Scripture: Matthew 14:23-27, Mark 6:47-50, John 6:17-21
Learning Objectives:
- Students will learn Jesus wants us to have faith in him.
- Students will learn it is important for us to never take our focus off of Jesus.
- Students will learn if we ask him, Jesus will help us put our focus back on him when we allow ourselves to get distracted.
- Students will create reminders that will help them stay focused on God.
Guiding Question: How does staying focused on God help us when we feel different emotions?
Materials: Index cards, markers, containers to hold index cards
Procedure: Review the story of Jesus walking on water from the scriptures above. Remind the students that when Peter took his eyes of Jesus, he lost focus and started sinking. Tell students that when we take our eyes off Jesus and focus on other things instead of Him, we can lose track of our purpose and not make the best choices. By staying focused on Jesus in every situation, we can ensure that we make good choices and follow what He wants us to do.
Have the students create a set of cards to remind them to keep their eyes on God. On one side of each card, the students will write “I need to keep my (draw a set of eyes) on Jesus When I am…(fill in emotion or need). On the other side, have the students look up and write a Bible verse that reminds them about a promise of God, a command or a principle that will help them in that situation. Have the students find a verse that really stands out to them for that emotion and encourage them to memorize these verses for times they may not have the cards with them.
Additional Questions: How does prayer help us stay focused on Jesus?
Supplemental Activity: Have the students set up a prayer journal for the week and set aside a time each day to pray. Have the students plan to use part of their prayer time to pray for help keeping their eyes on Jesus. The following week, have the students share how the prayer journal and plan helped them stay focused on Jesus and making good choices.