Preparation
You will need a large room or field to play this game.
If your room is too small, you can take turns to play.
Cut strings into 2-foot lengths.
Assuming everyone will be playing at the same time, you will need 1 string per player, plus a few extras.
Tip:
You will be playing in teams, and each team will need 4 strings.
For easy distribution during the game, we suggest bundling them (4 strings per bundle) either with a loose knot or using a straw.
Otherwise the strings may get tangled if you have many players trying to grab them in a hurry.
Setting Up
Divide into teams of 2 to 4 players.
Give each team 1 rubber band and 4 strings (even if there are fewer than 4 players in that team).
Players tie one end of their strings to the rubber band.
(Each rubber band will have 4 strings tied to it regardless of the number of players in that team. See picture below.)
At one end of the room, place a few tennis balls on the floor for each team.
Each team’s tennis balls should be at least 5-6 feet away from the next team’s so that players have sufficient space to play.
At the opposite end of the room, place 1 bucket on the floor for each team.
Each team stands around its tennis balls with each player holding one loose end of the string.
If there are fewer than 4 players in the team, some players will need to hold 2 strings.
How to Play
Decide how long you want to play this game.
On “go”, team members pull their strings in opposing directions to stretch their rubber bands to pick up a tennis ball. Players are not allowed to touch the tennis balls or rubber bands; they can only hold onto the loose ends of the strings
After picking up the tennis ball with the rubber band, they must carefully walk to the opposite end of the room to drop the tennis ball into the team’s designated bucket.
Players must lift the tennis balls up with the string and not drag them on the floor.
If the tennis ball drops anywhere other than in the team’s designated bucket, pick it up and return to the starting point and start again.
Variation
You can make this game more interesting (and more challenging) by introducing some obstacles.
For instance, chairs the team needs to climb over and tables they need to crawl under.
Bible Lesson – Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man
Discuss
1. Did you enjoy this game?
2. What was the easiest part of the game? Picking up the tennis ball, walking to the opposite end, or dropping the tennis ball into the bucket?
3. Does this game remind you of any Bible stories?
Read
Luke 5:17-19
Discuss
4. Why did the men bring the paralyzed man to Jesus?
Read
Luke 5:20,24-25
Discuss
5. What were did Jesus do for the paralyzed man?
Read
Luke 5:21-24
Discuss
6. What did Jesus say to the Pharisees and teachers of the law?
7. What prompted Jesus to say these things?
Say
When the friends lowered the paralyzed man, through the roof into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus, Jesus must have known that they wanted Jesus to heal the paralyzed man. But according to this passage that we have just read, Jesus chose to say to the paralyzed man “your sins are forgiven” rather than simply heal him of his illness.
Jesus later explained, in verse 24, the reason why he did this. Jesus wanted the Pharisees and teachers of the law (and all of us as well) to know that Jesus has the authority to forgive sins. Jesus is not a mere human miracle healer; Jesus is the Son of God.
Read
Luke 5:26
Discuss
8. How did the witnesses respond what Jesus did and said?
9. Do you believe that Jesus can forgive sins? Why or why not?
10. Do you think you need Jesus’s forgiveness? Have you asked Jesus to forgive your sins?
Conclude
Jesus has the power to heal our illnesses, but that is not why he came to dwell on the earth. And he may or may not choose to heal us of our physical illnesses.
Jesus is the Son of God and the reason why Jesus came to dwell amongst us was to die on the cross so that all of our sins can be forgiven. And on the third day, Jesus became alive again! Because our sins can be forgiven, we can be with God and have a relationship with him. We can become his children and will one day be with him in heaven.
Bible Lesson – Getting Along
Discuss
1. Did you enjoy this game?
2. Was it easy to pick up the tennis ball? Why or why not?
3. What was the easiest part of the game? Picking up the tennis ball, walking to the opposite end, or dropping the tennis ball into the bucket?
4. Did your team have any difficulty working together in this game?
5. Have you ever encountered people who are difficult to work with? Tell us more.
6. How do you feel when you have to work with people who are difficult to get along with?
7. Were you ever annoyed by or had disagreements with people around you? Tell us more.
Say
None of us live alone. We are surrounded by people – family, neighbors, school-mates, colleagues, etc. It is inevitable that we sometimes get on one another’s nerves. As Christians, how do we handle these situations?
Read
Proverbs 12:16
Discuss
8. How does this verse describe a person who is quick to show annoyance?
9. How does this verse describe a person who overlooks an insult?
Read
Romans 12:18; 14:19; Proverbs 19:11; Hebrews 12:14; Colossians 3:8-10,15
Discuss
10. What advice do these Bible verses give us?
11. Why do you think it is important that we learn to get along with others?
Say
God wants us to live in peace with one another.
Discuss
12. Have you ever had a “fight” (or quarrel) with someone? What was the fight or quarrel about? Tell us more.
Read
Galatians 5:15-26
Discuss
13. According to this passage, what causes us to fight or quarrel?
14. What will happen to us if we continue to gratify our sinful nature?
15. What should we do instead of gratifying our sinful nature?
16. What will happen if we yield to the Holy Spirit instead of our sinful nature?
Conclude
It is not easy for us to always live in peace with one another all the time. But God wants us to try.
The Bible tells us that if we yield to our sinful desires, it will result in sinful acts that displease God, like fighting or quarreling.
But for those who believe in Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit living inside us. And when we follow and yield to the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit produces these nine attributes in our lives – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
