Disappearing Sins - the Story of Easter

This is a science experiment object lesson that could be used for Easter, or at any time to teach that Jesus takes away our sin. I found it on
Another Day in the Ministry.

Here’s what you will need:

• Smooth glass plate
• A glass
• Bottle of colored water
• Eye dropper
• Coin (I used a penny)
• Votive candle
• Matches

What you do:

Hold the penny (coin) up and ask them who is on it. Tell them that since there is a picture of a person on the coin, this person will represent all of us. Place the coin on the plate, over to the side.

Next, fill the eyedropper with the colored water from the bottle. As you draw out the water and begin to squirt it onto the plate, tell them that this colored water represents our sin. Keep taking water out and squirting it onto the plate as you talk. Explain that the Bible tells us that we all have sinned. (Quote Romans 3:23). Go on about how there is not a single person that has not sinned, except for Jesus. Make sure the penny (coin) is completely covered with water before you stop.

Take the candle and tell them that this is going to represent Jesus. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the light of the world in John 8:12. 

Light the candle and place it on the center of the plate. As it burns, explain that the Bible also tells us that Jesus came to die for our sins. In 1 Peter 2:24 we read that he bore our sins in his body when he was on the cross so that we could be forgiven. As you take the glass to put over top of the candle, explain that when he was on the cross, he took our sin just like 1 Peter says – and he died to remove our sin from us.

 As soon as the glass sits flat on the plate, the water should start moving into the glass. When the candle goes out (representing Jesus’ death), the rest of the water will immediately be sucked up into the glass. (There will probably be a few drops of water left on the plate, but the kids are so amazed by the water getting sucked up into the glass, this does not interfere with the lesson.)

Explain that because Jesus bore our sins on the cross, we can be forgiven of them, and we are no longer covered in sin. Just like the candle took all the water off of the penny, Jesus can take all of our sin from us and forgive it because he died for it. Pick the penny up to show this. Now the penny is no longer covered in sin, and neither are we when we trust Jesus as our Savior.

You could give each child a shiny penny taped to a card with 1 Peter 2:24 written on it to remind them of this truth.

How it Works:

The flame consumes all the oxygen in the glass and is extinguished.  It creates a vacuum when it uses up the air which, in turn draws the water up inside the glass (thus surrounding the candle), leaving the coin dry.

Judging from the comments on the website where I found this object lesson, a great many had trouble getting this to work. Based on what I read, I tested my glasses on a flat surface to make sure they did not wobble when turned upside down. I chose my least wobbly glass. Then I used a glass plate with a very smooth surface. In the video it did not work quite as well because I accidently placed the glass on the penny at first. You will notice I moved it, but the water was not sucked up as well as when I put the glass flat on the plate from the start. It worked every time, but did leave a few drops of water behind. 

Some people used glass jars rather than a cup.