THE THRILL OF HOPE SESSION 1: More Than Faithful

Bottom Line: When God is silent, it doesn’t mean He is still.

Scripture References: Luke 1: 5-9, 11-15, 17-25; Genesis 12:1-3

As you try to walk your students through a new view of the Christmas story, help them move from the questions about their own Christmas experience into the deeper questions that help them understand their own story through the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth. Ultimately, we want them to be able to understand that God always comes through on His promises. But sometimes, especially when it doesn’t feel like God will come through, we need to look back and remember that He delivered on the promise of Jesus and that, ultimately, that is where our hope comes from.

Create meaningful conversation. Adjust questions as needed, and don’t feel like you need to answer all of them.

1. What is something your family does at Christmas—or leading up to Christmas—that you think is unique? What is your favorite tradition?

2. Read through the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth again (Luke 1:5-25) as a group. What stands out to you in their story? Why?

3. Have you ever considered Zechariah and Elizabeth’s story to be part of the Christmas story?

4. Why do you think God included their story as part of the introduction to the Christmas story?

5. What do you think about the way that Zechariah and Elizabeth “hung in there” with regards to their faith and faithfulness?

6. Have you ever known anyone who has stuck it out despite his or her circumstances?  Who was it?  How did watching them impact you? Could you tell if this person’s commitment to stick it out impacted them personally? How?

7. Can you name a time in your life when you’ve asked: “Is God active? Is God listening? Does God care?” What prompted those questions? How did you resolve those questions? Or have you resolved them at all yet?

8. God fulfilled his promise to Zechariah and Elizabeth by giving them John (the Baptist). What is something you currently feel you are waiting on God to come through for you on? What do you hope His response to you will look like? Would you think God didn’t come through for you if His response didn’t look like what you expected? (Note to small group leader: This may be a good opportunity to share a story when God’s response to you was different, and better, than what you had in mind—even if it didn’t necessarily feel that way right away.) 

9. Read this aloud to your group: Christmas is a reminder that even when God is silent, it doesn’t necessarily mean He is still. And when it seems that He’s still, it doesn’t mean He’s uninterested. And even when we’re convinced that He’s uninterested, it has nothing to do with His plan for the world or for you. How does living knowing that your faith in God is not in vain change the way you view your circumstances?

10. How does taking a fresh look at the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth change your perspective of the Christmas story?

NEXT STEP: Touch base with your students this week through email, Facebook or text and message them some variation of the following: The line we mentioned last week from O Holy Night says: “Long lay the world in sin and error pining.” What things are you pining for? (Pining is an old school way to say longing or waiting with excited anticipation—think graduation, driver’s license, prom, summer vacation.) What would it look like if we experienced the same anxious anticipation for Christ in our lives?

Studying the Bible

On this off week, here is a lesson on spiritual disciplines about scripture reading from the LIVE curriculum.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

- No meeting next week due to Thanksgiving

- Christmas Wishes gift delivery on Saturday, December 15 (More Details to come).

- New Year's Eve Lock-In

- Sign up for Big Stuf

LESSON OVERVIEW

The Bible is God’s Word, given to us draw us closer to God and teach us how to live. It’s a love letter and an instruction manual written by a loving Father whose desire is for us to grow closer to him day after day. God is also the creator of the universe, and he lays out the “rules of the road” so that we might have real life. Spending time in God’s Word is a difficult habit to develop, because it seems there’s always something better or more urgent to do. But as we’ll see in this lesson, developing this habit is invaluable for a life of faith and significance.

LESSON OBJECTIVES

1. WHAT: God’s Word is given to us to help grow closer to God and live in obedience to his will.

2. WHY: When our understanding is made real through our actions, we have a full life of faith and significance.

3. HOW: Encourage your students to make realistic commitments to spend time in God’s Word.

PRIMARY SCRIPTURE 

1 Samuel 15:1-23

SECONDARY SCRIPTURES

Matthew 4:4; Acts 17:11; and 2 Timothy 2:15

TEACHING PREP

The short overview below is designed to help you prepare for your lesson. While you may not want to convey this information word-for-word with your teenagers, you’ll definitely want to refer to it as you lead your small group lesson.

God has given us the Bible so we can know more about our purpose in life, how we are called to live, and how much God loves us. It’s important to know what God desires for us, but it’s also important for us to obey and follow what God asks us to do.

Read 1 Samuel 15:1-23.

God gave Saul specific instructions to follow when he went into battle against the Amalekites. But Saul decided to only do part of what God had commanded. The prophet Samuel gave Saul the chance to admit that he had disobeyed God, but Saul chose to ignore the opportunity.

THE BEFORE & AFTER [optional]

Text Message Questions

We’ve provided a couple of different text message questions to send out to your students prior to your meeting. Feel free to use one or both of the questions below. As with the rest of the curriculum, edit these questions to fit the needs of your ministry. 

• Why did God give us the Bible? Text me back, and we’ll talk more about this tonight at small group.

• Do you know where to find the spiritual rules for the road? We’ll give you some good clues tonight at small group.

Parent Email

We’ve provided you with an email below that you can send to your parents following the lesson. Our hope is to encourage parents to continue the conversation at home. Feel free to edit and customize the email to fit your ministry needs.

Dear parents,

We finished our small group series on the HABITS for spiritual growth this week by focusing on the importance of studying Scripture. We looked at 1 Samuel 15:1-23, with an emphasis on helping our students understand the importance of knowing the Bible and following God’s instructions. We challenged our teenagers to read and study God’s Word, so that they would be able to do what God asks of them. 

This week I’d encourage you to take a few minutes with your child to discuss the importance of studying Scripture. Here are some questions you might use to guide your dialogue:

• What are some reasons for reading the Bible? Which reasons are most meaningful to you, and why?

• What role does application to your life play in getting the most out of studying the Bible?

• Which approach might work better for you: spending a large chunk of time studying the Bible each day or finding several shorter moments throughout the day to read? Why?

You could also ask your teenager to talk about ways to deepen a personal walk with God by knowing the Bible better. Take a few moments and pray that in the middle of all the busyness of the high school years, your student will remain committed to reading, studying, and obeying the Bible. Have a great day!

2. LESSON GUIDE

GETTING THINGS STARTED [optional] 

Visit the website for your state’s DMV (department of motor vehicles). Most states will have their driving laws—or “rules of the road”—posted as a PDF or as an easily accessible page. Download and print out a copy before your small group meets. Highlight some of the questions or facts to test your students’ knowledge of the road rules.

As you begin your small group, welcome your students and invite them into your meeting area. Open in prayer, and then jump into the activity below.

You can set this up as an individual competition or a team event. Run through a list of 10-15 questions and see if your teenagers really know the “rules of the road.” Have a prize ready for the winning person or team.

ASK:

• What would it be like if there were no rules for drivers—or if no drivers ever followed the rules?

• In our state, what are the consequences if you know the rules but don’t follow them—and get caught?

• Should drivers be held accountable for following all the rules—even obscure rules they may have forgotten or never learned? Why or why not?

SAY SOMETHING LIKE: We may not want to admit it, but we understand the importance of having rules and having drivers follow the rules. Without rules we have chaos and danger and catastrophe. But what about the ultimate rulebook: the Bible? How familiar are we with it?

If you came up with an opening activity, movie clip, or game that worked well with your group, and you’d like to share it with other youth workers, please email us at ideas@simplyyouthministry.com. 

TEACHING POINTS

The goal of the Teaching Points is to help students capture the essence of each lesson with more discussion and less lecture-style teaching. The main points we have chosen here are (1) Read Scripture, (2) Examine Scripture, and (3) Apply Scripture.

Remember: All throughout these lessons, it’s up to you to choose (1) how many questions you use, and (2) the wording of the main points—keep ours, or change the wording to make it clearer for your audience.

Read 1 Samuel 15:1-23 together as a group. Consider allowing one or more of the teenagers to read the text.

SAY SOMETHING LIKE: Let’s take a look at the importance of studying the Bible, and how we can apply it to our lives.

1. Read Scripture

ASK:

• Why do you think it’s important to spend time in God’s Word? What benefits can it have? What have you experienced in your life?

• What passage of Scripture have you read most recently and how did it impact you?

SAY SOMETHING LIKE: It would take a long time to talk about all the reasons for reading Scripture, because there are so many. The Bible reveals who God is and what he does. The Bible also reveals God’s love and plan for humanity. The Bible helps us understand God’s laws and instructions, along with the blessings for obedience and the penalties for disobedience. The Bible helps us discover who Jesus is and what he did on our behalf. The Bible is filled with incredible stories of people who trusted and believed God.

2. Examine Scripture

ASK:

• Read Acts 17:11. Why do you think these Christians studied the Scriptures every day?

• How could learning God’s Word in high school help you when you enter college, the military, or the workforce after graduation? How might it prepare you for being in those experiences when you’re away from the “safety net” of a youth ministry?

SAY SOMETHING LIKE: We must study the Bible to understand and apply it. In school most people don’t learn grammar or chemistry or math just by hearing it once or reading one chapter. You have to practice and understand the application of it. The same is true for God’s Word. You have to study it and understand it. You get better at grammar because you have memorized and learned the rules. You are better at chemistry or math by doing the same. The same is true of God’s Word.

3. Apply Scripture

ASK:

• Why is it important to go beyond knowing a bunch of facts about the Bible? What does God expect from us?

• Read 1 Samuel 15:22-23. Why is obedience better than sacrifice? Why does God consider rebellion the same as witchcraft and stubbornness the same as worshiping idols?

SAY SOMETHING LIKE: You can know a lot about your car’s engine, but until you apply your knowledge, it is just that—knowledge. The same is true with Scripture. God wants you to know about the Bible and apply it to your life. When you apply the truths of God’s Word, you can begin to experience the freedom that Jesus preached. God doesn’t want you to selectively obey the Bible. Your obedience is important because it’s a demonstration of your faith and trust in God, and it will help you deepen your relationship with God.

ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION [optional]

ASK:

• Why didn’t Saul follow God’s instruction to completely destroy the Amalekites? [NOTE: 1 Samuel 15:9 offers some insight on his actions.]

• Notice that when Samuel confronted Saul, the king justified his disobedience. Was Saul being honest with Samuel about his motives, or was he lying? Explain.

• Read 2 Timothy 2:15. Paul instructs Timothy to be the kind of worker who can correctly explain the word of truth. If your goal is to correctly explain the Bible to your friends, what are some strategies and tools you might use to become more familiar with God’s Word and better prepared to tell others about it?

APPLICATION

ASK:

• Which approach might work better for you: spending a large chunk of time studying the Bible each day or finding several shorter moments throughout the day to read? Why?

• At school, you spend hours reading and learning the ideas and information that will help you pass your tests, earn good grades, and eventually graduate. How has the Bible helped equip you for life?

• How has studying Scripture helped you take greater ownership of your faith?

Pair up with another person in the group for these questions.

ASK:

• Read Matthew 4:4. Jesus understood the importance of knowing God’s Word as a tool for battling temptations and following God’s plan for his life. How could having God’s Word in your heart help you combat temptations and pursue God’s plan for your life?

• What would you say is currently your biggest hindrance to spending time studying Scripture? What could you do differently to spend more time with God? How might I help you in this area?

SUMMARY 

End your small group lesson here. Provide your teenagers with a quick summary or take-home challenge based on (1) the content of this lesson, (2) the dialogue that took place during the lesson, (3) your understanding of the issues and struggles your teenagers are facing, and (4) the big picture of your youth ministry and what your leadership team wants accomplished with the teaching and discussion time.

FOR KEEPS [MEMORY VERSE] 

Encourage and/or challenge your teenagers to memorize the verse below.

But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22).

BLESSED 3: What It Means

This week, we are taking this idea of blessing a step further. And this is not always a welcomed step. Be patient with your students, helping them relate this idea of "giving back" to themselves. Also, focusing the group’s attention on people that you have all seen do this well—a family in the church, someone on the pastoral staff, etc.—may help them get a bit more excited about the idea of being a blessing to others. And, if there are students in your small group who really excel at giving and being selfless, give them a quick shout out!

Create meaningful conversation. Adjust questions as needed, and don’t feel like you need to answer all of them. 

Ice breaker: What is the one gift you were most excited to get when you were growing up? What was the gift you were most excited to give?

1. Why do you think, for most people, it is harder to give than to get?
2. Is that true for you? Is it harder for you to give things to people than it is to receive?
3. Are there particular things you find exceptionally difficult to give (i.e. resources, time, attention, patience, love, trust, humility)? Why do you think it is hard to give those things?
4. Do you think by giving you are going to get something in return? Why?
5. Based on what you heard today, how should we approach giving? Why does it matter to look at it this way?
6. As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” (Luke 21:1-4) As we look at this passage, consider this: What would it look like if we let God use our resources for his purposes? How might that change us? How would that change the history of the church, or do you think it would?
7. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. (Acts 2:44-45) How is our own mission like this passage of Scripture? How can we better align ourselves to this model of living? Do you feel a desire to do this, why or why not?
8. Where is a place or who is a person you need to give more to? How do you think you can start doing this and why do you think it's important?
9. How has your previous idea of “blessing” been changed? What is your new definition, based on what you have heard over the past three weeks?

NEXT STEP: As we wrap up this series, send your students a text message asking them to take some time this week to pray for a person they can help. Tell them to take 5-10 minutes to be alone and simply talk to God about their chosen person.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: 

• Toilet Paper Wars (We are competing against the middle school to collect toilet paper for the Hope Resource Center.)
• New Year's Eve Lock-In
• Sign-Up for Big Stuf Camp