Lots of Things
It's Your Move
Work Zone and High Way
Get rid of the round tables. Make one long loop with long tables. Everyone sits side by side this week.
Gather in the gym. Welcome, & introductions
Ask for someone to make the announcements. (See if anyone knows what's going on?)
Which Way Are We Moving
Work Zone and High Way
Large Group Game: Circle of Friends
Needed: deck of cards, masking tape.
Have each youth choose a card from the deck. Then form two teams by odd or even, red and black or any other combination. Have one team stand in the middle of the room as close as possible. Make a circle on the floor with the masking tape, about one foot wider than the group itself. Have the other team stand outside the circle. Collect the cards back.
On "Go" the team out side the circle tries to pull youth from inside the circle without stepping past the tape on the floor. If they cross the line they must let go and try another person. The team in the middle will try to keep its members in the circle. After a first round have the two teams switch places and play again.
After both teams have tried being on the inside and the outside of the circle, explain that the next phase is to get everyone inside the circle. They may do this by any means - such as stacking on top of each other or one person lying across the arms of others. All persons on both teams must be completely inside the circle to be successful.
Divide in to Journey Groups
Journey Groups Discuss the game:
Which was more fun - trying to get people outside the circle or trying to get everyone inside? Why?
Is it easier or harder to act as a group?
When you were in the circle, did it feel like everyone was helping you?
How can we learn to support one another outside of a game?
Moving in
Work Zone
Towel Toss
Needed: A towel
Have everyone SIT in a circle. Select a student to be it and ask him or her to SIT in the middle of the circle. Hand the towel to one of the youth in the circle and explain that when you give the signal, those forming the circle should toss the towel back and forth trying to keep the one in the middle from catching it. IF "it" catches the towel the one tossing or holding the towel is "it." "It" can move, but only on hands and knees and may not at any time stand or stoop. Play for a while then add a person to the middle, then another, up to four in the middle. After a minute or two end the game.
Ask:
How is the game like your life with God?
Explain: Sometimes life can be similar to this game; we can feel like we're in the middle and that everyone else is doing something against what we're tying to do. Just as someone came in to help the person in the middle again and again during the game, God's Holy Spirit helps us by being there when we face difficult situations. Today we're going to look at how the Holy Spirit even helps us know what to say when we are in tough situations.
Moving in
High Way
Needed: Handcuffs
Have everyone gather around you. Hold up the handcuffs and tell them you need a volunteer to try them on. The catch&ldots;there is a secret way to get out of the handcuffs. The one who figures it out is the winner. Give several one-minute tries. If someone figures it out, stop. Otherwise, Give at least five or six a chance.
After several have tried and failed, have an adult volunteer come forward and demonstrate the secret.
Explain: The secret to getting out of this situation was simply asking for help from the person holding the key. Life can be that way too; sometimes we face difficult situations where we are challenged and feel like we are all alone. The truth is that we're not alone. As we'll see tonight, God has promised that His Holy Spirit will be with us to help during those hard times when we're pressured and tempted.
Moving up
Work Zone
Needed: A Balloon for each youth + a few extra
Move to a small room&ldots;as follows. Distribute the balloons and instruct everyone to blow them up and tie them off. Have everyone lie down on their backs on the floor so that at least one tip of their body could touch someone else if stretched out. Explain that they are going to try to keep all the balloons up in the air for as long as possible so a group formation would be better than a line. Youth must keep their backs on the floor at all times they may move any other part his or her body. At the signal have everyone toss the balloons in the air and see how long they can keep them up. Play several rounds. Time the events and see what the best time is. To end this session have everyone get ready to sit on their balloon at the same time. On the count of three try to make one big pop. Get everyone in a circle and pass a bag around to collect the remains (otherwise they will play with them).
Have two balloons ready one with air in it that you have been holding. Get the attention of the youth and hold up the untied balloon and slowly let about 2/3s of the air out.
Say: When we face challenges in our lives, it's kind of like this balloon. It is deflated because the air pressure on the outside of the balloon is greater than the air pressure inside. - Blow up another balloon and continue. - A balloon stays inflated because the pressure on the inside equals the pressure on the outside. When we face tough situations or feel pressured, we need to rely on the Holy Spirit to give us the internal pressure needed to help us stand firm against what's being pushed on us from the outside.
Read: Acts 3:1-10 and Acts 4:5-20
Act 3:1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
Act 3:2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at that gate of the temple which is called Beautiful to ask alms of those who entered the temple.
Act 3:3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms.
Act 3:4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, with John, and said, "Look at us."
Act 3:5 And he fixed his attention upon them, expecting to receive something from them.
Act 3:6 But Peter said, "I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."
Act 3:7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.
Act 3:8 And leaping up he stood and walked and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.
Act 3:9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God,
Act 3:10 and recognized him as the one who sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Act 4:5 On the morrow their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem,
Act 4:6 with Annas the high priest and Ca'iaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family.
Act 4:7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, "By what power or by what name did you do this?"
Act 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders,
Act 4:9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a cripple, by what means this man has been healed,
Act 4:10 be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him this man is standing before you well.
Act 4:11 This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, but which has become the head of the corner.
Act 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Act 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they wondered; and they recognized that they had been with Jesus.
Act 4:14 But seeing the man that had been healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.
Act 4:15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred with one another,
Act 4:16 saying, "What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is manifest to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.
Act 4:17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to any one in this name."
Act 4:18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
Act 4:19 But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge;
Act 4:20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard."
Explain: The Sanhedrin was kind of like today's Supreme Court. This put Peter and John up against some pretty smart people. Because of the Holy Spirit, what should have been a very uncomfortable situation for them, turned out to be no problem. Because they new Jesus and felt full of the Holy Spirit the words came easily to them because they were the experts, the teachers in this situation. Not only were they able to speak of the crucifixion and resurrection, but also they were also able to shoe how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. They went on and on even when the Sanhedrin told them not to speak any more of Jesus, they could not "help speaking about what they had seen and heard" (Acts 4:20).
Moving up
High Way
Say: Do you remember the Jim Cary movie "Liar, Liar"? Now picture the scene where Jim Cary enters the courtroom and tries to represent his client.
Ask:
Will someone please describe the scene that takes place next.
Have you ever had a time when you couldn't say what you wanted to say?
Have you ever had to speak formally in front of a group of people? What happened?
Explain: Researchers say that the number one fear of people in America is public speaking, number two is death. So peoples are more afraid of speaking at a funeral than being the dead person at them.
Discuss: Are you afraid of speaking in front of groups? Why?
Explain: We have all had times when we can't really express what to say. Maybe it's when you were on the phone with that special guy or girl, or maybe it was when people were trying to pressure you into doing something you know you shouldn't. There's a great story in the Bible about two guys who faced some pressure, and knew exactly what to say - because God's Holy Spirit filled them.
Read: Acts 3:1-10 and Acts 4:5-20
Handout
Discuss:
Q: What enabled Peter to speak so boldly in Acts 4:8?
A: The Holy Spirit.
Q: How would you summarize what Peter said in verses 4:8-11?
A: He explained the story of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection - and how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy (from Psalm 118:22, read it if time).
Q: How would you describe Peter and John?
A: Ordinary men filled with the extraordinary Holy Spirit.
Q: How did Peter and John respond to the Sanhedrin's command to stop speaking about Jesus?
A: They refused to stop, claiming that they could not "help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
Transition: Isn't it cool that the Holy Spirit can actually give us words to say when we're in difficult situations? Now we're going to find out how we can listen to what the Holy Spirit says to us.
Moving on
Work Zone
Needed: Loud youth, (Look closely, you might find some!)
Have Youth form one large circle; then assign each student a partner directly across form him or her in the circle. Instruct students to sit down where they are and proceed to find out three pieces of information from their across-the-room partner: 1.) middle name; 2.) favorite desert; 3.) a musical group they have heard of. Partners can communicate however they want with out moving from their spot. Give the signal to begin and allow one minute of information gathering; then give them the signal to stop (God only knows what that is!) and discuss.
Ask:
How many of you found out all three things about you partner?
What technique did you use to communicate?
What made communication difficult?
How does this activity relate to our topic of hearing the Holy Spirit? (The Holy Spirit usually communicates as the still, small voice; we often don't allow ourselves to be quiet enough to hear Him.)
What can we do to better hear the Holy Spirit? (Spend quiet time alone; don't immediately turn on the radio or TV when you walk in a room; pray and ask God to speak to you; then wait and listen.)
We're going to end this session by looking at how we can be ready to act when the Holy Spirit speaks to us.
Moving on
High Way
Tackling some Tough Questions
See hand out "Tough Questions"
1. How does the Holy Spirit speak to us?
The Holy Spirit speaks in many ways. Most people don't hear an audible voice, but some do. Often we get an impression from the Holy Spirit about what to do - it just seems to be the right thing to do. Sometimes The Holy Spirit speaks to us through Scripture, a friend, relative or pastor.
2. What's the difference between the gift of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit?
The gifts are generally supernatural manifestations of the work of God (i.e., teaching, prophecy, healing, etc.), while the fruit of the Spirit is the changes in our attitudes and actions to be more like Christ.
3. What if I don't feel the Holy Spirit in me - does this mean it's not there?
God has promised that the Holy Spirit will be with us always - even when we don't feel His presence. Sometimes, though, we don't feel His presence because of sin or not spending time for God or being too busy to listen.
4. Will the Holy Spirit ever lead someone to do something that is against what the Bible teaches?
NO, no, no, no! On the contrary, the best way to determine if the Holy Spirit is speaking to us is to find out if what we are hearing is in line with what the Bible teaches.
Unless you're like Moses and you encounter a burning bush on your way to school one day, the only way to hear the Holy Spirit speaking to you is to dedicate yourself to following Christ's examples.
Moving out
Work Zone
Hearing the Spirit
Say: We are going to end this session with a game called "Seasick." Here's how you play: Youth must run to the wall in the room corresponding to a nautical term; "bow" is front, "stern" is rear, "port" is left and "starboard" is right. If at any time I call out "Cap'n on deck" you must stand still where you are and salute. The last two to salute are out. Sounds easy, right? Wrong. The other sponsor will also be calling out commands. Anyone caught obeying his or her commands is out.
Play until you have a winner or as time allows, then gather in a huddle.
Say: This game demonstrates what Jesus meant when He said,
"I know my sheep and my sheep know me" (Jhn 10:14). You've listened to my voice during this whole session; you're familiar with it. If you listened very carefully during the game, you would have recognized my voice over any others. It's the same with God; the closer we get to Jesus, the more we hear the voice of His Spirit.
Start the closing circle and wait for the senior high to join.
Moving out
High Way
Think outside the box
For the following words come up with a way that it represents the Holy Spirit at work in you.
Juicy Fruit Band Aid Glass of Water Pizza
Mixing Bowl Balloon
Any other things they can come up with&ldots;
CLOSING
Prayer and Concerns
Work Zone & High Way
Needed: candle and matches.
Sit in a big circle. Dim the lights.
Sum up the lesson
Then the leader begins an affirmation by holding the candle and saying "I'm listening" then passing the candle to the right. Continue around until all have participated.
Have everyone join in singing "Sanctuary"
Stand join hands, right over left, and say the UMYF benediction.
Looking Ahead
Sell ribs
Come to Caravan Practices Wednesdays
