Free Time/Warming the Bench
Discuss/Think About It
1.
Have your friends ever put you
in an uncomfortable situation? What was the situation?
2.
Have you ever put a friend in
an uncomfortable situation?
3.
What did you or your friend do
in this situation?
4.
Do you think God guided you or
your friend’s decision in the tough/uncomfortable situation?
5.
What school activities do you
participate in?
6.
How do you spend your free
time?
7.
What does the word humble mean
to you?
8.
Have you ever felt you
deserved recognition for something you did? Did you get recognized for that
something? How do you feel when you do and don’t get appreciation or awarded
for the good work you do?
Read: John 2:13-16
Verse 13: When it was almost
time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Verse 14: In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep
and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. Verse 15: So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the
temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money
changers and overturned their tables. Verse
16: To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you
turn my Father’s house into a market!”
God Is There!
·
As I have said many times, God
knows and sees everything.
·
Even when you think you are
getting away with something…
o
You Are Not
o
God Knows
Our Actions and God
9.
Does God care about what we
are doing for fun?
·
Sure he cares!
·
In John 2: 13-16, we can see
he cares.
o
The people in the story
weren’t being respectful to God’s house and Jesus overturned tables.
·
He shouldn’t be the only one
who cares, You should care too.
·
You should care how your
actions and words reflect how you live.
·
As it says in Genesis 1: 27,
God created us in his own image.
Read: Genesis 1:27
Verse 27: So God created man in
his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created
them.
o
Are your actions reflecting a
Christian lifestyle?
o
Do your actions show people
what it is like believing in God?
o
Are these same actions,
reflecting God’s image?
·
Ex: You are at a party, drinking
and doing drugs.
o
Is this action reflecting
God’s image?
§ No, it is showing that you are just like everyone else, and you are
not following the plan God has laid out for you.
God Cares
10. Does God only care about how you act during church?
·
NO!
·
God cares at all times!
·
He cares about all aspects of
our lives.
·
God cares whether we are at
o
School
o
Church
o
Home
o
A Friend’s house (Etc.)
·
It doesn’t matter where we
are.
·
Jesus is there!
·
Jesus cares every day, all
day.
Having Fun
11.
Does this mean we should separate
the things we do for fun from the rest of life?
·
No, it doesn’t
·
All I’m saying is: Act
responsibly and with a Christian attitude
·
In fact, you should try to
integrate Jesus with every aspect of your life.
·
Read: Ecclesiastes 11:9
o
Verse 9: Be happy, young man, while you
are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow
the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these
things God will bring you to judgment
·
God wants us to have fun
o
However we should also honor
him with our lives
o
Just like the passage says you
will be judged for the things you do on Earth.
·
When we are in those tough or
uncomfortable situations…
o
Stand Your Ground
o
Our Savior Strengthens us.
·
Now that we know God cares
about our actions, let’s talk about being humble, and whether or not being
humble reflects God’s image.
Being Humble
·
Look back at question #7
o
What does the word humble mean
to you?
·
Humble: “To not think too
highly of oneself; to bring low or prostrate.”
·
A lot of people struggle with
being humble.
12.
If you do something nice for someone should
you be recognized? If you accomplished something big or you preformed great
on/at something should you always be recognized?
Read: Luke 14:10-11
Verse 10: “But when you are
invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to
you ‘Friend move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the
presence of all your fellow guests. Verse
11: For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles
himself will be exalted.”
13.
What does this passage mean to
you?
Read: Proverbs 3:34
Verse 34: He mocks proud
mockers, but gives grace to the humble.
·
We need to be humble, so we
are honored in the presence of the Lord
Listening to God
14.
When you don’t receive the
recognition, you think, you deserve, who are you frustrated with? Are you
frustrated with God or someone else?
·
When we are frustrated we have
a hard time listening.
·
In turn, we don’t hear God’s
answers to our prayers and questions.
·
If you stop thinking of
yourself, and start thinking of others God will use you.
o Read: Hebrews 13:5
§ Verse 5: Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with
what you have, because God has said, “never will I leave you; never will I forsake
you.”
·
Even when you don’t get
everything you want God is there
o
He will never leave
o
The thing you want may not be
in God’s plan for your life
Using our Talents
·
You need to be humble
·
Then God will use your talents
to glorify him.
·
Trying to be a star, doesn’t
give glory to God
o
Gives glory to you
o
Just you and no one else.
·
Only when God comes first in
your life…
o
Can you see his plan for you
Ask Yourself
15.
What things in my life may be
blocking my sight of God?
16.
How has God lifted me up?
17.
Does being prideful reflect
God’s image through me?
18.
What can I do or say as a Christian
when faced with situations that make me uncomfortable?
19.
How can I have fulfilling free
time while lifting others up?
20.
How can I use a
difficult/uncomfortable situation to witness my faith to others?
21.
How can I stand strong in
Christ when others try to bring me down?
Few Things to Remember
·
Always Stand Strong in Christ
·
He is always there
·
Being prideful takes us
farther from God
·
We should reflect Christ’s
image
Silent Prayer Time
·
Write a prayer asking God to
make you humble and thanking him for caring for you. Also write anything else
you need to say to him.
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