03 November 2009 Devotion for Today "Gospel Plan of Salvation Using M&Ms" I John 1:7

03 November 2009 Devotion for Today "Gospel Plan of Salvation Using M&Ms" I John 1:7

I needed a quick and easy way to hold children's attention so that I could share the plan of salvation with them during our fall festival party the other night. I've used the Wordless Book before, but that didn't hold children's attention for long. After I grabbed a bag of snacked sized M&M's to give out at the Trunk or Treat Party at Church, I thought, what better way than to use these for the Gospel presentation session before they get hyped up on candy that night.

First, I separated out all the varioius colors, Blue, Brown, Yellow, Green and Orange and put one of each color in snack sized plastic bags.

Ask the children to each take a plastic bag and be seated on the floor.

Have them start with the blue color M&Ms.

BLUE Say: First take the blue M&M out but don't eat it yet. Ask if I would use the color blue to describe a feeling, what feeling would that be? Many of them said "sad, depressed, lonely, etc." Say: That's right, blue is the color we are because we're sad, lonely, depressed, and especially if we have never heard that God loves us and has a plan for our lives. He does not want us to be sad. He wants us to have joy and peace. Jesus said, "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." John 15:11
But why do people not experience that God's plan for joy in their lives? Go ahead and eat this blue M&M.

BROWN- now take out the brown M&M and hold it in your hand. We don't experience that joy because of sin. Let's say brown is the color of dirt- the color our hearts are now because of sin. I explained what sin is and how it separates us from God and how God must punish sin. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23), The Bible also says, "The wages of sin is death" (Rom 6:23). There's only one way to cleanse our sins so that we can draw close to God. (go ahead and eat the brown M&M)

RED- take out the red M&M and hold it in your hand. Ask to desribe the color red, Ask: "What does the color Red remind you of?" Many will shout out, "Blood!" That's right, and we're talking about the blood of Jesus? What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus! The Bible tells us in I John 1:7 that "the blood of Jesus Christ (God's Son) cleanses us from all sin." Go ahead now and eat the red M&M as you think of Jesus and the sacrifice that he made for you on the cross when He died for your sins, and take out the yellow M&M

YELLOW- Yellow is bright, it is shiny, its the color of the sun, it also reminds me of GOLD, the color of heaven and its streets. Since we don't have a gold M&M, we'll use the yellow one to remind us of the place that God has set aside for us who have asked Jesus into our hearts, and where we will spend all eternity when we die. In the book of Revelation 21:21 it says, "And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass." Talk about heaven being a wonderful place, and even though we don't know everything about it yet, its the place where we want to be one day- not in hell, where we will be if we allow sin to remain in us without following Jesus. Now go ahead and eat the yellow M&M.

GREEN- take out the green M&M and hold it in your hands. What does green remind any of you of? Green is the color of plants, trees, flowers, and many other living things. Green is also the color of "Go" on a traffic light. It means we can move ahead. Once we move ahead knowing Jesus as our Savior and Lord, Jesus wants us to grow, and He also wants us to go. We can grow to be more like Jesus because He wants us to be His Disciples, learners. We do this by going to church, reading our Bibles, praying and talking to God, obeying and doing His will, etc. Quote Matthew 28:18-20 or another verse describing what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Now eat the Green M&M and take out the last one, Orange.

ORANGE- Why would I have an Orange M&M? What do you think Orange would mean? (Ask for some to describe it). Orange is one of my favorite colors, as well as favorite flavors! But most of all, "ORANGE ya" glad you came tonight to Trunk or Treat to hear about Jesus? Orange-ya glad Jesus Christ died for you and rose again from the dead to give you eternal life? Orange-ya glad you don't have to go to hell, but can go to heaven? Orange-ya going to tell somebody else about what Jesus has done for us?

Lead in a prayer of salvation and ask for hands to go up for those who want to know more about what Jesus has done for them.

After the prayer, hand out the remaining M&M packets and a gospel tract or even an index card with each of the colored M&Ms taped on it explaining the plan of salvation on it. Dismiss the children with the candy. Time elasped, fifteen minutes.

Hope you can use this plan of salvation in a special event where you have children around. You can adapt it as needed, and expound more on it for adults. May God help you use it to tell others about Jesus.

Have a blessed day!