Week 13 - Jesus Can Take Care of My Sin

Objective: The objective of Slap Ball is to score points by slapping a ball from a table into the field and running around all the bases before the fielding team can tag the bases and place the ball into a designated bucket.

 Equipment:

• Standard kickball diamond with 4 bases (home plate, 1st base, 2nd base, and 3rd base)

• One standard kickball

• A sturdy table at home plate

• A 5-gallon bucket placed in front of the table at home plate

 Game Setup:

• The game is played between two teams: one batting and one fielding.

• The ball starts on the table at home plate.

• The bucket is placed on the ground in front of the table, within easy reach for fielders.

 Gameplay:

1. Batting (Slapping the Ball):

   1. The first player on the batting team approaches the table at home plate.

   2. The player slaps the ball off the table towards the outfield.

   3. Immediately after slapping the ball, the player must run the bases in order (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and back to home).

   4. To score a point, the runner must make it all the way around the bases and touch the table at home plate before the ball is placed into the bucket by the fielding team.

2. Fielding (Getting Outs):

   1. Once the ball is slapped into the field, the fielding team works to retrieve the ball.

   2. To get the runner out, the fielding team must tag all three bases (1st, 2nd, and 3rd) in any order and place the ball into the 5-gallon bucket before the runner returns to home plate.

   3. Fielders can work together to quickly tag the bases and return the ball to the bucket.

3. Outs and Scoring:

   1. If the fielding team successfully places the ball in the bucket (after tagging all bases) before the runner completes their circuit, the runner is out.

   2. If the runner touches the table before the ball is placed in the bucket, they score 1 point for their team.

   3. Each team is allowed 3 outs before switching sides (or once the entire lineup has had a chance to slap the ball for younger children).

4. Innings:

   1. The game continues in innings, with each team alternating between batting and fielding.

   2. The number of innings played is determined by the available time, or can be agreed upon before the game begins.

 Additional Rules:

• Foul Ball: If the ball fails to go towards the field either to wide or too short, it is considered a foul, and the batter gets another attempt.

• Overthrows: If the ball is thrown past the bucket, the runner may continue running, but the fielding team must retrieve the ball and place it in the bucket to record an out.

• Safety: No sliding into bases. Runners must avoid collisions with fielders.

• Outfield: fielders must stay out of the path of the bases and stand either behind or in front of bases.

What is the biggest thing that you’ve ever tried to pick up? Could you do it? Just last week, my brother and I moved a really big piano out of my house, across a parking lot, and up a flight of stairs. It was really heavy, and I almost hurt myself! Sometimes, something is so heavy that no one can pick it up.

• Visual 1 - Pictures of things that are either too heavy or not too heavy to pick up.

Jesus was in a house preaching the Word of God. His message was that people are too spiritually weak to overcome sin, so they need to believe the good news that only Jesus can forgive sin.

There was a man who had another kind of weakness. He was unable to move most of his body. He was paralyzed. He heard that Jesus could heal him. His friends carried this man on a bed to the house where Jesus was. But there was a problem.

• Visual 2 - Mark 2:2 "Many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them"

The hosue was so crowded that they couldn’t get in! So the friends made a plan.

• Visual 3 - Picture of the man being lowered

They carried the paralyzed man to the top of the house. They removed some of the roof and lowered him down. Jesus knew what the paralyzed man was thinking because Jesus is God, and He knows what everyone was thinking. He knew the paralyzed man’s sins, but Jesus also knew that the man was sorry and wanted to be forgiven. So, Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven!”

The Scribes (the religious men standing there) were shocked! How can Jesus forgive sins? Only God is strong enough to do that, they thought. People are too weak to be able to get rid of their sin!

• Visual 4 - Mark 2:7 “Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies. Who can forgive sins but God only?”

Little did they know that Jesus could read their minds as well. Jesus knew they didn’t believe He could forgive sin. They didn’t think Jesus was spiritually strong enough because only God is strong enough to forgive sins. But they didn’t realize Jesus is God!

Jesus said to them, “I want to prove to you I am strong enough to forgive sins.” Then, Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “To show that I am strong enough to forgive sins, I command you to pick up your bed and walk home.”

• Visual 5 - Picture of the man walking

The paralyzed man was too weak to forgive his own sin, and he was too weak to heal himself. But he believed Jesus was strong enough to do both. The paralyzed man believed in Jesus; his legs and body began to work again; and he stood up and walked. It was a miracle!

What do you think happened to the paralyzed man's sins? When Jesus forgave him, immediately, all his sins were taken away. It was like Jesus deleted them! But those sins didn’t disappear because Jesus ignored them. He took them Himself. And a short time later, He was punished for that man's sins.

• Visual 6 - “You know what’s neat? When Jesus hits delete!”

• Object Lesson: Dirty rags nailed to a cross

When I was in third grade, I was covered with filthy sins. I thought I could be good enough for God, but I was wrong. I was too weak, and my sins were going to keep me from going to heaven. But one day, in a place like Truth Group, the teacher showed me that Jesus would take my sins from me if I believed in Him. Only He could forgive my sins, because He took the sins and the punishment when He died on the cross. I got saved, and it was as exciting as being able to walk for the first time!