We are attracted by extravagantly wrapped gifts with red bows and colorful paper. But its not the wrapper we treasure but the gift. God sent his greatest gift - an innocent, defenceless, vulnerable baby, wrapped in cloths, not wrapping paper.
In this youth Bible Study, Paper airplanes are used to remind us that we also do not have to be weighed down, but can fly to great heights in our relationship with God.
Candy corn is the top-selling Halloween candy and the most talked about candy during Halloween, but it is also talked about as the worst candy for you. Candy Corn isn't real corn. It is almost pure sugar - a sweet imitation of the real thing which isn't good for us in any way. So it's good, but it's bad. How do we decide what things are good for us in our Christian life? The most difficult decisions are often not between what is good and bad, but between what is permissible and what is beneficial to us.
A Lump of clay is chosen with a purpose in mind. The potter envisions a vessel that will be useful to its final owner and a credit to the potter's craftsmanship and experience. The potter applies pressure to the clay in different ways shaping and forming it until the final product he imagined is realized. The Bible tells us Adam was made from clay. God describes his relationship to us as a Potter. We are the clay. Like clay we can be mouldable, or we can become hard. The choice is ours.
When you were younger did you have a teddy bear or another cherished possession? Did you hold it, talk to it, hug it close? Did it comfort you, give you courage? If you couldn't find it, did you turn everything upside down looking for it? Teddy Bears remind us of a childlike faith. They remind us of the sense of security and comfort we gained simply by their presence. God loves us more than any beloved Child's possession. And His constant companionship reminds us of the comfort, the security, and love that can only be found in Him.
It's back to school time. Time to get all your school supplies and meet new friends. These games all have a ruler as the central prop and serve as a discussion start for measuring up to God's standards. I remember the days of using a ruler to create a growth chart on the door frame. But how do we measure our growth as Christians?
Is the excitement of serving God a whole lot of Hoopla - unnecessary excitement and fuss? These games using Hula Hoops are sure to create excitement but can also be used to create discussion on living as a Christian youth within God's boundaries.
Our spiritual walk is in many ways like a game of tag. There are three key components to any game of tag: 1) You chase or pursue 2) You flee or run away 3) People get tagged. Spiritually, because of our disobedience to God we are tagged as sinners. And like those in the game we are stuck in our current position and unable to break ourselves free. Only when Jesus frees us are we able to be truly free. Unfortunately, sin often touches our lives again and we find ourselves back in the same condition. Because of this the Bible gives us a number of things we should flee. But at the same time it gives us things we should chase after, things we must pursue. So are you ready for a game of tag?
A common summer game is beach volley. But you don't have to be at the beach to enjoy the sport. You don't even have to be outside. Besides the official rules, there are also an infinite number of variations and other games that use the volleyball net, ball and court. And after you have played a game, there's a lesson on what it means to be filled with the things of God so he can use you for the purpose he created you for.
"My cup runs over." A cup is used quite often in the Bible to represent a person's fate, a person's destiny. The cup could be one of blessing or of judgement. Is your cup empty? Half full? Overflowing? In a place where water was scarce an overflowing cup implied abundance. This weeks lesson is great for summer in that the youth will get a little wet while learning about what is means to be filled to overflowing with the blessings of God.
Creative Youth ideas: 1700+ Resources for youth leaders, pastors, ministers to help plan camps, retreats, and meetings using games, illustrations, Children's Worship, Bible Studies, object lessons, sermons, creative ideas,creative activities
