Youth Ministry Object Lesson - God Given Talents

www.CreativeYouthIdeas.com

Youth
Ministry
Object Lesson
- God Given
Talents

www.CreativeObjectLessons.com


Are you using the gifts, talents,
and skills God’s given you for
the benefit of others, to make
the world a better place, to
shine out for Christ? Or are you
just using them to benefit
yourself or not using them at
all and letting them go to
waste?



What you Need
• Paper Money – Not plastic
notes as used in some
countries, but linen/cotton
paper notes. The amount
of money used is up to you.
The greater the
amount, the greater the
impact, but a single dollar
will make the point.



•

A 50-50 alcohol solution – If
you are using isopropyl
alcohol you can usually find it
in a variety of percentages of
alcohol. It doesn’t have to be
exact but needs to be close.
You can mix 50 ml of water
with 50 ml of 95-100%
alcohol. With 70% alcohol
solution use 70ml of alcohol
and add another 30ml of
distilled water. With 91%
alcohol solution use 55ml of
alcohol and 45 ml of distilled
water.



•

•
•
•
•

Lit Candle in a candle
holder
Metal Tongs
Bowl of water (Just in
case you need to douse
the fire)
Matches to light the
candle
Dash of salt (to make the
flame burn yellow)



Preparation
1. Prepare the 50/50 alcohol
and water solution.
2. Add a pinch salt to help
produce a yellow flame as
alcohol tends to burn blue
and makes a barely visible
flame.
3. When you light the paper
money, the alcohol will burn
but the paper will not. You
can try with some ordinary
paper first. If it burns you
need to add more distilled
water.



What to Do
• Place the money in the
solution until it is
completely soaked.
• Keep the matches candle,
and bowl hidden until you
need them.
• Say, “I am considering
giving [Amount of money
i.e. $50] to the youth who
will give it to the most
worthwhile cause.”



•

•

•

Take the money from the
solution, and discretely let
the excess liquid drip off
and then hold it up with the
tongs.
Ask each youth what they
would honestly do with the
money if you were to give it
to them.
While they answer place it
back in the solution so it
does not dry out
completely.



•

•

•

After all youth have
answered respond: “You’ve
given me some very good
ideas on how I could spend
this money, but instead
think I will burn it. It is my
money and I will do with it
what I want!”
Take out the candle and
light it. (Sometimes the
youth will blow out the
candle!) Persist.
Holding the monem with
the tongs, move the damp
money away from the
alcohol-water solution.



•
•

Then light the bill in the
candle and hold it over the
bowl until it burns out.
After the youth have
calmed down, ask them
what makes this piece of
paper worth something.
The answer is that others
will give something to you
for it.



•

Explain. “I know many of
you felt frustrated that I
would waste something
that is so valuable to you,
but think about how God
must feel when we waste
our lives. Sure, they are
our lives to do with as we
please, but you are
valuable, too. God gave his
Son’s life for you!”



Alternative Variation
1. If you are concerned about
the safety of the object
lesson, you can do
something similar with a
lump of modeling clay.
2. Explain: “This clay is mine
but loan it to you for a while.
You can do anything with it
until I tell you time is up.
Go!”
3. Be sure to have one lump of
clay reserved for yourself.
Don’t do anything with it.



4.

5.

6.

After a predetermined length
of time, call “Time’s Up” and
let the youth explain their
various creations.
Talk about the amazing things
that were done. Then explain
that you didn’t do anything
with yours.
This lump of clay is like your
life. God gave you this live to
do whatever you wanted with
it. You can choose to do
nothing, make your life
something that benefits
others, or even make it one
that hurts others. The choice
is yours. But you were created
with a purpose.



TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL
MAKE IT SPIRITUAL
Read 1 Peter 4:10-11
“Each one should use whatever gift
he has received to serve others,
faithfully administering God’s grace
in its various forms. If anyone
speaks, he should do it as one
speaking the very words of God. If
anyone serves, he should do it with
the strength God provides, so that
in all things God may be praised
through Jesus Christ. To him be the
glory and the power for ever and
ever. Amen.” (NIV)



MAKE IT PRACTICAL
• God gives you talents and He
expects you to use them. Use
them to serve others and to
bring glory to God.
• On a piece of paper, make a list
of various talents, skills, and
abilities found in the youth
group or among friends or that
you appreciate – one per line.
• Then on the right side write
some ways that God might be
able to use those talents and
skills to serve others and for his
glory. Include ways in church and
also outside the church.



MAKE IT PERSONAL
• From the list, or from your
head, think of one talent YOU
have and consider how you can
use it to serve others and bring
glory to God this week



Additional Scriptures
• Psalm 139:13-18
• Psalm 24:1
• Matthew 25:14-30
• Colossians 3:23-25
• Romans 12:3-8



Creative Object Lessons
MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”
200 page e-book that explains everything you
need to know when planning your very own
object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed
object lesson ideas and another 200 object
lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms
and Names / Descriptions of God.
Learn More…

www.creativeobjectlessons.com

Youth Ministry Object Lesson - God Given Talents

Empfohlen

Empfohlen

Weitere ähnliche Inhalte

Mehr von Ken Sapp

Mehr von Ken Sapp (20)

Kürzlich hochgeladen

Kürzlich hochgeladen (20)

Youth Ministry Object Lesson - God Given Talents