Week 4: October 27 – Reformation Sunday
2 Timothy 4:5-8, Luke 18:9-14

Note to the Teacher

The key emphasis this week (for this lesson from 2 Timothy 4 and Luke 18) is the Christian life is a life-long journey that can only be lived out one day at a time. The Ice Breaker invites youth to play charades to act out what their profession one day might be. The Discussion encourages students to reflect upon what it means to live out faith daily while at the same time seeing the big picture of the Christian journey. The Activity encourages youth to imagine what they think the faith journey of the next ten years of their life might be.

Times are based on a 50-minute lesson period, but can be adjusted.

Time Description of Activity

10 min. 1. Ice Breaker – Charades: Guess My Job!

SUPPLIES – 10-15 small slips of paper, a box for the slips of paper to go in.

Since the conversation this week in part focuses on thinking about our futures, we are going to imagine the different jobs some students may have. The class leader should write down a list of 10-15 professions ahead of time on different small slips of paper. Make some serious more serious and some more fun, such as doctor, teacher, rodeo clown, pastor, sumo wrestler, etc.

Then ask for a student to come secretly pick a profession out of the box and they have 30 seconds to act out the profession charades-style (without speaking or making noise) and the group has to try to guess the profession. Repeat as many times as time allows.

5 min. 2. Read Scripture

Our Scripture reading today will focus on 2 Timothy 4:5-8 and Luke 18:9-14. 2 Timothy 4 focuses on “finishing the race” of the Christian journey while Luke 18 tells the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector and the importance of humility in the Christian journey. You will want to explain what a Pharisee (a Jewish leader who focused intensely on keeping the law) is before reading from Luke, and why a tax collector would have been looked down upon (cheated the people out of money and collected extra taxes to keep for themselves).

Read 2 Timothy 4:5-8

Read Luke 18:9-14

15 min. 3. Discussion

• 2 Timothy 4:5 speaks of enduring hardships. What are some hardships that Christians may experience in their faith journey?
• What do you think verse 7 means when it speaks of finishing the race?
• What is the “crown of righteousness” in verse 8?
• When you find the Christian journey to be challenging what do you do?
• Who is someone you turn to for encouragement or support in your journey of faith?
• Who is someone you can go to with tough questions about God or faith?

From Luke 18

• What was the difference between the actions of the Pharisee and the tax collector?
• How were these actions different than what would be expected from a Pharisee or tax collector?
• Why is the tax collector’s response more pleasing to God?
• How can Christians live out their faith in bold ways without seeming like they are trying to draw attention to themselves?

20 Min.4. Activity and Discussion – Make a Faith Timeline of Your Life

Take this lesson to the next level by allowing students to imagine what the next steps of their faith journeys may look like by making a timeline of the faith journey of their life so far and then the next 10 years using this activity from the YouthWorker Collective.

SUPPLIES – A sheet of computer paper for every student along with a pen or marker to write with.

Give every student a blank piece of paper as well as something to write with. Remind them that each of them probably has certain goals for their lives, especially for the next 10 years. They may want to accomplish certain things in school, have certain experiences, or attend certain colleges. But have they also thought about their faith goals over the next 10 years?

Ask each student to draw a timeline of their life, both the past up to the present, and then 10 years into the future. Have them put down major life and faith milestones that have happened so far and ones that they hope will happen in the next 10 years, as well as including faith milestones, ways they hope to grow in faith, and faith experiences they hope to have. This may be a challenge for some students as this could be the first time they have thought about this. It may be helpful to give examples of potential future faith goals/events such as taking certain Bible studies, completing devotionals, doing mission work, becoming a leader in a faith community, experiencing faith in new settings, those sort of things.

After 10 minutes or so has passed, ask if there are any students who are willing to stand in front of the group and share their timeline of their life so far and the next 10 years, especially including their faith timeline. Encourage and appreciate every student who shares.

In the few minutes of time ask:

• How did this activity challenge you to think about your future?
• If heaven is the ultimate final goal, why does it matter if we live faithful lives while on earth?

Close in the manner that is typical for you. Consider taking joys/concerns from the students, then asking for a volunteer to close in prayer.

50 min.

NEEDED RESOURCES:

• 10-15 small slips of paper
• A box (or something comparable)
• A sheet of computer paper for every student and a pen/marker