TF Teen

 

Biblical Reference:

Psalm 78.38; 1 Samuel 18.6-16, 23.6-14

Purpose of the meeting:

Teach the teenagers that God is pleased when we forgive our neighbor.

Key verse:

“Yet God was merciful; He forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them.” 

(Psalm 78.38) 

Initiating the meeting:

Start by asking to the teenagers: What would you do if your best friend, who you always helped, start saying bad things about you and get jealous because you had a better grade then he/she? Tough decision, isn’t it? Would it be a motive to end the friendship? (Wait for them to participate). Many people envy others’ success.  We will talk about it on today’s meeting.

Message that edifies:

David’s forgiveness

 The Lord Jesus wishes us to be His witness and light in this world, in other words, He wishes us to be different from the others. “You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5.14). David was a young man who shined this light. The bible says that king Saul was tormented by an evil spirit who caused him deep sadness and anguish, that’s why David was taken to the palace to play his harp and through his songs; he kept away the evil that desolated the king.

            Before becoming king and replacing Saul on the throne David passed through a big challenge, facing the great king Goliath and defeating him! Coming back from the battle with the king and the entire army, the women in the city came to meet him singing, dancing and saying: “Saul has injured his thousands and David his tens of thousands.” (1 Samuel 18.7). These words made Saul angry and envious; jealousy took control of his heart and from that day on, he stopped having respect for David.

            Saul realized that David was successful in everything and also loved by the people. Because of that Saul started to chase him and even attempted to take David’s life.

            See what the spirit of envy can cause in a man’s heart? David only did good things to the King; however, because of envy Saul was trying to kill him.

            Twice David had the opportunity to take Saul's life, but because he feared and respected Saul, David didn’t harm him. He knew that an evil spirit dominated Saul and that’s why he acted that way. The Spirit of the Lord guided David and because of that he didn’t let the desire of revenge take control of his heart. Revenge is a diabolical feeling that can never dwell in the hearts of those who know God.

                                                                                                                               

Maybe you have been criticized, persecuted, humiliated, and even mistreated by someone. Don’t let hurt and hate take control of your heart, forgive this person and pray for them.  If you have not achieved that, ask for the Holy Spirit to help you and He certainly will.

Conclusion:

     Remember that when the Lord Jesus was being mistreated He never asked God to destroy those people, on the contrary, He asked God to forgive them as it’s written in this verse: “Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them.” (Psalm 78.38)                             

Activity of the 1º Meeting

Reaping what we planted

    You will need: brown paper, pen marker, strips of paper, adhesive tape, and pencils. Draw a big tree in the brown paper and stick it on the wall, distribute the stripes of paper and pencils to the class.

            Ask them to write on the paper something they would like to see the friend of the right side doing (to sing a song, to imitate a celebrity, to imitate an animal, etc). Tell the teenagers they cannot look their friend’s paper. Then ask them to sign the paper they wrote on.

            Pick up the papers and stick them on the tree. Start the dynamics by saying: the name of this dynamic is: reaping what we planted!

            In turns, ask the teenagers to take the paper they put on the wall and perform the task they wrote to a friend. After the activities, promote a debate about how they felt about the task.

            Conclude this meeting explaining: we cannot do to others what we don’t want to be done to ourselves; those who love and know God understand they must forgive. Never let sadness or hurt to create roots of bitterness inside your heart, always be ready to forgive for all that one day we plant, sooner or later we reap.