This would probably be more suitable for the first lesson, but then again this isn’t meant for the kids.

Just a reminder of what we’re looking for:

Midway upon the journey of our life

I found myself within a forest dark,

For the straightforward pathway had been lost.

Ah me! How hard a thing it is to say

What was this forest savage, rough, and stern,

Which in the very thought renews the fear.

So bitter is it, death is little more;

But of the good to treat, which there I found,

Speak will I of the other things I saw there.

I cannot well repeat how there I entered,

So full was I of slumber at the moment

In which I had abandoned the true way.

• From “The divine comedy of Dante Alighieri”, Canto I

Being lost in the woods, awaiting death, such is the sad reality of losing one’s purpose, losing all reason to live. Though the purpose in which Dante finds is more of fantasy than reality, there are many emotions I can relate with, and some emotions that I have seek to avoid.

The divine comedy is a poem depicting the tale of a man dreaming of entering hell to save a loved one and an opinion on the structure of hell. You guys can probably expect quotes from his poem in my lessons. Don’t worry though, as much as I will be true to myself, I will be true to the word. There will be no twisting it into my own dark fantasy.

Anyway, on with the lesson (Start printing from here)

Decided to write two endings, feel free to slap me in the face on Sunday haha

Well obviously, we have to start from the beginning.

Go over the parable of the Good Samaritan one more time.

Just go over it briefly, in appropriate detail. I really hope that no one has to start from here, but it is certainly unavoidable. If you want, clarify with them what the oil and wine is for. The oil and wine in this case most likely represented a gift from the Holy Spirit, or telling us to share our gifts (since Jesus is talking and wants to slip in a little hidden message). As little as possible, try to go over which one they can relate to most and share (If possible) experiences where you have met the truly needy, and how you had and could have reacted.

In many ways they have been chided about feeling remorse for the less fortunate, through their parents and also through public education. Not saying that it is inappropriate to monger pity here but it isn’t always effective, and move on if the response is poor.

If we’re getting rid of the video, go through the blanks as well.

(Start with either 2a or 2α, depending on your preference)

Part 2a

Definitions

Defining service for God:

Firstly, we should take a look at the meaning of the word service, which is “work done that benefits another”. So service for God is basically work done that benefits God.

Part 2α

Why?

Reasons for serving God:

Now, we get them to turn their bibles open, back to good old Romans 12, where we learnt about being a living sacrifice. This time, get them to read verses 3 to 8. From the verses, the main reason we serve is because god has already equipped us with talents which can be used for serving God, which is how we can repay him.

_________________________________________________

From here on out, the main idea is to be discussing about how we can bring benefit to God. Obviously there are several ways to go about it, but it would be easier on us to build it around the structure that Pastor Rick Warren has already established.

First method: Follow the Book using verses provided

Firstly, we have to See or identify those in need

Motive

Try to get them to think about how they can help physically rather than financially. Help them to remember and realize that it is not the effort or satisfaction that counts, it is glory that counts. (WHAT!!)

By that I mean glory to God obviously. Focus on groups that can be helped, and ways which help is not temporal but in ways that last.

Lastly, are there ways to help those that can’t be reached by our actions? Remind them that God’s power is always there, and we can always ask for his help.

PAIN

How can we relate to pain? Honestly, I did not have any idea how to get them to feel other’s pain other than the obvious methods. The book was not much help either. Then it got me thinking, should we be identifying those we can sympathize with?

In my opinion, we can never exactly feel how someone else is feeling and the truth is God definitely can. We should try to get as close as possible while relying on God. Start by asking them how this can be achieved. Spending some time with those in need? Live as a pauper? Once you’re done, remind them about where God is, and how he can help us by guiding us.

Opportunity

The whole seizing the moment thing according to Rick Warren seems pretty inappropriate in public, especially in Singapore with all the scams going around. Put it this way, it is about being a good example of a Christian, similar to the Samaritan Jesus had described in his parable. Remind them that seizing opportunities also means making effective plans, or signing up for church initiated programs. It is about maximizing time and maximizing his glory.

Thy soul is hurt by cowardice, which oftentimes encumbereth a man so that it turns him back from honorable enterprise.

­- From “The divine comedy of Dante Alighieri”, Canto II

Execution

Read Romans 12:6-8 again. If it is about doing your best, how can you reach your best? The simple yet hard to put into practice answer is to undergo training and education. Ask them how they can train and educate themselves. The basic idea would be to reach a level where you are able to help others with their needs.

O creatures foolish, how great is that ignorance that harms you!

- From “The divine comedy of Dante Alighieri”, Canto VII

Starting small

If your group is large, split up into smaller groups and ask them what talents they have or think they have, and ask them where their talents could be used to serve the church. Pray together and ask God to let their talents flourish or identify their talents and pray that he would use it in the church when it is time. Alternatively, ask them to pray it for themselves if they are willing and not doing it half-heartedly.

Alternative method:

Planning a community outreach project!

CONGRAJULATIONS for reading this far cause if I were really busy I would’ve stopped at the previous passage and went with it. This section is for those who are daring! Whose students paid some attention during the video and also for those who want something different for a large group of students and access to a whiteboard to write everything down!

If you can’t think of anything, you could always use the board game event as an example

Identify

Identify a group of people around the Commonwealth area (old folks, run down blocks, etc) who could use your help. Try to steer them away from fundraising by reminding them the main objective of an outreach event, and that interaction with potential believers is necessary.

PAIN

This would be a little easier than the one I wrote earlier. To sympathize, you need to know more about the people who you are trying to help. It definitely is out of almost everyone’s comfort zones to go around knocking on everyone’s door and checking up, but it will be helpful. Try to lead them in this direction by questioning whether they can sympathize as well with people who are strangers.

Opportunity

Remind them that seizing the moment is important and you need to choose your occasions where people would be more open and friendly towards you, and when people will more likely attend your event. It also involves helping out whenever possible, which can be applied in house visits or dinner events.

Execution

Assess the skills needed in your community outreach event. Do you need to learn some basic dialects? Maybe learn a simple musical instrument to draw the crowds? Remind them that they need to be the best they can be in their efforts.

Closing

This refers to closing if you choose this method yea. To close, it is really up to you. Try to pray about how god can use us in an outreach project in the future, or that we can participate in a church event in the future.

Clarence

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

From Philippians 1:12,13, you discover that it is your responsibility to develop the
salvation you have in Christ. With this in mind, we will consider more closely the
tools God uses and the choices we make that will help us become more like Jesus.

1. Some people have thought that Paul's reference to working out our salvation
means that we have to earn our salvation. What does Ephesians 2:8-9 have to
say about this?

41. "Working out" your salvation can be compared to a physical workout. Your
workout is to develop what you already possess. In what ways is discipleship
like a physical workout?

42. Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Paul says the Bible is "useful." In what ways have
you found the Bible "useful" in your life? What keeps the Bible from being more
useful in your life?

43. *Read Romans 8:28 and James 1:2-4. How has God used circumstances
and trials in your life to bring growth and Christ-likeness?


SERVE

10 Minutes

One very important tool God uses to mature us is our circumstances.
You cannot choose what is going to happen to you, but you can
choose how you will respond.

*How can your circumstances be opportunities for you to serve
1. God and others? What circumstance have you experienced that God could use
as an opportunity for you to serve others?

44. Pair up and turn to the Purpose Driven Health Plan on page 51 in the Small
Group Resources section. Select one purpose in which you need to grow and
write down one action step that you could take this week to grow in that purpose.

SHARE

15 Minutes

Although none of us has achieved our goal of becoming completely
like Christ, the good news for us is, God uses imperfect people to
fulfill His purposes.

How are the Bible, the Holy Spirit, and circumstances all important
in reaching people for Christ? Several of you share how God is
1. using these things to reach out to your friends and family.

WORSHIP

15 Minutes

Recognizing that God does so much to help us grow to be like Christ
is good reason to worship Him.

*Take some time as a group to thank and praise God for His
provision of salvation and His work in transforming us to be like
1. Jesus Christ. Use short one-sentence prayers to give everyone a chance to
praise the Lord. You may pray several times, but keep your prayers short. You
can begin by saying, "Father, we thank You for...," or, "Jesus, You have given
us...."

45. In today’s lesson we learned that prayer is an indicator of whether or not you
are depending on God. What are you holding onto that you need to turn over to
God and trust Him to handle? Spend some time praying for these issues.

ADDITIONAL STUDY

God created us to become like Christ. He has given us His Word, His Holy Spirit,
and custom-made circumstances to help us grow. Let's look further at some verses
that confirm the truths of this lesson and challenge us to take responsibility for our
part in this process.

1. *What truth do we learn about our responsibility in the process of spiritual growth
in Ephesians 4:22-24?

46. How is our faith affected by the Word of God, according to Romans 10:17?
What encouragement does Romans 8:11 give us in our spiritual growth?

47. What other good news do we see in 2 Corinthians 3:18 regarding God's work
in us?

“Being amazed by God’s grace is a sign of spiritual vitality. It is a litmus test of how firm and real is our grasp of the Christian gospel and how close is our walk with Jesus Christ. The growing Christian finds that the grace of God astonishes and amazes.”

- Sinclair B. Ferguson, By Grace Alone

Thanks to Caitlyn and Justina for this week's lesson! :)

Session 3: Fellowship

Hook: The 'Hot Seat' game

-Write the names of all the individuals in your group at the top of different pieces of paper

- Pass them around the group and have everyone anonymously write (except for their own piece of paper) a phrase or sentence that begins with,'This is one reason why i'm thankful God put you in my life...'

- After it has gone one round, everybody gets their own pieces of paper back and reads them (reading aloud is not required))

Begin by doing a recap of the points on how to have effective Christian fellowship covered in the video i.e. the 5 building blocks

1. In short, what is fellowship?

Loving others.

2. Why should we fellowship (love others)?

1 John 3:14-18

God first loved us and so we should love him back (as covered in the previous lesson on worship). If we love him enough, we should learn to love the things (or rather people) he loves as well. Since he loves others, we should learn to love them as well.

Edification is also another reason why fellowship is important in the church. If we commit to building each other up with the love of Jesus Christ, we will be better able to face up to the strains our world has on our christian life.

*If your kids are anything like mine, they would be quick to disagree to the point that if we love someone, we tend to love the people they love. Ask them, then, 'How does your reluctance to love others (especially those who are difficult to love) reflect of the extent of your love for God?' Try not to spend too much time here though.

3. Within this TTB group you are in, how can you achieve the 5 building blocks?

Highlight 2 in particular: How do we help each other to share our true feelings; and how do we help each other to grow spiritually? Are they willing to commit to being honest and available to each other while keeping things that are shared confidential? Even doing something simple like encouraging each other in today’s hook can be a step towards true fellowship.

4. Most of us have a few groups of friends (from church, school etc.) Are these groups from friends different from their friends in church? As a Christian group, what should make us different from other groups?

Remember one of the 5 building blocks is unity? What are we united in?

We want to build a relationship that is not just of social nature where we meet up to have fun or be together because we have to work together. It is the ‘comrade relationship’ that we want to achieve: to laugh, to cry, to suffer together and to know that the common goal that we share is Jesus Christ.

5. Ask the Sec Ones what kind of relationships do they want to build in this group? Is it just another social group?

Encourage the kids to make a commitment to treat sun classes as more than just Sunday school, learning about the bible. Are they willing to help one another grow in faith and maturity? What about the times when they just don’t feel like it? Let them know that they will be held accountable to what they have said in response to this question.

End activity

**As the school holidays begin, take time out to plan an outing with your kids to build effective fellowship within your group! **

Thanks to Yun Ying and Elvira for this week's lesson! Sorry its out so late!

HELLOOOO FOLKS!

As we all know, the main focus for this week’s WORSHIPJ below will be a few questions and answers to facilitate in your discussion!

WHAT

1) What’s worship to you BEFORE watching the video, then get them to summarise what they’ve learnt.

*worship is all about loving GOD, which is the primary purpose of your life as evident in

Matt 22:35-39

Do remember what they’ve shared so that you correct them at the end of the lesson is the answer ain’t right=)

WHY

Next, we’ll move on to the key verses for this lesson: Romans 12:1-3 (this is the ‘why’ part)

A Living Sacrifice

¹ Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

2) Why do we worship God?

Because God loves us so much that He had mercy on us by forgiving our sins. (try not to bring in grace cuz that leads to salvation and we might digress from the main point) This is supported in Rom 12:1’..in view of God’s mercy’.

HOW

Guide them through this part by following the questions closely below:

3) So how do we worship GOD?

Rom 12:1 says we OFFER our bodies as a LIVING SACRIFICE

4) So what does it mean to be a living sacrifice?

Another word for sacrifice would be an offering. Therefore, a living sacrifice would be living our daily lives as an offering to GOD (in view of His love and thus mercy on us as discussed earlier) as such, (THIS IS WHEN YOU CLEAR UP THEIR MISCONCEPTION ABOUT WORSHIP THAT ITS JUST SINGING SONGS etc.) its more than just singing songs but putting God first in ALL things.

5) Ask them what’re the idols in their lives (that stops them from being a living sacrifice for God daily, aka worshipping God daily)?

6) How are you going to start worshipping God daily by casting your idols aside? (practical approach? I think we should take note of what they say and follow up with them the following week J)

HOOK

(but makes more sense if done at the end)

WE’LL SING THE SONG ‘HEART OF WORSHIP’. Woo hoooo!!!!:D This songs summarises how our worship to God should be like, all about Him and not ourselves at all. Before singing the song, run through the lyrics with them and tell them to sing the song as a prayer unto God, that they truly wanna be that living sacrifice to God, having the heart of worship daily!

Verse 1:
When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart

Bridge:
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart

Chorus:
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus

Verse 2:
King of endless worth
No one could express
How much You deserve
Though I'm weak and poor
All I have is Yours
Every single breath

Bridge:
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart

ALRIGHTYY! Hope it helps! May you all have a fruitful session! LOVEEE YAAA! :DDDDDD