TF Teen

Meeting number 4             

Biblical Reference:

Proverbs 3.12 and 1 Samuel 2.1-26

Purpose of the meeting:

Teach teenagers that God reprimands those who He loves.

Key verse:

“Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.” (Proverbs 10.17)

Initiating the meeting:

Educator, start this meeting by asking: ‘how many teens feel misunderstood or rejected by their parents or responsible? Many times parents have attitudes that children doesn’t understand at that moment and they think that to determinate limits and standards of behavior are just ways of controlling them. On today’s meeting we will talk a little more about the importance of reprimanding.

Message that edify:

Reprimanding

          “Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. So he said to them: Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. No, my sons; the report I hear spreading among the LORD’s people is not good. If one person sins against another, God may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the LORD, who will intercede for them? His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke…” (1 Samuel 2.22-26)

         We mentioned in the previous meeting about the love of God the father and the love of the earthly father to their children and also touched on something usual in a relationship between parents and children: reprimand. Most of the time parents are right on reprimanding their children, since many teenagers unfortunately decide to follow their own will and that’s what takes many of them to the path of vices, illness and perdition.

         One of the factors that is often seen in the teenage generation is the desire to solve things their own way and disobedience in the search for a false freedom. Observe the biblical example mentioned before, Hophni and Phinehas, they were sons of Eli the priest and they lived inside the temple of God, however see what the bible says about them: “Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.” (1 Samuel 2.12).  Even being sons of a priest they used to do their own will, a proof is that even when they were reprimanded by their father, they stayed in error, and the consequence was death. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6.23). God wishes us all to take hold on eternal life, but we have to sacrifice our desires for Salvation.

         Those who seek God's face and are sincere with Him receive this free gift from God, because when we decide to practice the Word of God, He shows us our mistakes and corrects us not to turn from His Presence.

Conclusion:

        Teenagers, God always presents us the “formula”, the “direction”, the “manual” (show the bible) to live well. However, many people don’t receive this life because don’t want to follow the orientations of it (show the bible again). There are those who feel entitled to demand that the promises of God's Word be fulfilled in their lives, but do not live according to this Word. Let's say that a sick person goes to a hospital, talks to the doctor, and he guides them what to do and prescribes the appropriate medication. For the person to get better, this person has to do according to what he was directed by the doctor, otherwise he cannot complain he is still unwell. With our spiritual life it is the same, when we live according to the Word of God, repenting before God, then we have free access to His Presence. However, if we decide to live according to this world, we risk losing our salvation.

Activity of 4th Meeting

Debating the verse

            Write down the name of all teenagers in little pieces of paper, fold it and put it inside a plastic bag. Arrange the room in a circle and ask a teen to take a piece of paper. The one whose name has been removed should speak about what they understood about the verse. After expressing her thoughts the teen should take another name that will continue the debate. Keep listening to the opinion of three more teens. After that, ask to the group to answer some questions referring to this week’s topic.