It can be hard for kids to understand that Jesus forgives us and creates a new heart for us. In fact, it can be hard for adults to understand that Jesus creates a new heart in us! This object lesson is simple, but really fun. It uses science to help the students understand how Jesus gives us a clean heart after he forgives us.
I used this in my children’s church with students from kindergarten to fifth grade. All of them seemed very interested in it.
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What You Will Need for the Clean Heart Object Lesson
- Paper towels
- Bowl of water
- Permanent marker (like this one)
- WASHABLE markers (like these)
- Bible (this one is my favorite when with kids!)
Memory verse: “Create in me a new heart, O God, and renew a Spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10
Prefer to watch?
How to do the Clean Heart Object Lesson
(all of the quotation are parts that you can say or paraphrase)
First, draw a heart in a PERMANENT marker. Tell the students that this is your heart. It’s clean, because you haven’t sinned.
“But here’s the thing– everyone sins! Sometimes when you don’t even mean to. What are some things that we could do that are sins?” Have the students give you a few ideas such as lying, stealing, not listening to your parents, etc.
“Every time you sin, your heart gets a little bit dirty.” Use a WASHABLE marker to color in a piece of the heart. Ask for more ideas of sins, and each time color in the heart with another color. Using many different colors helps with the effect (Alternatively, students could color in a piece when they have an idea. Or everyone can have their own!)
Once the heart is full of different colors, tell the students, “As Christians, if we sin, then we should ask forgiveness from God. If you ask God for forgiveness, try to do better, try to live like Jesus lived, then he will create in us a new heart.” Read Psalm 51:10.
After reading the verse, dip the paper towel into the bowl of water. You may want to move it around a little bit. The washable marker will come off, and the permanent marker will stay– leaving a clean heart!
“This is what a new heart looks like. After we ask for forgiveness, Jesus creates a new heart, and it’s like it never happened. He doesn’t hold those things we did against us– because Jesus already paid the price for them! Because Jesus died for us, we can get a second chance and a clean heart.”
Extensions to Learn about the Clean Heart
Now that you’ve done the main part of the lesson, you can check out the different ideas below to go along with it!
Memory verse puzzle
Download this free memory verse puzzle! Just print and cut, and then students put the memory verse in order.
If you want to make it more fun, you could turn it into a scavenger hunt or a race to see who can finish first!
Bible Verse Coloring Sheets
These Bible verse coloring sheets have many different verses– including the memory verse! These are better for older students (third through fifth grade) because the verses have smaller parts that need to be colored in.
Click here for Bible verses coloring sheets.
Sword Drills
Have a list of verses about forgiveness and have the students race to find them! You can find full directions by clicking here, or you can purchase ready-to-go sword drills about forgiveness by clicking here.
Have your tried this object lesson? I’d love to see your pictures or videos of it! Tag me in your photos on Instagram @beccasbibleclass I can’t wait to see!
Happy teaching!
