The Job Description of Mr. Kleenex It's Your Move  Work Zone & High Way Gather in a Corner: Make any announcements, introductions. Mr. Crank Say: This lesson looks at the idea of Christians truly loving one another.  Not just with our words but backing it up with our actions.  Love isn't just a feeling or emotion, but it is manifested by action.  This passage shares that God showed us that He loves us by giving His life through Christ for us. Like last time we met one word can sum up this lesson. Can anyone tell me the one word from the last lesson? (Work) This lesson's word is "GO". Jesus commands us to "go" and share Christ with others. Read: I'd like to share with you tonight a story from a time when I was your age: The eyes from across the desk squinted and stared at me. Although he was known by the name of Mr. Crank, most of the kids at my school had tagged him "the warden." He was a driver's education instructor. Although most of us could make it through a semester of driver's education, nearly everyone failed when taking the driving part of the test. Mr. Crank always knew he could find one or two mistakes, even with the best of drivers. I walked with Mr. Crank out to my ultimate cursing vessel, a 1974 Mercury Comet with a jacked up rear end and snow tires - just in case. I was pretty proud to have Mr. Crank ride in it, with custom Corvette bucket seats and all. Sweat poured from my brow as I got in and shut the door. Tapping his pencil on the clipboard, Mr. Crank got into my mobile. I flipped on my homemade anti theft devices and then&ldots; we just waited. Mr. Crank stared. I kept sweating. The pencil kept tapping. It was a living nightmare. Then, Mr. Crank said something that changed my life from that day forward. He calmly pointed his pencil in my direction and said, "Go." That's all I needed. I put the keys in the ignition, started up the old beast and went on my way. The roads&ldots; I mean, life has not been the same since."Go." That's easier said than done. Jesus had to spur on the disciples just like Mr. Crank had to spur me on. The disciples had followed Christ around for a while. They probably would have kept following Him. But Jesus knew that in order to grow in their ability to impact the world, they must "go." A command. A verb. An action. Like most Christians, we are sitting in the driver's seat of what we believe. That's the problem. We're just sitting there, sweating, scared and nervous of what lies ahead. We might even try to avoid it. And there is Jesus saying, "Go." Unlike Mr. Crank, Jesus goes with you wherever you go. Whenever you have a chance to help, "Go." weather; for the youth group, the church, school, or your parents - just "Go." Jesus has given you all the directions. Just put your foot on the pedal. Just like drivers-ed, it's either pass or fail. What did you do the last time someone asked you to "Go?" I passed my driving test that day. Looking back, I thank "the warden" for teaching me to "Go." Break into Journey Groups, Fellowship Hall and Youth Center Moving in Work Zone & High Way Good Ol' Vern  Break into as many small groups as there are sponsors. Say: How many of you helped with the Chicken Noodle Dinner last week? How many of you were told to "Go" and do something and actually did it? Did you decide everything was done and just vanish/quit/sneak away? What would have happened if the disciples had started their job and just walked away doing just enough to get by, doing only enough to look like they were really working?  Read: Vernon, a painter who was interested in saving a penny anywhere he could, often would thin down his paint to make it go further so he could save a few bucks. The local Methodist church decided to do a major restoration job on one of their biggest buildings, and good ol' Vern got the job so he set to work erecting the trestles and setting up the planks and buying the paint, and yes, thinning it down mightily with turpentine. Well, Vern was up on the scaffold painting away, nearly completed, when a horrendous clap of thunder ripped through the sky. The rain poured down washing the thin paint off the church and knocking Vern clear of the scaffold to land among the telltale puddles of the thinned useless paint. Vernon was no fool. He knew that this was a judgment from the Almighty, so he got on his knees and cried, "O God Forgive me! What should I do? And from the thunder a mighty voice spoke.........."Repaint! Repaint, and thin no more." ·What do you think of people that try to rip you off? ·Do you think it is ever possible to trust someone to do what is asked of him or her? ·Do you think doing something that is not fun can be rewarding?    Moving up Work Zone & High Way Mr. Kleenex Stay in you small groups and continue with "story time"&ldots; Read: A Kleenex box was sitting on top of the bathroom counter sharing his woes with the rest of the bathroom supplies. The Kleenex box pulled a tissue from inside himself and wiped the tears away. Through the tears and pain, Mr. Kleenex continued as best as he could, pausing frequently to feel sorry for himself. The sobs were nearly uncontrollable. "You see that's why I am so humiliated. The only job description I have is to wipe people's noses. That's it. I'm just one big box of snot-rags! You wouldn't believe the stuff I see! Can you imagine it? How humiliating! I just don't know if I can do it anymore. I've reached the end!" Mr. Kleenex cried bitterly, turning over on his side. Once he gained his composure, he paused, and through the tears, he managed to finish his plight of self-pity. "So you see, that's what I do for a living. How about you guys?" Then the toilet paper spoke up&ldots; Servanthood. It's one of the best ways we can show each other love. You may not be able to love the world in which you live overnight, but you can serve and learn to love over time. Just when we feel like we have it worse than anyone else, we are reminded of the one who gave his all that we might live anew. Whom can you serve tomorrow? Maybe it will start with someone you live with or a friend or teacher you see at school. How about that neighbor who lives down the street? If Jesus was all about serving, shouldn't we be? ·If you spend 2 hours at a church function should at least one hour be free for you to do what you want? ·Do you need to have your reward before you will "Go?" ·Could you work (remember from last youth???) now, today and then receive your reward at a later time? Christ has taught us what we do now could be met with rewarded in eternity. By practicing, we become better and better at what we are trying to master. If you practice the art of sneak, sloth, and lies you will become a master in no time. Devilish deeds are easy to do and simple to master but horrific to bear over time.     Moving on Work Zone & High Way Remain in small groups Whoever Would Be Great Read: Mat 20:25 But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. Mat 20:26 It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, Mat 20:27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave; Mat 20:28 even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." ·What can you do in the future to serve others? ·What have you done in the past to serve others? ·If you start to help a blind man across the street, would you leave him halfway across? ·If you told your friends you'd come to church, then didn't, would it bother you? Why? ·In the earlier question about the blind man the consequences are obvious. Are the consequences just as obvious when you leave your friends hangin'? Why? ·What can be done to now to keep you involved in youth? ·As you grow older, more responsibilities, activities, work and such will be pulling for you time. How can you balance your time to always make room for your youth group?    Moving out Work Zone The Crash Needed: Crash situation cards Come together as a large group in fellowship hall. The stage is the rescue chopper. Have the youth stand in two lines side by side as if in an airplane. Say: You are all on a plane that will crash and there is nothing you can do about it. When I say crash you all need to fall to the ground and wait for a sponsor to hand you a card describing your situation on the ground. The object is to get everyone to the rescue chopper and back to safety as soon as possible. Go through take off procedures- stewardess and instructions- fly for a bit then Yell CRASH!    Quickly hand out the "Crash situation cards" and watch the fun begin. After everyone (or those that don't make it impossible) has made it to the rescue chopper, keep them there. Ask:    ·What would have happened if you hadn't worked together? ·How is this plane crash like our youth group? ·Did it matter who you saved first? Say: With everyone working together we are able to do many things!  Return to the Family Life Center. Form one large circle. Moving out High Way Are You Engaged? Ask: 1.As a member of my youth group, I know what is expected of me. 2.In my youth group, my spiritual needs are met.  3.In my youth group, I regularly have the opportunity to do what I do best. 4.In the last month, I have received recognition or praise from someone in my youth group. 5.The spiritual leaders in my youth group seem to care about me as a person. 6.There is someone in my youth group who encourages my spiritual development. 7.As a member of my youth group, my opinions seem to count.  8.The mission or purpose of my youth group makes me feel my participation is important. 9.The other members of my youth group are committed to spiritual growth. 10.Aside from family members, I have a best friend in my youth group. 11.In the last six months, I used one of the lessons from my youth group to guide me. 12.In my youth group, I have opportunities to learn and grow Return to the Family Life Center. Form one large circle. Prayer and Concerns Work Zone & High Way After everyone has gathered in a circle: Ask for concerns & pray Say: Too many times we treat Christianity as a spectator sport. It is not. The word "Go" in this lesson is a verb, an action word. We are required to be a people of action. Will it always be comfortable? No! Will it always be popular? No! But it is our duty to one another to live a life full of "Go!" Our youth group has the potential to shine brightly in this church and community of Wichita, Kansas. It is your decisions this day&ldots;&ldots;do the work the Scriptures demand, without compromise&ldots;.or church as usual. Will you be the one that God uses this evening? Will you "Go" and be dedicated till the end? Sing "Sanctuary" UMYF Benediction