All Have Sinned

TEXT: Romans 5:12; Genesis 3:1-6; Psalm 38:18

OBJECTIVE

The students will be able to explain that all have sinned. They will be able to tell what repentance is and why it is necessary.

BIBLE LESSON OUTLINE

Introduction: Show your class some pictures of people taken from catalogs or magazines. On the chest of each figure cut a small hinged door which opens to reveal a sin-spotted heart.

Progression of events:

1. God's creation, man, was without sin in the beginning.
2. The serpent tempted Eve to sin. She yielded, and gave of the fruit to Adam also.
3. Because of their disobedience, sin came into the world.
4. Identify behavior which is sin: lying, stealing, cheating, disobeying, etc.
5. Talk about what repentance is.

Climax: Since that time, every person has been born with sin in his heart. Use the black page of the Wordless Book.

Conclusion: The sins which we commit reflect the darkness of sin with which everyone is born.

Response: Each student should be able to tell why we are born with sin in our hearts, to identify some sins which are committed, and explain the meaning of repentance.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The original sin is very simply recorded in the third chapter of Genesis, and its implications for mankind are expounded in Romans 5:12-21. Man was created with a holy, godly nature in fellowship with God. He lived in an environment which was "very good," and yet when he was tempted by Satan, he deliberately chose the path of self-corruption and enmity against God.

The fact that every person has a sinful heart until that sin has been forgiven is a difficult one for the young child to grasp. You may even find rejection of the fact that a baby has sin in his heart. You will need to explain that God knows the baby is too young to understand about sin, but when he becomes older and learns about right and wrong, he will need to ask God to take the sin away.

You will wish to spend some class time being sure your students really understand the meaning of the word sin. As adults, we recognize that sin is a violation of divine law. But to young children, sin can be defined simply as "doing something which you know is wrong." To older children, it might help to explain that there are really two kinds of sin. The first kind is the sin nature we are born with—since Adam sinned, all people born thereafter have the sin nature in their hearts. The second kind of sin is the wrong things we do even when we know they are wrong.

Although succeeding lessons deal with God's plan or remedy for sin, it will be necessary to bring out the fact that there is a way the sinful heart can be cleansed. If a child misses a Sunday, or is just visiting for this one week, it is very important that he is not left with a feeling of hopelessness about his sinful nature or condition.

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES

• Prior to class time, cut out a number of catalog or magazine pictures of people, old and young of different races. Do not use figures that are well known; i.e., movie stars, singers, leaders. On the chest of each figure, cut a small hinged door. Underneath the opening, paste a piece of paper on which you have drawn a heart with sin spots. During class, show figures to the students. Allow the children to open the hinged doors, pointing out that each person has a heart with sin in it until he repents and is forgiven.
• Make a large pocket-heart of black construction paper by taping or stapling two hearts together and leaving an opening at the top. Inside the pocket, put pictures of different kinds of wrong behavior: a child saying mean words, stealing, cheating, not sharing, etc. As an alternative, if you do not have pictures on hand, put in slips of paper with the words on them. Have each child pull out one slip, then have him illustrate on another piece of paper the word he drew out. When everyone has finished his drawing, let each student show the other students his illustration and explain what behavior is taking place.
• Puzzle squares are a fun way to make your students aware of certain words and ideas in the lesson. Prepare a set of puzzle squares for each child in your class (see Patterns). Copy the puzzles onto heavy paper, cover them with contact paper, and cut them into squares. Store each puzzle in a plastic Ziploc bag. On this puzzle is the memory verse (when read in one direction) and also six sets of words that are opposites. Have the children match up the squares in the correct order. Talk about what a wonderful difference Jesus makes in a person's life.
• Make a copy of the memory verse work sheet for each child (see Patterns). Have them circle the right word in each space so they will complete the memory verse correctly. When they have finished their work sheets, go through the verse together. Stop at each of the chosen words and talk about what it means.

Special Instructions for this Lesson: Refer to Lesson 1b for additional ideas.

QUESTIONS

1. Can snakes talk? Who really was the serpent that talked to Eve?
2. Satan talked to Eve when she was alone, instead of when she and Adam were together. Why do you think he did this?
3. Satan told Eve that eating the fruit was not wrong. Do we usually know when a thing is right or wrong? How?
4. Why was it wrong for Eve to eat the fruit since it was good for food?
5. Satan tried to make Eve think that God was selfish and that He did not want to share. Why do you think God or parents tell children not to do certain things?
6. Eve ate the fruit because it looked good and she wanted to try it for herself. Do your friends ever do something that they have been told is wrong, just because they want to find out for themselves what it is like?
7. Why did Eve want Adam to try the fruit also? Do friends ever try talking you into doing something that is wrong? Why?
8. How do you think Adam and Eve expected to feel after they had eaten the fruit?
9. How do you feel in your heart when you have disobeyed or done something else that is naughty?
10. Who knows when we sin?
11. Who has sinned? How do we know?

PRE-SCHOOL SUGGESTIONS

• Have several paper cups and the same number of little dolls or Fisher Price people. Cover each figure with a cup. As you lift each cover, explain that no matter who you are you can't hide from Jesus-grandpas, grandmas, moms, dads, teachers, children, etc. He loves everyone and wants them to have clean, white hearts.
• For each child, make a face which can be turned upside-down—frowns from one direction and smiles from the other.
• Say or sing the Wordless Book chorus, with children turning the pages of their own books.
• Give each child a copy of the Before and After Sin coloring picture (see Patterns). Let the children color their pictures as you talk about how happy Adam and Eve were before they disobeyed God. Explain to the children that nobody is really happy if he has sin in his heart.
  

REVIEW IDEAS‍

This is a good lesson for utilizing an overhead. Make a series of people (trace color book characters onto transparencies). Make overlays or draw in something on each one illustrating some type of sinful behavior. Some suggestions: add a cookie (disobeying Mom), add a sassy mouth (saying bad words), add a small toy (stealing), add a bandaid on hands or face (fighting). Bring out that every person has sinned. As you make this point, draw a sin-spotted heart on each character. Be sure to conclude this lesson by looking ahead to next week's and saying that Jesus made a way for us to have our sins taken away. You might wish to use a coloring book picture of Jesus, in conclusion.

On an overhead transparency make a copy of the WHY IS THERE SIN? story (see Patterns). Tell the students to read the words in the oval at the bottom of the page. Then, as you read the story, ask them to help you choose the correct words to write on the blank lines. When the story is complete read it through again with special emphasis on the last half. We want the children to realize that God really does love them, and that is why He sent His very own Son, Jesus, to be their Savior.

For this demonstration you will need two fairly soft apples. Before the review use a hypodermic needle to inject one of the apples with some food coloring. Talk to the children about how good some people seem to be. Then show the children that both apples look good on the outside, but cut them open and see that one apple has "sin spots." God can see the heart even though we may try to make others think we are good.

SUPPORT MATERIAL

• Garden of Eden — (2' x 3' Bible Mural, 8 pictures that fit together to form a poster), Concordia
• A Garden and a Promise — Arch Book, Concordia
• The Crucifixion and Resurrection — Panorama, Standard Publishing
• Crucifixion and Resurrection — Pict-a-graph, Standard Publishing
• My Bible Story Card — Series II