Google the Tradition

Gather for this lesson: Fusion stuff, pens for leaders, 1/2 sheets of paper
 
Key Scriptures: Genesis 37-50, Genesis 7, Job1, Luke 10:25-37
 
MOVING PARTS

It’s Your Move
Set Up: Set up computer to display on the big TV and begin the clips & slides 3 minutes before the actual starting time (uses the video countdown). Fusion portion lasts 7 min.

After the Fusion portion…
Connect 3-4 min.
Say: How do you connect to people? Life gets more hectic and the pressures of school, work and activities make time ever more precious. As with so many things, the internet can be a blessing or a curse. It can deliver information to our fingertips at the click of a mouse or tap of a finger, giving us access to knowledge, understanding, entertainment and it helps us communicate faster, wider and more creatively than ever before.

But we all know some of the downsides: pornography, junk e-mail, ‘phishing’ scams where crooks try to hijack your personal info and files. It can also be addictive, divide families and lure many into time sucking activities. Too much time online can see you neglecting family relationships. Yet interest groups via social sites, hobby websites, instant messaging, texting and more can see you develop broader relationships. And the constant interactions help you feel you know these people better than many you see day to day.

Relationships need time, and regular feeding, information and vision. The church’s traditions and goals need to pursue broader paths for revealing information because their members are increasingly joining the world’s population and getting online. It is a massive harvest field of seeking, searching people. Behind many of the searches on Google, the world’s biggest search engine, are people looking for meaning, purpose, hope, community. Yet the vast majority of all church websites and e-communication lag behind. So, how do we manage our two worlds?
 

Moving In
Incredible 5-7 min.
Needed: Include in the Fusion clips one from The Incredibles in which the helping from Mr. Incredible backfires and he gets sued.

Say: Think back to the Fusion clips you just saw – especially the one about Mr. Incredible getting sued.

ASK:
• Are there any stories from the Bible that this clip reminds you of? (Joseph in Genesis, The Flood, Job, John the Baptist, Jesus!, The Good Samaritan)

• The scripture we will be looking at tonight is the story of the Good Samaritan. What connections do you see with this story? What contrasts?
• After getting “in trouble” for trying to help, what questions might Mr. Incredible have for Jesus about the Good Samaritan story?
 

Moving On
Responsibility 7-10 min.
Needed: Pens for group leaders, 1/2 sheets of paper
Break into small groups of 3-4
Group Leader Says: Responsibility—teens say they can handle it. Adults question what teenagers do with it. How much responsibility is good for you? Let’s make a list of all the responsibilities that the youth in this group have.

(Use the 1/2 sheet to make your list. make sure these responsibilities are included homework, keeping track of their phones and how they use them, personal hygiene, helping out around the house, responsible computer use, getting to and from school safely, being honest with their parents, things like that.)

After making your group list-
Kris Says: On a scale of 1-5 shown on one hand, 5 being very responsible, how would you rate the responsibility of your peers, in general for the items on our list? (Point out a few specifically)

ASK:
• Why is it easier to be responsible at some times than others?
• What is the hardest part about being responsible?
• What responsibilities do you have now that you didn’t have before?
• What role do your parents, teachers, or other adults have in the amount of responsibility you have?
• Are your responsible for honoring church traditions?
• How could you get in trouble for doing the responsible thing?
Think The Incredibles, Bible stories…
 
Moving Up
What Do You Think 5-7 min.
ASK:
• What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word responsibility?
Say: What do you think? Yes – raise 1 finger, No – raise 2 fingers, or Maybe – raise 3 fingers
____ Being responsible is boring.
____ Being responsible is part of growing up.
____ People my age don’t need to be responsible.
____ Electronic devices are the hardest to be responsible with
____ People my age are less responsible than adults.
____ People my age don’t get a chance to show that they can be responsible.
____ It’s my responsibility to look up biblical answers by myself on the internet
____ I’ll get more responsibility as I get older.
____ I think that being responsible is a good thing.
 

Moving Out
I Have My Reasons 5-7 min.
Say: I’m going to read a list of reasons to not be responsible. Raise your hand for as many as you would like. Really decide on each one don’t just raise your hand or leave it down or just randomly do one or the other. Really participate.

Put an arrow by the three most common reasons youth give for being irresponsible.
I’m too young.
I’m not the one to blame.
I forgot.
I was mad.
I didn’t have enough time.
I didn’t know any better.
I’m lazy.
I couldn’t control myself, it was too tempting
I always have bad luck.
I’ve never learned to be responsible.
I’m not the one in charge, I don’t have to do it
It doesn’t matter to me.
I think being responsible is boring.
I don’t feel that I can be responsible.

Share the results and discuss.
 

Moving Out Game
Google or Goose -Start with about 15 min. left

Divide the youth into two equal teams. Have teams face each other across from an imaginary line -use half of one half of the gym basketball court markings for boundaries. Assign one side to be “Google” and the other to be “Goose.” The leader stands at the end of the group in the center so all players can see and hear him/her.

Say: I’m going to call out either Google or Goose. If “Google” is called, the Geese must turn and run to their “base” before the Googles tag them. If any Geese are tagged, they become Googles, and head to the other side for the next round. The same applies when “Goose” is called.

Play until everyone is on one side.
 

Closing
Gather in a closing circle.
Say: As our session finishes today, we want each person here to take home one big idea from our time together. Here’s at least four big ideas from the lesson:

• We should always help people in need, no matter what it costs.
• Love is costly and defined by our action, not our feelings.
• There is a “priest” and a “Levite” in all of us.
• This old story’s message can be just as effectively delivered with modern media.
 
Prayer
Invite each person to pray silently, based on these prayer prompts, leaving space after each prompt for the group to pray privately:

Say: Please join me in this “Bidding” prayer. I’ll say a few words followed by silence giving you time to privately offer your own prayer. Let’s begin:

Thank God for people who have been Good Samaritans in your life.
(wait)
Ask God’s forgiveness for all the opportunities to serve that you have ignored.
(wait)
Pray for specific people whom you know could use a hand from you.
(wait)
Thank God for all the ways we can discover and worship Him.
(wait)
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Say: Please join me in saying the UMYF benediction.

 

UMYF Benediction
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Shalom!
 

Discussion Guidelines
1. What is said in the room stays in this room.
Confidentiality is vital to a healthy discussion.

2. No put-downs.
Sarcasm and unkind remarks have no place in a discussion. If someone disagrees with another’s comment, they should raise a hand and express an opinion of the comment but not of the person who made it. It is permissible to attack ideas, but not each other.

3. There is no such thing as a dumb question.
Asking questions is the best way to learn.

4. No one is forced to talk.
Anyone can remain silent about any question.

5. Only one person talks at a time.
Each person’s opinion is worthwhile and deserves to be heard. Listening is an expression of respect.
 

The Rules:
• Be respectful of others
• Don’t be mean
• Keep your hands to yourself
• Stay in your seat
• Understand there is a time and a place for everything