the area around it. As a matter of fact, IT WAS MADE TO DO JUST THAT! But let me ask you a question: Is the green bulb the only one that will work in the socket?”

Take response, and then demonstrate that, in fact, the red, yellow, and whatever other color bulbs work in the socket as well. Say, “These, also, were made to connect with the socket and light up the area around them.”

OBJECT LESSON

Say, “Think of this light socket like Jesus. Jesus came to Earth on Christmas so that he could connect with people, and change their eternity. Sometimes, though, we think that Jesus just came for one type of people (hold up green bulb). Maybe you think Jesus is just for white kids, or He’s just for kids whose parents are Christians, or maybe you think Jesus is just for younger kids or just for adults. But Jesus didn’t just come for one type of people. In fact, Jesus told his disciple something about this in Matthew 28:19. Let’s look it up, and tell me what you notice.” (Hopefully they will notice that Jesus sent His disciples to go to ALL nations).

Say, “Jesus came for white kids (hold up a bulb) and Hispanic kids (hold up a bulb) and young boys (hold up a bulb) and old women (hold up a bulb) and kids whose parents are Muslim (hold up a bulb) and the kid that lives down the street from you (hold up a bulb) and Jesus came for YOU (hold up a bulb. Give other examples that are pertinent to your preteens’ typical experience if you’d like). Jesus came for ALL people, and if ANY person will come to Jesus, they will find that they can connect with Jesus (screw in a bulb) and light up the world around them (turn on power).”

Challenge to the preteens to think of some of the different people that they know that Jesus came to save.

WRAP UP

Say, “This Christmas when you see Christmas lights lighting up the night, remember who Jesus came for. Just like there are ALL different colored bulbs lighting up the night at Christmas time, Jesus came, not just for one type of person, but for ALL the nations, ALL people, ANYONE who will put their faith in Him.”

END OBJECT LESSON

Liked this preteen object lesson? Check out our new Christmas series for preteen ministry…

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS: This new 4-week Christmas series reminds preteens to focus on the gifts of Jesus, family, friends, and faith during the Christmas season.

Or check out our one year preteen curriculum…

EXCLUSIVE PRETEEN CURRICULUM: Get one year of new and exclusive preteen ministry curriculum designed to help 4th-6th graders explore their faith and wholeheartedly follow Jesus. Year 1 & 2 are now available (each year includes a Christmas series).