Especially for Younger Students: Sweetness Doesn’t Spare You

(5–10 minutes, easy set-up)
Students will discuss whether sweet people are spared from God’s judgment.

(5–10 minutes, easy set-up)
Provide two bags of individually wrapped chocolate candies and a trashcan.

Learning Goal: Students will understand that God is just and fair.

Pour chocolate candies on the floor. Let students know that each piece represents one person in your city. Prompt students to call out a name of someone they know for each piece of candy that they pick up. Explain to the students that after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, many people wondered if this was an act of God’s judgment upon a city often known as “Sin City.” At this time, pick up all the pieces of candy representing people and throw them into the trashcan.

Enlist a student to read Genesis 18:20–25 aloud. Discuss the passage and ask: Do you think “the Judge of all the earth” will punish the righteous and wicked alike? Lead a student to read Genesis 18:26–32. As the passage is read, call on another student to start pulling out a few handfuls of candy from the trashcan as an illustration of God rescuing people from judgment. Enlist a student to read Genesis 19:27–29. Then ask: How did God act with justice and fairness? Point out that the Judge is fair and that He will spare those who are faithful to Him from ultimate destruction. Remind students that although people can be sweet like candy does not mean anything when it comes to facing a just God. Point out that it’s whom they know and follow in their heart that matters, much like Lot in the passage that was just read.