Practical Lesson – Surprise Easter Egg
This is an object lesson that fits in well with the Easter season. To prepare the lesson, get 4 plastic Easter eggs and place the following items in them: inside one egg is a sticker, inside the second is a polished rock, in the third is a piece of cloth, and in the fourth is a nail . The main lesson to teach is that God can use you to meet a need in a friend’s life and the supporting Bible verse is James 1:22.
Lesson:
The apostles were ordinary guys. I doubt that people saw anything special when they passed them on the street. Outwardly these men did not seem special. What made them special was what was inside; something that people could not see. I have 4 eggs here, each with something inside. Let’s take a look at each one and see if we can figure out what made them so special and what can make you special too.
(Opens the first egg.) Here we have a sticker. The stickers are bright and colorful and when you put them on something they stay put. Giving someone a bright and colorful sticker can be a real lift for them and help brighten their day. A true friend is someone who sticks by your side no matter what happens and has a way of making your day. By the time you get to the book of Acts, you see the disciples clinging to each other and encouraging each other.
(Opens the second egg.) Here is a rock; but this is no ordinary one. It is a polished rock. Rocks are normally rough, but they can be polished and smooth like this. It takes time and effort to polish one, but when it’s done, it helps make it special. A true friend is someone who accepts you as you are, but also helps you improve. They do this by letting you know when you’re starting to go wrong, encouraging you to do the right thing, and helping you think of others before yourself. A true friend can help you polish yourself and become a better person.
(Opens the third egg.) This one has a piece of cloth. This reminds me of a cleaning rag that a servant would use. A true friend is one who serves others and puts them first. Service begins in your heart as a desire to help others and it shows in your actions. You can serve others by being kind to them, helping them when they need help, or saying a word of encouragement when they are down. The disciples served the people regularly.
(Opens the fourth egg.) A nail. Jesus is the best friend anyone can have. The Bible says that he is a closer friend than a brother. But, some wicked men nailed Jesus to the cross to pay for our sins. If you have a friend who does not know Jesus as Savior, his greatest need is to be saved from his sin. You can help meet that need by telling them about Jesus. The disciples went all over the place telling people about Jesus.
What do these four things have in common? They all come from a heart that is in love with Jesus and has his love for others. James 1:22 tells us to be doers of the word and not hearers only. If you are in love with Jesus and have his love for others, you will be a doer and then God can use you to meet a need in the life of a friend.