GIVING GOD HIS PROPS
Anything written in italics is for your information and need not be read aloud.
 
Glorifying God now is different than glorifying God in the past but it’s still the act of glorifying God!

 

Key Scriptures: Isa 40:28-31, 2Cr 5:16-20, Psalm 96

 
GATHER FOR THIS LESSON: Leader sheet, a jar of fun bubbles

 

Times Change, Worship Remains
SAY: The greatest confessions of faith, throughout all the years of the church, is that the chief purpose of human beings is to glorify God. Psalm 96 gives a list of five ways to do so—sing praise to the Lord, tell others of His glory, give Him your best, worship Him, and live a life of joyful holiness.

Do you know how the ancient Canaanites used to glorify their gods? In those days a family that bought or built a new house would dedicate it to the gods. To do so, they would sacrifice the first born child and put the child’s remains in an urn in the main room.

ASK:
• How many of you wouldn’t be around if it was still the custom to sacrifice the firstborn!
 

GLORIFY!
SAY: In contrast, thankfully, God doesn’t want to be glorified in this ways. He has His own ways to be glorified and honored. The Lenten symbol for this week is Anointing Oil. The Old Testament refers to this oil 16 times and only four New Testament passages refer to the practice of anointing with oil, and none of them offer an explanation for its use. We can draw our conclusions from context. In Mark 6:13, the disciples anoint the sick and heal them. In Mark 14:3-9, Mary anoints Jesus’ feet as an act of worship. In James 5:14, the church elders anoint the sick with oil for healing. In Hebrews 1:8-9, God says to Christ as He returns triumphantly to heaven, “Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever,” and God anoints Jesus “with the oil of gladness.”

I’m going to read a list of ways that you could be glorified. Wait until I have read all of them and then decide which one you would most like to have happen to you.
• Someone to write a hit song about you
• Someone to form a fan club for you
• Someone to write a book about you
• Someone to build a Web site about you
• Someone to write a feature article about you in a magazine
• Someone to design memorabilia about you (like baseball cards or a Barbie doll)
• Someone to give you a priceless gift
• Someone to build a museum in your honor

Ask Youth what they picked and why.

SAY: Though some of these things sound wildly improbable, some are actually the sort of things people have done throughout history to worship God. The great hymns of the faith, the books of the Bible, the untold self-sacrifices (and uncountable dollars given by believers!), the shrines, and the “fan club” of the faithful who have tried to imitate Jesus all over the earth—these are all to God’s glory.
 

WORSHIP!
SAY: I’m going to read a list of ways you could worship God. Could you see yourself doing any of these things? Demonstrate the responses as you announce them.

No way (Arms crossed across chest), Maybe (Shoulder shrug and palms up), or Yup, that’s me (Number 1 finger on both hands pointing at the sky!)

____ Singing in front of the church by yourself or in a group
____ Participating in Missions
____ Defending your faith beliefs to those at school
____ Giving money to the church or charity
____ Worshiping God
____ Going on High Way Trek
____ Giving thanks to God everyday for his blessings
____ Rejoicing because you’re a Christian

ASK:
• Why are some of these things hard for you to do?
• What keeps you from doing some of these?
 

Sightless Bubbles
Needed: A jar of fun bubbles
Set the jar of closed bubbles in the center of the room on a table or stool.

SAY: All the boys and all the girls need to get together and select a representative from their gender for the next activity and I’ll choose one person to go first. Each person is going to take a turn standing with his or her back to the bubbles and try to make as many bubbles at they can without making a mess and not bringing their hands in front of him or herself in one minute.

Call time after a minute. Then have the other youth try, being sure the lid is back on tightly before they start.

ASK:
• How successful was your representative at making bubbles when they weren’t able to focus on the bubbles themselves?
• How is that like trying to worship without focusing on God?
• What might worship look like that wasn’t focused on God?
• How does focusing on God make a difference in worship?
• What can you do to focus on God?

SAY: The bottle of bubbles could be a metaphor for the Anointing oil we talked about earlier. Focusing is better, it’s something that helps us focus our thoughts, our worship on God.
 

WHO me?
SAY: Maybe you can’t write a hit song or a book about God, give money or sing in church but there are some things you can do. Get in groups of two or three and come up with a list of four things you could do for God as individuals or in your group.
Go over the items that the youth came up with.

SAY: This week your challenge is to think about really doing one of these, either individually or as a group. Now, with your group, again brainstorm how you can get the ball rolling and be prepared to share your ideas in a few minutes.
 

CLOSE
SAY: The greatest confessions of faith throughout all the years of the church is that the chief purpose of human beings is to glorify God. Psalm 96 gives a list of five ways to do so—sing praise to the Lord, tell others of His glory, give Him your best, worship Him, and live a life of joyful holiness.

No matter what kind of Christian you are, what’s really cool about this list is that singing praise is not just about singing. Telling others of His glory doesn’t need to be done with your mouth. Giving Him your best isn’t a onetime event. Worshiping God doesn’t have to always be the same way and living a life of joyful holiness just sounds awesome!

LEADER: Decide if you want to read the prayer of have a youth do it.

PRAYER: Father, may everything we do begin with your inspiration, and continue with your love. Let your Anointing Oil pour on all of us as we worship You. Focus our days to always find their origin in You and through You reach completion. Lord, guide us in your gentle mercy, for left to ourselves we cannot do your will. We ask this not only for ourselves, but for everyone in worship here today. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
 

MORE
If you still have time here’s a little bit “more”
Rags and Brags
Each youth should take turns sharing a good thing that happened in the last few days and a bad thing in the same time frame. If you’re worried about time – Do one Rag or Brag per person, their choice.