Ultimate Authority It's Your Move  Work Zone & High Way Gather in a large group circle: Make any announcements Signup sheets, introductions. Say: Every day, each of us must follow rules or submit to authority. When you stopping at a red light, you complete an assignment from school, you submit to authority. Youth deal with varying degrees of authority all the time - at school, church, and home. Tonight we will try to understand the ultimate authority, God, calls us to respect earthly authorities too. Break into Journey Groups, Fellowship Hall and Youth Center Moving in Work Zone  Needed: I'm in charge strips. Prep: During the activity, be very authoritative. Tell youth exactly what to do and how to act. Be "Bossy." Pick 10 volunteers to portray the "I'm in charge" characters.  Say: We deal with authority in many different ways each day. On your slip of paper is a person of authority you deal with each day. One at a time I'll ask you to portray your person for the rest of the group. You may speak as you portray your person. The rest of the group may then guess whom you are portraying.   (Direct the youth as they go through the exercise. Have something to say for each one.)   Ask:  ·Where was authority exercised in this activity? ·How'd you feel as I directed you through this activity? ·How do you react to authorities such as those portrayed? ·Is it easy to respect the authority of those portrayed?  Explain. Say: How you regard authority is an important consideration in becoming responsible. Today we're going to dive into this topic and find out why it's important to respect authority. Moving in High Way Needed: Strips of paper, pens Have each youth write his or her name on a strip of paper. Place all the names in a can/basket/bag. Draw one name and tell that person he or she is the "boss" for this activity. Draw another name and tell that person he or she will be the boss's assistant."   Say: To begin our lesson today, I'd like the boss to issue instructions to the rest of the class. The boss may rely on his or her assistant as much or as little as desired. The boss's job is to move the lower couches to the upper level and the upper couches to the lower level.   After the work is completed ask: ·How'd you feel as you were given instructions for this activity? ·How's this like the way you feel when you deal with authority in everyday situations? ·How easy was it to use your authority in this activity? Explain. ·How's this activity like the way some people use authority in real-life situations?   Say: How we respond to authority tells us a lot about out maturity and level of responsibility. Tonight we'll examine why It's important to respect authority.    Moving up Work Zone Consequences Needed: 3x5 cards, pencils Ask: Who has authority over you? Divide into teams of three or four. Give each team a few 3x5 cards and a pencil   Say: Sometimes, how we respond to authority only affects us in a small way. But other times, our response to authority can have major consequences - either good or bad. Each team needs to come up with at least 3 possible negative results of not respecting authority. Write reach result on a separate card. We'll play a game when everyone completes this first part. They may write things such as getting kicked out of school or being grounded. It doesn't matter if they are the same or not. Wait for each team to complete the cards, and then combine the smaller groups into two larger groups to compete against each other in the next part. Have both groups stand together. Say: We're going to play a game to demonstrate the importance of respecting authority. When I give an instruction, follow it. If I see someone not following the instructions or if they are slow to do what is asked, I'll call stop and give that person one of these cards. After all of my instructions have been given, the team with the least cards is the winner. Call the instructions below. Award the cards as you see fit. When a card is awarded have the receiver read one of the consequences from the card. Jump to your left Sing the national anthem  Give someone wearing blue a back rub Run in place  Describe one time you didn't obey an authority Walk around the room backwards Make a funny face Sit down and be absolutely quiet   While they are sitting there being quiet, take advantage of it! Read the rest of the cards in your hand. Ask: ·How did you feel as you were told what to do? ·How's this like the way you feel when an authority figure tells you what to do? ·Were you tempted to just not do anything because you didn't feel like it? ·Is there a good excuse to defy authority? ·What if someone told you it was against the rules to worship God? Moving up High Way Consequences Say: Imagine you're on top of a mountain peak just large enough for you to stand on. It's 300 feet down on all sides. Don't ask how you got there. Now, to show that you are actually standing there, I want you to raise one hand about shoulder height and keep it there until I tell you the exercise is over. Ask: ·Can some one tell me why it's important to respect authority? If someone puts their hand down have them stand against the wall. After all, they just fell 300 feet and should not be feeling very comfortable. Discuss the importance of authority for a few minutes.   Say: The owner of these mountains wants you to leave. He says he'll be glad to send a helicopter to pick you up if you denounce your faith in God, otherwise he is going to begin target practice on the top of the mountain with a barrage of paint balls and grease hopping you will fall. Now what do you do? Do you stay on the mountain cliff or denounce your faith and get off the cliff? Have volunteers tell what they'd do, then tell the youth they are off the mountain and now back in their seats.   Ask: ·How easy was it, at first, to make the decision not to move when I told you, you could fall 300 feet? Explain. ·How easy was it to decide whether to stay on the cliff or denounce God and get off? Explain.   Say: Sometimes, obeying authority is easy, since the consequences of disobeying are negative. But other times, obeying authority can be difficult, especially when that authority goes against our Christian faith.    Moving on Work Zone Chain Race Form teams of six or fewer. Appoint one person in each group to be the "Chain Master." Say: When I say "go," create the longest chain you can, using only items you brought with you into the room. You can use shoes, jackets, watches anything within reason-as long as the chain can be lifted from end to end without falling apart. Only the "Chain Master" is allowed to hold and create the chain. Other players must remain silent, not making any gestures, only offering items to add to the chain.       Give teams about three minutes to complete their chains. Exercise authority in keeping them quiet and following the rules. Upon completion of the chains, declare a winner Say: In this game you had very little authority. Even though your directions and opinion may have helped, you still had to obey. You may not agree with what your parents, teachers or other people in authority say and do, but God wants us to respect authority. It takes patience, sacrifice, obedience and other qualities to be able to respect authority. All these qualities also help you become responsible.   Return to the Family Life Center. Form one large circle. Moving on High Way Good and Bad Authority Needed: a blank sheet of paper, pen, debate questions handout   Form two groups.  Say: It's important to think before you challenge authority. Most authority we deal with is good authority, and we should obey those authorities. But some authority is questionable - especially if it compromises your values or faith. Let's make a list of possible time when it might be okay to challenge authority. An example could be when your life is in danger or think of sins and how someone might use authority to convince you to commit one. Read the list, sum up all the challenges, then it's time for a little team debate.   The team on your right has the opinion that all authority must be obeyed no matter what. The team on your left holds the opinion that authority can be challenged. Each team will get one chance to present their side of the argument for each of the three questions on the handout. Each team must have a different speaker for each question. Teams will have 5 minutes to prepare and one minute to present for each question. If time allows, have one final speaker from each team make a closing statement to support their position. After the debate Say: You may not agree with what your parents, teachers or other people in authority say, but God wants us to respect authority. It takes patience, sacrifice, obedience and other qualities to be able to respect authority. All these qualities also help you become responsible. Return to the Family Life Center. Form one large circle. Moving out Work Zone & High Way After everyone has gathered in a circle: Say: When we learn to respect proper authority, we gain many benefits. By respecting parents' authority, we build trust in our relationships with parents. By always seeking God's advice when we face questionable authority, we grow closer to God.   Read: 1 Corinthians 10:23-24  1Cr 10:23 "All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up. 1Cr 10:24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.   Prayer and Concerns  Road Work & Trek  Ask for concerns & pray Sing "Sanctuary" UMYF Benediction