All Clear! An Elementary Children’s Message About Forgiveness

Teach your elementary classroom about forgiveness using this children’s message based on Isaiah 43:25. All you’ll need is a calculator and a Bible!

Theme: Forgiveness

Bible Text: [The Lord says,] “I, I am the One who forgives all your sins, for my sake; I will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:25).

You’ll need:

• five to seven hand-held calculators and
• a Bible.

All Clear! An Elementary Children’s Message About Forgiveness

Say: Does anyone recognize this little machine? Hold up a calculator and allow kids to respond.

Say: That’s right, this is a calculator. The calculator is a fantastic invention. You can use a calculator to add and subtract without counting on your fingers. Some friends have lent me their calculators for our message today. Does anyone here know how to work a calculator?

Several of the older children will hold up their hands. Invite them to take a calculator. Keep one for yourself and complete the following addition problems with the children.

Then say: Let’s see if we can do some addition with these calculators. If you don’t have a calculator, look on with a friend. Pause while kids scoot together. Let’s add 3 + 3 + 4 + 4 + 5+ 6 + 7. Say the numbers slowly so kids can enter them as you speak. What did you get? 32! That’s what I got, too. Isn’t this great?

Say: How about 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8? What did you get this time? 35! Me too. Calculators make adding so simple. Now let’s add 7 + 9 + 4 + 6. What did you get? Kids will probably say “26.” Did you get 26? Oh my, I must have added wrong. I got 25. Here, I’ll just push the “clear” button. Now I’ll add it again. Yep. You’re right. It is 26.

Then say: That little clear button is one of my favorite things about calculators. If you make a mistake, it just clears the screen and you can start all over again.

Connecting it to the Bible

Read the text. Say: The Bible says that God is the one who forgives all our sins. After we’re forgiven, God won’t even remember our sins. It’s like God has a clear button for each one of us, and with just a touch of his finger, all our sins are gone forever.

Next say: Of course, we know it wasn’t that simple. God sent his son Jesus to die for us, and that cost him a great deal. But because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, all our sins are forgiven. God has wiped them away-just like I cleared my mistake on this calculator. We can start all over and never have to worry about the sins of the past.

Say: Please return the calculators. Thank you for helping me today. Then close in prayer.

Looking for more children’s messages? Check out these posts!