Object Lesson | No Man Can Serve 2 Masters
No Man Can Serve Two Masters
A Bible Object Lesson with Two Cups and Two Straws
Bible passage: Matthew 6:24
Main point: Following Jesus means choosing to honor Him throughout the week, not just at church.
Supplies
- Two clear cups
- Two drinking straws
- Drinking water
- A towel for spills
Preparation
Fill one cup about halfway with water and leave the other cup empty. Place one straw in each cup.
Practice the demonstration before teaching. When you drink through both straws at once, air enters through the straw in the empty cup, making it difficult to draw water through the other straw. Keep your lips sealed around both straws and both straw ends positioned correctly.
Use your own clean cups and straws for the demonstration.
Presenting the Lesson
1. Show the two cups
Hold up both cups so the children can see the difference.
Ask: “What is different about these cups?”
Explain that one contains water and the other is empty.
Say: “If I’m thirsty, which cup should I choose?”
Let the children answer.
2. Drink from the full cup
Take a small sip through the straw in the cup containing water.
Say: “That worked! This cup has something to give. The water came right up the straw.”
3. Try the empty cup
Try drinking through the straw in the empty cup.
Ask: “Why didn’t I get a drink?”
Allow the children to explain.
Say: “There’s nothing in this cup! I could keep trying, but an empty cup cannot give me the water I need.”
4. Try both straws together
Put both straws in your mouth at the same time, keeping one straw in the water and the other in the empty cup. Try to take a sip.
Ask: “There’s still water in this cup, so why is it difficult to get a drink now?”
Explain briefly that air comes through the empty straw and interferes with drawing water through the other one.
Say: “Trying to drink from both at once keeps me from getting the drink I wanted. This gives us a picture of what happens when we try to follow two different directions in our lives.”
5. Connect the experiment to Scripture
Read Matthew 6:24 from your Bible.
Explain that Jesus taught that no one can serve two masters. In this verse, He specifically speaks about serving God and serving money. The principle also helps us understand the importance of giving God our wholehearted loyalty.
Say: “We cannot let Jesus lead our lives while also choosing to follow things that pull us away from Him. Following Jesus is something we do every day.”
6. Make it practical
Give examples the children can recognize:
- Worshiping at church and choosing kind words at home.
- Bringing a Bible to Sunday school and making time to read it during the week.
- Praying and then choosing to obey parents.
- Speaking about Jesus and refusing to join in when someone is being teased.
- Choosing entertainment that supports what they are learning about God.
Ask: “What is one choice you can make this week that will help you follow Jesus?”
Emphasize that following Jesus does not mean we never make mistakes. When we do wrong, we can ask for forgiveness and choose to obey Him again.
7. Finish with a clear choice
Set the empty cup aside and hold up the full cup.
Say: “The empty cup could not give me what I needed. Let’s choose the things that help us grow close to God—His Word, prayer, worship, kindness, and obedience. Give Jesus your whole heart!”
Discussion Questions
- What happened when I tried to drink from the empty cup?
- What happened when I tried to use both straws at once?
- What does it mean to let Jesus lead your life?
- How can your choices at home or school show your love for God?
- What can you do when you make a wrong choice?