This is a great story/ object lesson which can be used at any part of the year (just alter the information). I usually use it when I am speaking at "Remembrance Day" services, especially if the church is full of young children in uniformed organisations. Please note that you have to use Bassetts Jelly Babies for the story to work (see picture.)
Who here likes sweets? (pause to allow the children to respond)
Who can tell me what their favourite sweet is? (Let Children tell you what they like.)
Well, today I am going to tell you a story about my favourite sweets.
My favourite sweets are "Jelly Babies" - does anyone here like them too? (allow children to respond)
"Jelly Babies" when they were first made were not called jelly babies, they were called "Peace Babies" because they were produced after the 1st World War, and each colour represented a country which fought in the war.
But we all know that it wasn't long before the 2nd World War started, and because sweets and chocolate were not essential goods, the production of "Peace Babies" stopped.
But our story doesn't stop there, you see after the War, a man decided to buy the factory were "Peace Babies" were made. This man was a very special man, as he loved Jesus.
Can I let you into a secret? Not many people know this secret....(build suspense)
There are secret symbols hidden on each "Jelly Baby" which can help us tell others about the wonderful love of Jesus Christ!!
Do you want to know what they are? (allow response)
(At this point you can get the children to lick the flour of the babies as you explain the symbols, or what I normally do is draw Jelly Babies onto A2 sheets with the symbols on them so that everybody can see the symbols- that way you can give the children a packet to take and try the exercise out for themselves!)
Black = When you lick off the flour you can see a Heart, which represents the sin in our lives.
Green= You will see the Baby Crying, which represents God's sadness that People didn't know the way to Heaven.
Red = You will see a B which represents "Blood" as Christ died to show how much he loved us and to show the way to heaven
Pink = Is a Baby, when we become a Christian we become a "child of God" (or born again).
Yellow= Is wearing a Necklace, which represents the riches of Heaven.
Orange= Is wearing a Bum Bag which tells us that we need to be prepared for Jesus coming again.
At the end you could give the children a small packet of "Jelly Babies" so they can try the story for them selves.
Any questions/queries please leave me a comment.
